[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 200 (Tuesday, October 16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52596-52597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25996]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the National Training Center (NTC) Land 
Expansion Proposal at Fort Irwin, California and Notice of Substitution 
of Lead Agency

AGENCY: U.S. Army National Training Center and Fort Irwin, Department 
of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent and notice of substitution of lead agency.

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SUMMARY: Fort Irwin proposes to expand upon existing maneuver land in 
order to meet training needs for force-on-force and live fire training 
of heavy brigade and battalion-sized task forces. The advances in 
weapon systems (e.g., longer engagement ranges) require units to cover 
and operate over more ground (50km x 100km, as opposed to the 26km x 
58km maneuver space currently available). The need for additional 
maneuver land at the NTC was identified because of changes in doctrine, 
equipment, and tactics. The need was validated and quantified by two 
Land Use Requirement Studies (LURS). The studies indicated a shortfall 
of approximately 193,000 acres. In 1997, a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) was released for the proposed project. The DEIS 
examined several different alternatives and identified the preferred 
alternative as the ``Silurian Valley Alternative,'' an alternative that 
consisted of acquiring lands that lay primarily to the east and north 
of the present boundaries of Fort Irwin. After examining the impacts 
and feasibility of the alternatives contained within the DEIS, it was 
determined that no alternative in the 1997 DEIS, including the 
preferred alternative, met the Army's project goals and requirements.
    As such, new alternatives have been formulated that now must be 
examined in a supplement to the 1997 DEIS. The new alternatives consist 
of various configurations of land that is to the east, west and south 
of the existing boundaries and will also utilize land within Fort Irwin 
boundaries that are currently off limits to mechanized training. Due to 
the age of the 1997 DEIS and the data contained therein, the supplement 
will also update all existing condition information for the study area 
and, as such, constitutes a complete redraft in addition to being a 
supplemental document.
    The preferred alternative involves acquisition of approximately 
110,000 new acres on the east and southwest sides of the existing NTC 
and the return to training use of approximately 22,000 acres in the 
south that are currently set aside on the NTC. While the proposed land 
expansion is less than the 193,000 acres identified in the LURS, it 
satisfies the most critical needs for additional maneuver land, while 
taking into account the Army's environmental stewardship 
responsibilities.
    The Department of the Army has assumed responsibility for the SDEIS 
and has replaced the Bureau of Land Management as lead agency for this 
project. The Bureau of Land Management shall hereafter act as a 
cooperating agency to the project.

ADDRESSES: Direct written inquiries or comments concerning the proposed 
land expansion of the NTC and Fort Irwin to: NTC Land Expansion 
Program, Mr. Tim Reischl, NTC Site Manager, AFZJ-SP Strategic Planning 
Division, P.O. 105004, Forth Irwin, CA 92310.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Tim Reischl at (760) 380-3872 by 
fax at (760) 380-2294 or Mr. Gary Ethridge at (909) 695-1999.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SDEIS will consider reasonable 
alternatives including expansion (1) only to the east, (2) the east and 
south, (3) to the east and southwest and (4) to the east and west. The 
no action (continue operations with existing ranges and facilities) 
alternative required by National Environmental Policy Act will be 
evaluated. Other reasonable alternatives will also be considered.
    Significant issues: The primary issues to be analyzed in this SDEIS 
include: Endangered species issues (potential impacts to two listed 
species--desert tortoise and Lane Mountain Milk vetch), air quality 
including PM10 standards, noise (aircraft/range firing), 
soil erosion, water quality, cultural resources, and other issues 
raised during public scoping.
    Scoping: The SDEIS is being prepared as a supplement to the draft 
EIS published in 1997. The supplement considers other land and 
alternatives that were not considered in the DEIS. As such, an 
additional scoping meeting will be conducted on November 29, 2001, 2-5 
p.m. and 6-9 p.m. in the Barstow City Hall Council Chambers, 220 E. 
Mountain View Avenue, Barstow.

[[Page 52597]]

Additional, the public will be notified through media and proper 
channels of the date, time and location. A mailing list has been 
prepared for public scoping and review throughout the process of 
preparation of this SDEIS. This list includes local, state and Federal 
officials having jurisdictional expertise or other interests in the 
project; concerned citizens; conservation groups; and local news media.
    To comment by electronic mail or for more information, see the web 
site at www.fortirwinlandexpansion.com.

    Dated: October 10, 2001.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health) OASA (I&E).
[FR Doc. 01-25996 Filed 10-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M