[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6515-6516]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02168]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Virtual Public Meeting for the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate 
Maintenance Facility Dry Dock and Waterfront Production Facility

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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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 DoN has prepared and filed with the United States 
Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) that evaluates the potential environmental effects 
associated with constructing and operating a graving dry dock (DD) 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. A graving dry dock is a 
narrow basin constructed near the shoreline that can be flooded to 
allow watercraft to be floated in, then drained to allow the watercraft 
to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the 
maintenance and repair of ships, boats, submarines, and other 
watercraft. A WPF is a facility situated at the waterfront that is used 
to support maintenance of these vessels.

DATES: With the filing of the Draft EIS, the DoN is initiating a 45-day 
public comment period beginning on February 4, 2022, and extending 
through March 21, 2022. Comments submitted during the public comment 
period will become part of the public record, and substantive comments 
will be considered in the Final EIS. All comments must be postmarked or 
received electronically by 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time (HST) on 
March 21, 2022, for consideration in the Final EIS.
    Due to current Federal and State guidance on social distancing in 
response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the DoN is providing virtual and 
web-based opportunities for the public to learn about the proposed 
action and action alternatives, and provide comments on the Draft EIS. 
The virtual and web-based opportunities are:
    1. Virtual Open House: A Virtual Open House will be available at 
https://www.pearlharbordrydockeis.org from February 4, 2022, to March 
21, 2022.
    2. Project Website: The Project website is available at https://www.pearlharbordrydockeis.org throughout the EIS preparation. The 
Project website provides information on the proposed action, NEPA 
process, and schedule, and includes a document library. The public can 
use this website to submit comments on the Draft EIS electronically 
between February 4, 2022, and March 21, 2022.
    3. Virtual Public Meeting: February 24, 2022, 4:30-6:30 p.m. HST. 
There are two options to access the meeting:
    a. Go to Zoom.us/join or join by phone at: 669-900-6833; Meeting 
ID: 881 8171 0022.
    b. Visit the Project Website at: https://www.pearlharbordrydockeis.org to access the Virtual Public Meeting link 
and phone number.
    Concurrent with the NEPA public involvement process, the DoN is 
conducting National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 consultations 
regarding potential effects of the Proposed Action on historic 
properties. Historic properties include districts, sites, buildings, 
structures, or objects listed or eligible for listing in the National 
Register of Historic Places. The public will have the opportunity to 
participate in the Section 106 process by reviewing the Draft EIS and 
providing comments using one of the various virtual and web-based 
platforms identified above.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the Draft EIS or the project's potential 
to affect historic properties pursuant to Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act may be mailed to Naval Facilities Engineering 
Systems Command, Attention: PHNSY & IMF DD/WPF EIS Project Manager, 258 
Makalapa Drive, Suite 100, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI 96860, or 
submitted electronically via the project website at https://www.pearlharbordrydockeis.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andr[eacute]a M. Von Burg Hall, DON 
PHNSY & IMF DD/WPF EIS Project Manager, at [email protected], or 808-472-1425, or 258 Makalapa Drive, Suite 100, Joint 
Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI 96860.

[[Page 6516]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Intent to prepare this EIS was 
published in the Federal Register on September 15, 2020 (Federal 
Register (FR) Doc 2020-19961) with a correction on September 18, 2020. 
The DoN's coaction proponents for this EIS are JBPHH and Naval 
Facilities Engineering Systems Command Program Management Office 555. 
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District; U.S. EPA, Region 
9; and the National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Regional 
Office are cooperating agencies.
    PHNSY & IMF's mission is to repair, maintain, and modernize DoN 
fast-attack submarines and surface ships. The purpose of the proposed 
action is to provide appropriate dry dock capability at PHNSY & IMF no 
later than January 2028 to meet submarine depot maintenance mission 
requirements, as well as build and operate a properly sized and 
configured WPF to enable efficient submarine maintenance. The proposed 
action is needed because the existing DD3 at PHNSY & IMF does not have 
the necessary length or floor strength to accommodate current and 
future class fast-attack submarines. Additionally, an appropriately 
sized and adjacent WPF is needed to reduce lost operational days by 
increasing collaboration and efficiency among the workforce. The 
culmination of a replacement DD and new WPF will ensure that the Navy 
achieves necessary efficiencies and is capable of fulfilling scheduled 
maintenance requirements. The mission need date of January 2028 is 
driven by current projected Fleet maintenance schedules.
    The DoN is considering four action alternatives that meet the 
purpose of and need for the proposed action, as well as a no action 
alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, Alternative 1, there 
would be no change from the status quo. Action alternatives are 
differentiated by the location of the WPF relative to a new dry dock 
(east or west), whether the WPF serves only that dry dock (single 
support concept) or has capability to serve more than one dry dock 
(multiple support concept), and whether the dry dock is covered or 
uncovered.
    In the EIS, the DoN analyzes potential environmental impacts of the 
different alternatives. Additionally, the DoN will conduct all 
coordination and consultation activities required by the National 
Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, the 
Magnuson[hyphen]Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the 
Clean Water Act, and other laws and regulations determined to be 
applicable to the project. The DoN will implement mitigation and 
monitoring measures to avoid or reduce environmental impacts, as 
determined in cooperation with the appropriate regulatory agencies and 
consulting parties.
    The DoN distributed the Draft EIS to federal agencies and Native 
Hawaiian Organizations with which the DoN is consulting and to other 
stakeholders. The DoN provided press releases to the local newspapers 
and distributed letters and postcards to stakeholders, Native Hawaiian 
Organizations, and other interested parties. Copies of the Draft EIS 
are available for public review at the following public libraries: 1. 
Hawaii State Public Library and 2. Salt Lake-Moanalua Public Library. 
The Draft EIS is also available for electronic viewing or download at 
https://www.pearlharbordrydockeis.org.

    Dated: January 28, 2022.
J.M. Pike,
Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register 
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-02168 Filed 2-3-22; 8:45 am]
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