[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 139 (Thursday, July 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37452-37453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18264]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare Environmental Impact Statements for
Employment of Surveillance Towed Array Sonar System (SURTASS) Low
Frequency Active (LFA) Sonar
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Executive Order 12114 (Environmental Effects
Abroad of Major Federal Actions) and Section 102(2)(c) of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) the Navy is announcing its intent to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under each authority
for the operational employment of the SURTASS LFA system.
DATES: Public scoping meetings will be held in (1) Norfolk, Virginia on
August 6, 1996 at 7:00 p.m., at the Granby High School Auditorium, in
(2) San Diego, California on August 8, 1996 at 7:00 p.m., at the
Roosevelt Jr. High School, and in (3) Honolulu, Hawaii on August 13,
1996 at 7:00 p.m., at the Washington Intermediate School. Written
comments regarding the scope of these environmental documents must be
submitted by September 4, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for additional information should be
addressed to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Code N874, c/
o Clayton H. Spikes (703) 418-1866, Marine Acoustics, Inc., Suite 901,
2345 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22202.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SURTASS LFA sonar employs low frequency
sound propagation (less than 1000 Hz) to detect return echoes from
objects on and under the sea. The LFA system will provide the U.S. navy
an improved detection capability that does not rely solely on noise
generated by the object to be detected. In support of its national
defense mission, the Navy proposes to make the LFA system available to
Fleet Commanders for world wide employment to enhance antisubmarine
capabilities.
The analyses to be conducted will address the potential impact of
low frequency sound on the marine environment, including potential
auditory, behavioral, and physiological impacts on marine mammals and
other marine creatures. Alternatives to be studied, in addition to the
no action alternative, include employment of the system with various
combinations of mitigation measures such as detection and avoidance of
sensitive species or areas, and modification of system use to eliminate
or minimize the potential for environmental effects.
The analysis prepared under the authority of Executive Order 12114
will assess potential environmental impacts beyond the U.S. territorial
sea. The analysis prepared under NEPA will assess potential
environmental impacts within the U.S. territorial sea. Although these
analyses will be prepared under distinct authority, to ensure complete
consideration of the potential for indirect and cumulative effects, and
for the convenience of the public, these analyses will be conducted
concurrently, will be extensively cross referenced, and will be made
available for public review as a package.
The Navy anticipates employment of a tiered approach to these
studies. As a first step the Navy plans to complete a global review of
LFA operational deployment. That review may be sufficient to evaluate
environmental impacts and allow the development of appropriate
mitigation measures for use in some ocean areas. The initial review may
also identify other ocean regions which, because of their ecological
sensitivity or marine species density, require more analysis before a
decision can be made regarding LFA employment in these areas. These
areas would be examined in additional studies, or tiers,
[[Page 37453]]
building upon the foundation of the initial document.
Federal, state and local agencies, as well as interested
organizations and individuals, are encouraged to participate in the
scoping process for the EIS to determine the range of issues and
alternatives to be addressed. Three public scoping meetings to receive
oral and written information will be held: (1) At 7:00 p.m. August 6,
1996 at the Granby High School Auditorium, 7101 Granby Street, Norfolk,
Virginia; (2) At 7:00 p.m. on August 8, 1996 at the Roosevelt Junior
High School, 3366 Park Boulevard, San Diego, California, and (3) at
7:00 p.m. on August 13, 1996 at the Washington Intermediate School,
1633 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii. In the interest of available
time, each speaker will be asked to limit oral comments to five
minutes. Longer comments should be summarized at the public meeting or
mailed to the address listed at the end of this announcement. All
written comments should be submitted no later than September 4, 1996 at
the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Code N874, c/o Clayton H.
Spikes (703) 418-1866, Marine Acoustics, Inc., Suite 901, 2345 Crystal
Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22202.
Dated: July 15, 1996.
M.A. Waters,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-18264 Filed 7-17-96; 8:45 am]
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