[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49783-49784]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23911]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Public Hearing for the Draft Overseas Environmental Impact 
Statement/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DOEIS/DEIS) for the 
Operational Employment of the Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System 
Low Frequency Active (SURTASS LFA) Sonar

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy has prepared and filed with the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a DOEIS/DEIS for the operational 
employment of the SURTASS LFA sonar. Public hearings will be held for 
the purpose of receiving oral and written comments on the DOEIS/DEIS. 
Federal, state and local agencies, and

[[Page 49784]]

interested individuals are invited to be present or represented at the 
hearings.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: Hearing dates and locations are as follows:

    1. September 29, 1999, 7:00 p.m., Nauticus-The National Maritime 
Center (Theater), 1 Waterside Drive, Norfolk, VA 23510.
    2. October 12, 1999, 7:00 p.m., Marina Village Conference Center, 
1960 Quivira Way, Building E, Suite 5, San Diego, CA 92109.
    3. October 14, 1999, 7:00 p.m., University of Hawaii-Monoa Campus, 
Hawaii Imin International Conference Center Jefferson Hall, Keoni Room, 
2600 Campus Road, Honolulu, HI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Clayton H. Spikes, telephone (703) 
465-8404.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the 
Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), 
the Department of the Navy has prepared and filed with the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency a DOEIS/DEIS for the operational 
employment of the SURTASS LFA sonar.
    A Notice of Intent for this EIS was published in the Federal 
Register on July 18, 1996. Public Scoping meetings were held in 
Norfolk, Virginia, on August 6, 1996; in San Diego, California, on 
August 8, 1996; and in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 13, 1996.
    The U.S. Navy proposes to operate up to four SURTASS LFA sonar 
systems worldwide. The SURTASS LFA sonar employs long-range sound 
propagation to detect return echoes from objects on and under the sea. 
The LFA system will provide the U.S. Navy an improved detection 
capability in support of its national defense mission. The Navy 
proposes to make the SURTASS LFA system available to Fleet Commanders 
for worldwide employment to enhance antisubmarine capabilities.
    The U.S. Navy has analyzed the environmental effects resulting from 
the operational employment of up to four SURTASS LFA sonar systems 
worldwide. Alternatives developed and analyzed in the DOEIS/DEIS 
include: the No Action Alternative, in which no operational deployment 
of SURTASS LFA sonar would occur; Alternative 1, which provides for 
geographic restrictions and monitoring to prevent injury to potentially 
affected species; and Alternative 2, which provides for unrestricted 
operation of the system. The Navy currently prefers Alternative 1 
because it best meets the program purpose and need and satisfies Navy 
operational requirements.
    Environmental resource areas addressed in the DOEIS/DEIS include 
the acoustic environment, marine environment, and socioeconomic 
environment. Issue analysis includes an evaluation of the direct, 
indirect, short-term, and cumulative impacts; and irreversible and 
irretrievable commitment of resources associated with the proposed 
action.
    No decision on the proposed action will be made until the National 
Environmental Policy Act process has been completed and the Secretary 
of the Navy, or a designated representative, releases the Record of 
Decision.
    The DOEIS/DEIS has been distributed to various federal, state, and 
local agencies, elected officials, and special interest groups and 
public libraries. The DOEIS/DEIS is also available for public review at 
the following libraries:

--Los Angeles Library, 2801 Wabash Avenue, Los Angeles, CA.
--San Diego County Library, Building 15, 5555 Overland Avenue, San 
Diego, CA.
--San Diego Public Library, 820 E Street, San Diego, CA.
--San Diego Society of Natural History Library, P.O. Box 1390, San 
Diego, CA.
--California State Library Sutro Library, 480 Winston Drive, San 
Francisco, CA.
--San Francisco Public Library, Larkin and McAllister Streets, San 
Francisco, CA.
--Hawaii Documents Center Hawaii State Library, 478 South King Street, 
Honolulu, HI.
--Kaneohe Regional Library, 45-829 Kamehameha Highway, Kaneohe, HI.
--Hilo Regional Library, 300 Waianuenue, Hilo, HI.
--Wailuku Regional Library, 251 High Street, Wailuku, HI.
--Lihue Regional Library, 4344 Hardy Street, Lihue, HI.
--Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA.
--Norfolk Public Library Kirn Memorial Library, 301 East City Hall 
Avenue, Norfolk, VA.
--Virginia Beach Public Library, 4100 Virginia Beach Boulevard, 
Virginia Beach, VA.
--Fred C. Schmidt Documents Dept-KS, The Libraries Colorado State 
University, Fort Collins, CO.
--Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA.
--Martin Luther King Memorial Library, 901 G Street NW, Floor 4, 
Washington, DC.

    The Navy will conduct three public hearings to receive oral and 
written comments concerning the DOEIS/DEIS. A brief presentation will 
precede a request for public information and comments. Navy 
representatives will be available at each hearing to receive 
information and comments from agencies and the public regarding issues 
of concern. Federal, state, and local agencies, and interested parties 
are invited and urged to be present or represented at the hearings. 
Those who intend to speak will be asked to submit a speaker card 
(available at the door). Oral comments will be heard and transcribed by 
a stenographer.
    To assure accuracy of the record, all statements should be 
submitted in writing. All statements, both oral and written, will 
become part of the public record in the study. Equal weight will be 
given to both oral and written comments. In the interest of available 
time, each speaker will be asked to limit oral comments to three 
minutes. Longer comments should be summarized at the public hearings 
and submitted in writing either at the hearing or mailed to the Office 
of the Chief of Naval Operations, Code N874, c/o Clayton H. Spikes 
(703) 465-8404, Marine Acoustics, Inc., Suite 708, 901 North Stuart 
Street, Arlington, Virginia 22203. Written comments are requested not 
later than Saturday, November 13, 1999.

    Dated: September 9, 1999.
J. L. Roth,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-23911 Filed 9-13-99; 8:45 am]
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