[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 10, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75851-75852]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-31137]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Draft Mission Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of the 
APG Draft Mission EIS for public review and comment. The EIS provides 
APG and its stakeholders an analysis of the environmental impacts 
resulting from all reasonably foreseeable future mission activities at 
APG, located in northeastern Maryland.

DATES: The public comment period will end 45 days after the publication 
of the notice of availability in the Federal Register by the 
Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: Anyone wishing to receive a copy of the Draft EIS or the EIS 
Executive Summary may send a postcard or letter with their name and 
address to: U.S. Army Garrison Aberdeen Proving Ground, Directorate of 
Safety, Health and Environment, ATTN: AMSSB-GSH-ER (Buddy Keesee), 
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Buddy Keesee at (410)-278-6755, or via 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Army proposes to provide for the future 
operation of APG, located in Maryland at the northern end of the 
Chesapeake Bay. APG is composed of two principal areas separated by the 
Bush River: the Aberdeen Area situated north of the river and the 
Edgewood Area to the south. Three alternatives have been identified and 
assessed for the future operation of APG: (1) Alternative A: future 
planned activities plus mitigation alternative (proposed action), (2) 
Alternative B: future planned activities alternative, and (3) 
Alternative C: no action alternative. The future planned activities 
plus mitigation alternative (Alternative A) would provide for the 
Army's future operation of APG through the adoption of a comprehensive 
environmental baseline assessment of APG mission activities for use in 
environmental manage-ment decision-making, to include the analysis of 
cumulative effects, as well as the implementation of a mitigation 
program to nullify any potential adverse impacts of all reasonable 
foreseeable future mission activities. Alternative A is distinct from 
the other alternatives as it represents a comprehensive approach to the 
management of the APG environment. The future planned activities 
alternative (Alternative B) would encompass all reasonable foreseeable 
future mission activities. However, individual actions requiring 
National Environmental Policy Act documentation would be implemented 
piecemeal and a means for comprehensive environmental management, 
including a current environmental baseline, would not be established. 
The no action alternative (Alternative C) is defined as the 
continuation of current ongoing mission activities at approximately the 
same levels, intensities, rates, and conditions as they currently exist 
(i.e., status quo). Under no action, the baseline established by the 
1978 installation-wide EIS would be the only comprehensive point of 
reference for the analysis of environmental effects, including 
cumulative effects. Mitigation measures would be implemented on a 
project-by-project basis.
    The analysis in the Draft Mission EIS indicates that no significant 
adverse impacts that cannot be avoided, minimized, or mitigated are 
anticipated to occur under the proposed action (Alternative A) or the 
no action alternative (Alternative C). Although there is an opportunity 
to mitigate future adverse impacts under the

[[Page 75852]]

proposed action and current adverse impacts under the no action 
alternative, there is a fundamental difference in the approach. Under 
the proposed action, a means for comprehensive environmental 
management, including a current environmental baseline, would be 
established. Mitigation may be applied comprehensively within this 
context. In the case of the no action alternative, environmental 
consideration and documentation will be performed on a prpoject-by-
project basis with the baseline established by the 1978 installation-
wide EIS. A comprehensive mitigation program would not be implemented.
    When requesting copies of the EIS, please specify whether you wish 
to receive only the Executive Summary or the full document including 
the appendices.
    Comments received after the 45-day comment period will be 
considered to the extent practicable. The Army will use the comments 
received to help prepare the the APG Final Mission EIS. Public 
information meetings on the Draft EIS will be held in Harford, 
Baltimore and Kent Counties in Maryland. The meetings will provide 
opportunities for information exchange and discussion among members of 
the Army, APG, and the public. Exact dates and locations will be 
advertised in the local media at least 15 days prior to the meetings. 
Additional information on the public meetings can also be obtained from 
the DPG Public Affairs Office at (410) 278-1147.
    Persons and organizations wishing to comment on the Draft EIS may 
attend the public meetings or may send written comments to: Commander, 
U.S. Army Garrison Aberdeen Proving Ground, ATTN: AMSSB-GSH-ER (Draft 
APG EIS), Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005.
    The full Draft EIS and EIS Executive Summary will be available at 
the following public reading rooms: Harford County Library (Aberdeen 
Branch), 21 Franklin Street, Aberdeen; Harford County Library (Edgewood 
Branch), 2205 Hanson Road, Edgewood; Kent County Public Library, 408 
High Street, Chestertown. Copies at the public reading rooms are for 
review purposes only and extra copies of the documents will not be 
available at these locations.

    Dated: December 2, 2002.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health), OASA (I&E).
[FR Doc. 02-31137 Filed 12-9-02; 8:45 am]
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