[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 240 (Friday, December 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75691-75692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29319]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCOE) Actions 
at Fort Benning, GA

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army announces the availability of the DEIS, which 
evaluates the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the 
construction, operation, and maintenance of facilities and training 
areas at Fort Benning. The DEIS also re-evaluates projects that have 
moved or changed extensively from those evaluated in the Base 
Realignment and Closure (BRAC) and Transformation EIS (2007). The 
proposed action is designed to accommodate newly identified 
requirements for Armor School training, accommodate Army growth, and 
support the MCOE standup. The MCOE proposed actions include the 
construction, operation, and maintenance of facilities and training 
areas (including assets such as ranges and maneuver areas) to (1) 
accommodate newly identified requirements for Armor School training, 
(2) support the increased throughput of military personnel and students 
associated with Grow the Army missions, and (3) support the MCOE 
requirements at Fort Benning.

DATES: 
    1. Public comment period for the DEIS: Ends 45 days after 
publication of the notice announcing the DEIS availability in the 
Federal Register by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
    2. Public Meeting: Tuesday, January 13, 2009, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. 
and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center, Founders 
Hall, Columbus State University, Columbus, Georgia.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments on the DEIS to: Mr. John Brent, 
Fort Benning Directorate of Public Works, Environmental Management 
Division, Building 6 (Meloy Hall), Room 310, Fort Benning, GA 
31905. E-mail comments should be sent to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Anthony O'Bryant, Fort Benning 
Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-4591, or Mr. Brandon Cockrell at 
(706) 545-3210 during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Proposed Action and subject of the DEIS 
covers the construction and development activities in the cantonment, 
range and training areas to meet the requirements of the MCOE actions 
at Fort Benning.
    The proposed action would provide the facilities, infrastructure, 
and equipment needed to support the MCOE activities at Fort Benning. 
All construction activities associated with the proposed action would 
occur on Fort Benning within the Georgia boundaries. The proposed 
community services, personnel support, classroom, barracks, and dining 
facilities would be constructed in three of the four cantonment areas 
at Fort Benning: Main Post, Sand Hill, and Harmony Church; no new 
construction is proposed in the fourth cantonment area at Kelley Hill. 
Throughout the cantonment areas, new facility construction will be 
sited to coincide with and/or be a complement to existing missions, 
facility operations, and functions. In order to minimize potential 
impacts to the environment (e.g., avoiding sensitive species habitat), 
existing infrastructure would be used to the greatest extent possible. 
Training assets, in the form of ranges and maneuver areas, currently 
are found throughout the installation. The proposed improvements/
upgrades to existing ranges and maneuver areas and proposed new ranges 
were selected to align with these existing assets.
    In the development of the DEIS, three alternatives were carried 
forward for analysis. Alternative A (the Army's Preferred Alternative) 
entails construction, operation, and maintenance of facilities and 
training areas, including assets such as small- and large-caliber 
weapons ranges, heavy maneuver areas and corridors, an off-road driver 
training area, and a vehicle recovery area to support the training 
range requirements. Also included are additional supporting projects 
and previously evaluated projects that have moved or changed 
extensively in order to support the increased throughput of military 
personnel and students associated with Grow the Army missions and MCOE 
standup activities. Alternative B is similar to Alternative A, but 
differs from Alternative A in the location of One Station Unit (OSUT)

[[Page 75692]]

Training. The Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range 1 and the Automated 
Combat Pistol Qualification course are only included in Alternative B. 
The No Action Alternative, which reflects the status quo and 
incorporates all FY09 through FY13 projects that were analyzed in the 
BRAC/Transformation EIS, was also evaluated. These projects were 
approved in the 2007 BRAC/Transformation Record of Decision (ROD).
    The DEIS analyses indicate that implementation of Alternative A 
(Preferred Alternative) would have significant impacts on biological 
resources and cultural resources. Significant impacts would be reduced 
or minimized to no significant impacts by implementation of mitigation 
measures identified for certain biological resources and cultural 
resources. Implementation of the preferred alternative would have no 
significant impacts to visual and aesthetic resources; socioeconomics; 
transportation; noise; air quality; hazardous and toxic materials and 
waste; water resources; geology and soils; Unique Ecological Areas; 
safety; land use; or utilities. Noise contour data for all alternatives 
indicate no significant impacts would occur either on post or off post. 
Alternative locations for some of the projects as presented in 
Alternative B would provide similar impacts and benefits as Alternative 
A in all resources except for special status species where the impacts 
to the Red-cockaded Woodpecker would be greater, and cultural resources 
where impacts would be slightly less. The No Action alternative 
includes the BRAC/Transformation projects and environmental baseline 
conditions for comparison to the impacts associated with the action 
alternatives. Impacts for the No Action alternative would be similar to 
Alternative A, except cultural resources where impacts would be less.
    In a 2007 EIS and ROD, the Army announced its decision to implement 
the BRAC 2005 and Transformation Actions at Fort Benning. Under this 
action, the Armor Center and School is relocating from Fort Knox, 
Kentucky, to Fort Benning and will eventually consolidate with the 
Infantry Center and School. The 2007 EIS and ROD also addressed the 
Army Modular Force transformation actions, Global Defense Posture 
Realignments, and other Army stationing activities. This EIS is 
prepared in part to re-evaluate projects that have moved or changed 
extensively from those evaluated in the 2007 EIS.
    The Army invites the public, local governments, federally-
recognized American Indian Tribes, and state and other Federal agencies 
to submit written comments or suggestions concerning the alternatives 
and analyses addressed in the DEIS. The public and government agencies 
also are invited to participate in a public meeting where oral and 
written comments and suggestions will be received.
    Copies of the DEIS will be available for review at several local 
libraries prior to the public meeting. The DEIS may also be reviewed 
electronically at: http://www.hqda.army.mil/acsim/brac/nepa_eis_docs.htm.

    Dated: December 5, 2008.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. E8-29319 Filed 12-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M