[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 50 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13534-13535]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-4882]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Preparation of the Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement (SPEIS) for Army Growth and Force Structure Realignment To 
Support Operations in the Pacific Theater

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The Army intends to prepare an SPEIS in order to evaluate the 
relative environmental and socioeconomic impacts of support operations 
growth in the Pacific Theater as it transforms and aligns its forces to 
address existing capabilities shortfalls. As part of Army growth, this 
evaluation will be conducted to supplement the analysis and decisions 
that were included in the PEIS for Grow the Army (for continental U.S. 
(CONUS) locations), which was completed in January 2008.
    The Army will use the SPEIS analysis to evaluate and compare the 
environmental and socioeconomic impacts of alternatives for 
implementing its Proposed Action. The Army's Proposed Action is to 
grow, realign, and transform its forces to support operations in the 
Pacific Theater and to ensure the proper capabilities exist to sustain 
operations in promoting global and national security now and into the 
foreseeable future. The implementation of the Proposed Action is needed 
to better meet military operational and national security requirements 
and the needs of the Army's Soldiers and their Families.
    The SPEIS will assess the capacity of Army installations and their 
ability to accommodate new units as part of Army growth and force 
structure realignment to support operations in the Pacific Theater. 
Alternatives in the SPEIS could include stationing of additional Combat 
Support (CS) or Combat Service Support (CSS) units or new support 
brigades. The following alternatives will be analyzed in the SPEIS: (1) 
Grow, transform, and realign forces by stationing approximately 5,000 
additional CS/CSS Soldiers in reasonable locations that support 
operations in the Pacific Theater; (2) Grow, transform, and realign 
forces by stationing approximately 7,500 additional CS/CSS Soldiers in 
reasonable locations that support operations in the Pacific Theater and 
(3) Grow, transform, and realign forces by stationing approximately 
10,000 additional CS/CSS Soldiers in reasonable locations that support 
operations in the Pacific Theater. The SPEIS will evaluate different 
stationing scenarios in reasonable locations, which may include Army 
installations in the CONUS, Hawaii and Alaska with the capability to 
support operations in the Pacific Theater.
    In addition to the above alternatives, the No Action Alternative 
will be considered and used as a baseline for comparison of 
alternatives. The No Action Alternative is to retain the U. S. Army 
forces in the Pacific in their current end strength and force 
structure. The No Action Alternative includes those stationing 
decisions which have already been made to include stationing actions 
directed by Base Realignment and Closure legislation in 2005, Army 
Global Defense Posture Realignment, and Army Modular Forces 
initiatives. The No Action Alternative is not a viable means for 
meeting the current and future strategic security and defense 
requirements of the nation.
    The SPEIS will analyze the Proposed Action's impacts upon the 
natural, cultural, and man-made environments at those stationing 
locations which are capable of supporting the needs of the Army and its 
Soldiers and Families. Viable alternatives include those stationing 
locations that are able to meet Army unit requirements for training 
ranges and maneuver space, housing and office space, maintenance and 
vehicle parking, and Soldier and Family quality of life (e.g., schools, 
gyms, medical facilities). In addition, viable alternatives must meet 
the operational mission requirements of the Pacific Command (PACOM).

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army 
Environmental Command, Building E4460, 5179 Hoadley Road, Attention: 
IMAE-PA, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5401; telephone: (410) 436-
2556; facsimile: (410) 436-1693. The Public Affairs Office is open 
during normal business hours Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
Eastern Time.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The global security environment is 
turbulent, unpredictable, and rapidly changing. It has placed 
considerable demands on the nation's military and highlighted the need 
for the Army to correct shortfalls in high-demand skills while 
reassessing its force capabilities. To meet the challenges of the 21st 
century security environment, the Army requires the growth and 
restructuring of its forces to support operations in the Pacific 
Theater to sustain the broad range of missions required to promote 
regional, national, and global stability.
    Final decisions for the implementation of Army stationing actions 
within CONUS were published in the Federal Register in January 2008. 
Force structure requirements for U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) are still 
being evaluated. The SPEIS will consider the projected environmental 
and socioeconomic impacts of different stationing actions at locations 
capable of supporting operations in the Pacific Theater.
    Alternatives for Army growth and force structure realignment to 
support operations in the Pacific Theater could involve the addition of 
new units, unit realignment from existing locations, and 
reconfiguration of the existing force structure in accordance with Army 
transformation. Adjustments to Army force structure could include 
changes in the numbers of CS/CSS Soldiers needed to support USARPAC 
operations with critical military skills such as military

[[Page 13535]]

police, engineers, explosive ordnance detachments, logistics and 
command and control functions. Secondly, growth, realignment, and 
transformation could involve the addition of new support brigades or 
constituent units of support brigades at reasonable locations capable 
of supporting operations in the Pacific Theater. Support brigade 
stationing decisions could involve the stationing of an aviation 
brigade, a fires brigade, a battlefield surveillance brigade, a 
maneuver enhancement brigade, a sustainment brigade, an engineer 
brigade, a military police brigade, or a combination of these support 
brigades and the units that compose them. The Army is not considering 
the stationing of new Brigade Combat Teams (BCT) in USARPAC at this 
time.
    Proposed alternatives to grow the Army to support operations in the 
Pacific Theater could involve three primary actions depending on the 
installation being analyzed. These actions include the construction of 
housing and quality of life facilities (i.e., barracks, schools, 
gymnasiums), the construction of new training ranges and 
infrastructure, and changes in the intensity and frequency of use of 
maneuver land and firing ranges. Evaluations will include strategic 
military and national security considerations for new stationing 
actions at locations that, if selected, are capable of supporting the 
National Security Strategy (2006), the QDR (2006), National Military 
Strategy, and the Army Campaign Plan.
    Based on public scoping and the factors discussed above, the Army 
will refine its range of reasonable alternatives to the extent possible 
to accommodate both mission requirements and quality of life 
considerations. In reaching its decision, the Army will assess and 
consider public concerns. The SPEIS will compare the direct, indirect, 
and cumulative environmental effects that may result from stationing 
actions connected with initiatives to grow the Army. The primary 
environmental issues to be analyzed will include those identified as 
the result of the scoping process and installation-specific 
considerations. These issues may include impacts to soil, water and air 
quality, airspace conflicts, natural and cultural resources, land use 
compatibility, noise, socioeconomics, environmental justice, energy 
use, human health and safety considerations, and infrastructure and 
range/training requirements.
    Scoping and Public Comment: All interested members of the public, 
federally-recognized Indian Tribes, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiian 
groups, federal, state, and local agencies are invited to participate 
in the scoping process for the preparation of this SPEIS. Comments 
identifying environmental issues, concerns and opportunities to be 
analyzed in the SPEIS will be accepted for 30 days following 
publication of this Notice of Intent in the Federal Register.

    Dated: March 5, 2008.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety, and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. E8-4882 Filed 3-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M