[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 46 (Friday, March 8, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10691-10694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-5566]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for Force Transformation and Mission Capability Enhancements, 
Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, LA and Long Term 
Military Training Use of Kisatchie National Forest Lands

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD; Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) and Fort Polk 
(Army), and the Forest Service (USDA), Region 8, Kisatchie National 
Forest, as lead and cooperation agencies respectively, are initiating 
the preparation of an EIS pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. This EIS will evaluate potential impacts 
associated with the Army's proposal for implementing force 
transformation and mission capability enhancements at the JRTC and Fort 
Polk, Louisiana, along with long-term military training use of the 
Kisatchie National Forest. Based on the results of the EIS and 
consideration of all relevant factors, the Army will determine how best 
to provide for military training, readiness and facilities 
requirements. The Forest Service will determine what military 
activities and land uses may occur on national forest lands and how 
best to balance military and non-military uses. The EIS will also serve 
as a foundation for the Army's application to the Forest Service to 
renew its permit for continued use of portions of the Kisatchie 
National Forest. A range of alternatives, including no action, will be 
considered in the EIS. Action alternatives will include options for 
construction, siting and design of facilities and the types and 
intensities of maneuver and gunnery exercises to occur within the 
following areas: Army lands at Fort Polk and Peason Ridge Training 
Area; portions of the Vernon Unit and Kisatchie District of the 
Kisatchie National Forest designated as the

[[Page 10692]]

Intensive Use Area, Limited Use Area and Special Limited Use Area under 
the Army's current Special Use Permit; and at England Industrial 
Airpark, the Army's port of embarkation at Alexandria, Louisiana. 
Military use of surrounding private, non-residential lands under 
contractual lease or other agreement will also be evaluated.

DATES: All comments must be received or postmarked by May 7, 2002 to be 
considered in the preparation of the Draft EIS.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to: Dan Nance, Public Affairs 
Office, 7073 Radio Road, Fort Polk, LA 71459-5342; fax: (337) 531-6014; 
e-mail: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stacy Basham-Wagner, Joint Agency 
Liaison, Attention: AFZX-PW-E (Basham-Wagner), 1799 23rd Street, Fort 
Polk, LA 71459; telephone: (337) 531-7458, fax: (337) 531-2627; or Dan 
Nance, Public Affairs Office, 7073 Radio Road, Fort Polk, LA 71459-
5342; telephone: (337) 531-7203, fax: (337) 531-6014.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Kisatchie National Forest encompasses 
approximately 604,000 acres of national forest land in northwest and 
west-central Louisiana. The JRTC and Fort Polk is located in Vernon 
Parish, in west-central Louisiana. The main post consists of 107,024 
acres that are divided between Army fee-owned land on the northern 
portion of the post (66,998 acres) and Forest Service fee-owned land on 
the southern portion (40,026 acres) referred to as the Intensive Use 
Area (IUA). The IUA is used intensively by the Army under the terms of 
a Special Use Permit (SUP) agreement between the Forest Service and 
Fort Polk. An area contiguous to and south of the main post is used for 
less intensive military training under the terms of the SUP an is known 
as the Limited Use Area (LUA). The LUA consists of 44,799 acres that 
are fee-owned and managed by the Forest Service. Peason Ridge is a non-
contiguous training area north of the main post consisting of Army 
lands (33,011 acres) and Forest Service lands (480 acres). North of 
Peason Ridge is an area referred to as the Special Limited Use Area 
(SLUA) in the SUP, consisting of 12,820 acres. The SLUA is made 
available for limited training by JRTC and Fort Polk.
    The JRTC, established at Fort Polk in 1993, is the only Combat 
Training Center devoted to and capable of supporting Army light 
infantry brigade-level training. JRTC training focuses on training 
light infantry with support from armor, mechanized equipment, and 
aircraft. Ten JRTC rotations (extensive field training exercises for 
visiting Army brigade and supporting Air Force, Navy and Marine units) 
are normally conducted at Fort Polk each year, with an average of more 
than 5,000 troops involved in each training event.
    Fort Polk also serves as an Army power projection platform from 
which fores deploy by air, rail and sea to areas of operation around 
the world. It is home to the 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment (Light) (2d 
ACR) and several other rapid deployment and combat service support 
units. In addition to the 2d ACR, active Army units assigned to Fort 
Polk include the 519th Military Police Battalion (519th MP Bn); the 
Warrior Brigade, consisting of the 46th Engineer Battalion, 83d 
Chemical Battalion, 115th Field Hospital, 142d Corps Support Battalion, 
and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison; and the 
1st Battalion, 509th Infantry (1-509 IN), which portrays the Opposing 
Force during JRTC rotations. Fort Polk also provides training 
opportunities for the 256th Brigade (Mechanized) (Enhanced), Louisiana 
Army National Guard (LANG) and various reserve component units.
    In October 1999, the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff 
of the Army articulated a vision to posture the Army to meet the 
demands of the 21st century: The Army Vision is about people, 
readiness, and transformation. Transformation addresses the need for 
change based on emerging security challenges of the 21st century. Chief 
among these challenges is the need to be able to respond more rapidly 
to different types of operations requiring military action. Toward 
these ends, the Army will field an Interim Force to address strategic 
near-term capability gaps and to validate and develop operational 
concepts on which subsequent transformation planning and implementation 
activities can logically build. Ultimately, the Army will field an 
Objective Force designed to render the Army more responsive, 
deployable, agile, versatile, lethal, survivable, and sustainable.
    In support of Army initiatives to meet evolving security 
requirements, the Army has designated the 2d ACR to transform as an 
element of the Interim Force to the 2d Interim Cavalry Regiment (2d 
ICR), a medium-weight force that is strategically responsive and more 
rapidly deployable by air. In addition to transformation of the 2d ACR, 
other medium-weight, brigade-sized Interim Force elements--known as 
Interim Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs)--would participate in rotational 
exercises at JRTC and Fort Polk.
    To these ends, the Army proposes to implement force transformation 
and mission capability enhancements at JRTC and Fort Polk with respect 
to home station training (maneuver and gunnery exercises for Army units 
assigned to Fort Polk), rotational unit exercises, and facilities 
construction. The purpose of the proposed action is to bring the 
Interim Force to operational capability and to support an ICR that will 
function as part of the Interim Force; to provide realistic, advanced 
field training, modernized weapons training, and performance evaluation 
opportunities for IBCTs and other Army brigades; and to provide 
training lands and supporting facilities for both rotational brigades 
and for forces assigned to Fort Polk. The need for the proposed action 
is to provide the Nation with capabilities that meet current and 
evolving national defense requirements.
    The proposed action involves federal jurisdictions of the Army and 
Forest Service. The decision to be made by the Army, based on the 
results of the EIS and upon consideration of all relevant factors 
(including mission, cost, technical factors, and environmental 
considerations) is how best to provide for military training, readiness 
and facilities requirements while ensuring the sustained use of 
resources entrusted to the stewardship of the Army. The decision to be 
made by the Forest Service is what military activities and land uses 
may occur on national forest lands and how best to balance military and 
non-military uses while sustaining resources entrusted to Forest 
Service stewardship. In addition, the information compiled in the EIS 
will serve as a foundation for the Army's application to the Forest 
Service to renew its permit for continued use of Kisatchie National 
Forest lands.
    The Army's proposed actions associated with force transformation 
and mission capability enhancements at JRTC and Fort Polk may be 
categorized into the following six activity groups:
    (1) Systems Fielding. This activity group involves fielding of new 
and modernized vehicles, weapons systems and equipment for Interim 
Forces, including the Mobile Gun System and a family of interim armored 
vehicles (IAVs).
    (2) Construction. This activity group includes construction, 
modernization and revitalization of buildings, training facilities 
(e.g., live fire ranges), and infrastructure. Proposed construction 
activities and infrastructure improvements are divided according to 
location in one of six areas: Fort Polk

