[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 201 (Thursday, October 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59084-59085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20577]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of 
Request for Public Scoping Comments

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 through 1508), the 
Department of the Navy (DON) announces its intent to prepare a 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). This SEIS 
supplements the Navy's 1999 Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS), ``Developing Home Port Facilities for Three NIMITZ-Class 
Aircraft Carriers in Support of the U.S. Pacific Fleet,'' as authorized 
by the Record of Decision (ROD) dated January 28, 2000 and published in 
the Federal Register on February 8, 2000 (65 FR 6181). The limited 
purpose of this SEIS is to supplement the traffic analysis contained in 
the 1999 FEIS, to assess potential new information, validate impacts to 
traffic and to analyze the effectiveness of existing traffic mitigation 
measures implemented per the 2000 ROD when three CVNs home ported at 
Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI), California are simultaneously 
in port.
    Completion of the SEIS is necessary under 40 CFR 1502.9 to assess 
potential new information and to validate impacts

[[Page 59085]]

to traffic during infrequent periods when three CVNs home ported at 
NASNI are simultaneously in port. The SEIS will analyze the 
effectiveness of existing traffic mitigation measures implemented per 
the 2000 ROD under these conditions. The SEIS will evaluate impacts 
such as changes in local traffic conditions, changes in personnel 
loading and potential changes in CVN operational deployment and 
maintenance schedules that could affect the average number of days 
three carriers are simultaneously in port. The SEIS will also evaluate 
the effects of traffic mitigation measures implemented pursuant to the 
2000 ROD. Past, present and reasonably foreseeable future regional 
actions impacting traffic will be examined from a cumulative impacts 
perspective.
    In addition, the SEIS will address infrastructure improvements for 
Berth LIMA, which include utilities upgrades previously analyzed under 
the 1999 FEIS and newly defined site improvements and other minor 
alterations to existing infrastructure. Utilities upgrades include: 
repairs and upgrades to electrical power, communications and 
information systems, security lighting, fire protection, steam, 
compressed air, potable water, wastewater and fueling systems. Site 
improvements and other alterations include: Demolition of existing 
fenders, moorings, and pier pavement; installation of new fender pile 
system (with 200-300 fender piles) and mooring fittings; construction 
of Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP) features (watch tower, guard 
kiosk, fencing and surveillance equipment); and demolition, repair and 
paving of the wharf, sidewalks, curbing, storm water drainage features 
and vehicle parking areas; and landscaping. It is anticipated that the 
construction of infrastructure improvements to Berth LIMA will take 
approximately one year to accomplish.
    Public input is requested to ensure the scope of the SEIS analysis 
incorporates public concerns and affords the public an input in the 
decision making process.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: The agency must receive comments on or before 
November 19, 2007. Comments may be submitted by mail or electronically 
through the project Web site. Comments may be mailed to the following 
address: Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, Attention: Ms. 
Ann Rosenberry (Code OPME.AR), 2730 McKean St., Building 291, San 
Diego, CA 92136. Comments may be submitted electronically at the 
project Web site at: http://www.nimitzcarriersseis.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Ann Rosenberry, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command Southwest, 2730 McKean St., Building 291, San 
Diego, CA 92136; telephone: 619-556-7368, facsimile: 619-556-0195.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Navy is initiating the scoping process 
to identify community concerns and local issues to be addressed in the 
SEIS. Federal agencies, State agencies, local agencies, and interested 
persons are encouraged to provide comments to the Navy to identify 
specific issues or topics of environmental concern that should be 
addressed in the SEIS. Written comments must be postmarked within 
thirty days from the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. Notices announcing the intent to prepare a SEIS will also 
appear in local newspapers in both English and Spanish. As the SEIS 
process progresses, the public may obtain updates by logging on to 
http://www.nimitzcarriersseis.com which is linked to the Commander, 
Naval Air Force Pacific Public Affairs Web site found at http://www.cnaf.navy.mil.

    Dated: October 11, 2007.
T.M. Cruz,
Lieutenant, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register 
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-20577 Filed 10-17-07; 8:45 am]
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