[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 17, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12735-12736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5376]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Resumption of 
Year-Round Firing Opportunities at Fort Richardson, AK

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of a 
DEIS that describes and analyzes the potential environmental effects 
associated with the U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK) proposal to strengthen 
unit preparedness and improve Soldier and Family quality of life by 
maximizing live-fire training capacity at Fort Richardson. Current 
restrictions cause a shortage of live-fire training opportunities at 
Fort Richardson, resulting in the need for units to travel to other 
installations for required training. The Proposed Action is to restore 
year-round live-fire training capabilities at Fort Richardson in order 
to allow active duty units to achieve and maintain combat readiness, 
reduce deployment hardships on Soldiers and their Families, and to 
reduce annual expenditures associated with travel to distant facilities 
to conduct training.

DATES: The public comment period ends 60 days following publication of 
a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register by the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be forwarded to Ms. Carrie McEnteer, 
Directorate of Public Works, Attention: IMPC-FWA-PWE (C. McEnteer), 
1060 Gaffney Road 4500, Fort Wainwright, AK 99703-4500; fax: 
(907) 361-9867; e-mail: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Hall, Public Affairs 
Office, 724 Postal Service Loop Road 6000, Building 600, Room 
B349, Fort Richardson, AK 99505-6000; telephone: (907) 384-2546, e-
mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Proposed Action analyzed in this DEIS is 
to restore year-round live-firing capabilities at Fort Richardson. Army 
units must be certified with a variety of weapons systems before they 
can be safely and effectively deployed. Army policy stipulates how much 
units are to fire each type of weapon to achieve certification. Fort 
Richardson currently serves as home station to the 4th Brigade Combat 
Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division (4/25 ABCT) and must, 
therefore, provide the training

[[Page 12736]]

opportunities necessary for this Brigade to attain and sustain 
certification.
    Since the 1940s, units stationed at Fort Richardson have conducted 
their live-fire munitions training at the Eagle River Flats Impact 
Area, the only permanent impact area on post. Training with a variety 
of high-explosive weapons continued at this location until the 
discovery in 1990 that white phosphorus (a substance contained in 
certain Army munitions) deposited into Eagle River Flats was causing 
large-scale mortality of dabbling waterfowl (e.g., ducks and swans). 
USARAK took several actions to address this situation. First, all 
firing at the Eagle River Flats Impact Area was suspended. Second, an 
Environmental Assessment to examine alternatives for resumption of 
firing was prepared--an analysis that led to the current ``winter 
only'' firing regimen. These restrictions are still in effect today and 
permit indirect live-fire at the Eagle River Flats Impact Area only 
when the ice is sufficiently thick to eliminate the risk of disturbing 
any underlying white phosphorus particles. Because of these 
restrictions, Fort Richardson units travel great distances to train 
elsewhere, resulting in deployment hardships on Soldiers and their 
Families, and additional annual expenditures associated with travel to 
distant facilities to conduct training. Third, USARAK supported a major 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 
(CERCLA) remediation effort to eliminate white phosphorus from the 
local ecosystem. Active CERCLA cleanup at Eagle River Flats is 
scheduled for completion early in 2010.
    In addition to consideration of a No Action Alternative (continued 
use of the Eagle River Flats Impact Area under a ``winter only'' firing 
regimen), the DEIS analyzed two alternatives as possible scenarios for 
the resumption of a year round live-fire training opportunity at Fort 
Richardson: (1) Year-round use of the Eagle River Flats Impact Area and 
(2) the development of a new explosive munitions impact area on Fort 
Richardson. USARAK has identified resumption of year-round live-fire 
training at the Eagle River Flats Impact Area as its preferred 
alternative.
    The DEIS is available for public review at local libraries and at 
http://www.usarak.army.mil/conservation/NEPA_home.htm. Comments from 
the public will be considered before any final decision is made. The 
Army plans to hold public meetings in Anchorage and Eagle River to 
provide information on the DEIS and to provide opportunities for public 
comment. In addition, the Army will meet with local, state, and federal 
agencies, as well as several Alaska Native tribes.

    Dated: March 4, 2010.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety, and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 2010-5376 Filed 3-16-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M