[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9756-9757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5270]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army


Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on Final Site 
Selection and Authorization for Implementation of Multi-Purpose Range 
Complex-Heavy, Camp Shelby, MS; De Soto National Forest, Forrest and 
Perry Counties, MS

AGENCY: Department of the Army, National Guard Bureau; U.S. Department 
of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The National Guard Bureau, as co-lead agency with the USDA, 
Forest Service, will cooperatively participate in the preparation of a 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Military Training Use of 
National Forest Lands, Camp Shelby, Mississippi. The SEIS will identify 
sites evaluated by both agencies for consideration in selection of a 
final site for the Multi-Purpose Range Complex-Heavy (MPRC-H) location 
and disclose new information relevant to environmental concerns having 
a bearing on the proposed action.

Description of Proposed Action

    The National Guard Bureau proposes to construct, operate, and 
maintain a MPRC-H facility within the Operations Area at Camp Shelby. 
The project area includes National Forest System lands on the De Soto 
National Forest that are currently utilized for military training 
activities under terms and conditions of a special use permit issued by 
the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.
    The MPRCH-H is a standard Army gunnery range which has three 
maneuver avenues. Only ``practice'' ammunition will be fired within the 
target array. The proposed project would consist of the range operation 
and control area, the downrange area, and the vehicle holding and 
maintenance area.

Preliminary Alternatives

    Two sites were initially studied in the original special uses EIS. 
Since that time, numerous alternative sites have been examined by both 
agencies. Three alternative sites, plus the no action alternative, have 
been identified for further analysis in this supplement. The surface 
danger zones all remain within the current buffer zone of the dedicated 
impact area.
    No Action Alternative: The No Action alternative provides a basis 
for describing the proposed action and other alternatives.
    Range 41: This site overlays an existing tank gunnery range (Range 
41) in the northern third of the impact area.
    FS3: This site is located northeast of the Range 41 site and has a 
southeasterly orientation directed towards the northeast corner of the 
dedicated impact area.
    FS4; This site is located north of the Range 41 site and has a 
southeasterly orientation directed towards the northwest corner of the 
dedicated impact area.

Supplemental EIS Availability

    The draft supplement to the spring of 1997. The responsible 
officials will consider the comments, responses, environmental 
consequences discussed in the final supplement in making a decision 
regarding this proposal. Each responsible official will document their 
decision and reasons for the decision in a Record of Decision (ROD). 
The Forest Service Record of Decisions will be issued along with the 
final supplement and will be subject to administrative review (appeal) 
under 36 CFR 215. The Record of Decision will address the final site 
selection and authorization for construction and operation of an MPRC-H 
on Camp Shelby Training Site under a Special Use Permit for occupation 
and use of National Forest administered lands. A scoping meeting will 
be scheduled during March 1997 with a draft supplement to follow. 
Comments and suggestions can be forwarded to the following individuals: 
(1) Lieutenant Colonel Parker Hills, Public Affairs Office, Mississippi 
Army National Guard, P.O. Box 5027, Jackson,

[[Page 9757]]

Mississippi 39296-5027, telephone (601) 973-6349, facsimile extension 
6176; (2) Mr. Jeff Long, Forest Environmental Coordinator, U.S. Forest 
Service, National Forests in Mississippi, 100 West Capitol Street, 
Suite 1141, Jackson, Mississippi 39269, telephone (601) 965-5525, 
facsimile extension 5519; or (3) Major John Phillippe, National Guard 
Bureau ILE-E, 111 South George Mason Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22204, 
telephone (703) 607-7968.

    Dated: February 26, 1997.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health) OASA (I, L&E).
[FR Doc. 97-5270 Filed 3-3-97; 8:45 am]
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