[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 62 (Friday, March 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13739-13740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06459]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Infantry Brigade Combat 
Team Conversion to an Armored Brigade Combat Team and Stationing

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army has completed a Programmatic 
Environmental Assessment (PEA) analyzing the proposed conversion of an 
Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) at Fort Carson, Colorado, into an 
Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) and the stationing of that newly 
converted ABCT at one of five Army installations: Fort Carson, 
Colorado; Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Riley, Kansas; or 
Fort Stewart, Georgia. The Army is making the PEA and a draft Finding 
of No Significant Impact (FNSI) available for public comment. The PEA 
does not identify significant environmental impacts from any of the 
alternatives under the proposed action. The draft FNSI concludes that 
preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required, and 
therefore will not be prepared.

DATES: The public comment period will end 30 days after publication of 
the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register by the Department of 
the Army.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to: U.S. Army Environmental 
Command, ATTN: Public Comments, 2450 Connell Road (Building 2264), 
Joint Base San Antonio--Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-7664; or email: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please contact the U.S. Army 
Environmental Command Public Affairs Office, (210) 466-1590 or toll-
free 855-846-3940, or email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Army has prepared this PEA in accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA); the 
regulations issued by the Council on Environmental Quality, 40 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 1500-1508 (40 CFR 1500-1508); and the 
Army's procedures for implementing NEPA, published in 32 CFR 651, 
Environmental Analysis of Army Actions.
    This PEA analyzes the proposed conversion of an IBCT into an ABCT 
to increase the Active Army's ABCT capacity by one brigade (from 10 to 
11), increasing the Total Army's number of ABCTs from 15 to 16 
(including Army National Guard units), and to station that new ABCT at 
an existing installation in the United States. To achieve the increase 
in ABCTs, the proposed action is to convert Fort Carson's 2nd Infantry 
Brigade Combat Team, (4th Infantry Division IBCT) into the 16th ABCT. 
The need for this action is to reduce the shortfall in Total Army ABCT 
capacity to meet contingency operational demands. The Army's ability to 
maintain a continuous and ready ABCT presence to deter threats requires 
the conversion to take place in fiscal year 2019.
    The ABCT consists of 4,182 Soldiers and equipment includes 87 M1 
Abrams Tanks, 138 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, and a variety of 
other weapons and vehicles.
    The ABCT stationing would occur at one of the following 
installations: Fort Carson, Colorado (Alternative 1); Fort Bliss, Texas 
(Alternative 2); Fort Hood, Texas (Alternative 3); Fort Riley, Kansas 
(Alternative 4); or Fort Stewart, Georgia (Alternative 5).
    This PEA will provide the decision-maker with important information

[[Page 13740]]

regarding potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts associated 
with each alternative. As such, the scope of this PEA is broad and 
encompasses activities to support ABCT stationing and planning for 
facilities projected to be required from fiscal years 2018 to 2021. The 
programmatic approach is designed to allow for early planning, 
coordination, and flexibility throughout implementation of the Army's 
process of stationing an ABCT.
    Implementation of the proposed action would require unit stationing 
(e.g., realignment or inactivation), garrison construction and 
demolition, live-fire training, and maneuver training. The proposed 
action and alternatives do not propose or require land expansion or 
acquisition.
    Adverse impacts were anticipated to be less than significant for 
air quality and greenhouse gas, biological resources, cultural 
resources, soils, traffic and transportation, surface waters, and 
wetlands. Negligible adverse effects were anticipated for land use, 
noise, geology, groundwater, floodplains, airspace, facilities, energy 
demand and generation, utilities, hazardous materials, hazardous waste, 
and human health and safety. Socioeconomic impacts for Fort Carson were 
anticipated to be negligible under Alternative 1 and moderately adverse 
under Alternatives 2 through 5. Socioeconomic impacts for Fort Bliss, 
Fort Hood, Fort Riley, and Fort Stewart were anticipated to be 
beneficial under the gain-scenario alternative for each installation, 
with no impacts under the remaining alternatives.
    Members of the public, federally-recognized Native American Tribes, 
and federal, state, and local agencies are invited to submit written 
comments on the PEA and/or draft FNSI.
    The PEA and draft FNSI may be accessed at: https://aec.army.mil/index.php?cID=352.

Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-06459 Filed 3-29-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-03-P