[[Page 10693]]

cantonment areas; Fort Polk maneuver areas and ranges; Peason Ridge 
maneuver areas and ranges; Forest Service IUA; Forest Service LUA; and 
England Industrial Airpark, the Army's port of embarkation at 
Alexandria, Louisiana.

--Fort Polk Cantonment Areas: Proposed construction activities within 
the Fort Polk cantonment areas include repair of the Fort Polk Army 
airfield and taxiway and construction of the following: (a) A new 
77,500 square foot Mission Training Support Facility, (b) an aircraft 
maintenance hangar at the Fort Polk airfield, (c) a deployment storage 
facility, (d) an arms storage facility, (e) a battalion headquarters 
and materials maintenance center, (f) a company headquarters facility, 
(g) a consolidated rigging facility, and (h) a pre-positioned equipment 
and maintenance complex.
--Fort Polk Maneuver Areas and Ranges. Proposed construction activities 
in the Fort Polk maneuver areas and ranges include: (a) Digitization of 
the existing Multi-Purpose range Complex, (b) construction of a sniper 
range at an existing small arms range and a pallet processing facility, 
and (c) expansion of the existing alert holding area and the ammunition 
supply point.
--Forest Service IUA: Construction activities proposed in the IUA 
include: (a) Approximately 18 miles of new road construction and 
improvements, including stream crossings, and (b) modernization of 
existing firing ranges.
--Forest Service LUA: Proposed construction activities in the LUA 
include: (a) Stream crossing and road/trail improvements at up to 38 
sites, (b) upgrade of existing roads and road segments, and (c) 
potential construction of new roads.
--England Industrial Air Park. Proposed construction activities at 
England Industrial Air Park include: (a) Construction of ammunition 
loading pads, (b) a passenger processing facility, and (c) upgrade of 
the north aircraft ramp.

