[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 175 (Friday, September 10, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54768-54769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20511]



[[Page 54768]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Record of Decision (ROD) for 
the Transformation of the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Light) 
to a Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) in Hawaii

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of its 
ROD for the Transformation of the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division 
(Light) to an SBCT in Hawaii. On May 25, 2004, the Army published a 
notice of availability of its Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) that considered the environmental consequences of the proposed 
action and alternatives. The ROD describes the Army's decision with 
respect to the proposed action and alternatives considered in the EIS 
and its rationale for the decision. Based on the EIS and other relevant 
factors, the Army has decided to implement its proposed actions. This 
decision allows the Army to proceed with transformation of the 2nd 
Brigade to an SBCT. The decision includes training to be conducted at 
Schofield Barracks Military Reservation (SBMR), Dillingham Military 
Reservation, Kahuku Training Area and Kawailoa Training Area on the 
island of Oahu and at P[omacr]hakuloa Training Area (PTA) on the island 
of Hawaii. Twenty-eight projects are proposed that would improve the 
existing support structure and facilities to provide the necessary 
field training required for the SBCT. These projects include 
construction of ranges, airfield upgrades, land acquisition, and new 
equipment such as new and modernized vehicles (namely the Stryker, an 
eight-wheeled, 20-ton combat vehicle) and weapons systems (105mm 
cannon, 155mm howitzer, and 120mm mortar). The number of soldiers and 
vehicles stationed at SBMR also would increase. The Army would acquire 
land on the island of Oahu (approximately 1,400 acres) and on the 
island of Hawaii (approximately 23,000 acres) for training areas and 
road construction.
    The decision also affirms the Army's commitment to implementing a 
series of mitigation and monitoring measures to offset potential 
adverse environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, as 
identified in the Final EIS.

ADDRESSES: Any questions or requests for copies of the Army's ROD may 
be submitted to Mr. Ron Borne, Transformation Office, U.S. Army 
Garrison--Hawaii, 2nd Floor Building 105, 572 Santos Dumont Avenue, 
Wheeler Army Airfield, HI 96857-5013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ron Borne at (808) 656-0255 or by 
e-mail at  SBCT [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of the Army prepared the EIS 
for Transformation of the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Light) 
to an SBCT in Hawaii. The EIS was prepared to address proposed actions 
affecting the islands of Oahu and Hawaii. The EIS identified the 
relevant environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the proposed action 
and alternatives on the biological, physical, and cultural environment.
    The Army has designated the 2nd Brigade to be converted to an SBCT 
under the Army's efforts to incorporate future force capabilities into 
the Army's current force. Implementing the Proposed Action as defined 
in the Final EIS will require undertaking several distinct but 
coordinated actions and activities directly associated with 
transforming the 2nd Brigade. These various actions that make up the 
Proposed Action will include stationing personnel, fielding Stryker 
systems and other SBCT-specific materiel, building new facilities, 
acquiring new land and additional easements, and conducting SBCT-
specific training.
    Transformation of the 2nd Brigade will involve an increase in 
approximately 810 Soldiers; the addition of approximately 291 Stryker 
vehicles along with support vehicles; the construction of new, 
additional, or modified ranges, facilities and infrastructure; and 
acquisition of approximately 1,400 acres of additional training lands 
on the island of Oahu and 23,000 acres on the island of Hawaii. The 
Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle will also be fielded to the 2nd 
Brigade to support reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition 
missions. Upon conversion, the 2nd Brigade will be better organized, 
manned and equipped to respond to the range of emerging threats and 
circumstances that the Army is likely to encounter in current and 
future operations around the world.
    In making its decision, the Army considered the analysis of effects 
contained in the EIS, assessment of the alternatives in relationship to 
the primary issues of concern, comments provided during formal public 
review periods, and Army-wide transformation, national security and 
mission requirements. The Army determined that the proposed action best 
meets its underlying purpose and need, and that the proposed action 
reflects a proper balance between mission imperatives and goals for 
protection of the environment.
    The Final EIS provides detailed evaluation of the Proposed Action 
and the Reduced Land Acquisition (RLA) and No Action Alternatives. 
After weighing all these considerations, the No Action Alternative is 
the environmentally preferred alternative. Under the No Action 
Alternative, the Army would not undertake the proposed conversion of 
the 2nd Brigade to an SBCT in Hawaii. The 2nd Brigade would retain its 
current force structure and equipment while continuing to train and 
operate as a conventional light infantry force. Three environmentally 
significant impacts, primarily due to Army training activities, would 
remain: noise at SBMR; the threat of wildland fires to biological 
resources at SBMR and PTA; and cumulative impacts from the threat of 
wildland fires to biological resources on the islands of Oahu and 
Hawaii. However, the No Action Alternative does not satisfy any aspects 
of the stated purpose and need, which are in furtherance of the Army's 
national defense mission.
    The Proposed Action was selected over the RLA Alternative for 
several reasons. While the environmental impacts of the Proposed Action 
and the RLA Alternative are virtually identical, the Proposed Action is 
superior to the RLA because constructing the multipurpose Qualification 
Training Range (QTR2) in the South Range Acquisition Area near the 
concentration of Soldiers at SBMR facilitates individual weapons 
qualification at the home station, which is consistent with Army 
training guidance. Because most Soldiers are stationed on Oahu, it is 
more efficient to conduct individual weapons qualification training 
close to home station. Individual qualification is conducted semi-
annually and is required for all Soldiers, even those that are not 
assigned to units that routinely deploy to PTA. The Proposed Action 
assures adequate throughput capacity for conducting individual 
qualification on Oahu. On the other hand, conducting individual weapons 
qualification training at a QTR2 at PTA results in greater logistical 
and safety issues from scheduling training and arranging transport of 
Soldiers and weapons to the Island of Hawaii. The additional travel 
requirements would result in greater training costs and require 
Soldiers to spend even more time away from home station. If units are 
able to take advantage of scheduled deployments to

