[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 4 (Friday, January 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 920-921]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-100]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Final Environmental Impact Statement To Fully Integrate the 
Overhills Property Into the Fort Bragg Training Program, Fort Bragg, NC

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of the 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to full integrate the 
Overhills property into the Fort Bragg Training Program, Fort Bragg, 
Cumberland and Harnett Counties, NC. Presently, realistic training in 
Fort Bragg's Northern Training Area (NTA), one of Fort Bragg's largest 
training areas, is hampered by the two sets of training rules that 
govern training in the units. Though no physical barriers separate the 
Overhills training units, NTA V-VIII, from NTA units I-IV, the 
Overhills Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) limits the number of 
personnel and types of activities during training exercises, 
effectively creating a training barrier. Applying the same training 
regulation to the Overhills that governs training on the rest of the 
installation would allow Fort Bragg to full incorporate the Overhills 
into the installation's training program, and maximize training 
possibilities throughout the NTA.

DATES: Written comments on the FEIS must be received no later than 30 
days after publication of the notice of availability (NOA) in the 
Federal Register by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be 
considered in preparation of the Record of Decision.

ADDRESSES: Please direct written comments or requests for copies of the 
FEIS to David A. Heins, Chief, Environmental Sustainment Division, 
Public Works Business Center, ATTN: AFZA-PW-E, Fort Bragg, NC 28310, or 
e-mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David A. Heins, (910) 396-8207 or e-
mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fort Bragg serves as headquarters for the 
XVIII Airborne Corps and Army Special Operations Command, and is home 
to the 82nd Airborne Division. The primary mission of Fort Bragg is the 
training and deployment of military units. Fort Bragg supports the most 
intensive and varied training program in the continental United States. 
An average of 2.5 million personnel days of training is conducted at 
Fort Bragg and Camp Mackall (a sub-installation to Fort Bragg) each 
year. Training to sustain readiness is Fort Bragg's primary activity.
    Land upon which to train personnel is vital to Fort Bragg's 
mission. In 1995, Fort Bragg directed a study that identified a 
shortfall of maneuver land of 81,876 acres, and a weapons range and 
impact area shortfall of 43,636 acres. In order to reduce this training 
land deficit, the Department of the Army purchased the Overhills 
property from the Rockefeller family in 1997.
    The Overhills property comprises 10,580 acres in Cumberland and 
Harnett Counties, NC, and adjoins the northern boundaries of Fort Bragg 
and Pope Air Force Base. An Environmental Assessment was prepared in 
1999 to adopt an Interim Training Program (ITP) on the Overhills tract. 
Under the ITP, training was restricted to company-level, low impact 
(limited) military training.
    Presently, the maneuver/training areas at Fort Bragg are so heavily 
utilized that the land to support training needs to be used to its 
fullest extent. These factors, in conjunction with the training land 
deficit identified by Fort Bragg, demonstrate the need to make maximum 
use of available training lands on Fort Bragg. Fully incorporating the 
Overhills tract, which represents the eastern part of the NTA and 
comprises almost half of the training area, into the installation's 
training program would enhance training throughout the NTA, and help 
sustain environmental resources in other training areas on Fort Bragg.
    The Army proposes to fully integrate the Overhills into Fort 
Bragg's training program. The FEIS analyzes the No Action/Status Quo 
alternative as well as three action alternatives. Alternatives 
considered in detail in the FEIS are:
    Alternative 1. (No Action)--Continue limited training, existing 
recreation, and preservation of the Overhills Historic District (the 
District). Fort Bragg would conduct this training in accordance with 
existing Fort Bragg Standing Operating Procedure (SOP) for training on 
the Overhills. This SOP limits training exercises to company-sized 
units (approximately 250 personnel, including exercise support 
personnel) and prescribes the procedures for use of the Overhills for 
training. Company-size exercises generally require fewer than 75 
vehicles per exercise. Exercises would be scheduled 4-6 times per 
month. The following types of exercises are permitted under the 
Overhills SOP:
    Dismounted movement; Air mobile insertions; Firing of blank small 
arms ammunition (up to .50 caliber) and simulators; Movement of wheeled 
vehicles on maintained roads and trails; Fixed activities limited to 
bivouac, signal, or medical in existing clearings; Military operations 
on urbanized terrain training in buildings, but only on non-
contributing elements within the District and non-eligible resources 
outside the District; hasty hand-dug personnel fighting positions; Use 
of flame-producing munitions of any type. Hunting and fishing would 
continue to be allowed subject to restrictions imposed on public access 
by military training schedules.
    The District would be preserved in accordance with the ``Standards 
for Preservation'' in the Secretary of Interior's Standards for the 
Treatment of Historic Properties (38 CFR Part 68). Training in 
buildings considered contributing elements would not be permitted, but 
maneuvers in open areas within the historic district boundary would 
continue.
    Alternative 2. Limited training, additional recreation, and 
adaptive reuse and/or layaway of selected contributing elements within 
the District. Training units would be limited to company-size (250 
personnel plus support personnel), but training would be conducted in 
accordance with the Installation Range Regulation (IRR), not the 
Overhills SOP. The following additional training would be permitted:
    Ground and air maneuvers involving both mechanized and light 
infantry with attached combat support and combat service support; 
Operation of wheeled and tracked vehicles off road; River crossing, 
bridging, and waterborne operations (including water drops); 
Construction of fortifications and obstacles; Helicopter landing zones; 
Excavations (in addition to hand-dug positions) for survivability 
emplacements, such as vehicle fighting positions; and use of tear gas 
and obscurant smoke.
    A youth golf program and a horse stables program would be added to 
the recreational programs at Fort Bragg. These programs would utilize 
several of the historic buildings and structures on Overhills such as 
the Donald Ross golf course, the polo barn, and riding stables. New 
facilities would also be constructed. Hunting and fishing would

