[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 145 (Friday, July 29, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43848-43849]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15002]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the Proposed Extension of Kilo Wharf, Apra Harbor Naval 
Complex, Guam and To Announce Public Scoping Meetings

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the 
Department of the Navy (Navy) announces its intent to prepare an EIS to 
evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated with the 
proposed extension of Kilo Wharf located in the Apra Harbor Naval 
Complex, Guam to support the new T-AKE class multi-purpose dry cargo/
ammunition ship.
    The mission of Commander Navy Region Marianas (COMNAVREGMARIANAS) 
is to provide operational, fuel re-supply, ordnance, and other logistic 
support to Fleet units of the Pacific Region and operating forces of 
the Fifth (5th) and Seventh (7th) Fleets. Guam is the westernmost U.S. 
military installation on U.S. soil and is located 1,500 miles from the 
western rim of the Pacific. The location of Guam allows for rapid 
deployment of ammunition to areas of conflict in the Western Pacific 
Region. Because ocean transport is the most cost effective means of 
shipping ammunition, Guam must maintain a wharf that can efficiently 
accommodate modern ammunition ships. This project is required to 
improve COMNAVREGMARIANAS' capability to accomplish its mission.
    The EIS will consider alternatives to expand or replace Kilo Wharf 
to meet the operational requirements of the T-AKE as well as the No 
Action alternative.

DATES: Public scoping meetings will be held in Santa Rita, Guam and 
Tumon Bay, Guam, to receive oral and/or written comments on 
environmental concerns that should be addressed in the EIS. The public 
meetings will be held on:
    1. Tuesday, August 30, 2005, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Guam Hilton, 202 Hilton 
Road, Tumon Bay, Guam 96913.
    2. Wednesday, August 31, 2005, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Santa Rita Community 
Center, 183 A. B. Wonpat Lane, Santa Rita, Guam 96915.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Nora Macariola-See, Code EV31NM, 
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, 258 Makalapa Drive Suite 
100, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3134, 808-472-1402, Fax 808-474-5419, E-
mail at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Proposed Action is to provide adequate 
berthing facilities to support the new T-AKE multi-purpose ship. The 
purpose and need for the action is to ensure Kilo Wharf will continue 
to provide ammunition on-loading and off-loading capability in direct 
support of the Department of Defense strategic forward power projection 
and maintain the readiness posture of the Navy's operating forces in 
the Western Pacific Region.
    Kilo Wharf was originally constructed to provide a facility for 
loading and unloading of ammunition to and from commercial and Navy 
ships. It has been and continues to be a critical infrastructure for 
the berthing of ammunition ships in the Western Pacific Region making 
port visits to Guam in support of the Navy's ordnance supply and 
readiness mission.
    The T-AKE is a new multi-purpose Naval ship, which will replace the 
Kilauea Class (AE) ammunition ship, Marshall Class (AFS) supply ship, 
and Sacramento Class (AOE) combat logistic support ships by 2009. The 
T-AKE ships will load supplies from ports or at sea from commercial 
ships and will transfer these supplies at sea to the ships of the 
Navy's operating forces. The length of the existing Kilo Wharf, which 
is 400 feet, is not adequate to accommodate berthing of the T-AKE. The 
T-AKE is 689 feet in length, and would require 800 feet for adequate 
berthing. Other transient ships that utilize Kilo Wharf include certain 
logistic and surface combatant ships. The proposed extension or 
replacement of Kilo Wharf will provide for adequate berthing facilities 
to support the T-AKE. The increased length would also improve berthing 
support for transient ships that utilize the wharf.
    The Navy will consider reasonable alternative configurations to 
expand or replace Kilo Wharf as well as the No Action alternative. 
Alternatives to be considered include: (1) Expand the wharf 
approximately 400 feet to the west; (2) Expand the wharf approximately 
400 feet to the east; (3) Expand the wharf a total of 400 feet to the 
east and west; (4) Construct a new wharf approximately 800 feet in 
length inland from the existing wharf; (5) Construct a new wharf 
approximately 800 feet in length that is perpendicular to the existing 
wharf; and (6) No Action. All of the alternatives, except the No 
Action, would require dredging to install the new wharf caissons. A 
caisson is a pre-fabricated hollow concrete box with an open top. The 
caissons will be the foundation for the wharf's concrete deck. With 
Alternative 4, the existing wharf will be demolished and replaced with 
a new wharf. The volume of dredged materials for Alternatives 1, 2, and 
3 is approximately 66,000 cubic yards. Alternative 4 would have more 
dredged materials while Alternative 5 would have less dredged 
materials. All alternatives may require temporary mooring islands to 
allow for ship berthing during construction. The temporary mooring 
islands will be removed when construction is completed. The EIS will 
evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated with the 
permanent extension or replacement of Kilo Wharf. Impact areas and 
issues to be addressed will include, but are not limited to, the 
following resource areas: Coral reefs, marine and terrestrial natural 
resources, including threatened and endangered species, water quality, 
fishing, navigation, recreation, historical/cultural, and 
socioeconomics. The EIS will include an evaluation of the project's 
direct, indirect, short-term, long term, and cumulative impacts. 
Construction for the project is anticipated to start by October 2007. 
The estimated date of construction completion, including dredging, is 
October 2010.
    The Navy is initiating the scoping process to identify community 
concerns and issues that should be addressed in the EIS. Federal 
agencies, government of Guam agencies, the public, and other interested 
parties are encouraged to provide oral and/or written comments to the 
Navy to identify specific issues or topics of environmental concern for 
consideration in the EIS. The Navy will consider these comments in 
determining the scope of the EIS.
    Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be submitted by 
September 9, 2005, and should be mailed to: Ms.

[[Page 43849]]

Nora Macariola-See, Code EV31NM, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 
Pacific, 258 Makalapa Drive Suite 100, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3134, 
808-472-1402, Fax 808-474-5419, E-mail at: [email protected]

    Dated: July 25, 2005.
I.C. Le Moyne Jr.,
Lieutenant, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Alternate 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-15002 Filed 7-28-05; 8:45 am]
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