[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 29 (Friday, February 11, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6999-7001]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3204]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Record of Decision for Improved Ordnance Storage for Marine Corps 
Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, AZ

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice of Record of Decision.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy, after carefully weighing the 
operational, environmental and cost implications of improving the 
ordnance storage at MCAS Yuma, announces its decision to acquire and 
develop 1,641 acres of agricultural and residential land south of MCAS 
Yuma.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The text of the entire Record of Decision 
(ROD) is provided as follows:

Background

    The Department of the Navy, pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 USC Section 4331 
et seq.), and the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality 
(CEQ) that implement NEPA procedures, (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), hereby 
announces its decision to acquire 1,641 acres of land south of MCAS 
Yuma, Arizona, for the improvement of ordnance storage and other 
support functions. This decision includes the following actions, which 
are described in more detail in the Environmental Impact Statement. The 
Department of the Navy will construct and operate:
    (1) A Combat Aircraft Loading Area (CALA);
    (2) A new station ordnance area (including ordnance loading and 
unloading facilities, ordnance storage magazines, support buildings, 
guard shacks, and a security fence);
    (3) A fire station; and
    (4) Compounds for Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS)-371 and 
Combat Service Support Detachment (CSSD)-16.
    These improvements will provide safer handling and storage of 
ordnance, and less expensive and more efficient ordnance operations. 
The proposed action is needed to support existing training and other 
ongoing activities at MCAS Yuma. None of the components of the proposed 
action are associated with an increase in the number of mission flown 
at MCAS Yuma or a change in its mission. The level of flight operations 
is not dependent on ordnance storage capacity. MCAS Yuma's ordnance 
storage capacity has remained relatively constant over the last several 
years. All components of the proposed action have been designed based 
on MCAS Yuma's historic ordnance use and operation levels.
    The Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for improved ordnance storage for Marine Corps Air 
Station Yuma, Arizona, was published in the Federal Register on 
December 17, 1996. Two public scoping meetings were held in January 
1997 to allow for public comments.
    The public scoping meetings were attended by a total of 20 persons, 
with only one person providing formal testimony; however, that person 
made

[[Page 7000]]

no specific comments which addressed the scope of the EIS. An 
additional 13 individuals, state, and local agencies submitted comments 
via letter, facsimile or electronic mail.
    The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was distributed to 
agencies and officials of federal, state and local governments, citizen 
groups and organizations, and other interested parties including 
landowners within the potential acquisition area, during the week of 
January 25-29, 1999.
    The Notice of Availability for the DEIS was published in the 
Federal Register on January 29, 1999. The DEIS was subject to public 
review during a 60-day public comment period. The Marine Corps also 
held two public hearings during the public comment period on February 
17 and 23, 1999. The public hearings were held at the Ramada Inn at the 
Chilton Conference Center in Yuma, AZ.
    Comments on the DEIS were received by letter, by oral statements 
provided during the public hearings, and written statements received by 
facsimile. Written and oral statements were received from a total of 21 
commentors, including federal, state, regional, and local agencies, and 
private individuals. All comments received were reviewed and addressed 
in the FEIS.
    The FEIS was distributed to the public on July 21, 1999. The public 
review period ended on September 30, 1999. Nineteen comments were 
received on the FEIS and were considered before issuing this ROD.

