[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 73 (Friday, April 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 17837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-8622]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
Training Land Purchase at Fort Polk, LA

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI).

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SUMMARY: The U. S. Army intends to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to analyze environmental and socioeconomic impacts 
connected with the proposed purchase and use of up to 100,000 
additional acres of commercial and private lands for training adjacent 
to Fort Polk. This action will support the training requirements of the 
Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) and the training requirements of 
Fort Polk's current and future resident units. The EIS will analyze 
alternatives that are deemed feasible and meet the purpose and need for 
this Proposed Action.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Susan Walker, Fort Polk Public 
Affairs Office (PAO), 7073 Radio Road, Fort Polk, LA 71459-5342; or by 
phone at (337) 531-9125 during normal business hours from 9 a.m. to 5 
p.m. c.s.t. Written comments may be mailed to the PAO address or e-
mailed to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fort Polk, located in west-central 
Louisiana, is home to the JRTC Operations Group; 1st Maneuver 
Enhancement Brigade; Brigade, 10th Mountain Division; 1st Battalion, 
509th Infantry Regiment; 162 Infantry Training Brigade; 5th Aviation 
Battalion; and the 115th Combat Support Hospital. Fort Polk's primary 
missions include supporting these units and the operations of one of 
the Army's Combat Training Centers (CTC), the Joint Readiness Training 
Center (JRTC). The JRTC is one of three Army Maneuver CTCS and is the 
only CTC that is focused on Army light forces. Army CTCs provide units 
and Soldiers with the most challenging and realistic training possible.
    Fort Polk is currently comprised of approximately 198,130 acres of 
U.S. Army owned land and lands the Army uses under a U.S. Forest 
Service permit. In order to meet the training requirements of Fort 
Polk's units and the JRTC, the Army has identified a need to purchase 
up to 100,000 acres of additional land to enhance realistic training 
conditions. The Army proposes to purchase additional maneuver training 
land to better meet the training needs of the JRTC and Fort Polk's 
current and future resident units. This additional land will enhance 
training for Fort Polk units and units deploying to JRTC and will allow 
Soldiers to train to more realistic standards in preparation for 
operational deployment.
    The Fort Polk EIS will analyze the environmental and socioeconomic 
impacts of several purchase location alternatives, each of which could 
include the purchase of up to 100,000 acres of land. Alternative I 
considers the purchase of lands directly adjacent to Fort Polk's 
existing training areas to the south of Peason Ridge and directly north 
and east of the main post. Alternative 2 considers the purchase of 
lands to the south and east of Peason Ridge and parcels that connect 
Peason Ridge with Fort Polk's main post. As part of Alternative 2, two 
parcels of land directly adjacent to the eastern side of main post are 
also being considered for purchase. The Army will also analyze the No 
Action Alternative, which will evaluate the impacts of taking no action 
to purchase additional training land around Fort Polk. Resource areas 
which may be impacted include air quality, traffic, noise, water 
resources, biological resources, cultural resources, socioeconomics, 
utilities, land use, solid and hazardous materials/waste, and 
cumulative environmental effects. Impacts to these resources may occur 
as a result of converting from existing land uses to military training.
    The public is invited to participate in the scoping process. The 
scoping process begins with the publication of this Notice of Intent in 
the Federal Register and will last for 30 days. The scoping process 
will include at least three public scoping meetings, which are 
opportunities for the public to receive information about the proposed 
action and alternatives and to assist the Army in determining issues 
related to the proposed purchase to be addressed in the EIS. These 
meetings will be held in communities surrounding Fort Polk and the 
specific details of the meetings will be announced in local media 
sources. The public will also be invited to review and comment on the 
Draft EIS when it is available for review. Comments from the public 
will be considered before any decision is made regarding implementing 
the proposed action at Fort Polk.

    Dated: April 8, 2009.
H.E. Wolfe,
Principal Assistant, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, 
Environment, Safety and Occupational Health.
[FR Doc. E9-8622 Filed 4-16-09; 8:45 am]
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