[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 102 (Wednesday, May 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29931-29932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-11906]



[[Page 29931]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Record of Decision for Proposed Future Military Operational 
Increases and Implementation of Associated Comprehensive Land Use 
Management Plan and Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan, China 
Lake, CA

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of record of decision.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy announces its decision to support 
future military operational increases and implementation of the 
associated Comprehensive Land Use Management Plan (CLUMP) and 
Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) at Naval Air 
Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake, CA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Commander, NAWS-Code N45NCW, 429 East 
Bowen Road, MS 4014, China Lake, CA 93555-6108 (Attn: Mr. John O'Gara); 
phone (760) 939-3213; facsimile (760) 939-2980; or E-Mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. Sec.  4321 
et seq.); Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR 
Parts 1500-1508); and Department of the Navy regulations (32 CFR 775), 
the Department of the Navy (Navy) announces its decision to support 
future military operational increases and implementation of the 
associated CLUMP and INRMP at NAWS China Lake, CA. This will be 
accomplished as set out in the Moderate Expansion Alternative as 
described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This 
decision will enable the Navy to meet its established mission to 
support state-of-the-art air warfare weapons systems testing and 
evaluation and the operational readiness of the military services on 
both existing facilities and infrastructure and safe, operationally 
realistic, and thoroughly instrumented land ranges.
    Background and Issues: As the Navy's full-spectrum Research, 
Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) center for weapons systems 
associated with air warfare, aircraft weapons integration, missiles and 
missile subsystems, and assigned airborne electronic warfare systems, 
NAWS China Lake is host to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons 
Division (NAWCWD) and other DOD activities. To support NAWCWD's RDT&E 
mission and military readiness training, NAWS China Lake schedules, 
controls, and maintains 1.1 million acres of fully instrumented land 
ranges.
    Continued use of these land ranges requires compliance with the 
California Desert Protection Act of 1994 and the Sikes Act, as amended 
in 1997. Implementation of the CLUMP and the INRMP will enable NAWS 
China Lake to beneficially manage environmental, land, and cultural 
resources such that there is no net loss in the capability of the 
installation to support its existing military mission. These plans will 
also facilitate environmentally sound resource management decisions 
when responding to planned increases in and emerging military readiness 
needs.
    Alternatives Considered: A screening process, based upon criteria 
set out in the Final EIS, was conducted to identify a reasonable range 
of alternatives that would satisfy the Navy's purpose and need. Two 
operational alternatives and the no action alternative were analyzed in 
detail in the Final EIS.
    The preferred alternative is the Moderate Expansion Alternative, 
which provides NAWS China Lake with the greatest flexibility to 
accommodate evolving Navy and DOD Test and Evaluation (T&E) and 
operational readiness needs. This alternative involves phasing future 
military operational increases over a five-year period, according to 
operational needs. These operational increases would include: a 25-
percent increase over the type and tempo of current range flight 
operations, airfield flight operations, range ground operations; and, 
an increase in range supersonic flights from 36 to 100 operations per 
year. An increase in ground troop training exercises from 22 to 42 
events per year is also proposed. Nonmilitary activities would continue 
according to current patterns of use. The implementation of the CLUMP 
and INRMP would provide for the sound management of land use and 
environmental resources to accommodate future moderate operational 
increases.
    The Limited Expansion Alternative also provides for a five-year 
phase-in of increased military operations at NAWS China Lake, in 
accordance with operational needs. However, military operational 
increases would be less than those proposed under the Moderate 
Expansion Alternative, and would include: a 15-percent increase over 
the type and tempo of current range flight operations, airfield flight 
operations, range ground operations; and, an increase in range 
supersonic flights from 36 to 100 operations per year. An increase in 
ground troop training exercises from 22 to 41 events per year is also 
proposed. Nonmilitary activities would continue according to current 
patterns of use. The implementation of the CLUMP and INRMP would 
provide for the sound management of land use and environmental 
resources to accommodate future limited operational increases.
    Under the No Action Alternative, existing operating conditions at 
NAWS China Lake would be maintained at current levels as set forth in 
the Final EIS. Nonmilitary activities would continue according to 
current patterns of use. As required by law, the CLUMP and INRMP would 
be implemented under this alternative to provide for the management of 
land use and environmental resources to accommodate the type, tempo, 
and location of military T&E and training operations currently 
conducted at NAWS China Lake. The No Action Alternative is the 
environmentally preferred alternative because it involves the least 
amount of change to the physical environment.
    Environmental Impacts: Potential environmental impacts associated 
with the three alternatives were analyzed in the Final EIS. Because on-
going and future operational increases will continue to occur in range 
areas that have been previously disturbed (including those areas that 
may have been underutilized in the recent past), and the objectives of 
the CLUMP and INRMP are to institute land use and environmental 
management practices that minimize the potential for adverse effects, 
no significant environmental impacts were identified to any of the 
resource areas. Consequently, no mitigation measures are proposed.
    The CLUMP will be implemented in accordance with the 1994 
Memorandum of Agreement between the Secretary of the Interior and the 
Secretary of the Navy regarding the management of withdrawn lands at 
NAWS China Lake. Implementation of the CLUMP and INRMP will result in 
beneficial impacts at NAWS by standardizing baseline data for land use 
patterns and environmental resources using electronic mapping 
technology (Geographic Information Systems), and formalizing and 
integrating the station's environmental review process with facility, 
infrastructure, and operational planning processes. CLUMP 
implementation will facilitate the environmental reviews of on-going 
and proposed military test and training activities, potential 
facilities construction, operation and maintenance efforts and related 
support activities, and nonmilitary uses. Information regarding other 
Federal regulatory processes associated with this action is presented 
below.

