[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 135 (Thursday, July 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41163-41164]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17237]


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

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Navy Atlantic Fleet 
Training and Testing and To Announce Public Scoping Meetings

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102 of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental 
Quality Regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 1500-
1508), and Executive Order 12114, the Department of the Navy (DON) 
announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
and Overseas EIS (OEIS) to evaluate the potential environmental effects 
associated with military readiness training and research, development, 
testing, and evaluation (RDT&E) activities (hereinafter referred to as 
``training and testing'' activities) conducted within the Atlantic 
Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) study area. The AFTT study area 
includes the western North Atlantic Ocean along the east coast of North 
America (including the area where the Undersea Warfare Training Range 
will be used), the Chesapeake Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico. Also 
included are select Navy pierside locations and channels. The AFTT 
study area does not include the Arctic. This EIS and OEIS is being 
prepared to renew and combine current regulatory permits and 
authorizations; address current training and testing not covered under 
existing permits and authorizations; and to obtain those permits and 
authorizations necessary to support force structure changes and 
emerging and future training and testing requirements.
    The DON will invite the National Marine Fisheries Service to be a 
cooperating agency in preparation of this EIS and OEIS.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: Five public scoping meetings will be held between 
4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the following dates and at the following 
locations:

[[Page 41164]]

    1. Monday, August 23, 2010, Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston 
Street, Boston, MA.
    2. Wednesday, August 25, 2010, Virginia Beach Convention Center, 
1000 19th Street, Virginia Beach, VA.
    3. Thursday, August 26, 2010, Crystal Coast Civic Center, 3505 
Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC.
    4. Tuesday, August 31, 2010, Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, 
1000 Water Street, Jacksonville, FL.
    5. Wednesday, September 1, 2010, Gulf Coast Community College, 5230 
West Highway 98, Panama City, FL.
    Each of the five scoping meetings will consist of an informal, open 
house session with informational stations staffed by DON 
representatives. Meeting details will be announced in local newspapers. 
Additional information concerning meeting times is available on the EIS 
and OEIS Web page located at: http://www.AFTTEIS.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 
Code EV22LL (AFTT EIS/OEIS Project Manager), 6506 Hampton Boulevard, 
Norfolk, VA 23508-1278, telephone number 757-322-4645.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DON's proposed action is to conduct 
training and testing activities that include the use of active sonar 
and explosives within the at-sea portions of existing range complexes 
and on RDT&E ranges within the AFTT study area (including the area 
where the Undersea Warfare Training Range will be used). The boundary 
of the AFTT study area begins seaward from the mean high water line and 
moves east to the 45 degree west longitude line, generally following 
the 2nd Fleet area of responsibility (except for the Arctic). The AFTT 
study area covers approximately 2.6 million square nautical miles of 
ocean area, which includes Navy operating areas (sea space) and warning 
areas (airspace). While the majority of Navy training and many testing 
activities take place within operating and warning areas and/or on 
RDT&E ranges, some activities, such as sonar maintenance and gunnery 
exercises, are conducted concurrent with normal transits and occur 
outside of operating and warning areas.
    The following DON training range complexes fall within the AFTT 
study area: Northeast Range Complex, Virginia Capes (VACAPES) Range 
Complex, Navy Cherry Point Range Complex, Jacksonville Range Complex, 
Key West Range Complex, and Gulf of Mexico (GOMEX) Range Complex. The 
DON RDT&E ranges in the AFTT study area include: Naval Undersea Warfare 
Center Newport, Newport, RI; Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama 
City Division, FL; and NSWC Carderock Division South Florida Test 
Facility, FL. The piers and channels in the AFTT study area are located 
at the following Navy ports, Naval Shipyards, and Navy contractor 
shipyards: Bath Iron Works, ME; Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, ME; Electric 
Boat and Naval Base Groton, CT; Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding--Newport 
News, VA; Norfolk Naval Base, VA; Norfolk Naval Shipyard, VA; Naval 
Amphibious Base Little Creek, VA; Naval Base Kings Bay, GA; Naval Base 
Mayport, FL; Port Canaveral, FL; Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding--
Avondale, LA; Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding--Ingalls, MS; and, Halter 
Moss Point Shipyard, MS.
    The proposed action is to conduct military training and testing 
activities in the AFTT study area. The purpose of the proposed action 
is to achieve and maintain Fleet Readiness to meet the requirements of 
Title 10 of the U.S. Code, which requires the DON to ``maintain, train, 
and equip combat-ready naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring 
aggression, and maintaining freedom of the seas.'' The proposed action 
would also allow the DON to attain compliance with applicable 
environmental authorizations, consultations, and other associated 
environmental requirements, including those associated with new 
platforms and weapons systems, for example, the Low Frequency Anti-
Submarine Warfare capability associated with the Littoral Combat Ship.
    The alternatives that will be analyzed in the AFTT EIS and OEIS 
meet the purpose and need of the proposed action by providing the level 
of training that meets the requirements of Title 10, thereby ensuring 
that Sailors and Marines are properly prepared for operational success. 
Similarly, the level of RDT&E proposed for the AFTT study area is 
necessary to ensure that Sailors and Marines deployed overseas have the 
latest proven military equipment. Accordingly, the alternatives to be 
addressed in the AFTT EIS and OEIS are:
    1. No Action--The No Action Alternative continues baseline training 
and testing activities and force structure requirements as defined by 
existing DON environmental planning documents. This documentation 
includes the Records of Decision for Atlantic Fleet Active Sonar 
Training (AFAST), VACAPES, Navy Cherry Point, Jacksonville, and NSWC 
Panama City Division, and the Preferred Alternative for the GOMEX Draft 
EIS and OEIS.
    2. Alternative 1--This alternative consists of the No Action 
alternative, plus expansion of the overall study area boundaries, and 
updates and/or adjustments to locations and tempo of training and 
testing activities. This alternative also includes changes to training 
and testing requirements necessary to accommodate force structure 
changes, and the development and introduction of new vessels, aircraft, 
and weapons systems.
    3. Alternative 2--Alternative 2 consists of Alternative 1 with an 
increased tempo of training and testing activities. This alternative 
also allows for additional range enhancements and infrastructure 
requirements.
    Resource areas that will be addressed due to the potential effects 
from the proposed action include, but are not limited to: Ocean and 
biological resources (including marine mammals and threatened and 
endangered species); air quality; airborne soundscape; cultural 
resources; transportation; regional economy; recreation; and public 
health and safety.
    The scoping process will be used to identify community concerns and 
local issues to be addressed in the EIS and OEIS. Federal agencies, 
state agencies, local agencies, Native American Indian Tribes and 
Nations, the public, and interested persons are encouraged to provide 
comments to the DON to identify specific issues or topics of 
environmental concern that the commenter believes the DON should 
consider. All comments provided orally or in writing at the scoping 
meetings will receive the same consideration during EIS and OEIS 
preparation. Written comments must be postmarked no later than 
September 14, 2010, and should be mailed to: Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command, Atlantic, Code: EV22LL (AFTT EIS/OEIS Project 
Manager), 6506 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA, 23508-1278.

    Dated: July 9, 2010.
D.J. Werner,
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-17237 Filed 7-14-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P