[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 196 (Thursday, October 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 70650]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22496]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Real Property 
Master Plan Implementation at Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point, 
North Carolina

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army (Army) announces its intent to 
conduct public scoping under the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) to gather information to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for proposed near-term real property actions and the 
update of the Real Property Master Plan (RPMP) for Military Ocean 
Terminal Sunny Point (MOTSU). MOTSU is a 16,435-acre installation 
located on the banks of the Cape Fear River between the towns of 
Boiling Spring Lakes and Southport, North Carolina. The scoping process 
will help identify reasonable alternatives, potential environmental 
impacts, and key issues of concern to be analyzed in the EIS. The Army 
intends to comply with the requirements of section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act in parallel with this NEPA process and 
invites federally recognized Tribes and the State Historic Preservation 
Office (SHPO) of North Carolina to participate in the consultation 
process.

DATES: Scoping comments must be submitted/sent on or before November 
11, 2023. There will be a public meeting, as discussed below.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to James A. Rupkalvis, 
Installation Manager, 6280 Sunny Point Road, Southport, NC 28461-7800 
or via email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen C Herring, Legislative Affairs 
Officer, Public and Congressional Affairs Office, Military Surface 
Deployment and Distribution Command; telephone (618) 220-6119; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: MOTSU is the Military Surface Deployment and 
Distribution Command's East Coast strategic ammunition port and is the 
Department of Defense's primary ammunition seaport supporting the 
European, African, and Middle Eastern areas of operation. The proposed 
action includes barricade safety, waterfront maintenance, Pleasure 
Island Explosive Safety Clear Zone security, linear infrastructure 
(e.g., roads, rail, utilities, firebreaks), stormwater mitigation, and 
cantonment area infill. In addition to these projects planned for the 
fiscal year 2025 through 2031 timeframe, the proposed action includes 
modernizing operation areas and general repair and maintenance of 
infrastructure, to include facilities, wharves, roads, rail, utilities, 
and perimeter security. The purpose of the proposed action is to 
provide MOTSU a master plan that will guide installation-wide real 
property management and development. The need for the proposed action 
is to maintain and modernize MOTSU's infrastructure so its staff and 
assets are safe and secure and so its vital, long-term, trans-shipment 
mission is assured. The master plan allows for a coordinated approach 
to the maintenance and modernization of critical infrastructure.
    The EIS will evaluate the potential impacts associated with 
implementing the proposed RPMP activities, to include analyzing Full-
Plan Implementation, a Partial Implementation Alternative, and a No-
Action Alternative. Any other reasonable alternatives identified during 
the scoping process will be considered for evaluation in the EIS. The 
EIS will assess the impacts of the alternatives on resources and 
identify mitigation measures. Resource areas to be addressed include 
land use and coastal zone management, cultural resources, 
socioeconomics and environmental justice, transportation and utilities 
infrastructure, hazardous materials, hazardous waste, toxic substances, 
and contaminated sites. The proposed action could result in significant 
adverse effects to endangered species, 100-year floodplains, wetlands, 
and waters of the Cape Fear River. Anticipated permits and other 
authorizations include findings of no practicable alternatives for 
actions proposed in floodplains and wetlands per Executive Orders 11988 
and 11990 respectively, Endangered Species Act consultations and take 
permits, National Historic Preservation Act consultations, Clean Water 
Act section 401 water quality certifications and section 404 permits, 
Rivers and Harbors Act section 10 permits, Sediment Pollution Control 
Act permits, and North Carolina Coastal Area Management Act federal 
consistency determinations. Actual permits and other authorizations 
will be determined for each project following that project's final 
design.
    Members of the public, federally recognized Native American Tribes, 
and Federal, state, and local agencies are invited to participate in 
the scoping process for the preparation of this EIS by attending the 
virtual public meeting and/or submitting written comments. The Army 
requests input on identification of potential alternatives, 
information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action.
    Written comments must be sent within 30 days of publication of this 
NOI in the Federal Register. A virtual public meeting will be held 
during this period. The date and location of the meeting will be 
announced at least seven days in advance through local media, 
newspapers, and on the project's website. Materials, including posters, 
fact sheet(s), and comment forms will be made available on https://www.sddc.army.mil/SitePages/Environmental%20Programs.aspx.

James W. Satterwhite Jr.,
U.S. Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-22496 Filed 10-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3711-02-P