[[Page 54769]]

PTA to accomplish individual weapons qualification, this may not 
increase training costs, but could result in even more time away from 
home station. Constructing QTR2 at PTA would pose conflicts with the 
use of Range 8 and the potential development of an SBCT-specific anti-
armor and live-fire tracking range. Acquiring the full acreage in the 
South Range Acquisition Area (SRAA) partially cures the shortage of 
Army training lands in Hawaii, provides a buffer to incompatible 
development along the southern border of SBMR, and provides some 
additional safety zones for Wheeler Army Airfield's runway. 
Additionally, based on The Nature Conservancy's comments, changes to 
the orientation of QTR2 have minimized the impact on access to the 
Honouliuli Preserve.
    Therefore, we select the Proposed Action for implementation. We 
have fully considered the environmental impacts associated with the 
Proposed Action. Notwithstanding these impacts, we have decided to 
implement all facets of the Proposed Action because it best meets the 
purpose and need for this action and it is critical to achieving 
current and future national security objectives in U.S. Pacific 
Command's Area of Responsibility (AOR). This AOR is vital to the 
security of the United States and key allies. The AOR covers more than 
50 percent of earth's surface and traverses 16 times zones. It includes 
nearly 60 percent of the world's population living in 43 countries. The 
world's six largest armed forces operate within this AOR: Peoples 
Republic of China, United States, Russia, India, North Korea, and South 
Korea. Nations within this AOR are parties to five of the seven 
worldwide U.S. mutual defense treaties. Additionally, approximately 35 
percent of U.S. international trade is transacted within this AOR.
    The ROD also commits to the implementation of mitigation and 
monitoring measures to rectify, reduce, or eliminate adverse effects to 
land use and recreation, visual resources, air quality, noise, traffic, 
water resources, geology, soils and seismicity, biological resources, 
cultural resources, human health and safety, and socioeconomic and 
Environmental Justice. The mitigation and monitoring measures are 
defined in the Final EIS.
    Copies of the SBCT ROD are available for review at the following 
libraries: Hilo Public Library, 300 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo; Kailua-
Kona Public Library, 75-138 Hualalai Road, Kailua-Kona; Thelma Parker 
Memorial Public and School Library, 96767-1209 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kamuela; 
Kahuku Public and School Library, 56-490 Kamehameha Hwy., Kahuku; 
Mililani Public Library, 95-450 Makaimoimo Street, Mililani; Hawaii 
State Library, 478 South King St., Honolulu; Wahiawa Public Library, 
820 California Avenue, Wahiawa; Waianae Public Library, 85-625 
Farrington Hwy., Waianae; Waialua Public Library, 67-068 Kealohanui 
Street, Waialua; UH Environmental Center, Krauss Annex 19, 2500 Dole 
Road, Honolulu.
    The Record of Decision may also be reviewed at the SBCT Web site 
http://www.SBCTEIS.com.

    Dated: September 2, 2004.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health) OASA(I&E).
[FR Doc. 04-20511 Filed 9-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M