[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 240 (Friday, December 14, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 71128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24234]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the U.S. Marine Corps Grow the Force Initiative (or GTF) at Marine 
Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Marine Corps Air Station New River, and Marine 
Corps Air Station Cherry Point, NC

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, as implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations parts 
1500-1508) and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) NEPA implementing regulations 
in Marine Corps Order P5090.2A, the USMC announces its intent to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the 
potential environmental consequences that may result from the permanent 
assignment of approximately 9,900 additional Marines and support 
service personnel at three installations in North Carolina: Marine 
Corps Base Camp Lejeune (MCBCL) and Marine Corps Air Station New River 
(MCASNR) in Jacksonville and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point 
(MCASCP) in Havelock.
    The proposed action includes incremental permanent personnel 
increases at existing USMC installations. By Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 
MCBCL, MCASNR, and MCASCP personnel (military and civilian) increases 
are expected to be approximately 7,700 (MCBCL), 1,400 (MCASNR), and 800 
(MCASCP). Alternatives to be examined in the EIS may consist of 
alternative sitting locations on these installations for new facility 
construction, renovation and use of existing facilities, or a 
combination of both new and existing facilities. The no-action 
alternative, of not permanently basing these Marines and associated 
personnel, will also be examined.
    The USMC is initiating the scoping process with this notice of 
intent. Scoping assists the USMC in identifying community concerns and 
local issues related to the proposed action.

DATES: Three open house scoping meetings will be held in the 
Jacksonville and Havelock regional area from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the 
following dates and locations:
    (1) Tuesday, January 29, 2008, Havelock Tourist and Event Center, 
201 Tourist Center Drive, Havelock, NC.
    (2) Wednesday, January 30, 2008, Coastal Carolina Community 
College, 444 Western Boulevard, Jacksonville, NC.
    (3) Thursday, January 31, 2008, Dixon High School, 160 Dixon School 
Road, Holly Ridge, NC.

ADDRESSES: Federal, state, and local agencies, and interested groups 
and persons are encouraged to attend the scoping open house meetings. 
All are encouraged to provide comments on the proposed action either at 
the scoping meetings or by mail, postmarked no later than February 3, 
2008 to ensure proper consideration in the EIS to the following 
address: Mr. Michael H. Jones, Naval Facilities Engineering Command 
Mid-Atlantic, Code BMEV31 Building C, Room 3012, 6506 Hampton Blvd, 
Norfolk, VA 23508-1278.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael H. Jones, 757-322-4942. 
Please submit requests for special assistance, sign language 
interpretation for the hearing impaired or other auxiliary aids at the 
public meeting to Mr. Jones by January 8, 2008.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In January 2007, the President of the United 
States, on the recommendation of the Secretary of Defense, announced 
that the Marine Corps would increase its end strength from 
approximately 180,000 to 202,000 by 2011. This increase is needed to 
provide adequate time to recover between deployments, train to meet 
combat readiness, and prepare for redeployment. The purpose of the 
proposed action is to ensure that Marines are properly prepared and 
trained for existing combat and homeland protection missions and future 
conflicts.
    The Marine Corps uses the Total Force Structure Process (TFSP) to 
transform strategic guidance, policy constraints, and commander-
generated recommendations into the integrated capabilities required to 
execute Marine Corps missions. The TFSP relies on a detailed, 
integrated examination of doctrine, organization, training, material, 
leadership, personnel, and facilities, ensuring that no aspect of the 
enterprise is ignored when new requirements for the Corps are 
identified. In order to meet the purpose and need, the proposed action 
of increasing the Marine Corps must be expedited while not compromising 
the current Marine Corps missions. Existing force structure and 
organization would be maintained in order to not further complicate, 
retard, or jeopardize the Marine Corps mission. The proposed action 
accomplishes this by augmenting existing units with Marines possessing 
the appropriate skill sets. These existing units are already 
established at current Marine Corps bases. Consequently, alternative 
bed-down locations to the proposed action are not feasible because they 
would not meet the purpose and need of the proposed action.
    Specifically, the EIS will evaluate the potential environmental 
effects of the proposed action at the three installations on the 
following resources: Land; water resources (e.g., wetlands and coastal 
zones); natural resources, including threatened and endangered species; 
air; earth resources (e.g., soils and geology); visual resources, and 
cultural resources. Issues and activities that will be addressed 
include: Hazardous materials and hazardous waste; noise; recreation; 
transportation; socioeconomics; and environmental justice. Other 
resources, activities, and issues as identified through the scoping 
process will be included in the EIS and the analysis will evaluate both 
direct and indirect impacts, and account for cumulative impacts from 
other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions in the 
Jacksonville and Havelock, NC regional area.
    The USMC values the good relationship between its three 
installations in eastern NC and the surrounding communities, and will 
work closely with community stakeholders to assess the potential 
impacts of the proposed action on traffic and other transportation 
issues; stormwater and other environmental concerns; population 
increases and the related concerns with respect to schools, child care, 
and other quality of life issues; and other potential impacts that may 
be identified.

    Dated: December 10, 2007.
T.M. Cruz,
Lieutenant, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, 
Administrative Law Division, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
 [FR Doc. E7-24234 Filed 12-13-07; 8:45 am]
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