United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2008-03-07 monographic deposited born digital 58 p. GA 1.13:GAO-08-407 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-407 P0b002ee1803893bb f:d08407 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-407 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-407 GAO-08-407 Combat readiness Conservation compliance Data collection Endangered species Environmental law Environmental legislation Environmental monitoring Environmental policies Environmental protection Fishery legislation Forest conservation Land management Military facilities Military forces Military training Other Written Product A81234 A fundamental principle of military readiness is that the military must train as it intends to fight, and military training ranges allow the Department of Defense (DOD) to accomplish this goal. According to DOD officials, heightened focus on the application of environmental statutes has affected the use of its training areas. Since 2003, DOD has obtained exemptions from three environmental laws and has sought exemptions from three others. This report discusses the impact, if any, of (1) environmental laws on DOD's training activities and military readiness, (2) DOD's use of statutory exemptions from environmental laws on training activities, (3) DOD's use of statutory exemptions on the environment, and (4) the extent to which DOD has demonstrated the need for additional exemptions. To address these objectives, GAO visited 17 training locations; analyzed environmental impact and readiness reports; and met with officials at service headquarters, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, federal regulatory agencies, and nongovernmental environmental groups https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-407/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-407.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-407/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-407.pdf GAO-08-407 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-407 Other Written Product GAO-08-407; Military Training: Compliance with Environmental Laws Affects Some Training Activities, but DOD Has Not Made a Sound Business Case for Additional Environmental Exemptions; Combat readiness Conservation compliance Data collection Endangered species Environmental law Environmental legislation Environmental monitoring Environmental policies Environmental protection Fishery legislation Forest conservation Land management Military facilities Military forces Military training Public Law 107-314 Public Law 108-136 Public Law 110-181