[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 92 (Friday, May 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27743-27744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11387]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Public Meetings for the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Navy Hawaii-
Southern California Training and Testing

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, and regulations implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations parts 
1500-1508), and Presidential Executive Order 12114, the Department of 
the Navy (DoN) has prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Overseas 
EIS (OEIS). The Draft EIS/OEIS evaluates the potential environmental 
effects associated with military readiness training and research, 
development, test and evaluation activities (training and testing) 
conducted within the Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing 
(HSTT) Study Area. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is a 
Cooperating Agency for the EIS/OEIS.
    The HSTT Study Area is comprised of established operating and 
warning areas across the north-central Pacific Ocean, from Southern 
California west to Hawaii and the International Date Line. The Study 
Area combines the at-sea portions of the Hawaii Range Complex; the 
Southern California Range Complex; the Silver Strand Training Complex; 
transit corridors on the high seas that are not part of the range 
complexes where training and sonar testing may occur during vessel 
transit between the Hawaii Range Complex and the Southern California 
Range Complex; and Navy pierside locations where sonar maintenance and 
testing activities occurs. The HSTT Study Area includes only the at-sea 
components of the range complexes and testing ranges. The land-based 
portions of the range complexes are not a part of the Study Area and 
will be or already have been addressed under separate DoN environmental 
planning documentation.

[[Page 27744]]

    With the filing of the Draft EIS/OEIS, the DoN is initiating a 60-
day public comment period, beginning on May 11, 2012 and ending on July 
10, 2012. During this period the DoN will conduct five public meetings 
to receive oral and written comments on the Draft EIS/OEIS. This notice 
announces the dates and locations of the public meetings and provides 
supplementary information about the environmental planning effort.

DATES and ADDRESSES: Public information and comment meetings will be 
held at each of the locations listed below between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 
p.m. The meetings will provide individuals with information on the 
Draft EIS/OEIS in an open house format. DoN and NMFS representatives at 
informational poster stations will be available during the public 
meetings to clarify information related to the Draft EIS/OEIS.
    The public meetings will be held between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on 
the following dates and at the following locations:
    1. June 12, 2012 (Tuesday) at the Wilcox Elementary School 
Cafeteria, 4319 Hardy Street, Lihue, HI.
    2. June 13, 2012 (Wednesday at Maui Waena Intermediate School 
Cafeteria, 795 Onehee Avenue, Kahului, HI.
    3. June 14, 2012 (Thursday) at East Hawaii Cultural Center, 141 
Kalakaua Street, Hilo, HI.
    4. June 15, 2012 (Friday) at McKinley High School Cafeteria, 1039 
South King Street, Honolulu, HI.
    5. June 20, 2012 (Wednesday) at Marina Village Conference Center, 
Starboard Room, 1936 Quivira Way, San Diego, CA.
    Federal, State and local agencies and officials, interested groups 
and individuals are encouraged to provide oral comments in person at 
any of the public meetings or in writing anytime during the public 
comment period. Oral testimony from the public will be recorded by a 
court reporter. In the interest of available time, and to ensure all 
who wish to give an oral statement to the court reporter have the 
opportunity to do so, each speaker's comments will be limited to three 
(3) minutes, which may be extended if meeting attendance permits. 
Comments may also be submitted via the U.S. Postal Service to Naval 
Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, Attention: HSTT EIS/OEIS 
Project Manager--EV21.CS; 1220 Pacific Highway, Building 1, Floor 3, 
San Diego, CA 92132-5190 or electronically via the project Web site 
(http://www.HSTTEIS.com). All statements, oral or written, submitted 
during the public review period will become part of the public record 
on the Draft EIS/OEIS and will be responded to in the Final EIS/OEIS. 
Equal weight will be given to oral and written statements. All public 
comments must be postmarked or received by July 10, 2012 to ensure they 
become part of the official record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 
Southwest, Attention: HSTT EIS/OEIS Project Manager--EV21.CS; 1220 
Pacific Highway, Building 1, Floor 3, San Diego, CA 92132-5190.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Intent to prepare this Draft 
EIS/OEIS was published in the Federal Register on July 15, 2010 (75 FR 
41162).
    The DoN's Proposed Action is to conduct training and testing 
activities--which may include the use of active Sound Navigation and 
Ranging (sonar) and explosives--primarily within existing range 
complexes and testing ranges throughout the in-water areas around the 
Hawaiian Islands and off the coast of Southern California, Navy 
pierside locations, and the ocean transit corridor between Hawaii and 
Southern California. The purpose of the Proposed Action is to conduct 
training and testing activities to ensure that the DoN accomplishes its 
mission to maintain, train, and equip combat-ready U.S. naval forces 
capable of winning wars, deterring aggression, and maintaining freedom 
of the seas. This Draft EIS/OEIS will also support the renewal of 
federal regulatory permits and authorizations for current training and 
testing activities and to propose future training and testing 
activities requiring environmental analysis.
    The Draft EIS/OEIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of 
three alternatives, including the No Action Alternative and two action 
alternatives. The No Action Alternative continues baseline training and 
testing activities, as defined by existing DoN environmental planning 
documents. Alternatives 1 and 2 analyze adjustments to Study Area 
boundaries and the location, type, and level of training and testing 
activities necessary to support current and planned DoN training and 
testing requirements through 2019. The analysis addresses force 
structure changes, including those resulting from the development, 
testing, and ultimate introduction of new vessels, aircraft and weapons 
systems into the fleet.
    No significant adverse impacts are identified for any resource area 
in any geographic location within the Study Area that cannot be 
mitigated. Additionally, due to the exposure of marine mammals to 
underwater sound, NMFS has received an application from DoN for a 
Marine Mammal Protection Act Letter of Authorization and governing 
regulations to authorize incidental take of marine mammals that may 
result from the implementation of the activities analyzed in the Draft 
EIS/OEIS. In accordance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, 
the DoN is consulting with NMFS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as 
appropriate, for potential impacts to federally listed species. In 
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, the DoN is consulting with NMFS on Federally managed 
species and their essential fish habitat.
    The Draft EIS/OEIS was distributed to Federal, State and local 
agencies, elected officials, as well as other interested individuals 
and organizations. Copies of the Draft EIS/OEIS are also available for 
public review at the following libraries:
    1. Lihue Public Library, 4344 Hardy Street, Lihue, HI 96766.
    2. Wailuku Public Library, 251 High Street, Wailuku, HI 96793.
    3. Hilo Public Library, 300 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720.
    4. Kailua-Kona Public Library, 75-138 Hualalai Road, Kailua-Kona, 
HI 96740.
    5. Hawaii State Library, Hawaii and Pacific Section Document Unit, 
478 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813.
    6. San Diego Central Library, 820 E Street, San Diego, CA 92101.
    7. Long Beach Main Library, 101 Pacific Avenue, Long Beach, CA 
90822.
    In addition, copies of the HSTT Draft EIS/OEIS are available for 
electronic viewing or download at http://www.HSTTEIS.com. A paper copy 
of the Executive Summary or a single compact disc of the Draft EIS/OEIS 
will be made available upon written request by contacting: Naval 
Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, Attention: HSTT EIS/OEIS 
Project Manager--EV21.CS; 1220 Pacific Highway, Building 1, Floor 3, 
San Diego, CA 92132-5190.

    Dated: May 7, 2012.
J.M. Beal,
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-11387 Filed 5-10-12; 8:45 am]
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