    (3) Land Transaction. This activity group involves Army use of 
lands through permit, lease or other agreement. Proposed land 
transactions include continued use of Kisatchie National Forest lands 
through Special Use Permit agreement between the Army and Forest 
Service and use of private, non-residential lands under contractual 
lease or other agreement. No acquisition of land through purchase or 
withdrawal of public domain lands is proposed.
    (4) Deployment. This activity group involves operational deployment 
of forces, as well as training that is specifically tied to deployment 
of forces. Deployment or training for deployment of Army units from 
Fort Polk would occur at England Industrial Airpark or by rail or 
seaport.
    (5) Training. This activity group involves achieving and 
maintaining readiness to perform assigned missions, along with 
management of training ranges and maneuver areas. Proposed training 
includes both brigade-level training rotations at JRTC and training 
exercises for Army units assigned to Fort Polk.

--JRTC Rotational Exercises: Proposals related to JRTC rotational 
exercises pertain to (a) continuation of field training exercises 
involving conventional light infantry brigades (two battalions in the 
field), (b) expanded operations and larger field training exercises 
involving conventional light infantry brigades (three battalions in the 
field), (c) the use of new vehicles and tactics and expanded field 
training exercises involving IBCTs (three battalions in the field), (d) 
the use of additional tracked vehicles in armor and mechanized 
battalion rotations, (e) continuation of mission rehearsal exercises, 
and (f) changes in equipment and use of additional vehicles by Opposing 
Forces.
--Home Station Training: Proposals related to home station exercises 
(i.e., maneuver and gunnery training for Army units assigned to Fort 
Polk) pertain to (a) new training requirements for the 2d ACR as it 
transforms to become the 2d ICR, (b) continued training of the 519th MP 
Bn, (c) continued training of the Warrior Brigade, including 
designation of additional simulant release sites in support of 
biological detection system (BIDS) training, (d) continued training of 
the 1-509th IR in its role as Opposing Forces for rotational units and 
(e) continued training of the LANG.

    (6) Environmental Stewardship. Proposed environmental stewardship 
activities include continuation of the following: (a) Implementation of 
approved Army and Forest Service management and monitoring requirements 
for the red-cockaded woodpecker and its habitat, (b) implementation of 
approved integrated natural and cultural resource management plans, (c) 
management of Exemplary Natural Areas, (d) implementation of 
sustainable design and development principles, (e) development and 
implementation of adaptive ecosystem management strategies and 
practices, and (f) development and implementation of an Environmental 
Management System for JRTC and Fort Polk.
    Scoping and Public Involvement: The scoping process begun by this 
notice of intent will help to clarify issues of major concern, may 
identify any information sources available to analyze and evaluate 
impacts, and obtain public input on the range and acceptability of 
alternatives. Based on the results of scoping the Army and Forest 
Service will develop a range of alternatives, including no action. 
Action alternatives will include options for construction, siting and 
design of facilities and the types and intensities of maneuver and 
gunnery exercises to occur within Army lands at Fort Polk and Peason 
Ridge; the IUA, LUA and SLUA of the Kisatchie National Forest; and at 
England Industrial Airpark in Alexandria, Louisiana. Military use of 
surrounding private, non-residential lands under contractual lease or 
other agreement will also be evaluated.
    The Army and Forest Service recognize numerous issues of concern 
that will affect selection of alternatives and identification of issues 
to be addressed in the EIS. A representative listing of such issues 
includes: changes in operational training intensity, sustainability of 
training lands (maneuver areas and ranges), historic land uses and 
changes in land conditions, red-cockaded woodpecker status and 
recovery, status of Management Indicator Species and their habitats, 
rare and sensitive species, soil erosion, surface and groundwater 
resources, scenic streams and streamside management zones, air quality, 
energy consumption, pollution prevention, socioeconomic conditions, 
recreational opportunities and public access, noise, road conditions 
and other effects on LUA residents and surrounding communities, and 
cumulative effects. Additional issues of concern may be identified as a 
result of the scoping process.
    The Army and Forest Service invite the general public, local 
governments, Federally recognized Indian tribes, other Federal 
agencies, and state agencies to submit written comments concerning the 
scope of the issues to be addressed, alternatives to be analyzed, and 
the environmental impacts and cultural impacts to be addressed in the 
DEIS. The Army and Forest Service will jointly conduct open houses/
workshops to enable the submission of oral or

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written comments by all interested parties. Oral and written comments 
will be considered equally in preparation of the DEIS. The open house/
workshops will be held in Shreveport, Leesville, and Baton Rouge, 
Louisiana, in March 2002. The dates, times, and specific locations of 
the open house/workshops will be announced at least 15 days before each 
session. Persons or organizations unable to attend the open house/
workshop sessions are invited to submit written comments not later than 
60 days from the date of this NOI to the individual and office shown in 
the addresses given above.

    Dated: March 1, 2002.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health) OASA(I&E).
[FR Doc. 02-5566 Filed 3-7-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M