[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 158 (Tuesday, August 17, 1999)] [Notices] [Pages 44716-44717] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-21318] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Navy Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for the San Clemente Island Range Complex AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and Executive Order 12114 (Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions), the Department of the Navy (Navy) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (OEIS) to evaluate the potential environmental effects of enhancing the capabilities and increasing the frequency and scale of training on the San Clemente Island Range Complex (SCIRC). DATES: The meetings will be held September 14-16, 1999, beginning at 6:00 p.m. each day. Additional information concerning meeting times will be available at the San Clemente Island EIS web page located at: http://www.cnbsd.navy.mil/Facility/sci.htm. ADDRESSES: The first meeting will be held at Bayside Convention Center, 2575 Stockton Road, Building 623 (the old Base Chapel), Naval Training Center San Diego. The second meeting will be held at Sheraton Los Angeles Harbor Hotel, 601 S. Palos Verdes Street, San Pedro, California. The third meeting will be held at DoubleTree Guest Suites, 34555 Casitas Place, Dana Point, CA. The meetings will be announced in local newspapers. Written statements and/or questions regarding the scoping process should be mailed no later than October 1, 1999 to: Naval Air Station, North Island, Environmental Department, (Attn: Carrie Anne Downey, San Clemente Island, Environmental Impact Statement Comments) P.O. Box 357088 San Diego, CA 92135-7088. To be most helpful, comments should clearly describe specific issues or topics which the commentator believes the EIS should address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carrie Anne Downey, Naval Air Station, North Island, Environmental Department, San Clemente Island, P.O. Box 357088 San Diego, CA 92135-7088, telephone (619) 545-3845, FAX (619) 545-3489, e-mail [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SCIRC consists of San Clemente Island (SCI) land, air and sea training ranges and designated operational areas to the south and west of SCI which are controlled by a single command and control system on SCI. The geographic scope of the EIS/OEIS is the SCIRC. This integrated set of ranges and operational areas covers approximately 2,620 square nautical miles (nm) and is located 68 nm west of San Diego. The command and control system and supporting infrastructure emanate from SCI which is approximately 21 nm (39 km) long and 4 and one-half nm (8.3 km) at its widest point. The SCIRC consists of more than six dozen ranges and operational areas. The extent of these areas range from the ocean floor to an altitude of 80,000 feet. The study area extends from the shore of SCI about 10 nm (18 km) to the north and east and 60 nm (111 km) to the west and south. San Clemente Island has been operated by Navy as a tactical training range and testing area for over 70 years. Tactical training ranges and operational areas provide space and facilities where U.S. military forces can conduct exercises in a safe, controlled environment. The SCIRC is the cornerstone of tactical training in the Southern California region. The primary purpose of the Complex is to provide readiness training for units and personnel who deploy overseas to meet the national strategy of forward presence and global engagement. Among the evolving needs that precipitated the proposed action are the need for more training in: littoral warfare, including mine counter-measures; electronic warfare; missile firing; operations in the shore bombardment area (SHOBA), amphibious operations; and Naval Special Warfare. Increased need for test and evaluation activities is also anticipated. The proposed action would enhance the capabilities of the SCIRC to meet current and anticipated fleet training and readiness needs, and support research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) activities by: (a) Instrumenting a shallow water extension to the current deep- water range; (b) expanding the scope of amphibious operations to include a battalion size landing; (c) defining land training areas and ranges (TARS); (d) increasing the frequency of training and testing activities currently conducted at SCIRC; (e) reviewing the optimum [[Page 44717]] configuration of land uses on San Clemente Island; and (f) developing procedures to ensure statutory obligations for endangered species, natural, and cultural resources are met while minimizing operational constraints. Each of these qualitative actions is needed for Navy and Marine Corps units to reach the fully ready level required for deployment. The EIS/OEIS will consider a range of alternatives consisting of various combinations of the above elements. The No Action Alternative, consisting of training and testing activities at current levels of operations, will also be evaluated. Environmental issues that will be addressed in the EIS/OEIS include but are not limited to: air quality, noise, vegetation and wildlife (including marine mammals and endangered species), cultural resources, land use, water quality, public health and safety and socioeconomics (including environmental justice). In accordance with NEPA, Navy will initiate a public scoping process to assist in identifying relevant environmental issues to be analyzed in this EIS/OEIS. Federal, state, and local agencies and other interested parties are invited and encouraged to participate in the scoping process. Navy will hold three public meetings. Each meeting will consist of an informal information session, staffed by Navy representatives, to be followed by a brief presentation which discusses current operations in the SCI Range Complex and a description of the proposed action and alternatives. Comments will be entered into the official record in several ways. Members of the public can contribute oral or written comments at the scoping meetings, or subsequent to the meetings by mail, fax, or e-mail. Technical statements or statements of considerable length should be submitted in writing. Oral comments may be made at the scoping meeting and will be limited to 3 minutes per individual. All comments, whether oral or written, will receive the same consideration during EIS/OEIS preparation. Individuals or groups with special needs, such as accessibility, foreign language translation, assistance for the blind or hearing impaired, should contact this agency by September 5, 1999. Dated: August 11, 1999. J.L. Roth, Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. 99-21318 Filed 8-16-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3810-FF-U