Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Programmatic Environmental Assessment/Overseas Environmental Assessment (EA/OEA) for the Undersea Warfare Exercise (USWEX) Within the Hawaii Range Complex, 5021-5022 [E7-1746]
Download as PDF
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 22 / Friday, February 2, 2007 / Notices
1. Wolf Creek Dam was designed in
the 1930s, constructed in the 1940s, and
completed in the early 1950s. The dam
was built on a karst geology using
accepted engineering practices of the
day. Since the 1960s seepage through
the dam’s foundation has been a
concern. Repairs have been
implemented at various times including
grout injection into the foundation and
installing a diaphragm wall through
about two-thirds of the earthen
embankment. Those repairs are credited
with saving the dam; however, some
faults remained. Over the last three
decades problems have increased and
the dam is now classed as being in
active failure mode.
2. A comprehensive plan for repairs
has been approved; however, these
repairs will take a number of years to
implement. Until the repairs are
sufficiently completed, the Corps has
determined that it is in the public’s
interest to lower the lake levels to
reduce pressure on the weakened
foundations. This is necessary to ensure
the public’s health, safety, and welfare.
The Corps recognizes, however, that
doing so will have significant
environmental and economic
consequences in the following areas:
(1) The cold water fisheries both in
the lake and tailwater;
(2) water quality throughout the
Cumberland River;
(3) federally listed threatened and
endangered species;
(4) designated uses of the waterway
including fish and aquatic life, livestock
watering and wildlife, irrigation;
(5) and economics including electric
power production, municipal and
industrial water supply, recreation,
navigation, flood damage reduction, and
disruption to communities, jobs, and
other related factors.
3. Current Actions to Reduce Risk.
Several actions have already been taken
to reduce the risk. Prior to 2005, spring
rains were captured in the reservoir to
maximize downstream flood protection
and hydropower generation. Beginning
in 2005 the pool was managed more
aggressively to reduce the peaks and
adhere more closely to the prescribed
guide curves. Recently 24-hour
surveillance was initiated at the dam.
This involves providing patrols of the
dam, known wet and trouble spots, and
downstream areas. Currently, the Corps
is aggressively grouting the most crucial
areas of the embankment to further
reduce seepage under the dam.
Additional coordination and exercises
have been held with state and local
emergency management agencies. These
agencies have been provided with flood
inundation maps to help coordinate
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:13 Feb 01, 2007
Jkt 211001
emergency evacuations if needed. The
Corps has improved its emergency
notification procedures, increased
instrumentation in and on the dam, and
conducted numerous public meetings to
advise the public of problems with the
dam.
4. An Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) will be undertaken to
review emergency actions taken and to
consider other possible alternatives.
Alternatives that will be considered
include but are not limited to new dam
construction, lowering the lake levels or
otherwise altering the operational
procedures, and investigating methods
to increase discharge capacity.
5. This notice serves to solicit
comments from the public; Federal,
State and local agencies and officials;
Indian tribes; and other interested
parties in order to consider and evaluate
impacts of these proposed activities.
Any comments received by us will be
considered in determining future
operations. To make these decisions,
comments are used to assess impacts on
public health and safety, endangered
species, historic properties, water
quality, water supply and conservation,
economics, aesthetics, wetlands, flood
hazards, floodplain values, land use,
navigation, shore erosion and accretion,
recreation, energy needs, food and fiber
production, mineral needs,
considerations of property ownership,
general environmental effects, and in
general, the needs and welfare of the
people.
6. Activities proposed that require a
review under the guidelines
promulgated by the Administrator,
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), under authority of Section
404(b)(1) of the Clean Water Act (40
CFR Part 230) may include fill
placement for water intake extensions,
and other mitigation actions.
7. Other Federal, State and local
approvals that may be required for
proposed work are as follows:
a. Water quality certifications from
the Kentucky Division of Water and the
Tennessee Department of Environment
and Conservation.
b. Coordination with the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service for the Endangered
Species Act and Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act.
c. Coordination with the Kentucky
Department of Fish and Wildlife
Resources and the Tennessee Wildlife
Resources Agency.
d. Coordination with the State
Historic Preservation Officer and
President’s Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation.
