[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 179 (Tuesday, September 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57194-57196]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19961]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
a Submarine Dry Dock and Waterfront Production Facility at the Pearl 
Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Oahu, 
Hawaii, and To Announce the Public Scoping Meeting

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations, the Department of the Navy (Navy) announces its intent to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the 
potential environmental effects associated with construction and 
operation of a submarine dry dock (DD) replacement and waterfront 
production facility (WPF) at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and 
Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY & IMF) at Joint Base Pearl 
Harbor[hyphen]Hickam (JBPHH), Oahu, Hawaii. PHNSY & IMF is situated on 
the eastern shore of Pearl Harbor on the south side of the island of 
Oahu. The DD and WPF will provide required capability to perform depot-
level maintenance on current and future classes of fast-attack 
submarines and improve operational readiness. An EIS is considered the 
appropriate document for comprehensively analyzing the proposed action, 
which is to demolish existing facilities and construct new facilities, 
utilities, and infrastructure at PHNSY & IMF.

[[Page 57195]]


DATES: The Navy is initiating a 32-day public scoping process beginning 
on September 11, 2020 and extending through October 13, 2020. The 
purpose of the public scoping process is to identify community 
interests and to receive comments on the scope of the EIS and the 
project's potential to affect historic properties pursuant to Section 
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. This public 
scoping process starts with the publication of this Notice of Intent. 
The Navy is providing two web-based platforms for the public to learn 
about the Proposed Action and provide scoping comments. All comments 
are due by October 13, 2020.

