[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29491-29492]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11256]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Draft Supplemental Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement for Army Growth and Force Structure 
Realignment To Support Operations in the Pacific Theater

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of a 
Draft Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DSPEIS) 
for the growth and realignment of the United States Army to support 
Operations in the Pacific Theater. The Department of the Army has 
prepared a DSPEIS that evaluates the potential environmental and 
socioeconomic effects associated with alternatives for implementing the 
growth, realignment, and transformation of the Army's forces to support 
Operations in the Pacific Theater. Potential impacts have been analyzed 
in the DSPEIS at installations that are capable of supporting 
operations in the Pacific Theater.

DATES: The public comment period will end 45 days after publication of 
a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register by the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: Send all written comments and suggestions concerning this 
DSPEIS to: Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army Environmental Command, 
Building E4460, Attention: IMAE-PA 5179 Hoadley Road, Aberdeen Proving 
Ground, MD 21010-5401. Comments may also be sent to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Public Affairs Office at (410) 436-
2556 or facsimile at (410) 436-1693 during normal business hours 9 a.m. 
to 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Army's Proposed Action and analysis 
within the DSPEIS covers those activities the Army may undertake from 
2008 through 2013 to grow, realign, and transform its forces to support 
operations in the Pacific Theater. Implementation of the Proposed 
Action will ensure the proper capabilities exist to sustain operations 
and regional security in the Pacific Theater now and into the 
foreseeable future. The implementation of the Proposed Action will 
better meet military operational needs, national and regional security 
requirements, and the needs of the Army's Soldiers and their Families. 
To implement the Proposed Action, new units with critical military 
skills must be stationed at locations that are capable of supporting 
strategic deployment and mobilization requirements in the Pacific 
Theater. These stationing locations must be capable of accommodating 
unit training, garrison operations, maintenance activities, and the 
needs of Soldiers and their Families.
    The current 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. No one has felt the impacts of the recent demands of the 
modern security environment more than Soldiers and their Families. To 
meet the challenges of the 21st century security environment, the Army 
requires the growth and restructuring of its forces to support 
operations across the Pacific Theater to sustain the broad range of 
missions required to promote regional, national, and global stability.
    The DSPEIS supplements the Army's Final Programmatic EIS for Army 
Growth and Force Structure Realignment (2007). The DSPEIS examines 
major Army training installations that were not in the 2007 PEIS, but 
are capable of supporting operations in the Pacific Theater and the 
ability of those installations to support new unit stationing actions. 
The DSPEIS includes analysis of specific actions that will need to be 
taken (such as the construction of housing and quality of life 
facilities, the construction of new training ranges and infrastructure, 
and changes in the intensity of use of maneuver land and firing ranges) 
to station new units as part of the Army's overall efforts to grow and 
realign the force.

[[Page 29492]]

    The Army has considered a full range of sites for implementing the 
Proposed Action. Alternative stationing locations that the Army is 
considering for supporting the Proposed Action include the major 
training installations the Army considered in its 2007 programmatic EIS 
as well as four additional installations in Hawaii and Alaska. 
Additional installations include Schofield Barracks Military 
Reservation (SBMR), HI; Fort Shafter, HI; Fort Richardson, AK; and Fort 
Wainwright, AK. Each of these installations could receive additional 
Soldiers as part of alternatives being examined.
    Alternatives in the DSPEIS 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) 
Support operations in the Pacific Theater by implementing Army-wide 
modular force and transformation recommendations within U.S. Army 
Pacific. This alternative involves the stationing of approximately 
1,500-2,000 Soldiers at Army installations in Hawaii and Alaska; (2) In 
addition to Army growth under Alternative 1, Alternative 2 includes 
growth and transformation of Army forces to support operations in the 
Pacific Theater by stationing additional Combat Support (CS) and Combat 
Service Support (CSS) units in locations capable of supporting these 
operations. The Army would station approximately 1,500-2,500 additional 
CS and CSS Soldiers beyond Alternative 1; (3) In addition to Army 
growth under Alternatives 1 and 2, as part of Alternative 3 the Army 
would grow, transform, and realign forces by stationing additional 
support brigades in locations capable of supporting operations in the 
Pacific Theater. Support brigades could include the stationing of an 
additional Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (570 Soldiers), a Combat 
Aviation Brigade (2,800 Soldiers), or a Field Artillery Brigade 
(approximately 1,500 Soldiers).
    In addition to the above alternatives, the No Action Alternative 
will be considered and used as a baseline for comparison of 
alternatives. It is not a viable means for meeting the current and 
future strategic security and defense requirements of the nation. The 
No Action Alternative would retain U.S. Army forces in their current 
end strength and force structure. The No Action Alternative includes 
the implementation of stationing actions directed by Base Realignment 
and Closure legislation in 2005, Army Global Defense Posture 
Realignment, Army Modular Forces initiatives, and Army Growth and Force 
Structure Realignment decisions published in January 2008.
    The DSPEIS covers those activities required to implement unit 
stationing actions associated with Army growth and force structure 
realignment to support operations in the Pacific Theater. Actions the 
Army will take to support unit stationing include the construction of 
housing and quality of life facilities (i.e., gymnasiums, hospitals, 
shopping areas), the construction of new training ranges and 
infrastructure, and changes in the intensity of use of maneuver land 
and firing ranges associated with the increased frequency of training 
events.
    The DSPEIS identifies the environmental and socioeconomic impacts 
associated with various unit stationing actions that could be 
implemented to support the Proposed Action. Decisions from the SPEIS 
will be tiered into sitespecific NEPA analysis at the installation 
level after stationing decisions are made.
    The Army invites full public participation to promote open 
communication and better decision making. All persons and organizations 
that have an interest in the growth and realignment of the Army's 
forces and associated stationing actions are invited to participate in 
this NEPA evaluation process. Assistance will be provided upon request 
to anyone having difficulty understanding how to participate.
    Written comments on the DSPEIS will be accepted for 45 days 
following the publication of a Notice of Availability in the Federal 
Register by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Information on 
the DSPEIS will be posted on the U.S. Army Environmental Command's Web 
site, http://www.aec.army.mil, for public access during the public 
comment period.

    Dated: May 14, 2008.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety, and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. E8-11256 Filed 5-20-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M