[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 214 (Friday, November 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68333-68334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-28035]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY


Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Impact Statement (PEIS) for the Growth, Realignment, and Stationing of 
Army Aviation Assets

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of the 
Draft

[[Page 68334]]

PEIS for the proposed growth, realignment, and stationing of new and 
existing Army aviation assets. The proposed action includes the 
consolidation and reorganization of existing aviation units, and the 
potential establishment of one or more Combat Aviation Brigades (CABs). 
The proposed action will increase the availability of helicopter assets 
to meet current and future national security requirements and will 
allow the Army better to organize existing aviation assets to promote 
more effective training and force management. The Draft PEIS evaluates 
the environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, which 
also includes the construction and renovation of garrison facilities, 
as well as additional training needed to support the aviation units. 
Land acquisition is not being considered as part of this action.
    The Draft PEIS considers the following alternatives: Alternative 
1--Realign and Station Existing Aviation Elements of Up to a Full CAB 
or Activate and Station a New CAB at Fort Carson, Colorado. Under this 
alternative, the Army either will consolidate existing aviation units 
not currently assigned to a CAB into a standard CAB structure at Fort 
Carson or activate a new CAB at Fort Carson. As part of this 
alternative, aviation units will conduct training on existing land at 
Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS), Colorado, in order to maintain 
training proficiency and support integrated training with ground units. 
Land acquisition is not being considered as part of this action. 
Alternative 2--Realign and Station Existing Aviation elements of Up to 
a Full CAB or Grow, Station and Activate a CAB at Joint Base Lewis-
McChord (JBLM) Washington. Under this alternative, the Army either will 
consolidate existing aviation units not currently assigned to a CAB 
into a standard CAB structure at JBLM or activate a new CAB at JBLM. As 
part of this alternative, aviation units will conduct training on 
existing training land at Yakima Training Center (YTC), Washington, in 
order to maintain training proficiency and support integrated training 
with ground units. Land acquisition is not being considered as part of 
this action. Alternative 3--Implement Alternatives 1 and 2 (preferred 
alternative). Under this alternative, the Army will implement both 
alternatives. Under this alternative, the consolidated units forming a 
CAB would be stationed at one installation, and the new CAB would be 
activated and stationed at the other installation. Fort Carson and JBLM 
would each gain up to one CAB. As part of this alternative, aviation 
units would conduct training on existing training land at the 
installation's training maneuver area (PCMS for Fort Carson and YTC for 
JBLM) in order to maintain training proficiency and support integrated 
training with ground units. Alternative 4--No Action Alternative. Under 
this alternative, the Army would retain its aviation force structure at 
its current levels, configurations, and locations.
    Fort Carson and JBLM are the only stationing alternatives that meet 
all of the Army's stationing requirements for new CAB stationing. These 
locations have existing runways and airfields, provide adequate 
maneuver and airspace for CAB operations, and are equipped with 
existing training ranges that can support CAB training. Most 
importantly, Fort Carson and JBLM are the only major installations that 
have three or more Brigade Combat Teams but no CAB dedicated to provide 
aviation support for training. The proposed action would allow the Army 
to maximize integrated air-ground training. Land acquisition is not 
being considered as part of this action.

DATES: The public comment period will end 45 days after the publication 
of a notice of availability in the Federal Register by the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to: Public Affairs Office, U.S. 
Army Environmental Command, Attention: IMPA-AE, 1835 Army Boulevard, 
Basement (Building 2000), Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-2686.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Public Affairs Office at (210) 221-
0882; fax (410) 436-1693; or e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A CAB consists of approximately 120 
helicopters, 600 wheeled vehicles, and 2,700 Soldiers. The CAB is 
organized into five battalions and a headquarters unit. CAB units 
include combat, reconnaissance, and logistics support aircraft.
    The Draft PEIS assesses, considers, and compares the direct, 
indirect, and cumulative environmental effects of proposed CAB growth 
and realignment for each alternative. The primary environmental issues 
evaluated include impacts to air quality, soil, airspace, cultural 
resources, natural resources, and noise. In addition, the Army 
considers those issues identified by the public and other organizations 
during the public scoping period (10 September-10 October 2010).
    Environmental impacts associated with the implementation of the 
proposed action include significant impacts to transportation on the 
Interstate 5 corridor near JBLM and to fish and water quality in Puget 
Sound. There are potentially significant impacts to biological 
resources at YTC from increased potential for wildfire and habitat 
degradation associated with aviation training. Impacts will also 
include significant but mitigable impacts to soils at Fort Carson, 
PCMS, and YTC as well as significant but mitigable impacts to water 
resources at YTC. At PCMS, cumulative impacts to soils are predicted to 
be manageable with current dust control mitigation techniques. Impacts 
to cultural resources, air quality, noise impacts, public land use, and 
socioeconomic impacts were all determined to be less than significant.
    Members of the public, including native communities and federally 
recognized Native American Tribes, and Federal, State, and local 
agencies are invited to submit written comments on environmental 
issues, concerns and opportunities analyzed in the Draft PEIS.
    A copy of the Draft PEIS is available at http://aec.army.mil/usaec/nepa/topics00.html.

    Dated: October 25, 2010.
Hershell E. Wolfe,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety, and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 2010-28035 Filed 11-4-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-P