[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 52 (Monday, March 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14237-14238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5316]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Navy Training Activities in 
the Gulf of Alaska

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 of 1969 (NEPA) as implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and 
Executive Order 12114 (Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal 
Actions), the Department of the Navy (Navy) announces its intent to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Overseas Environmental 
Impact Statement (OEIS) to evaluate the potential environmental effects 
of conducting Navy training in and around the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), 
including participation in large-scale Joint exercises, to support 
Fleet training exercise requirements. The Navy will invite the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to be 
cooperating agencies in preparation of this EIS/OEIS.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: Three public scoping meetings will be held to 
receive oral and/or written comments on environmental concerns that 
should be addressed in the EIS/OEIS. Each of the three scoping meetings 
will consist of an informal, open house session with information 
stations staffed by Navy representatives. The public scoping meetings 
will be held at the following dates, times, and locations:
    1. Tuesday, April 1, 2008, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Kodiak Best 
Western, 236 W. Rezanof Drive, Kodiak, AK 99615,
    2. Wednesday, April 2, 2008, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Kincaid Outdoor 
Center, North Assembly Room, 9401 W. Raspberry Road, Anchorage, AK 
99502,
    3. Thursday, April 3, 2008, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Mt. Eccles 
Elementary School, 200 Adams Street, Cordova, AK 99574.
    Details of the meeting locations and times will be announced in 
local newspapers. Additional information concerning meeting times will 
be available on the EIS/OEIS Web page located at: http://www.GulfofAlaskaNavyEIS.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Amy Burt, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command, Northwest, 1101 Tautog Circle Suite 203, 
Silverdale, Washington 98315-1101, Attn: GOA Navy Training Activities 
EIS/OEIS Project Manager,

[[Page 14238]]

Code EV1.AB, telephone number: 360-396-0924.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed EIS/OEIS analyzes potential 
environmental effects of Navy training activities that will take place 
in and around the Gulf of Alaska and those aircraft events that 
originate in the maritime exercise area (MEA) and extend over 
established inland Alaska military operating areas. Navy training 
activities primarily take place in, or originate from, the MEA. The MEA 
provides approximately 42,000 nm\2\ (144,056 km\2\) of air and surface/
subsurface ocean operating area and overlying airspace.
    The MEA is a polygon that is oriented from northwest to southeast, 
approximately 300 nm in length by 150 nm in width, situated south of 
Prince William Sound and east of Kodiak Island, Alaska. The EIS/OEIS 
study area includes Gulf of Alaska ocean area within approximately 200 
km from the MEA and the waters within this boundary up to the 
coastline. Military operations also occur over established land-based 
Military Operating Areas maintained by the Air Force in Alaska.
    These Alaska training areas are used to conduct Navy training, 
including participating in large-scale Joint training exercises such as 
the annual Northern Edge exercise, involving military hardware, 
personnel, tactics, munitions, explosives, and electronic combat. 
Alaska is an ideal location to support naval and joint operational 
readiness by providing the maritime component to a ``geographically 
realistic'' range for U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) and U.S. Northern 
Command (NORTHCOM) scenario-based training.
    The purpose of the Proposed Action is to: (1) Support PACOM and 
NORTHCOM training requirements; (2) achieve and maintain Fleet 
readiness using these Alaska training areas to support and conduct 
current, emerging, and future training activities; (3) accommodate new 
training requirements associated with the introduction of new weapons 
and systems to the Fleet; and (4) support civilian authorities in 
homeland defense training exercises.
    The need for the Proposed Action is to: (1) Maintain current levels 
of military readiness; (2) accommodate future increases in training 
activities to support Fleet exercise requirements in the Alaska 
training areas; (3) support the acquisition and implementation into the 
Fleet of advanced military technology; and (4) maintain the long-term 
viability of the Alaska training areas as a Navy training area while 
protecting human health and the environment, and enhancing the quality 
and the capabilities of the training area, including safety.
    The No Action Alternative is the continuation of current training 
levels, with one carrier strike group per exercise, to exclude the use 
of mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS). Alternative 1 consists of an 
increase in the number of training activities from baseline levels, to 
include the use of MFAS, plus training associated with the introduction 
of new weapon systems, vessels, and aircraft into the Fleet. 
Alternative 2 consists of all elements of Alternative 1, plus the 
addition of a second summertime carrier strike group exercise each 
year, to include the use of MFAS.
    Environmental issues that will be addressed in the EIS/OEIS include 
but are not limited to the following: Air quality; airspace; biological 
resources, including threatened and endangered species; cultural 
resources; geology and soils; hazardous materials and waste; health and 
safety; noise; socioeconomics; transportation and water resources.
    The Navy is initiating the scoping process to identify community 
concerns and local issues that will be addressed in the EIS/OEIS. 
Federal, state, and local agencies, Alaska Native Federally-Recognized 
Tribes, the public, and interested persons are encouraged to provide 
oral and/or written comments to the Navy to identify specific 
environmental issues or topics of environmental concern that the 
commenter believes the Navy should consider. All comments, written or 
provided orally at the scoping meetings, will receive the same 
consideration during EIS/OEIS preparation.
    Written comments on the scope of the EIS/OEIS should be postmarked 
no later than April 30, 2008. Comments may be mailed to: Mrs. Amy Burt, 
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, 1101 Tautog Circle, 
Suite 203, Silverdale, Washington 98315-1101, Attn: GOA Navy Training 
Activities EIS/OEIS Project Manager, Code EV1.AB. Comments can also be 
submitted via the EIS/OEIS Web page located at http://www.GulfofAlaskaNavyEIS.com.

    Dated: March 11, 2008.
T.M. Cruz,
Lieutenant, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register 
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-5316 Filed 3-14-08; 8:45 am]
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