[[Page 921]]

continue as discussed under Alternative 1.
    This alternative would maintain the historic integrity of 15 of the 
56 contributing elements of the historic district. The remaining 
buildings and structures would be incorporated into the Fort Bragg 
training program after mitigating for the loss of historical integrity 
by fulfilling all requirements under the National Historic Preservation 
Act (NHPA), the Fort Bragg Integrated Cultural Resource Management Plan 
(ICRMP) and Army Regulation (AR) 200-4, Cultural Resources Management.
    Alternative 3. Intermediate training, additional recreation, and 
adaptive reuse and/or layaway of selected contributing elements within 
the District. Under this alternative, the level of activity on the 
Overhills would be increased to accommodate battalion-sized units 
(approximately 1,000 personnel), plus support personnel. Training would 
occur in accordance with the IRR. There are 40 battalions at Fort 
Bragg. Battalion-size field exercises typically use 75 or fewer 
vehicles per exercise, including support vehicles. Each battalion holds 
one or two 3-day field exercises per year. Movement between NTA units 
I-IV and Overhills (NTA V-VIII) would be fluid with no training 
restrictions other than the number of personnel permitted on the 
Overhills. Additional recreation would consist of the youth golf and 
horse stables programs described for Alternative 2. Hunting and fishing 
would continue to be permitted, as discussed in Alternative 1. This 
alternative would treat the District as discussed under Alternative 2.
    Alternative 4. (Preferred Alternative)--Maximum training, existing 
recreation, and no preservation of the District. Under this 
alternative, the level of training would be increased to accommodate 
brigade-sized units (up to approximately 5,000 personnel); the 
Overhills would be fully incorporated into the installation's training 
program, and used in the same manner as the other training areas on 
Fort Bragg. Units up to, and including brigade size, would train in 
accordance with the IRR. Hunting and fishing would continue as 
discussed under Alternative 1. No additional recreational use of the 
Overhills would occur under maximum training due to the need for 
maneuver frontage and flexibility.
    After mitigating for the loss of historical integrity by 
fulfillment of all legal requirements under the NHPA, the Fort Bragg 
ICRMP, and AR 200-4, the 56 contributing elements would be integrated 
into the training program. All contributing and non-contributing 
elements as well as standing structures determined not eligible for the 
NRHP would be evaluated for use in training exercises. The buildings 
that could be incorporated into the training program would remain; the 
non-essential buildings and structures would be demolished.
    The Overhills FEIS provides an analysis of both the beneficial and 
adverse environmental impacts of the different use alternatives for the 
Overhills, and analyzes quantitatively and qualitatively the potential 
environmental impacts of the proposed alternatives. The resource areas 
discussed and evaluated are: Soils, surface waters, groundwater, 
wetlands, vegetation, wildlife, protected species, hazardous materials/
waste management, solid waste management, air quality, noise, safety, 
land use, demographics and economy, recreation, archaeological 
resources, and the historic district. The FEIS indicates that 
Alternative 1 (No Action) has the fewest potential impacts because no 
new training types would be added, and all of the historic buildings 
and structures would be preserved. Alternatives 2, 3 and 4 would have 
some potential adverse impacts to several of the analyzed resources; 
however, mitigations to reduce those impacts are identified in the 
FEIS.
    Minimal comments were received during the 45-day DEIS comment 
period and changes made to the document were exclusively clarifications 
and minor factual changes. Therefore, in accordance with 32 CFR 
651.45(h), only the DEIS comments, responses to the comments and the 
errata sheet are being circulated. Copies of the comments, responses 
and the errata sheet are available for review at major libraries in the 
study area. A copy of the DEIS, comments and responses, and the errata 
sheet may be viewed at: http://www.bragg.army.mil/envbr/nepa_review.htm.

Thomas M. Jordan,
Brigadier General, USA, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7 
(Readiness), U.S. Army Forces Command.
[FR Doc. 06-100 Filed 1-5-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M