[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 11632]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-03692]


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

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Record of Decision for Land Acquisition and Airspace 
Establishment To Support Large-Scale Marine Air Ground Task Force Live-
Fire and Maneuver Training at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat 
Center, Twentynine Palms, CA

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Record of Decision.

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

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 United States Code 4321-4370h, as 
implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality regulations, 40 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) parts 1500-1508, the Department of 
Navy (DoN) NEPA regulations (32 CFR part 775), and Marine Corps Order 
P5090.2A (with Changes 1, 2) Marine Corps Environmental Compliance and 
Protection Manual, Chapter 12, the DoN, after carefully weighing the 
operational and environmental consequences of the proposed action in an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), announces its decision to 
establish a large-scale Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) training 
facility at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine 
Palms, California (``the Combat Center'') to accommodate a required new 
program of sustained, combined-arms, live-fire, and maneuver training 
for all elements of a Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB)-sized MAGTF, 
including full-scale MEB Exercises and associated MEB Building Block 
training. To accommodate the required MEB training activities, DoN, 
acting through the Combat Center, will: Purchase additional private and 
state lands adjacent to the Combat Center; request withdrawal by Act of 
Congress of additional public lands adjacent to the Combat Center; 
pursue through the Federal Aviation Administration the establishment 
and modification of military Special Use Airspace for proposed MEB-
sized training range; and conduct the specified MEB training. Land 
withdrawal of more than 5,000 acres for the purposes of national 
defense may only be made by an Act of Congress. The DoN has selected 
Alternative 6, the Preferred Alternative, (with additional mitigation 
developed in consultation with the Bureau of Land Management [BLM]), 
for implementation and recommendation to Congress. Alternative 6 
includes the withdrawal of public land and purchase of private and 
state lands collectively totaling approximately 167,971 acres west and 
south of the existing Combat Center. All practical means to avoid or 
minimize environmental harm from the Preferred Alternative that were 
identified in the Final EIS have been adopted.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The complete text of the Record of Decision 
is available for public viewing on the project Web site at 
www.29palms.marines.mil/Staff/G4InstallationsandLogistics/LandAcquisition.aspx along with the EIS. For further information, 
contact the 29Palms Land Acquisition/Airspace Establishment Project 
Manager, Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, Marine Corps 
Air Ground Combat Center, Bldg. 1554, Box 788104, Twentynine Palms, CA 
92278-8104. Telephone: 760 830-3764.

    Dated: February 12, 2013.
C.K. Chiappetta,
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-03692 Filed 2-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P