[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 135 (Thursday, July 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41162-41163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17234]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and
Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Navy Hawaii-Southern
California Training and Testing and To Announce Public Scoping Meetings
AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102 of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental
Quality Regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 1500-
1508), and Executive Order 12114, the Department of the Navy (DON)
announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
and Overseas EIS (OEIS) to evaluate the potential environmental effects
associated with military readiness training and research, development,
testing, and evaluation (RDT&E) activities (hereinafter referred to as
``training and testing'' activities) conducted within the Hawaii-
Southern California Training and Testing (HSTT) study area. The HSTT
study area combines the at-sea portions of the Hawaii Range Complex,
the Southern California Range Complex (including the San Diego Bay);
the Silver Strand Training Complex; areas where vessels transit between
the Hawaii Range Complex and the Southern California Range Complex; and
select Navy pierside locations. This EIS and OEIS is being prepared to
renew and combine current regulatory permits and authorizations;
address current training and testing not covered under existing permits
and authorizations; and to obtain those permits and authorizations
necessary to support force structure changes and emerging and future
training and testing requirements.
The DON will invite the National Marine Fisheries Service to be a
cooperating agency in preparation of this EIS and OEIS.
DATES AND ADDRESSES: Six public scoping meetings will be held between 4
p.m. and 8 p.m., unless otherwise stated, on the following dates and at
the following locations:
1. Wednesday, August 4, 2010, 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Point Loma/
Hervey Branch Library, Community Room, 3701 Voltaire Street, San Diego,
CA.
2. Thursday, August 5, 2010, Lakewood High School, Room 922/924,
4400 Briercrest Avenue, Lakewood, CA.
3. Tuesday, August 24, 2010, Kauai Community College Cafeteria, 3-
1901 Kaumuali'i Highway, Lihue, HI.
4. Wednesday, August 25, 2010, Disabled American Veterans Hall,
Weinberg Hall, 2685 North Nimitz Highway, Honolulu, HI.
5. Thursday, August 26, 2010, Hilo High School Cafeteria, 556
Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI.
6. Friday, August 27, 2010, Maui Waena Intermediate School
Cafeteria, 795 Onehee Avenue, Kahului, HI.
Each of the six scoping meetings will consist of an informal, open
house session with informational stations staffed by DON
representatives. Meeting details will be announced in local newspapers.
Additional information concerning meeting times is available on the EIS
and OEIS Web page located at: http://www.HawaiiSOCALEIS.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent Randall, Naval Facilities
Engineering Command, Southwest. Attention: HSTT EIS/OEIS, 1220 Pacific
Highway, Building 1, Floor 5, San Diego, CA
[[Page 41163]]
92132, or Meghan Byrne, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific.
Attention: HSTT EIS/OEIS, 258 Makalapa Dr, Ste 100, Building 258, Floor
3, Room 258C210, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3134.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DON's proposed action is to conduct
training and testing activities that include the use of active sonar
and explosives within the at-sea portions of existing DON training
range complexes around the Hawaiian Islands and off the coast of
Southern California (known as the HSTT study area). While the majority
of these training and testing activities take place in operating and
warning areas and/or on training and testing ranges, some training
activities, such as sonar maintenance and gunnery exercises, are
conducted concurrent with normal transits and may occur outside of DON
operating and warning areas.
The HSTT study area combines the at-sea portions of the following
range complexes: Hawaii Range Complex, Southern California Range
Complex, and Silver Strand Training Complex. The existing western
boundary of the Hawaii Range Complex is being expanded 60 miles to the
west to the International Dateline. The HSTT study area also includes
the transit route between Hawaii and Southern California as well as DON
and commercial piers at Pearl Harbor, HI and San Diego, CA where sonar
may be tested.
The proposed action is to conduct military training and testing
activities in the HSTT study area. The purpose of the proposed action
is to achieve and maintain Fleet Readiness to meet the requirements of
Title 10 of the U.S. Code, which requires DON to ``maintain, train, and
equip combat-ready naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring
aggression, and maintaining freedom of the seas.'' The proposed action
would also allow DON to attain compliance with applicable environmental
authorizations, consultations, and other associated environmental
requirements, including those associated with new platforms and weapons
systems, for example, the Low Frequency Anti-Submarine Warfare
capability associated with the Littoral Combat Ship.
The alternatives that will be analyzed in the HSTT EIS and OEIS
meet the purpose and need of the proposed action by providing the level
of training that meets the requirements of Title 10, thereby ensuring
that Sailors and Marines are properly prepared for operational success.
Similarly, the level of RDT&E proposed for the HSTT study area is
necessary to ensure that Sailors and Marines deployed overseas have the
latest proven military equipment. Accordingly, the alternatives to be
addressed in the HSTT EIS and OEIS are:
1. No Action--The No Action Alternative continues baseline training
and testing activities and force structure requirements as defined by
existing DON environmental planning documents. This documentation
includes the Records of Decision for the Hawaii and Southern California
range complexes and the Preferred Alternative for the Silver Strand
Training Complex Draft EIS and OEIS.
2. Alternative 1--This alternative consists of the No Action
alternative, plus expansion of the overall study area boundaries, and
updates and/or adjustments to locations and tempo of training and
testing activities. This alternative also includes changes to training
and testing requirements necessary to accommodate force structure
changes, and the development and introduction of new vessels, aircraft,
and weapons systems.
3. Alternative 2--Alternative 2 consists of Alternative 1 with an
increased tempo of training and testing activities. This alternative
also allows for additional range enhancements and infrastructure
requirements.
Resource areas that will be addressed because of the potential
effects from the proposed action include, but are not limited to: Ocean
and biological resources (including marine mammals and threatened and
endangered species); air quality; airborne soundscape; cultural
resources; transportation; regional economy; recreation; and public
health and safety.
The scoping process will be used to identify community concerns and
local issues to be addressed in the EIS and OEIS. Federal agencies,
state agencies, local agencies, Native American Indian Tribes and
Nations, the public, and interested persons are encouraged to provide
comments to the DON to identify specific issues or topics of
environmental concern that the commenter believes the DON should
consider. All comments provided orally or in writing at the scoping
meetings, will receive the same consideration during EIS and OEIS
preparation. Written comments must be postmarked no later than
September 14, 2010, and should be mailed to: Naval Facilities
Engineering Command, Southwest, 2730 McKean Street, Building 291, San
Diego, CA 92136-5198, Attention: Mr. Kent Randall--HSTT EIS/OEIS.
Dated: July 9, 2010.
D.J. Werner
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-17234 Filed 7-14-10; 8:45 am]
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