ADDRESSES: The two web-based platforms include the following:
    1. A virtual Open House. The virtual Open House will be available 
at www.PearlHarborDryDockEISOpenHouse.org from 12:00 a.m. Hawaii 
Standard Time (HST) on September 11, 2020, to 11:59 p.m. (HST) on 
October 13, 2020. The virtual Open House will present an overview of 
the Proposed Action, preliminary alternatives, and the NEPA process, 
and will allow the public to electronically submit comments on the 
scope of the EIS and to identify specific environmental concerns or 
topics for consideration in the document. Additionally, the public will 
have the opportunity to participate in the Section 106 process through 
the virtual Open House. The public will be able to electronically 
submit comments on the project's potential to affect historic 
properties pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA), and the Navy's ongoing development of 
a Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for the Shipyard Infrastructure 
Optimization Program. The public is invited to visit https://www.navalshipyards-nhpa.com to find out more about the Section 106 
consultation.
    2. A virtual Public Scoping Meeting. The virtual Public Scoping 
Meeting will be held on September 29, 2020, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. 
(HST) as an additional means to learn about the Proposed Action through 
a live presentation and question and answer session held by Navy 
representatives. Additionally, resource-specific breakout sessions are 
planned for 6:00-7:00 p.m. HST. Information concerning the virtual 
Public Scoping Meeting and resource-specific breakout sessions time and 
web location is available on the EIS website at: 
www.PearlHarborDryDockEIS.org. The Navy will also announce the virtual 
Public Scoping Meeting date, time, and location in the local newspaper. 
The virtual Public Scoping Meeting provides another opportunity for the 
public to participate in the NEPA and NHPA Section 106 processes and 
electronically submit comments.
    If the virtual Scoping Meeting cannot be held on September 29, 
2020, due to an unforeseen challenge, please check the EIS website at 
www.PearlHarborDryDockEIS.org for information on the rescheduled 
meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andr[eacute]a M. Von Burg Hall, Navy 
PHNSY DD/WPF EIS Project Manager, by telephone (808-472-1425), email 
([email protected]), or by mail at Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command Pacific, Attn: PHNSY DD/WPF EIS Project Manager, 
258 Makalapa Drive, Suite 100, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI 
96860-3134.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Depot maintenance for PHNSY & IMF requires 
four DDs capable of docking current and future classes of submarines. 
In addition, to accommodate future submarine maintenance demands at 
PHNSY & IMF and improve operational readiness, the time spent servicing 
each submarine at the DD must be reduced. Infrastructure improvements 
and rearrangement of functions at PHNSY are, therefore, needed to 
ensure adequate capacity and operational efficiency.
    The purpose of the Proposed Action is to provide appropriate DD 
capacity at PHNSY & IMF to meet depot maintenance requirements and to 
provide a properly sized and configured WPF to enable efficient 
submarine maintenance.
    The Navy proposes DD replacement at PHNSY & IMF capable of 
performing depot[hyphen]level maintenance on current and future fast-
attack submarines. To meet the purpose and need, the Navy's Proposed 
Action is to construct and operate a graving DD replacement and WPF at 
PHNSY & IMF, including permanent ancillary facilities such as new power 
and utilities. A graving or excavated DD is one that is constructed on 
land near the shore, using concrete. Other construction[hyphen]related 
actions would include dredging, upgrade or replacement of new in-water 
structures, demolition of existing upland structures, and construction 
of new upland facilities.
    The Navy has identified four preliminary action alternatives to 
carry forward for analysis in the EIS along with the No Action 
alternative. These alternatives will be further refined based on input 
received from the public and resource agencies during scoping.
    Alternative 1 (No Action Alternative) would be no change from the 
status quo. A submarine DD replacement and WPF would not be built, and 
PHNSY & IMF would continue to service submarines using its existing 
infrastructure. Following the phasing out of the Los Angeles Class 
submarine in 2022, DD 3 would no longer be capable of servicing any 
active submarines due to size limitations.
    Alternative 2 would consist of a covered graving DD replacement and 
bridge crane. A new WPF would be located east of the DD, servicing both 
the replacement DD and DD #2.
    Alternative 3 would consist of a covered graving DD replacement and 
bridge crane. A new WPF would be located west of the DD and would 
service only the replacement DD.
    Alternative 4 would consist of an uncovered graving DD replacement, 
operated using a portal or gantry crane. A new WPF would be located 
east of the DD, servicing both the DD replacement and DD #2.
    Alternative 5 would consist of an uncovered graving DD replacement, 
operated using a portal or gantry crane. A new WPF would be located 
west of the DD and would service only the DD replacement.
    Environmental issues and resource areas to be examined in the EIS 
include, but are not limited to the following: Cultural Resources, 
Visual Resources, Public Health and Safety, Land Use, Socioeconomics, 
Environmental Justice, Soils, Water Quality, Topography and Geology, 
Air Quality, Terrestrial Biology, Marine Biology, Traffic, Marine 
Navigation, Noise, Utilities, and Hazardous Materials. The EIS will 
also analyze measures that would avoid, minimize, or mitigate 
environmental effects. Additionally, the Navy will conduct all 
coordination and consultation activities required by the National 
Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Clean Water Act, 
the Coastal Zone Management Act, and other laws and regulations 
determined to be applicable to the project.
    The Navy encourages federal, state, and local agencies, and 
interested persons to provide comments concerning the alternatives 
proposed for study and environmental issues for analysis in the EIS, as 
well as to identify specific environmental resources that the Navy 
should consider when developing the Draft EIS. The Navy will prepare 
the Draft EIS, including analysis of potential effects to those 
resources, which the Navy and the commenting public has identified. All 
comments

[[Page 57196]]

received during the public scoping period will receive consideration 
during EIS preparation.
    Written comments on the scope of the EIS or the project's potential 
to affect historic properties pursuant to Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act of 1966 can be mailed or submitted 
electronically via the virtual Open House. To receive consideration, 
comments submitted by mail must be postmarked no later than October 13, 
2020. Comments may be mailed to the following address: Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command Pacific, Attn: PHNSY DD/WPF EIS Project Manager, 
258 Makalapa Drive, Suite 100, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI 
96860-3134.
    Comments may also be submitted electronically through the EIS 
website at www.PearlHarborDryDockEIS.org or the virtual Open House 
website, online at www.PearlHarborDryDockEISOpenHouse.org. Comments 
must be posted by 11:59pm HST on October 13, 2020.

    Dated: September 3, 2020.
D.J. Antenucci,
Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register 
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-19961 Filed 9-14-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P