8. Significant issues to be analyzed in
the DEIS include impacts to fisheries,
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
5021
tailwater mussel resources, water
quality, recreation, navigation,
economics, water supply, electric power
production, economics, and community
development. The U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service has agreed to be a
Cooperating Agency on the DEIS and
will be responsible for preparing much
of the evaluations of significant natural
resources. A DEIS should be available in
May 2007.
9. Public Meetings: At present, no
public meetings have been scheduled to
scope for potential issues to be
evaluated in the DEIS. Requests for
public meetings should be directed to
Mr. William Peoples, Chief, Public
Affairs Office, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Nashville District, Nashville,
TN 37202–1070. Mr. Peoples may be
reached by telephone at (615) 736–7834.
Brenda S. Bowen,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E7–1721 Filed 2–1–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710–GF–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) for the Programmatic
Environmental Assessment/Overseas
Environmental Assessment (EA/OEA)
for the Undersea Warfare Exercise
(USWEX) Within the Hawaii Range
Complex
Department of the Navy, DoD.
Notice of Finding of No
Significant Impact.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C)
of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the Council on
Environmental Quality regulations (40
CFR parts 1500–1508), implementing
procedural provisions of NEPA, the
Department of the Navy (DON) gives
notice that a Programmatic EA/OE has
been prepared and a Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI) has been
issued for the implementation of
Alternative 1, which allows for up to six
future Undersea Warfare Exercises
(USWEXs) annually within the Hawaii
Range Complex from January 2007
through January 2009.
DATES: The FONSI was signed on
January 24, 2007.
ADDRESSES: The Final Programmatic
EA/OEA and FONSI are available for
public review at the following locations:
1. Wailuku Public Library, 251 High
Street, Wailuku, HI 96793 (Maui).
2. Hilo Public Library, 300
Waianaenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720
(Hawaii).
E:\FR\FM\02FEN1.SGM
02FEN1
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
5022
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 22 / Friday, February 2, 2007 / Notices
3. Hawaii State Library, Hawaii and
Pacific Section Document Unit, 478
South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
(Oahu).
4. Lihue Public Library, 4344 Hardy
Street, Lihue, HI 96766 (Kauai).
Electronic copies of the Final
Programmatic EA/OEA and FONSI are
available for public viewing or
downloading at https://
www.govsupport.us/uswex. Single
copies of the Final Programmatic EA/
OEA and FONSI may be obtained by
written request from: Commander, U.S.
Pacific Fleet (N01CE), 250 Makalapa
Drive, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860–3131.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (N01CE),
250 Makalapa Drive, Pearl Harbor, HI
96860–3131, 808–474–7836, or visit
https://www.govsupport.us/uswex.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USWEX is
an advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare
Exercise proposed to be conducted by
U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs)
and Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESGs)
while in transit from the west coast of
the United States to the western Pacific
Ocean using existing operating areas
and ranges within the Hawaii Range
Complex. As identified in the USWEX
Programmatic EA/OEA, the Proposed
Action is to conduct USWEXs in the
Hawaii Range Complex for deploying
west coast-based CSGs and ESGs, and
Hawaii homeported ships and
submarines. Training events similar to
those that comprise a USWEX are
currently being conducted individually.
USWEX is a combination of training
events that results in a sea control/
power projection fleet exercise that is
required in order to meet training
objectives for deploying or deployable
CSGs and ESGs.
Anti-Submarine Warfare training
conducted during a USWEX utilizes
ships, submarines, aircraft, nonexplosive exercise weapons, and other
training systems and devices. During a
typical USWEX, embarked aircraft will
also be conducting training prior to
deployment to the western Pacific
Ocean. Fixed-wing aircraft will fly
sorties to Pohakuloa Training Area on
the Island of Hawaii, and rotary aircraft
will fly sorties to Kaula located off the
coast of Kauai. Aircraft will utilize these
live ranges to drop live or inert rounds.
