[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 250 (Tuesday, December 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79856-79857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30936]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Public Hearings for the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for the Northwest 
Training Range Complex

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), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for 
implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (Title 40 Code of 
Federal Regulations Parts 1500-1508), and Executive Order 12114, 
Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions, the Department 
of the Navy (Navy) has prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) for public release on 
December 29, 2008. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is a 
Cooperating Agency for the EIS/OEIS.
    The Draft EIS/OEIS evaluates the potential environmental effects of 
maintaining Fleet readiness through the use of the Northwest Training 
Range Complex (NWTRC) to support current, emerging, and future training 
activities. The proposed action serves to implement range enhancements 
to upgrade and modernize range capabilities within the NWTRC, thereby 
ensuring critical Fleet requirements are met. A Notice of Intent for 
this Draft EIS/OEIS was published in the Federal Register on July 31, 
2007 (72 FR 41712).
    The Navy will conduct five public hearings to receive oral and 
written comments on the Draft EIS/OEIS. Federal agencies, State 
agencies, and local agencies and interested individuals are invited to 
be present or represented at the public hearings. This notice announces 
the dates and locations of the public hearings for this Draft EIS/OEIS.
    An open house session will precede the scheduled public hearing at 
each of the locations listed below, and will allow individuals to 
review the information presented in the Draft EIS/OEIS. Navy 
representatives will be available during the open house sessions to 
clarify information related to the Draft EIS/OEIS.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: Five public scoping meetings will be held in 
Washington, Oregon, and California to receive oral and written comments 
on the Draft EIS/OEIS. All meetings will start with an open house 
session from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., followed by a presentation and formal 
public comment period from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Public hearings will be 
held on the following dates and at the following locations:
    1. Tuesday, January 27, 2009, at Oak Harbor School District Office, 
ASC Board Room, 350 S. Oak Harbor Street, Oak Harbor, Washington;
    2. Wednesday, January 28, 2009, at Pacific Beach Fire Hall, 4586 
State Route 109, Pacific Beach, Washington;
    3. Thursday, January 29, 2009, at Grays Harbor College Cafeteria, 
1620 Edward P. Smith Drive, Aberdeen, Washington;
    4. Friday, January 30, 2009, at Hatfield Marine Science Center, 
2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, Oregon;
    5. Monday, February 2, 2009, at Eureka Women's Club, 1531 J Street, 
Eureka, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Kimberly Kler, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command Northwest, Attention: NWTRC EIS/OEIS, 1101 Tautog 
Circle, Suite 203, Silverdale, Washington 98315-1101; or http://www.NWTRangeComplexEIS.com.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NWTRC consists of airspace, surface 
operating areas, and land range facilities in the Pacific Northwest. 
Components of the NWTRC encompass 122,400 nm2 of surface/
subsurface ocean operating area, 46,048 nm2 of special use 
airspace, and 875 acres of land. The EIS/OEIS Study Area lies within 
the NWTRC, and encompasses surface and subsurface ocean operating 
areas, land training areas, and special use airspace in Washington, and 
over-ocean special use airspace offshore of Washington, Oregon, and 
northern California. These ranges and operating areas are used to 
conduct training involving military hardware, personnel, tactics, 
munitions, explosives, and electronic combat systems. The NWTRC serves 
as a backyard range for those units homeported in the Pacific Northwest 
area including those aviation, surface ship, submarine, and Explosive 
Ordnance Disposal units homeported at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, 
Naval Station Everett, Naval Base Kitsap--Bremerton, Naval Base 
Kitsap--Bangor, and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
    The purpose of the Proposed Action is to: (1) Achieve and maintain 
Fleet readiness using the NWTRC to support and conduct current, 
emerging, and future training activities and research, development, 
test, and evaluation (RDT&E) events (primarily unmanned aerial 
vehicles); (2) expand warfare missions supported by the NWTRC 
consistent with the requirements of the Fleet Response Training Plan 
(FRTP) and other transformation initiatives; and (3) upgrade and 
modernize existing range capabilities to enhance and sustain Navy 
training and RDT&E.
    The need for the Proposed Action is to: (1) Maintain current levels 
of military readiness by training in the NWTRC; (2) accommodate future 
increases in operational training tempo in the NWTRC and support the 
rapid deployment of naval units or strike groups; (3) achieve and 
sustain readiness of ships, submarines, and aviation squadrons using 
the NWTRC so that they can quickly surge significant combat power in 
the event of a national crisis or contingency operation, consistent 
with the FRTP; (4) support the acquisition and implementation of 
advanced military technology into the Fleet; (5) identify shortfalls in 
range capabilities, particularly training infrastructure and 
instrumentation, and address through range investments and 
enhancements; and (6) maintain the long-term viability of the NWTRC 
while protecting human health and the environment and enhancing the 
quality and communication capability and safety of the range complex.
    The No Action Alternative is the continuation of training and 
RDT&E.

