[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 122 (Wednesday, June 25, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37805-37806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-16069]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Record of Decision for the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle at 
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of record of decision.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and its implementing 
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) announces its decision to replace 
the amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) with the advanced amphibious 
assault vehicle (AAAV) at Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Pendleton, 
California, and construct new and modify existing facilities at MCB 
Camp Pendleton to support the AAAV.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
addressing this decision may be obtained from Commander, Southwest 
Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Attn: Lisa Seneca, Code 
5 CPR.LS, 1220 Pacific Highway, San Diego, California 92132-5190.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Lisa Seneca, telephone (619)-532-
4744.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States Marine Corps is developing 
the AAAV to replace the AAV as its primary combat vehicle for 
transporting troops on land, at sea, and from ship to shore. The AAAV 
is designed to provide increased capabilities compared to the AAV and 
seamlessly link maneuver from ships and maneuver ashore, thus allowing 
the Marine Corps and Navy to more effectively implement Operational 
Maneuver From The Sea.
    The proposed action comprises two distinct and related components 
at MCB Camp Pendleton. The first component is the fielding of the AAAV 
at MCB Camp Pendleton, CA, which involves replacement of 270 existing 
active field AAVs with 224 new AAAVs at MCB Camp Pendleton in the First 
Marine Expeditionary Force and supporting establishment. Of the 224 
AAAVs, 214 will be fielded to the Operating Forces as active field 
vehicles and 10 will be maintained as Depot Maintenance Float Activity 
life-cycle support vehicles (i.e., not part of the active fleet, but 
can be used should an active vehicle be rendered inoperative). The 3rd 
Assault Amphibian Battalion (3rd AA Bn) will receive 161 AAAVs, the 
Assault Amphibian School Battalion will receive 46 AAAVs, and the 
Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch (AVTB) will receive 7 AAAVs. The AAV 
will be gradually replaced by the AAAV. Vehicle replacement is 
estimated to start in fiscal year 2007 and continue through 2017. Upon 
full implementation, the proposed action will result in the fielding of 
56 fewer active amphibious vehicles at MCB Camp Pendleton, which 
equates to a 21 percent reduction in the number of vehicles.
    Training exercises using the AAAVs will be conducted at MCB Camp 
Pendleton in existing mechanized maneuver areas, ranges, and other 
training areas currently used by the AAVs. The mechanized maneuver 
areas represent areas of concentrated training. In the mechanized 
maneuver areas, AAAVs will be authorized to maneuver in off-road areas 
in accordance with applicable laws governing environmental protection. 
Existing transit routes currently used by AAVs will be used by AAAVs to 
access mechanized maneuver areas and ranges. The ocean training area 
will be extended seaward from 3 nm (4 miles (6 km)) up to approximately 
25 nm (29 miles (46 km)) from MCB Camp Pendleton beaches to conduct 
AAAV over-the-horizon training exercises.
    The second component of the proposed action is demolition of 
existing AAV training and maintenance facilities and construction of an 
Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle Consolidated Training, Maintenance, 
and Headquarters Complex. The 3rd AA Bn maintenance facility will be 
replaced and AVTB facilities will also be modified and replaced. The 
existing 3rd AA Bn maintenance building will remain in place, but the 
existing supply building will be demolished and replaced. The proposed 
demolition, construction, and modification of facilities will occur in 
the Del Mar Basin area of MCB Camp Pendleton.
    Training activities at the San Clemente Island Range Complex 
(SCIRC) were considered as part of the proposed action. These training 
exercises would involve the use of AAAVs in the same areas on land 
(e.g., the authorized tracked-vehicle maneuver road, tracked-vehicle 
maneuver areas, and existing transit routes within the Shore 
Bombardment Area (SHOBA)) and at sea (e.g., SHOBA) currently utilized 
by the AAVs. Also, AAAVs would conduct over-the-horizon exercises. The 
Department of the Navy is preparing an EIS/Overseas EIS (OEIS) for the 
use and management of SCIRC. Any decision regarding the use of SCIRC by 
the AAAV is being deferred until completion of the SCIRC EIS/OEIS. 
Accordingly, while AAAV training is proposed at SCIRC, no decision 
regarding this training is being made in this Record Of Decision. The 
proposed action and the associated environmental impact analysis 
presented in the AAAV EIS will be fully incorporated into the SCIRC 
EIS/OEIS and Biological Assessment. The AAAV will follow all 
requirements resulting from the SCIRC EIS/OEIS NEPA process, the 
consultation between Navy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 
associated with the SCIRC EIS/OEIS NEPA process, and the SCIRC 
Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan. The SCIRC EIS/OEIS will 
provide a complete evaluation of SCIRC beach landing operations 
conducted by a variety of vehicles including the AAAV. In addition, an 
evaluation of issues related to erosion associated with proposed 
operations and training will be included in the SCIRC EIS/OEIS. 
Finally, the SCIRC project section 7 consultation will address the use 
of maneuver areas (by all vehicles) identified in the AAAV EIS and will 
formalize the scheduling of SHOBA for environmental management.
    The Marine Corps prepared an EIS to evaluate the direct, indirect, 
and cumulative impacts associated with implementation of the proposed 
action that is the subject of the present decision. Alternatives 
evaluated in the EIS included the proposed action and the no-action 
alternative.