During an ESG USWEX, amphibious
forces could utilize the beaches at
Pacific Missile Range Facility or at
Marine Corps Training Area Bellows to
conduct amphibious landings. The EA/
OEA includes an analysis of three
Alternatives. Alternative 1 analyzes four
CSG USWEXs and two ESG USWEXs
per year occurring in the Hawaii Range
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:13 Feb 01, 2007
Jkt 211001
Complex. Alternative 2 analyzes three
CSG USWEXs and one ESG USWEX per
year occurring in the Hawaii Range
Complex. Under the No Action
Alternative, individual training events
that compose a USWEX would continue
to occur; however, they would not be
consolidated into a coordinated training
event.
The analysis conducted in the
USWEX Programmatic EA/OEA focused
on the following resources: Airspace,
biological resources, cultural resources,
land use, noise, and safety and health.
Impacts to biological resources will not
be significant. The EA/OEA analyzes
mid-frequency active sonar use
associated with the USWEX and
documents an acoustic exposure effectsanalysis on marine mammals that may
be affected by the USWEX training
events and use of mid-frequency active
sonar. There are no predicted marine
mammal sonar exposures that would
result in injury or mortality. The DON
consulted with the National Marine
Fisheries Service and received a
biological opinion and an incidental
take statement under Section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act that
determined the Proposed Action would
not result in jeopardy to any endangered
species. No new special use airspace
proposal or any modification to the
existing special use airspace is
proposed. Impacts to cultural resources,
land use, noise, and safety and health
are not anticipated.
Based on the information gathered
during preparation of the USWEX
Programmatic EA/OEA, the DoD finds
that up to six USWEX per year under
Alternative 1 within the Hawaii Range
Complex will not significantly impact
the environment and, therefore, an EIS
is not required for implementing
Alternative 1.
Dated: January 29, 2007.
M.A. Harvison,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate
General’s Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E7–1746 Filed 2–1–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P
[USN–2007–0010]
Privacy Act of 1974; System of
Records
Department of the Navy, DOD.
Notice of new system of records.
AGENCY:
The Department of the Navy
proposes to add a system of records to
SUMMARY:
Frm 00025
Fmt 4703
N01750–1
SYSTEM NAME:
Navy Ombudsman Registry.
SYSTEM LOCATION:
Fleet and Family Support Program,
Navy Installations Command, 2713
Mitscher Road, SW., Ste 300, Anacostia
Annex, DC 20373–5802.
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE
SYSTEM:
Navy ombudsmen.
Name, addresses (home, business, and
e-mail, phone numbers (home, office,
cell, and fax), command name and
address, command unit identification
code (UIC), gender, and training dates.
Department of the Navy
PO 00000
Dated: January 29, 2007.
C.R. Choate,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison
Officer, Department of Defense.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
ACTION:
its inventory of record systems subject
to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C.
552a), as amended.
DATES: The proposed action will be
effective on March 5, 2007 unless
comments are received that would
result in a contrary determination.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to the
Department of the Navy, PA/FOIA
Policy Branch, Chief of Naval
Operations (DNS–36), 2000 Navy
Pentagon, Washington, DC 20350–2000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs.
Doris Lama at (202) 685–325–6545.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Department of the Navy’s notices for
systems of records subject to the Privacy
Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended,
have been published in the Federal
Register and are available: from the
address above.
The proposed systems reports, as
required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) of the
Privacy Act, were submitted on January
24, 2007 to the House Committee on
Government Reform, the Senate
Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs, and the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB)
pursuant to paragraph 4c of Appendix I
to OMB Circular No. A–130, ‘Federal
Agency Responsibilities for Maintaining
Records About Individuals,’ dated
February 8, 1996, (February 20, 1996, 61
FR 6427).
Sfmt 4703
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
10 U.S.C. 5013, Secretary of the Navy
and OPNAVINST 1750.1F, Navy Family
Ombudsmen Program.
