[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57845-57846]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22899]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Public Meetings for the Draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Introduction of the P-8A Multi-
Mission Maritime Aircraft into the U.S. Navy Fleet

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 (40 Code of Federal Regulations parts 1500-1508), 
the Department of the Navy (DoN) has prepared and filed with the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency a Draft Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS). The proposed action evaluated in the Draft 
Supplemental EIS is to provide facilities and functions to dual site 
the P-8A at two established maritime patrol home bases: Naval Air 
Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Florida and NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. 
The proposed action also includes a permanent rotating squadron 
detachment at Marine Corps Base (MCB) Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and 
periodic squadron detachments to Naval Base Coronado, California. This 
document supplements the 2008 Final EIS for the Introduction of the P-
8A Multi-Mission Aircraft into the U.S. Navy Fleet (hereinafter Final 
EIS) with additional alternatives to provide facilities and functions 
associated with the proposed home basing action, changes in 
circumstances at the home base locations, and the latest P-8A project 
information. A notice of the Record of Decision (ROD) related to the 
Final EIS was published in the Federal Register on January 2, 2009 (74 
FR 100).
    With the filing of the Draft Supplemental EIS, the DoN is 
initiating a 45-day public comment period beginning on September 20, 
2013 and ending on November 4, 2013. During this period, the DoN will 
conduct two public meetings to receive oral and written comments on the 
Draft Supplemental EIS. This notice announces the dates, times, and 
locations of the public meetings and provides supplementary information 
about this environmental planning effort.
    Dates and Addresses: Public information and comment meetings will 
be held by the DoN to provide individuals with information on the Draft 
Supplemental EIS in an open house format. DoN representatives at 
informational poster stations will be available during the public 
meetings to clarify information related to the Draft Supplemental EIS. 
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. Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at Oak Harbor High School Student Union 
Building, 1 Wildcat Way, Oak Harbor, Washington 98277.
    2. Thursday, October 17, 2013 at Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, 620 
Wells Road, Orange Park, Florida 32073.
    Federal, state, and local agencies and officials, and interested 
groups and individuals are encouraged to provide comments in person at 
the public meetings or in writing anytime during the public comment 
period. At the public meetings, attendees will be able to submit 
comments in writing or orally using a stenographer who will listen to 
and transcribe comments. Comments may also be submitted via the U.S. 
Postal Service to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Attn: 
Code EV21/CZ (P-8A SEIS Project Manager), 6506 Hampton Boulevard, 
Norfolk, Virginia 23508-1278 or electronically via the project Web site 
(http://www.mmaseis.com).
    All statements submitted during the public review period will be 
given equal weight, whether they are received orally at the public 
meetings or submitted in writing at the public meetings, via the U.S. 
Postal Service, or electronically via the public Web site. All comments 
received will become part of the public record on the Draft 
Supplemental EIS and be responded to in the Final Supplemental EIS. All 
written comments must be postmarked or received online by November 4, 
2013 to

[[Page 57846]]

ensure they become part of the official record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naval Facilities Engineering Command 
Atlantic, Attn: Code EV21/CZ (P-8A SEIS Project Manager), 6506 Hampton 
Boulevard, Norfolk, Virginia 23508-1278.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Intent to prepare this Draft 
Supplemental EIS was published in the Federal Register on November 16, 
2012 (77 FR 68113). The DoN's proposed action is to provide facilities 
and functions to dual-site the P-8A Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft at 
two established maritime patrol home bases. This document supplements 
the Final EIS completed in 2008.
    The Draft Supplemental EIS considers two alternatives and the No 
Action Alternative, which include the following installations: NAS 
Jacksonville, Florida; NAS Whidbey Island, Washington; Naval Base 
Coronado, California; and MCB Hawaii Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Alternative 1 
considers the environmental effects of home basing P-8A squadrons at 
two locations: six fleet squadrons and the FRS at NAS Jacksonville; six 
fleet squadrons at NAS Whidbey Island; a permanent rotating squadron 
detachment at MCB Hawaii; and, periodic squadron detachments at Naval 
Base Coronado. Alternative 2 considers the environmental effects of 
home basing P-8A squadrons at two locations: Five fleet squadrons and 
the FRS at NAS Jacksonville; seven fleet squadrons at NAS Whidbey 
Island; a permanent rotating squadron detachment at MCB Hawaii; and, 
periodic squadron detachments at Naval Base Coronado. The No Action 
Alternative represents conditions if no further implementation of the 
2008 ROD were to occur.
    No significant adverse impacts are identified for any resource area 
in any geographic location that cannot be mitigated. In accordance with 
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the DoN is consulting with 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as appropriate, for impacts to 
federally-listed species. The DoN is consulting under the National 
Historic Preservation Act regarding impacts to historic properties, and 
will comply with other applicable laws and regulations. A permit under 
the Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 would be obtained from the U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers and a permit under CWA Section 401 would be 
obtained from the Washington Department of Ecology for wetland impacts 
at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington.
    The Draft Supplemental EIS was distributed to Federal, State, and 
local agencies, elected officials, and other interested individuals and 
organizations. Copies of the Draft Supplemental EIS are available for 
public review at the following libraries:
    1. Oak Harbor City Library, 1000 SE Regatta Drive, Oak Harbor, 
Washington 98277.
    2. Anacortes Public Library, 1220 10th Street, Anacortes, 
Washington 98221.
    3. La Conner Regional Library, 614 Morris Street, La Conner, 
Washington 98257.
    4. Coupeville Library, 788 NW Alexander Street, Coupeville, 
Washington 98239.
    5. Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Avenue, Coronado, California 
92118.
    6. Webb-Wesconnett Regional Branch, Jacksonville Public Library, 
6887 103rd Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32210.
    7. Kaneohe Public Library, 45-829 Kamehameha Highway, Kaneohe, 
Hawaii 96744.
    Copies of the Draft Supplemental EIS are also available for 
electronic viewing or download at http://www.mmaseis.com.

    Dated: September 16, 2013.
N.A. Hagerty-Ford,
Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, Federal 
Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-22899 Filed 9-19-13; 8:45 am]
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