[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 171 (Friday, September 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 48386]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23062]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for Test Range Management Practices at the U.S. Army Aberdeen 
Proving Ground's (APG) Aberdeen Test Center (ATC), MD

agency: Department of the Army, DoD.

action: Notice of Intent.

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summary: In accordance with Public Law 91-190, the National Policy Act 
of 1969, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is to be prepared to 
assess the environmental impacts associated with the adoption of test 
range management practices at APG's ATC. The ranges at both the 
Aberdeen Area and Edgewood Area of APG are used to conduct research, 
development, testing, and evaluation of military ordnance. The ranges 
are forested and contain grassland and heavily vegetated areas. The new 
range management practices being proposed for adoption consist of the 
following techniques: (1) Controlled burns; (2) use of herbicides; (3) 
disking; (4) firebreaks; and (5) a combination of techniques. A no 
action alternative (status quo) of maintaining current range management 
practices will also be considered. The new range management practices 
are being proposed since there are no current on-going management 
practices that sufficiently address techniques to minimize range fires, 
the domination of native plant species by non-native plant species, and 
impediments to recovery of unexploded ordnance (UXO). The new range 
management practice techniques being proposed will help minimize the 
accumulation of fallen vegetative debris that fuel wildfires, 
regenerate native forests and plant species, improve the ability of APG 
personnel to recovery UXO, and better manage range assets and 
facilities. The agency invites written comments and suggestions on 
issues and management opportunities for the area being analyzed.

dates: Written public comments and suggestions should be submitted by 
October 18, 1999, to the address shown below. Comments received after 
this date will be considered to the extent practicable.

addresses: Commander, U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center, ATTN: STEAC-EV 
(Mr. Joseph P. Ondek), Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005-5001.

for further information contact: Mr. Joseph P. Ondek at (410) 278-5294.

supplementary information: The Army will conduct several scoping 
workshops prior to preparing the EIS. The first step will be to 
determine the appropriate scope of issues, activities, and alternatives 
to be addressed. Among the anticipated areas to be evaluated are public 
health risks and public safety, water quality, air quality, hazardous 
materials, biological resources including threatened and endangered 
species, socioeconomic effects, and historic and archaeological 
resources. During the scoping process, the Army will ask the public and 
agencies that have regulatory interest in Aberdeen Proving Ground to 
participate in scoping. Comments received as a result of this notice 
will be used to assist the Army in identifying potential impacts to the 
quality of the natural and human environment. The public scoping 
meetings will be held prior to preparing the draft EIS. The exact date, 
time and location of the scoping meetings will be advertised in the 
local news media, at least 15 days prior to the meeting.

    Dated: August 31, 1999.
Richard E. Newsome,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health), OASA (I&E).
[FR Doc. 99-23062 Filed 9-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M