[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 28 (Monday, February 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6536-6537]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2307]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for a Swimmer Interdiction Security System (SISS) at Naval Base 
Kitsap-Bangor, Kitsap County, WA, and 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, and the regulations implemented by the 
Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the 
Department of the Navy (DON) announces its intent to prepare an EIS to 
evaluate the potential environmental consequences of construction of 
facilities for and operation of the SISS.
    The DON's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego (SSC San 
Diego) proposes to construct and operate a SISS at Naval Base Kitsap-
Bangor (NBK-Bangor). In response to the terrorist attacks of September 
11,

[[Page 6537]]

2001, the U.S. Government has increased security requirements at its 
military installations. Chief of Naval Operations Instruction 
(OPNAVINST) 5530.14C, Navy Physical Security Manual, establishes 
requirements for security at naval bases, including NBK-Bangor. 
OPNAVINST 5530.14C requires waterside security measures be implemented 
to protect the DON's assets. The proposed SISS is needed to provide 
additional waterside security at NBK-Bangor to counter threats from 
surface and submerged swimmers. SSC San Diego is the Action Proponent.
    Other than the preferred alternative, the most effective 
alternatives would be use of Combat Swimmers and Remotely Operated 
Vehicles (ROVs). Under the Combat Swimmers alternative, specially 
trained personnel would be used to interdict underwater intruders. The 
combat swimmers would be aboard Harbor Security Boats (HSB) and would 
be deployed into the water to respond to security alerts by finding, 
identifying, and marking the location of underwater objects or 
initiating interdiction of intruders. Under the ROV alternative, ROVs 
would be deployed from HSBs to respond to security alerts by finding, 
identifying, and marking the location of underwater objects or 
initiating interdiction of intruders. A No Action alternative will also 
be evaluated. Under this alternative, no SISS would be implemented.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: Public scoping meetings will be held in Keyport, 
Kitsap County, Washington, and Seattle, King County, Washington, to 
receive oral and written comments on environmental concerns that should 
be addressed in the EIS. Public scoping meetings will be held on: March 
27, 2007, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Naval Undersea Museum, 
Highway 308 at Garnet Way, Keyport, WA 98345, and on March 28, 2007, 
from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Holiday Inn, 211 Dexter Avenue 
North, Seattle, WA 98109.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DON conducted a literature review and 
held discussions with subject matter experts to identify alternatives 
for implementing the SISS. Nine action alternatives and a No Action 
alternative have been identified. The highest rated and preferred 
alternative would be composed of human/marine mammal teams that would 
support DON operations and respond rapidly to security alerts. The 
system would involve stationing California sea lions and Atlantic 
Bottlenose dolphins at the site (combined total of no more than 30 
animals). In-water enclosures housing SISS mammals would be placed 
adjacent to an existing pier/wharf on a floating dock at NBK-Bangor. 
The enclosures for the sea lions would be of the open-mesh type, while 
the dolphins would be housed in environmentally controlled enclosures. 
Additional support facilities, including on-shore pools for veterinary 
purposes and trailers for staff, laboratory, food preparation, and 
storage would be installed at an upland location at NBK-Bangor. The 
marine mammals would be deployed along the waterfront in conjunction 
with humans aboard small power boats; the mammals would respond to 
security alerts by finding, identifying, and marking the location of 
underwater objects, or initiating interdiction of intruders.
    The marine mammals used in this system would come from the DON's 
marine mammal program in San Diego, and would undergo extensive health 
screening before and after transport to NBK-Bangor. The SISS facilities 
would operate in conformance with standards for animal care established 
by the Department of Defense, the Department of Agriculture, the Animal 
Welfare Act, and the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of 
Laboratory Animal Care, and a veterinarian would remain on site to meet 
animal health care needs. The DON is committed to protecting its marine 
mammals, and makes every effort to ensure the operational capability 
they provide is maintained by ensuring the animals remain healthy and 
safe while performing their duties. To this end, several studies have 
been conducted looking at the affects of cold water and air on the 
health and behavior of dolphins. Studies have been conducted in both 
artificial environments, such as an arctic research facility (Chun and 
Harris, 1978), and in naturally cold environments, such as off the 
coast of Connecticut (Scronce and Bowers, 1983). Other studies have 
been conducted in San Diego and Hawaii to determine the impact of cold 
water on the dolphin's ability to preserve its body temperature (Costa 
et al., Williams et al., 1991, Heath and Miller, 1998). Another study 
is currently being conducted to determine the exact temperature limits 
under which the dolphins can perform their tasking. These studies have 
helped the DON develop safe operational guidelines for the use of 
marine mammal systems under thermally challenging conditions. In 
addition, the DON has deployed dolphins to numerous cold water 
environments (e.g., Canada, Alaska, Norway, and Germany). It has 
developed facilities and procedures for mitigating any impact of cold 
exposure on the dolphins during these deployments. These will be 
further analyzed and reviewed during this EIS process. Analysis will 
include water quality, air quality, biological communities, fish, 
marine mammals, land and sea birds, threatened and endangered species, 
land and water use, geology and soils/sediments, cultural resources, 
socioeconomics, noise, public safety, aesthetics, energy, and, in the 
case of the preferred alternative, effects of the site environment on 
the deployed mammals.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public may provide 
comments orally or in writing at the scoping meeting, or by mail, fax, 
or email sent to the following address: Commanding Officer, Space and 
Naval Warfare Systems Center, ATTN: Mike Rothe 235, 53560 Hull St., San 
Diego, CA 92152, phone: 888-510-5476, fax: 619-221-5251, e-mail: 
[email protected]. The deadline for submitting comments is April 
11, 2007.

    Dated: February 5, 2007.
M. A. Harvison,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
 [FR Doc. E7-2307 Filed 2-9-07; 8:45 am]
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