[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 103 (Friday, May 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30662-30663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-13045]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Record of Decision for the Pi[ntilde]on Canyon Maneuver Site 
Training and Operations Final Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: The Department of the Army and Fort Carson announce the 
decision to conduct training using new tactics, equipment, 
infrastructure improvements, and management methods at Pi[ntilde]on 
Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS), CO. The action was the preferred 
alternative identified in the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for proposed training and operations at PCMS. PCMS is the 
maneuver site for Fort Carson and is located near Trinidad, CO, 
approximately 150 miles southeast of Fort Carson. The Record of 
Decision (ROD) explains the potential environmental and socioeconomic 
impacts associated with the selected action, which is to conduct 
realistic, coordinated, large-scale training that integrates the ground 
and air resources of Fort Carson's mechanized, infantry, support, and 
combat aviation units. The selected alternative provides the proper 
balance of initiatives for the protection of environmental and mission-
essential actions. The ROD also adopts mitigation that will reduce or 
eliminate adverse impacts.
    The selected action will establish new brigade-level training 
intensity measures, update brigade training and equipment requirements, 
enable the Stryker family of vehicles to train at PCMS, and add 
enhanced readiness training, to include new activities and 
infrastructure at PCMS. The action does not include, nor would it 
require, land expansion of PCMS.

ADDRESSES: The ROD can be obtained at http://www.carson.army.mil/DPW/nepa.html. Written requests to obtain a copy of the ROD may be sent by 
email to [email protected] or by 
postal service to the Fort Carson NEPA Program Manager, Directorate of 
Public Works, Environmental Division, 1626 Evans Street, Building 1219, 
Fort Carson, CO 80913-4362.

[[Page 30663]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Fort Carson Public Affairs Office 
at (719) 526-7525, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. MST; or 
by email to: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final EIS examined the potential 
environmental and socioeconomic impacts from implementing the proposed 
establishment and use of brigade-level training intensity measures, as 
well as the proposed readiness training using new tactics, equipment, 
and infrastructure improvements at PCMS. The selected action best meets 
the Army's need to conduct realistic and coordinated large-scale 
training that integrates the ground and air resources of assigned and 
visiting units including mechanized, infantry, support, and combat 
aviation assets.
    The selected action establishes new brigade-level training 
intensity measures and limits such training to 4.7 months per year to 
allow for sufficient time for training land to sustainably recover from 
training events. The action updates brigade training period equipment 
compositions and training methods, and enables the Stryker family of 
vehicles to train at PCMS. The action also introduces new training 
activities and training infrastructure changes at PCMS. Training 
activities include electronic jamming systems, laser target sighting, 
tactical demolition, unmanned and unarmed aerial reconnaissance 
systems, and light unmanned ground vehicle training. In terms of 
training infrastructure, PCMS will establish two new drop-zones, and 
restricted airspace directly over PCMS for use during periods when 
training activity poses a hazard to non-participating aircraft. Soldier 
training will be entirely within the existing boundaries of PCMS, 
except for limited air and convoy operations. The decision does not 
include, nor would it require, any land expansion of PCMS. No 
additional land will be sought or acquired as a result of this action.
    The ROD incorporates analysis contained in the Final EIS for PCMS 
training and operations, including comments provided during formal 
comment and review periods. The ROD also considered all comments and 
new reference citations provided during the waiting period, a period 
that was initiated when the Notice of Availability for the Final EIS 
was published in the Federal Register on March 13, 2015 (80 FR 13352). 
The Army took this material into account in making its decision, but 
determined that it did not constitute significant new information 
relevant to environmental concerns that would require supplementation 
of the FEIS. Comments received and the Army responses are summarized in 
the ROD.
    Implementation of this decision is expected to result in direct, 
indirect, and cumulative impacts, to include potentially significant 
impacts to soils, vegetation, wildlife, and water resources. To 
minimize the potential adverse impacts from implementation of the 
preferred alternative, the Army will mitigate these effects through a 
variety of strategies, as described in the ROD.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-13045 Filed 5-28-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3710-08-P