Alternatives Considered

    NEPA and CDQ regulations require the Department of the Navy to 
study and evaluate a reasonable range of alternatives for accomplishing 
the purpose and need underlying the proposed action. The underlying 
purpose for improved ordnance storage at MCAS Yuma is to: (1) Eliminate 
the use of safety waivers associated with ordnance handling an storage 
at MCAS Yuma; (2) provide an ordnance storage capacity able to 
accommodate MCAS Yuma's annual average ordnance requirement; (3) 
provide space for the relocation of existing MCAS Yuma facilities; and 
(4) meet objectives (1) and (2) without increasing staffing 
requirements at MCAS Yuma.
    The EIS process initially identified nine alternatives, including 
the No Action alternative. These included five alternatives identified 
in the NOI and four alternatives developed as a result of the public 
scoping process. Four alternatives were evaluated in detail in the EIS: 
the 1,641 Acre Alternative, the 1,069 Acre Alternative, the Barry M. 
Goldwater Range (BMGR) Alternative, and the No Action Alternative.
    The 1,641 Acre Alternative involved the acquisition and development 
of 1,641 acres of land. This alternative was identified as the 
preferred alternative in the EIS. Under this alternative, the 
Department of Navy will acquire approximately 1,641 acres of 
agricultural and residential land to the south of MCAS Yuma and 
construct and operate the following new facilities in that area: a 
Combat Aircraft Loading Area (CALA), a new station ordnance area 
(including ordnance loading and unloading facilities, ordnance storage 
magazines, support buildings, guard shacks, and a security fence), a 
fire station, and compounds for MWSS-371 AND CSSD-16.
    The new CALA and station ordnance areas are to be constructed in 
the western portion of the acquisition area. Most land in the 
acquisition area's central section will be within new Explosive Safety 
Quantity Distance (ESQD) arcs and will remain in agricultural 
production. Approximately 1,184 acres of agricultural and vacant lands 
within the acquisition area will not be cleared for the new military 
facilities. This land will be out-leased for continued agricultural 
use. A new fire station, MWSS-371 compound, and CSSD-16 compound will 
ultimately be located in the eastern third of the acquisition area. The 
facilities proposed for the eastern third of the acquisition area were 
addressed for the eastern third of the acquisition area were addressed 
at a programmatic level in the EIS because specific plans for their 
construction have not been developed. Additional evaluation under NEPA 
will be required prior to the construction of a new fire station or new 
compounds for MWSS-371 or CSSD-16. In the interim, this land will be 
made available for agricultural out-lease.
    This is the only alternative that fully meets the Department's 
Purpose and Need. The alternative includes significant and unmitigated 
socioeconomic impacts because it requires the relocation of residents 
living in eleven homes on the land to be acquired.
    The relocation of residents will be accomplished in compliance with 
the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition 
Policies Act of 1970, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.). Compliance 
with this act will ensure displaced residents are relocated to a 
decent, safe, and sanitary home. All eligible displaced residents will 
be entitled to moving expenses. This program cannot substantially 
mitigate the loss of social ties, upheaval, and sense of loss that may 
be experienced by the individuals to be relocated. Therefore, while the 
economic effects of displacement will be reduced through compliance 
with the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Properties Act of 1970, 
the significant social impacts are considered unmitigable. No other 
significant impacts were identified for the Preferred Alternative.
    The 1,069 Acre Alternative involved the acquisition and development 
of 1,069 acres of land to the south of MCAS Yuma. The land required for 
this alternative is encompassed entirely within the acquisition area 
identified above for the Preferred Alternative. This alternative would 
utilize the same CALA and ordnance storage magazines that are described 
for the Selected Alternative. However, the 1,069 Acre Alternative would 
not provide space for a new fire station or for the relocation of MWSS-
371 and CSSD-16.
    The BMGR Alternative would require the acquisition of 482 acres of 
land to the southeast of MCAS Yuma and the construction of a new CALA 
and associated structures at that location. Ordnance would be stored in 
new magazines constructed off-station at the BMGR in an approximately 
4-square-mile (10-square- kilometer) area. Under this alternative, 
flat-tailed horned lizards would be significantly affected, and the 
transportation of ordnance between the BMGR and MCAS Yuma could result 
in adverse safety impacts to residents located along the route between 
the two facilities. Additionally, it would not provide space for a new 
fire station or for the relocation of MWSS-371 and CSSD-16, and it 
would increase staffing requirements at MCAS Yuma.
    The No Action alternative requires no change in existing operations 
at MCAS Yuma. Ordnance storage would continue to require a waiver and 
the ESQD arc associated with the storage area would continue to extend 
off station. Ordnance truck trips would remain at current levels.
    The environmentally preferred alternative is generally one that 
avoids or minimizes environmental impacts or results in a net 
beneficial environmental effect. In this case, the No Action 
Alternative is the environmentally preferred alternative because it 
would not require land acquisition and relocation of homeowners and 
would not have adverse physical impacts on the environment. The 
environmentally preferred alternative was not selected because it would 
not have fulfilled the primary and secondary objectives of the proposed 
action.

[[Page 7001]]

Environmental Impacts

    There were no significant environmental impacts associated with the 
selected alternative. However, the Department of the Navy will initiate 
measures, described in the EIS, to mitigate impacts resulting from the 
action being taken. With the adoption of the measures identified in the 
EIS, the Department of the Navy has exercised all practicable means to 
avoid or minimize harm from the alternative selected.

Response to Comments

    The Department of the Navy made the FEIS available to the public 
for a a 30-day review period. This review period was extended for an 
additional 30 days period. During the review period 19 comments were 
received: eight supporting the action and 11 opposed. The governmental 
bodies of Yuma City and Yuma County support the selected alternative. 
Opposition continues from the property owners and citrus and crop 
growers. No new substantive comments were received that were not 
previously addressed in the Draft and Final Environmental Impact 
Statements.

Conclusion

    On behalf of the Department of the Navy, I have decided to 
implement the 1,641 Acre Alternative, as set out in the EIS, to improve 
ordnance storage at MCAS Yuma. In making this decision, I considered 
the following: existing assets and capabilities at MCAS Yuma; Marine 
Corps, Navy, DoD and allied operational and training requirements; 
ordnance handling and storage requirements; environmental impacts; 
socioeconomic impacts; costs associated with land acquisition and 
facility construction, the operation and maintenance of equipment and 
aircraft, and training of personnel; and comments received during the 
EIS process.
    After carefully weighing all of these factors, I have determined 
that the Preferred Alternative, acquiring and developing 1,641 acres of 
agricultural and residential land to the south of MCAS Yuma, best meets 
the requirements.

    Dated: February 1, 2000.
Duncan Holaday,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Facilities).
[FR Doc. 00-3204 Filed 2-10-00; 8:45 am]
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