[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 220 (Friday, November 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 68225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-26724]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Finding of No Significant Impact and Final Supplemental 
Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Army 2020 Force Structure 
Realignment

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of the 
Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI) for implementation of force 
structure realignment to reduce the Army active duty end-strength from 
562,000 at the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 to 420,000 by FY 2020. The 
Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Army 2020 Force 
Structure Realignment (SPEA) supplements the 2013 Programmatic 
Environmental Assessment (PEA). After reviewing the SPEA and comments 
received during the public review period, the Deputy Chief of Staff of 
the Army, G-3/5/7 has signed the FNSI that concluded there will be no 
significant environmental impacts, other than socioeconomic impacts, 
likely to result from the implementation of the Proposed Action under 
the alternative analyzed. Although there could be significant 
socioeconomic impacts, these alone do not require the preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Statement; therefore, one will not be prepared.
    Force restructure decisions reducing the Army active duty end-
strength from 562,000 to 490,000 were supported by the 2013 PEA. The 
SPEA builds on the foundation of the 2013 PEA and assesses the impacts 
of a potential reduction of an additional 70,000 Soldiers and 
associated Army civilian employees (Army employees), from the end-
strength of 490,000 Soldiers analyzed in the 2013 PEA to an active 
component end-strength of 420,000.
    The information in the SPEA will be used to support a series of 
decisions in the coming years regarding how the force is to be further 
realigned.
    An electronic version of the FNSI and SPEA is available for 
download at: http://aec.army.mil/Services/Support/NEPA/Documents.aspx.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Army Environmental Command, 
Public Affairs Office, 2450 Connell Road (Building 2264), Joint Base 
San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-7664 or email to 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Both the 2013 PEA and 2014 SPEA analyzed 
potential reductions at Fort Benning, GA; Fort Bliss, TX; Fort Bragg, 
NC; Fort Campbell, KY; Fort Carson, CO; Fort Drum, NY; Fort Gordon, GA; 
Fort Hood, TX; Fort Irwin, CA; Fort Knox, KY; Fort Lee, VA; Fort 
Leonard Wood, MO; Fort Polk, LA; Fort Riley, KS; Fort Sill, OK; Fort 
Stewart, GA; Fort Wainwright, AK; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK; 
Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA; and, 
United States Army Garrison (USAG) Hawaii--Schofield Barracks, HI. The 
SPEA also analyzed potential reductions at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD; 
Fort Belvoir, VA; Fort Huachuca, AZ; Fort Jackson, SC; Fort 
Leavenworth, KS; Fort Meade, MD; Fort Rucker, AL; Joint Base San 
Antonio--Fort Sam Houston, TX; and USAG Hawaii--Fort Shafter, HI.
    The SPEA provides an assessment of the possible direct, indirect, 
and cumulative environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the greatest 
Army employee reductions being considered at each installation. The 
SPEA does not identify any significant environmental impacts as a 
result of implementing the proposed action, with the exception of 
socioeconomic impacts at most installations; consequently, the 
preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required. 
Socioeconomic impacts are of particular concern to the Army because 
they affect communities around military installations. Therefore, the 
SPEA has a comprehensive analysis of the socioeconomic impacts to 
inform decision-makers and communities.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-26724 Filed 11-13-14; 8:45 am]
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