[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 201 (Tuesday, October 19, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61471-61472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23334]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Record of Decision for Purchase of Land in Hancock County, MS for 
a Naval Special Operations Forces Riverine and Jungle Training Range

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 purchase 
approximately 5,200 acres of privately owned property in the 
northwestern acoustic buffer of the John C. Stennis Space Center in 
Hancock County, MS to establish a Naval Special Operations Forces 
Riverine and Jungle Training Range.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard Davis, P.E. (Code ES12/
RD), Southern Division Naval Facilities Engineering Command, P.O. Box 
190010, North Charleston, SC 29419-9010; phone (843) 820-5589; 
facsimile (843) 820-7472; 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. 4321 et 
seq.; Council on Environmental Quality 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 purchase 
approximately 5,200 acres of privately owned property in the 
northwestern acoustic buffer of the John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) 
in Hancock County, MS to establish a Naval Special Operations Forces 
(SOF) riverine and jungle training range. This decision implements 
Basic Training Alternative C, the preferred type and tempo of training 
alternative at Alternative Range Location 3, as described in the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The range will provide Naval SOF 
with reliable and priority access to a local training range 
characterized by a permanent riverine and jungle environment and where 
live combat exercises using Short Range Training Ammunition (SRTA) can 
be conducted.
    Background and Issues: Naval SOF have conducted riverine and jungle 
training along the lower Pearl River and its tributaries within the 
boundaries of the SSC since the late 1990's. Current training 
operations consist of transitory events, including riverine patrol and 
interdiction, insertion and extraction in the riverine and jungle 
environment, inland reconnaissance and surveillance operations, craft 
concealment and evasion tactics and surveillance of rivers and 
waterways. Only blank-fire is authorized during these training 
activities.
    The timely development of SRTA has made it possible to consider the 
use of SRTA-fire in specific existing training areas where all previous 
weapons training has been limited to blank-fire. This training 
improvement allows Naval SOF to understand the dynamics of firing live 
ammunition, such as the dynamics of randomly-fired projectiles leaving 
the weapon, the reaction (ricochet) of ammunition hitting objects, and 
a demonstration of techniques that avoid friendly-fire incidents during 
combat. SRTA-fire is safer for use during training and SRTA-fire is 
safer potentially on the environment.
    The purpose of the proposed action is to significantly improve 
existing Naval SOF riverine and jungle training available at SSC by 
establishing a training range where Naval SOF have priority access to 
conduct live combat exercises using SRTA. The proposed range will meet 
the needs of Naval SOF for comprehensive, systematic, and progressive 
jungle and riverine training under realistic combat conditions. As a 
result, the readiness of Naval SOF to support national defense 
objectives will be increased and the potential for combat casualties 
reduced.
    The proposed property acquisition will be completed as quickly as 
practicable, consistent with Congressional appropriations and final 
assessments and negotiations with property owners. Military use of the 
property will continue by permission of existing property owners, but 
will be expanded consistent with the Final EIS and this Record of 
Decision to include SRTA and increased operational tempo only after all 
of the necessary parcels are purchased.
    Alternatives Considered: In identifying a reasonable range of 
alternatives that will satisfy the Navy's purpose and need, Naval 
Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM) initially evaluated the 
feasibility of training at existing military and Federal installations 
within the southeast United States where NAVSPECWARCOM units had 
previously conducted (or had submitted a request to conduct) riverine 
training, as well as locations known to have specifically developed a 
riverine training capability, including: Fort Knox, KY; Eglin Air Force 
Base (AFB), FL; Camp Lejeune, NC; and SSC, MS. A screening analysis, 
based upon operational factors set out in the Final EIS was conducted 
to determine whether these potential range locations could be 
considered reasonable alternatives. Only the SSC area was found to be 
consistent with the operational screening factors and as a result, Fort 
Knox, Eglin AFB, and Camp Lejeune were eliminated from further 
evaluation.
    Additional operational factors were applied to the analysis of 
alternative training range sites in the vicinity of SSC. These 
operational factors considered the extent to which realistic training 
scenarios could be conducted and the safety of Naval SOF personnel and 
the public. Of the five candidate ranges evaluated, only Alternative 
Range Location 3 was found to meet all identified operational factors.
    In addition to the no action alternative, three operational 
alternatives (Basic Training Alternatives A, B, and C) were analyzed in 
detail, in the Final EIS. The basic training alternatives are 
differentiated by training type and tempo. However, all of the 
alternatives would involve 36 weeks per year of training on the East 
Pearl River, an increase of 11 weeks per year compared to existing 
conditions. Even with implementation of any of the proposed 
alternatives, Naval SOF will continue to conduct necessary live-fire 
training at the Army ranges at Fort Knox, KY.
    Basic Training Alternative A would allow Naval SOF to conduct basic 
training activities within the selected range location. This would 
include small arms training with SRTA and the use of High Mobility 
Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs).
    Basic Training Alternative B builds upon the activities identified 
for Basic Training Alternative A and would allow possible use of the 
range by other SOF elements such as Army SOF Surveillance and 
Reconnaissance

