[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 62 (Thursday, March 31, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17841-17842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7507]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Record of Decision (ROD) for the Realignment, Growth, and 
Stationing of Army Aviation Assets

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, G-3/5/7, has 
reviewed the ``Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement 
(FPEIS) for Realignment, Growth, and Stationing of Army Aviation 
Assets'' and has made the decision to proceed with the implementation 
of Alternative 3 (preferred alternative). Specific details of the 
decision are captured in the Army's ROD for this action. This ROD 
explains the Army will activate and station a new Combat Aviation 
Brigade (CAB) at Fort Carson, Colorado, resulting in a total growth of 
approximately 2,700 Soldiers and 113 helicopters. As part of this 
decision, Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), Washington, will receive 
existing aviation units that will be realigned from other locations and 
will gain approximately 1,400 new Soldiers and 44 helicopters. 
Implementation of this decision will include CAB training at each 
installation and at their respective satellite maneuver training areas: 
Pi[ntilde]on Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS) for Fort Carson and Yakima 
Training Center (YTC) for JBLM. This alternative best supports the need 
for realignment, growth, and realignment of aviation units.

ADDRESSES: Questions or comments regarding the ROD should be forwarded 
to: Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army Environmental Command, Attention: 
IMPA-AE, 1835 Army Boulevard, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-2686.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ROD incorporates analyses contained in 
the ``Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (FPEIS) for the 
Realignment, Growth, and Stationing of Army Aviation Assets,'' 
including comments provided during formal comment and review periods. 
The ROD discusses each alternative for the Proposed Action and provides 
a discussion of environmental impacts and mitigation commitments the 
Army will implement as part of this decision. The selected action best 
supports the need for con-solidation, growth, and stationing of 
aviation assets. This need includes addressing imbalances between 
mission requirements and available aviation forces, and also improving 
training opportunities for aviation and ground units. The decision will 
increase the availability of rotary wing units to meet current and 
future national security requirements and will allow the Army better to 
organize existing aviation units to promote more effective training and 
force management. Existing CABs cannot meet the continuing high demand 
sufficient to meet the Army's goal of a one year deployed boots-on-the-
Ground (BOG) to a two-year home station stabilization or 1:2 BOG to 
dwell ratio. The completion of these stationing actions will provide 
sufficient aviation assets to allow Soldiers more time at home between 
deployments. Furthermore, Fort Carson and JBLM do not currently have a 
CAB to support integrated air-ground operations. Air-ground integration 
training between CAB units and ground units allows each

[[Page 17842]]

type of unit to maneuver more effectively with the other, understand 
key limitations and requirements, promote increased training readiness, 
and effectively prepare Army units for operational deployments abroad. 
In addition, both Fort Carson and JBLM are world-class military 
installations that have modernized range and training infrastructure 
and existing airfields capable of supporting CAB units. Both 
installations have adequate maneuver lands and airspace access, and the 
capability to provide CAB units with new or existing administrative 
space and garrison support infrastructure.
    The decision to realign components of a CAB to JBLM instead of 
stationing a full CAB there will reduce the impacts a full CAB would 
have had to traffic on Interstate 5 and other congested roadways and 
also reduce impacts on local schools. Split stationing existing CAB 
units and realigning less than a full CAB to JBLM will also ensure that 
critical aviation lift assets will remain in Alaska to support 
operations there. This split stationing approach will provide units at 
JBLM with full CAB training capability and benefits when realigned 
units are added to JBLMs existing aviation units.
    Environmental impacts associated with the implementation of the 
decision include potentially significant impacts to: transportation on 
the Interstate 5 corridor near JBLM, fish and water quality in Puget 
Sound, and noise impacts to sensitive receptors. There are potentially 
significant impacts to biological resources at YTC from increased 
potential for wildfire and habitat degradation associated with aviation 
training. There may also be 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, and 
public land use were all predicted to be less than significant.
    This decision provides the proper balance for addressing the 
shortfall in aviation force structure, optimizing training readiness, 
and enhancing quality of life for Soldiers and their Families by 
increasing the times between deployments for aviation Soldiers. As part 
of the implementation of this decision, the Army will take practical 
measures to mitigate impacts to protect and sustain the environment.
    A summary of environmental impacts and rationale for the decision 
can be found in the ROD which is available along with the FPEIS for 
public review at http://aec.army.mil/usaec/nepa/topics00.html.

    Dated: March 25, 2011.
Hershell E. Wolfe,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health)
[FR Doc. 2011-7507 Filed 3-30-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-P