[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 16, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3408-3409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00847]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplement to the Gulf of Alaska 
Navy Training Activities Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas 
Environmental Impact Statement and to Announce Public Scoping

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 (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 a supplement to the 2011 Gulf of 
Alaska Navy Training Activities Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/
Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (OEIS). The SEIS/OEIS will 
support authorization of incidental takes of marine mammals under the 
Marine Mammal Protection Act and incidental takes of threatened and 
endangered marine species, under the Endangered Species Act. These 
federal regulatory permits and authorizations expire in May 2016. The 
DoN will evaluate new, relevant information and incorporate that 
information into revised analyses where appropriate. The SEIS/OEIS will 
also analyze data using an acoustic model not available for the 2011 
EIS/OEIS, the Navy Acoustics Effects Model, to estimate potential 
marine species effects.
    The DoN has requested the National Marine Fisheries Service be a 
cooperating agency in preparation of this SEIS/OEIS pursuant to 40 CFR 
Sec.  1501.6.
    Dates and Addresses: Given that the DoN's Proposed Action and 
alternatives have not changed, public scoping meetings will not be 
held, but public comments will be accepted during the scoping period 
from January 16, 2013 to March 18, 2013. The DoN will accept scoping 
comments through the Web site

[[Page 3409]]

and mail. Additional information concerning acceptance of scoping 
comments is available on the SEIS/OEIS web page located at: http://www.GOAEIS.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Amy Burt, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command, Northwest, 1101 Tautog Circle, Suite 203, 
Silverdale, Washington 98315-1101, Attn: GOA SEIS/OEIS Project Manager.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This SEIS/OEIS is a supplement to the 2011 
Gulf of Alaska Navy Training Activities EIS/OEIS and Record of 
Decision. The SEIS/OEIS will be used to renew current regulatory 
permits and authorizations and to support U.S. Pacific Command, 
Northern Command, and Joint Task Force Commander training requirements 
to achieve and maintain Fleet readiness as required by Title 10 of the 
U.S. Code. The DoN's Proposed Action is to continue DoN training in the 
Gulf of Alaska as detailed under the Preferred Alternative in the 2011 
EIS/OEIS, and implemented with the 2011 EIS/OEIS Record of Decision. 
The Proposed Action does not alter the DoN's original purpose and need 
or alternative analysis as discussed in the 2011 EIS/OEIS; therefore, 
the alternative analysis presented in the EIS/OEIS remains relevant and 
is not proposed to be reanalyzed in the SEIS/OEIS. The continued 
conduct of at-sea joint exercises in the Gulf of Alaska is needed to 
support the training of combat-capable naval forces. An SEIS/OEIS is 
considered to be the appropriate document as the DoN's Proposed Action 
may significantly impact or harm marine resources.
    Resources that will be addressed due to the potential effects from 
the Proposed Action, new available scientific data, and modeling 
results will include, but are not limited to, marine mammals and 
threatened and endangered species.
    The Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Navy Training Activities SEIS/OEIS Study 
Area consists of three components: (1) the GOA Temporary Maritime 
Activities Area, (2) U.S. Air Force over-land Special Use Airspace and 
air routes over the GOA and State of Alaska, and (3) U.S. Army training 
lands underlying Special Use Airspace. Collectively, for the purposes 
of the SEIS/OEIS, these areas are referred to as the Alaska Training 
Areas. The U.S. Air Force Special Use Airspace and U.S. Army training 
lands were previously analyzed for NEPA purposes under separate 
environmental documents and are not included in the analysis in this 
SEIS/OEIS but are included by reference.
    The scoping process will be used to identify community concerns and 
local issues that will be addressed in the SEIS/OEIS. Federal agencies, 
Alaska Native Tribes, state agencies, local agencies, the public, and 
interested persons are encouraged to provide comments to the DoN to 
identify specific issues or topics of environmental concern. All 
comments, provided via the Web site or in writing via postal 
submission, will receive the same consideration during SEIS/OEIS 
preparation. Written comments must be postmarked, and Web site comments 
must be completed no later than March 18, 2013. Written comments should 
be mailed to: Mrs. Amy Burt, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 
Northwest, 1101 Tautog Circle, Suite 203, Silverdale, Washington 98315-
1101, Attn: GOA SEIS/OEIS Project Manager.

    Dated: January 11, 2013.
C. K. Chiappetta,
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-00847 Filed 1-15-13; 8:45 am]
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