[[Page 61472]]

elements. Other authorized operations on the range could involve the 
use of maritime unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and unmanned riverine 
observation craft (UROCs). The UAVs would operate at treetop height 
above the river, and UROCs would be limited to areas located in front 
of the controlling watercraft. In addition, 36 helicopter insertion and 
extraction events would be conducted annually. Each event will consist 
of 10 helicopters conducting arrival, SOF insertion/deployment, SOF 
extraction, and departure movements. All flight plans would be filed 
and Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued for any planned helicopter 
operations.
    Basic Training Alternative C, which has been identified as the 
preferred alternative by NAVSPECWARCOM, would allow Naval SOF to 
conduct all of the activities identified for Basic Training Alternative 
B and provide for conducting 24 additional helicopter insertion and 
extraction events, for a total of 60 annual events with ten helicopters 
each, participating in joint combined operations with Army SOF units.
    Ensuring the safety of proposed range users and the public at large 
is of paramount importance to the Navy. NAVSPECWARCOM will develop a 
``SRTA-Fire Range Safety Procedures Plan'' for controlling water-to-
land and land-to-land SRTA-fire range operations. The plan will require 
that the full flight profile of all ordnance used on the range will be 
safely contained within the range perimeter and established safety 
zone. The safety plan will specify procedures for notifying the public 
of planned range operations that may affect access to the East Pearl 
River or adjacent lands, list range safety personnel and their roles 
and responsibilities, and identify the procedures to be followed in the 
event of injuries to personnel or the public.
    To insure public safety during operations conducted on or adjacent 
to the East Pearl River, the Navy may request the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers (consistent with the conditions of 33 CFR 334, Danger Zone 
and Restricted Area Regulations), to establish an area to be 
temporarily restricted from public passage on the East Pearl River and 
Mikes River during SRTA-fire or other sensitive training. Actual firing 
time will usually be limited to increments of about 10 to 15 minutes 
infrequently throughout the training cycle. Public passage will be 
allowed to resume when it is safe to do so.
    In addition to the basic training alternatives, the Final EIS 
evaluates the consequences of implementing the No Action Alternative. 
Under this alternative, privately owned property in Hancock County, MS 
would not be purchased nor would the Naval SOF training range be 
established. Naval SOF training operations conducted in the area would 
remain at current levels and Naval SOF boat detachments would continue 
to conduct only blank-fire exercises. Live-fire exercises would 
continue to be scheduled at the Army training range at Fort Knox, KY. 
The No Action Alternative is the environmentally preferred alternative 
because it involves no change to the physical environment. However, it 
would not meet the Navy's purpose and need for the proposed action.
    Environmental Impacts: The Final EIS assesses the direct, indirect, 
and cumulative environmental effects of implementing the three basic 
training alternatives and the no action alternative on earth resources, 
air quality, noise, water resources, solid and hazardous materials, 
biological resources, land use and aesthetics, socioeconomics and 
environmental justice, public health and safety, transportation, 
recreation, and cultural resources. No significant environmental 
impacts were identified for any resource area for any alternative; 
however, to reduce even further the potential environmental impacts of 
the proposed action, the Navy will: (1) Implement a spill contingency 
plan to reduce or eliminate the potential for contamination of soils 
from accidental spills and releases from vehicles, watercraft, and 
aircraft; (2) implement fugitive dust controls on roadways; (3) 
prohibit the release of bilge water from watercraft during training 
exercises; (4) limit activities that generate hazardous waste, such as 
hull maintenance, weapons maintenance, and outboard motor maintenance 
and overhaul, to the boat storage and maintenance yard and the SBT-22 
training facility; and (5) conduct all refueling of Naval SOF 
watercraft, HMMWVs, and helicopters at approved facilities outside the 
proposed range.
    Since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has indicated that the 
majority of the proposed range area is subject to their jurisdiction 
under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, some construction/maintenance 
activities, such as the potential road maintenance and culvert repair/
replacement, could require a Department of the Army permit. The need 
for a permit would depend on the specific location of the proposed 
activities and projected impacts. For those actions that will result in 
impacts to any Section 404 jurisdictional areas, permitting activities 
will be initiated.
    In addition, the Navy intends to allow hunting to occur within the 
proposed range. The hunting program will be consistent with state and 
local hunting programs, but will be developed such that it will not 
interfere with the military training mission of the area and will 
adequately provide for the safety of participants in the program.
    Response to Comments Received Regarding the FEIS: The Final EIS was 
distributed to government agencies and the public on August 6, 2004, 
for a 30-day public review period. During this period only two comment 
letters were received, one from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
and the other from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. 
No new substantive issues were raised in the comments received. All of 
the issues raised in the comment letters were thoroughly 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 purchase of the proposed acreage 
at SSC (Alternative Range Location 3) and establishment of a Naval SOF 
riverine and jungle training range to conduct training, as described in 
Basic Training Alternative C will best meet the needs of Naval SOF to 
train under realistic combat conditions, thereby increasing their 
readiness to support national defense objectives and ultimately 
reducing combat casualties.

    Dated: October 6, 2004.
Wayne Arny,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Facilities).
[FR Doc. 04-23334 Filed 10-18-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P