[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 22 (Friday, February 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5021-5022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1746]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Programmatic 
Environmental Assessment/Overseas Environmental Assessment (EA/OEA) for 
the Undersea Warfare Exercise (USWEX) Within the Hawaii Range Complex

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the Council on Environmental Quality 
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), implementing procedural 
provisions of NEPA, the Department of the Navy (DON) gives notice that 
a Programmatic EA/OE has been prepared and a Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) has been issued for the implementation of Alternative 1, 
which allows for up to six future Undersea Warfare Exercises (USWEXs) 
annually within the Hawaii Range Complex from January 2007 through 
January 2009.

DATES: The FONSI was signed on January 24, 2007.

ADDRESSES: The Final Programmatic EA/OEA and FONSI are available for 
public review at the following locations:
    1. Wailuku Public Library, 251 High Street, Wailuku, HI 96793 
(Maui).
    2. Hilo Public Library, 300 Waianaenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720 
(Hawaii).

[[Page 5022]]

    3. Hawaii State Library, Hawaii and Pacific Section Document Unit, 
478 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813 (Oahu).
    4. Lihue Public Library, 4344 Hardy Street, Lihue, HI 96766 
(Kauai).
    Electronic copies of the Final Programmatic EA/OEA and FONSI are 
available for public viewing or downloading at http://www.govsupport.us/uswex. Single copies of the Final Programmatic EA/OEA 
and FONSI may be obtained by written request from: Commander, U.S. 
Pacific Fleet (N01CE), 250 Makalapa Drive, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3131.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (N01CE), 
250 Makalapa Drive, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3131, 808-474-7836, or visit 
http://www.govsupport.us/uswex.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USWEX is an advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare 
Exercise proposed to be conducted by U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Groups 
(CSGs) and Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESGs) while in transit from the 
west coast of the United States to the western Pacific Ocean using 
existing operating areas and ranges within the Hawaii Range Complex. As 
identified in the USWEX Programmatic EA/OEA, the Proposed Action is to 
conduct USWEXs in the Hawaii Range Complex for deploying west coast-
based CSGs and ESGs, and Hawaii homeported ships and submarines. 
Training events similar to those that comprise a USWEX are currently 
being conducted individually. USWEX is a combination of training events 
that results in a sea control/power projection fleet exercise that is 
required in order to meet training objectives for deploying or 
deployable CSGs and ESGs.
    Anti-Submarine Warfare training conducted during a USWEX utilizes 
ships, submarines, aircraft, non-explosive exercise weapons, and other 
training systems and devices. During a typical USWEX, embarked aircraft 
will also be conducting training prior to deployment to the western 
Pacific Ocean. Fixed-wing aircraft will fly sorties to Pohakuloa 
Training Area on the Island of Hawaii, and rotary aircraft will fly 
sorties to Kaula located off the coast of Kauai. Aircraft will utilize 
these live ranges to drop live or inert rounds. During an ESG USWEX, 
amphibious forces could utilize the beaches at Pacific Missile Range 
Facility or at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows to conduct amphibious 
landings. The EA/OEA includes an analysis of three Alternatives. 
Alternative 1 analyzes four CSG USWEXs and two ESG USWEXs per year 
occurring in the Hawaii Range Complex. Alternative 2 analyzes three CSG 
USWEXs and one ESG USWEX per year occurring in the Hawaii Range 
Complex. Under the No Action Alternative, individual training events 
that compose a USWEX would continue to occur; however, they would not 
be consolidated into a coordinated training event.
    The analysis conducted in the USWEX Programmatic EA/OEA focused on 
the following resources: Airspace, biological resources, cultural 
resources, land use, noise, and safety and health. Impacts to 
biological resources will not be significant. The EA/OEA analyzes mid-
frequency active sonar use associated with the USWEX and documents an 
acoustic exposure effects-analysis on marine mammals that may be 
affected by the USWEX training events and use of mid-frequency active 
sonar. There are no predicted marine mammal sonar exposures that would 
result in injury or mortality. The DON consulted with the National 
Marine Fisheries Service and received a biological opinion and an 
incidental take statement under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act 
that determined the Proposed Action would not result in jeopardy to any 
endangered species. No new special use airspace proposal or any 
modification to the existing special use airspace is proposed. Impacts 
to cultural resources, land use, noise, and safety and health are not 
anticipated.
    Based on the information gathered during preparation of the USWEX 
Programmatic EA/OEA, the DoD finds that up to six USWEX per year under 
Alternative 1 within the Hawaii Range Complex will not significantly 
impact the environment and, therefore, an EIS is not required for 
implementing Alternative 1.

    Dated: January 29, 2007.
M.A. Harvison,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
 [FR Doc. E7-1746 Filed 2-1-07; 8:45 am]
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