[[Page 79857]]

Alternative 1 consists of an increase in the number of training 
activities from baseline levels and force structure changes associated 
with the introduction of new weapon systems, vessels, and aircraft into 
the Fleet. Alternative 2, the Preferred Alternative, consists of all 
elements of Alternative 1. In addition, Alternative 2 includes an 
increase in the number of training activities over Alternative 1 levels 
and implementation of range enhancements.
    The Draft EIS addresses potential environmental impacts on multiple 
resources, including but not limited to: Air quality; water resources; 
airborne acoustic environment; biological resources, marine and 
terrestrial; cultural resources; socioeconomics; and public health and 
safety.
    No significant impacts are identified for any resource area in any 
geographic location within the NWTRC Study Area that cannot be 
mitigated, with the exception of exposure of marine mammals to 
underwater sound. The Navy has requested from NMFS a Letter of 
Authorization (LOA) in accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act 
to authorize the incidental take of marine mammals that may result from 
the implementation of the activities analyzed in the NWTRC Draft EIS/
OEIS. In compliance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation 
Management Act, the Navy is in consultation with NMFS regarding 
potential impacts to Essential Fish Habitat. In accordance with section 
7 of the Endangered Species Act, the Navy is consulting with NMFS and 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for potential impacts to 
federally listed species. The Navy is coordinating with the Washington 
Department of Ecology, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and 
Development, and the California Coastal Commission for a Coastal 
Consistency Determination under the Coastal Zone Management Act for 
each respective state. Navy analysis has indicated that under the Clean 
Air Act requirements, no significant impacts would occur to the 
regional air quality, and under the Clean Water Act there would be no 
significant impacts to water quality. National Historic Preservation 
Act analysis indicated that no significant impacts to cultural 
resources would occur if the Proposed Action or alternatives were 
implemented. Implementation of the Proposed Action or alternatives 
would not disturb, adversely affect, or result in any takes of bald 
eagles, nor result in a significant adverse effect on the population of 
a migratory bird species.
    The decision to be made by the Navy is to determine which of the 
alternatives analyzed in the EIS/OEIS best meet the operational needs 
of the Navy given that all reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts 
have been considered.
    The Draft EIS/OEIS was distributed to Federal, State, and local 
agencies, elected officials, and other interested individuals and 
organizations. The public comment period will end on February 11, 2009. 
Copies of the Draft EIS/OEIS are available for public review at the 
following libraries: Humboldt County Library, 1313 Third Street, 
Eureka, CA; Jefferson County Rural Library, 620 Cedar Avenue, Port 
Hadlock, WA; Kitsap Regional Library, 1301 Sylvan Way, Bremerton, WA; 
Lincoln City Public Library, 801 SW Highway 101, Lincoln City, OR; Oak 
Harbor Public Library, 1000 SE Regatta Drive, Oak Harbor, WA; Port 
Townsend Public Library, 1220 Lawrence St., Port Townsend, WA; and 
Timberland Regional Library, 420 Seventh Street, Hoquiam, WA.
    The Northwest Training Range Complex Draft EIS/OEIS is also 
available for electronic public viewing at: http://www.NWTRangeComplexEIS.com. A paper copy of the Executive Summary or a 
single CD with the Draft EIS/OEIS will be made available upon written 
request by contacting Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, 
Attention: Mrs. Kimberly Kler--NWTRC EIS/OEIS, 1101 Tautog Circle, 
Suite 203, Silverdale, WA 98315-1101.
    Federal, State, and local agencies, and interested parties are 
invited to be present or represented at the public hearing. Written 
comments can also be submitted during the open house sessions preceding 
the public hearings.
    Oral statements will be heard and transcribed by a stenographer; 
however, to ensure the accuracy of the record, all statements should be 
submitted in writing. All statements, both oral and written, will 
become part of the public record on the Draft EIS/OEIS and will be 
responded to in the Final EIS/OEIS. Equal weight will be given to both 
oral and written statements. In the interest of available time, and to 
ensure all who wish to give an oral statement have the opportunity to 
do so, each speaker's comments will be limited to four (4) minutes. If 
a long statement is to be presented, it should be summarized at the 
public hearing with the full text submitted either in writing at the 
hearing, or mailed to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, 
Attention: Mrs. Kimberly Kler--NWTRC EIS/OEIS, 1101 Tautog Circle, 
Suite 203, Silverdale, WA 98315-1101. In addition, comments may be 
submitted online at http://www.NWTRangeComplexEIS.com during the 
comment period. All written comments must be postmarked by February 11, 
2009, to ensure they become part of the official record. All comments 
will be addressed in the Final EIS/OEIS.

    Dated: December 19, 2008.
T.M. Cruz,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-30936 Filed 12-29-08; 8:45 am]
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