[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 218 (Thursday, November 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69951-69952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-28750]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Navy Atlantic Fleet 
Training and Testing

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 (EO) 12114, the Department of the 
Navy (Navy) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS)/Overseas EIS (OEIS) to evaluate the potential 
environmental effects associated with continuing to conduct military 
readiness activities, which consist of training activities and 
research, development, testing, and evaluation (hereinafter referred to 
as ``testing'') activities in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing 
(AFTT) Study Area. The Study Area consists of sea space in and airspace 
over the Atlantic Ocean along the eastern coast of North America, 
portions of the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. The AFTT Study 
Area begins seaward from the mean high water line and moves east to the 
45 degree longitude line. The Study Area covers approximately 2.6 
million square nautical miles of ocean area, including designated Navy 
operating areas, warning areas, select Navy pierside locations, and 
associated port transit channels.
    In order to both achieve and maintain military readiness, the Navy 
proposes to:
     Conduct training and testing activities at levels required 
to support Navy military readiness requirements beginning in 2018 into 
the reasonably foreseeable future; and
     Accommodate evolving mission requirements associated with 
force structure changes, including those resulting from the 
development, testing, and ultimate introduction of new platforms 
(vessels, aircraft, and weapon systems) into the fleet; thereby 
ensuring critical Navy requirements are met.
    As part of this process the Navy will seek to obtain authorization 
and permitting, as required under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and 
Endangered Species Act, respectively.
    The Navy invites comments on the scope and content of the EIS/OEIS 
from all interested parties. Comments may be provided by mail and 
through the EIS/OEIS Web site at: http://www.AFTTEIS.com. Mailed 
comments must be postmarked no later than January 16, 2016 and mailed 
to the address below to ensure they are considered.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lesley Dobbins-Noble, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command, Code EV22LDN (AFTT EIS/OEIS Project Manager), 6506 
Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, Virginia 23508-1278. 703-322-4625.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Navy's lead action proponent is 
Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Additional action proponents 
include Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Air Systems Command 
(NAVAIR), and the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The

[[Page 69952]]

Proposed Action is to conduct military readiness activities in the AFTT 
Study Area. These training and testing activities are generally 
consistent with those analyzed in the AFTT EIS/OEIS completed in August 
2013 and are representative of training and testing that the Navy has 
been conducting in the AFTT Study Area for decades.
    The following range complexes fall within the AFTT Study Area: 
Northeast Range Complexes, Virginia Capes Range Complex, Navy Cherry 
Point Range Complex, Jacksonville Range Complex, Key West Range 
Complex, and Gulf of Mexico Range Complex. The testing ranges in the 
AFTT Study Area include: Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division 
Newport, Newport, Rhode Island; Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) 
Panama City Division, Panama City, Florida; and NSWC Carderock Division 
South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility, Dania, Florida. While most 
Navy military readiness activities take place in operating and warning 
areas in the AFTT Study Area, some activities, such as sonar 
maintenance and gunnery exercises, are conducted concurrent with normal 
transits and occur outside of these areas, but still within the Study 
Area. The pierside testing locations and associated port transit 
channels are located at the following Navy ports and naval shipyards: 
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine; Naval Submarine Base New 
London, Groton, Connecticut; Naval Station Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia; 
Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia Beach, 
Virginia; Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Kings Bay, Georgia; Naval 
Station Mayport, Jacksonville, Florida; Norfolk Naval Shipyard, 
Portsmouth, Virginia; and Port Canaveral, Cape Canaveral, Florida. 
Additional AFTT Study Area pierside testing locations and associated 
port transit channels are located in Bath, Maine; Groton, Connecticut; 
Newport News, Virginia; and Pascagoula, Mississippi.
    Pursuant to 40 CFR 1501.6, the Navy will invite the National Marine 
Fisheries Service to be a cooperating agency in preparation of the EIS/
OEIS.
    The purpose of the Proposed Action is to maintain a ready force, 
which is needed to ensure that the Navy can meet its mission to 
maintain, train, and equip combat-ready naval forces capable of winning 
wars, deterring aggression, and maintaining freedom of the seas, as 
consistent with Congressional direction Section 5062, of Title 10 U.S. 
Code.
    The AFTT Phase III EIS/OEIS will consider a No Action Alternative 
and action alternatives that account for types and tempo of training 
and testing activities beginning in 2018 as necessary to meet future 
readiness requirements.
    Resource areas that will be addressed include, but are not limited 
to: Biological resources (including marine mammals and threatened and 
endangered species), sediments and water quality, air quality, noise, 
cultural resources, socioeconomic resources, and public health and 
safety.
    The scoping process will be used to identify community concerns and 
local issues to be addressed in the EIS/OEIS. Federal agencies, state 
agencies, local agencies, Native American Indian Tribes and Nations, 
the public, and interested persons are encouraged to identify specific 
issues or topics of environmental concern that the Navy should 
consider. Written comments must be postmarked no later than January 12, 
2016 to ensure they are considered in the development of the EIS/OEIS 
and mailed to: Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Code: 
EV22LDN (AFTT EIS/OEIS Project Manager), 6506 Hampton Boulevard, 
Norfolk, Virginia, 23508-1278. Comments also can be submitted 
electronically by January 12, 2016 via the project Web site at http://www.AFTTEIS.com.

    Dated: November 5, 2015.
N.A. Hagerty-Ford,
Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Administrative 
Law Division, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-28750 Filed 11-10-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P