[[Page 29932]]

    The Navy initiated formal consultation under Section 7 of the 
Endangered Species Act with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 
in 1990, 1995, and 1997, respectively, for each of the three protected 
wildlife species occurring at China Lake: the Inyo California towhee, 
the desert tortoise, and the Mojave tui chub. The USFWS issued 
Biological Opinions (BOs) for the three species that cover a range of 
actions from habitat maintenance and enhancement, to a programmatic BO 
for the desert tortoise encompassing established military operations 
conducted in tortoise habitat on NAWS. The Navy has determined that the 
preferred alternative is consistent with the terms and conditions of 
the existing BOs and would not adversely affect Federally listed 
species. USFWS has confirmed this conclusion through informal 
consultation with NAWS throughout the NEPA process.
    NAWS China Lake employs a phased approach to compliance with 
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 
470). The California State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) has 
concurred that the NAWS approach is consistent with NHPA regulations. 
In addition, a draft Programmatic Agreement (PA) has been developed to 
facilitate the protection of cultural resources. This PA will be 
finalized through formal consultation in accordance with comments 
received from the California SHPO and area Tribes. NAWS China Lake will 
continue to implement appropriate management plans and procedures to 
ensure compliance with the NHPA, and to consult and coordinate (as 
appropriate) with the California SHPO and area Tribes.
    Response To Comments Received Regarding the Final EIS: The Final 
EIS was distributed to government agencies and the public on March 05, 
2004, for a 30-day public review period. During this period only two 
comment letters were received, both from private landowners in the 
vicinity of NAWS China Lake. The comments identified concerns related 
to air quality, range safety, potential seismic events, off-station 
land uses, access to station property, airspace management, and 
aircraft operations. Some of the comments are not related to the 
proposed action or the Final EIS and would be more appropriately 
directed toward local civil authorities or the NAWS China Lake Public 
Affairs Office. No new substantive issues concerning the proposed 
action were raised in the comments received. All of the issues raised 
in comment letters were thoroughly analyzed and discussed in the Final 
EIS.
    Conclusions: After carefully considering the purpose and need for 
the proposed action, the analyses contained in the Final EIS, and the 
comments received on the Draft and Final EIS from Federal, state, and 
local agencies, non-governmental organizations, and individual members 
of the public, I have determined that the preferred alternative, the 
Moderate Expansion Alternative, will best meet the needs of the Navy.
    Implementation of the Moderate Expansion Alternative will enhance 
the existing assets and capabilities of NAWS China Lake; provide for 
meeting current and evolving Navy and DOD operational, testing, and 
training requirements; and achieve Navy compliance with the California 
Desert Protection Act of 1994 and the Sikes Act, as amended in 1997.

    Dated: May 19, 2004.
Donald R. Schregardus,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Environment).
[FR Doc. 04-11906 Filed 5-25-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P