[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 198 (Friday, October 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60481-60482]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8640]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Transformation Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), Draft Clean Air Act General 
Conformity Determination, and Evaluation of Continued Land Withdrawal 
Under Public Law 104-201 at Fort Carson, CO

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Army announces the availability of a DEIS that 
evaluates implementing transformational activities at Fort Carson, a 
military installation located south of Colorado Springs, Colorado. 
Actions associated with these transformational activities include 
restationing of troops; construction, demolition, and renovation of 
facilities at the Cantonment and range areas; and increased use of 
training lands.

DATES: The public comment period for the DEIS will end 45 days after 
publication of an NOA in the Federal Register by the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA).

ADDRESSES: Written comments or materials should be forwarded to the 
Fort Carson NEPA Coordinator (proponent), Directorate of Environmental 
Compliance and Management, 1638 Elwell Street, Building 6236, Fort 
Carson, Colorado 80913-4000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fort Carson NEPA Coordinator via phone 
at (719) 526-4666; fax: (719) 526-1705; or e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Proposed Action and subject of the DEIS 
is the implementation of the following three major Army transformation 
programs at Fort Carson: Base Realignment and Closure; Integrated 
Global Presence and Basing Strategy (also known as Global Defense 
Posture Realignment); and the Army Modular Force initiative. 
Implementing these programs would require restationing of troops; 
construction, demolition, and renovation of facilities at Fort Carson's 
cantonment and range areas; and increased use of Fort Carson's training 
lands.
    The transformation of Fort Carson would occur between 2006 and 
2011. Upon completion of transformation activities, military personnel 
at Fort Carson would increase approximately 60 percent (from 
approximately 14,500 to approximately 23,000) and the Fort Carson 
installation population (including civilians, contractors, and military 
dependents) would increase from approximately 38,300 to approximately 
59,700 by 2011. To support the new Soldiers and their dependents, the 
Army proposes to construct support facilities in the cantonment and 
range areas at Fort Carson. Fort Carson's training lands would also be 
subject to increased training rotations to support the maneuver and 
live-fire training requirements of the additional Soldiers.
    The alternatives considered in the DEIS include the Proposed Action 
(Preferred Alternative) and No Action. Other action alternatives were 
considered and discussed in the DEIS but were not analyzed further 
because they did not meet the purpose and need for the Proposed Action. 
The substantive issues analyzed in this DEIS include land use, air 
quality, noise, geology and soils, water resources, biological 
resources, cultural resources, socioeconomics (including environmental 
justice), transportation, utilities, hazardous and toxic substances, 
and cumulative environmental effects.
    To document that the Proposed Action complies with the General 
Conformity Rule requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 
and demonstrate that the action conforms with the Colorado State 
Implementation Plan for air quality, the Army also prepared a Draft 
General Conformity Determination pursuant to the requirements of 40 CFR 
part 93, subpart B. The Colorado Springs area is currently in 
attainment with air quality standards for all criteria pollutants and 
is a maintenance area for carbon monoxide.
    After conducting appropriate air quality analyses, the Army has 
concluded that the Proposed Action will not cause or contribute to new 
violations of the carbon monoxide national ambient air quality 
standards in the Colorado Springs maintenance

[[Page 60482]]

area. The EPA and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 
will review the Army's findings and provide comments or concurrence.
    Additionally, the Army has made a determination of a need for the 
continued withdrawal of 3,133.02 acres of public land and 11,416.16 
acres of publicly owned mineral rights from the public domain. The 
withdrawal of these lands and mineral rights was extended until 2011 by 
Public Law 104-201, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 1997. The law requires the Army reevaluate the need for these 
withdrawals to continue after 2011 and hold a public hearing concerning 
the evaluation. The DEIS documents the Army's continued military need 
for these lands and evaluates the environmental effects of the 
continued military use of withdrawn lands.
    The Army will hold a public meeting to receive comments on the 
DEIS, conformity determination, and land withdrawal on Wednesday, 
November 1, 2006 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Mesa Right High School, 
6070 Mesa Ridge Parkway, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80911.
    An electronic version of the DEIS can be viewed or downloaded from 
the following URL: http://www.hqda.army.mil/acsim/brac/nepa_eis_docs.htm.

    Dated: October 6, 2006.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 06-8640 Filed 10-12-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M