[[Page 37806]]

    Under the no-action alternative, the fielding of the AAAV and the 
demolition, modification, and construction of maintenance and training 
facilities at MCB Camp Pendleton would not occur. AAAV training 
exercises would not be conducted at SCIRC. The use of the AAV fleet 
would be continued at MCB Camp Pendleton and SCIRC. However, the 
continued use of the AAV would not meet the purpose of and need for the 
proposed action and would not satisfy the need for the newer technology 
required to meet the mission of the Department of the Navy. It has been 
determined that the proposed action is the preferred alternative.
    Impacts to archeological resources at MCB Camp Pendleton associated 
with training and operations in the mechanized maneuver areas would be 
potentially significant. To mitigate this impact, the Marine Corps will 
complete a cultural resource inventory of the mechanized maneuver areas 
pursuant to a multi-year condition assessment, site monitoring, and 
effects treatment plan. The California State Historic Preservation 
Officer approved this Plan. MCB Camp Pendleton supports 18 species 
Federally listed as threatened or endangered. Pursuant to the 
Endangered Species Act, the Marine Corps consulted with USFWS and 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service 
(NOAA Fisheries). These agencies issued a biological opinion (USFWS) 
and a letter (NOAA Fisheries) in support of AAAV training at Camp 
Pendleton. The Marine Corps will conduct training in accordance with 
the provisions of the biological opinion and letter, copies of which 
are included in the final EIS. Under the Clean Air Act General 
Conformity rule, the emissions caused by the proposed action would be 
below de minimis levels and would not be regionally significant. 
Therefore, the Marine Corps has determined that the proposed action 
will conform with the State Implementation Plan. The Marine Corps has 
determined and the California Coastal Commission concurred that the 
proposed action will be consistent with the State Coastal Zone 
Management Plan.
    The draft EIS was provided to the public for a 53-day review 
period. During this period three comment letters were received from 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Interior, and 
San Diego County Archaeological Society. The U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency submitted comments primarily on air and water quality 
concerns. The U.S. Department of Interior submitted comments primarily 
on the use of SCIRC and sensitive biological resources potentially 
affected at MCB Camp Pendleton. These comments were addressed in the 
final EIS, which was distributed to the public on May 9, 2003, for a 
30-day public review period. During this period, one letter was 
received from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. 
Their concerns involved compliance with appropriate laws and 
regulations governing hazardous substances. The final EIS addresses 
these issues in detail and appropriate regulations governing hazardous 
substances will be followed during construction activities. In 
addition, USFWS verbally requested clarification of how unresolved 
issues for the AAAV on SCIRC would be resolved. As discussed in the 
final EIS, AAAV training would be conducted in accordance with 
protocols developed during preparation of the SCIRC EIS/OEIS.
    On behalf of the Department of the Navy, I have decided to 
implement introduction of the AAAV at MCB Camp Pendleton, including 
construction of associated support facilities. In making this decision 
I considered the requirements of the Marine Corps, the potential 
environmental impacts of this action, social and economic concerns, and 
other comments received during the EIS process. All practicable means 
to avoid or minimize environmental harm from implementing introduction 
of the AAAV at MCB Camp Pendleton have been adopted. After carefully 
weighing all of these factors I have determined that introduction of 
the vehicle at MCB Camp Pendleton best meets the requirements of the 
proposed action.

    Dated: June 18, 2003.
Wayne Arny,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Facilities).
[FR Doc. 03-16069 Filed 6-24-03; 8:45 am]
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