PURPOSE(S):
To identify Navy ombudsmen;
provide them with program information;
E:\FR\FM\02FEN1.SGM
02FEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 22 (Friday, February 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5021-5022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1746]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Programmatic
Environmental Assessment/Overseas Environmental Assessment (EA/OEA) for
the Undersea Warfare Exercise (USWEX) Within the Hawaii Range Complex
AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the Council on Environmental Quality
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), implementing procedural
provisions of NEPA, the Department of the Navy (DON) gives notice that
a Programmatic EA/OE has been prepared and a Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI) has been issued for the implementation of Alternative 1,
which allows for up to six future Undersea Warfare Exercises (USWEXs)
annually within the Hawaii Range Complex from January 2007 through
January 2009.
DATES: The FONSI was signed on January 24, 2007.
ADDRESSES: The Final Programmatic EA/OEA and FONSI are available for
public review at the following locations:
1. Wailuku Public Library, 251 High Street, Wailuku, HI 96793
(Maui).
2. Hilo Public Library, 300 Waianaenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720
(Hawaii).
[[Page 5022]]
3. Hawaii State Library, Hawaii and Pacific Section Document Unit,
478 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 96813 (Oahu).
4. Lihue Public Library, 4344 Hardy Street, Lihue, HI 96766
(Kauai).
Electronic copies of the Final Programmatic EA/OEA and FONSI are
available for public viewing or downloading at https://www.govsupport.us/uswex. Single copies of the Final Programmatic EA/OEA
and FONSI may be obtained by written request from: Commander, U.S.
Pacific Fleet (N01CE), 250 Makalapa Drive, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3131.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (N01CE),
250 Makalapa Drive, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3131, 808-474-7836, or visit
https://www.govsupport.us/uswex.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USWEX is an advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare
Exercise proposed to be conducted by U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Groups
(CSGs) and Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESGs) while in transit from the
west coast of the United States to the western Pacific Ocean using
existing operating areas and ranges within the Hawaii Range Complex. As
identified in the USWEX Programmatic EA/OEA, the Proposed Action is to
conduct USWEXs in the Hawaii Range Complex for deploying west coast-
based CSGs and ESGs, and Hawaii homeported ships and submarines.
Training events similar to those that comprise a USWEX are currently
being conducted individually. USWEX is a combination of training events
that results in a sea control/power projection fleet exercise that is
required in order to meet training objectives for deploying or
deployable CSGs and ESGs.
Anti-Submarine Warfare training conducted during a USWEX utilizes
ships, submarines, aircraft, non-explosive exercise weapons, and other
training systems and devices. During a typical USWEX, embarked aircraft
will also be conducting training prior to deployment to the western
Pacific Ocean. Fixed-wing aircraft will fly sorties to Pohakuloa
Training Area on the Island of Hawaii, and rotary aircraft will fly
sorties to Kaula located off the coast of Kauai. Aircraft will utilize
these live ranges to drop live or inert rounds. During an ESG USWEX,
amphibious forces could utilize the beaches at Pacific Missile Range
Facility or at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows to conduct amphibious
landings. The EA/OEA includes an analysis of three Alternatives.
Alternative 1 analyzes four CSG USWEXs and two ESG USWEXs per year
occurring in the Hawaii Range Complex. Alternative 2 analyzes three CSG
USWEXs and one ESG USWEX per year occurring in the Hawaii Range
Complex. Under the No Action Alternative, individual training events
that compose a USWEX would continue to occur; however, they would not
be consolidated into a coordinated training event.
The analysis conducted in the USWEX Programmatic EA/OEA focused on
the following resources: Airspace, biological resources, cultural
resources, land use, noise, and safety and health. Impacts to
biological resources will not be significant. The EA/OEA analyzes mid-
frequency active sonar use associated with the USWEX and documents an
acoustic exposure effects-analysis on marine mammals that may be
affected by the USWEX training events and use of mid-frequency active
sonar. There are no predicted marine mammal sonar exposures that would
result in injury or mortality. The DON consulted with the National
Marine Fisheries Service and received a biological opinion and an
incidental take statement under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act
that determined the Proposed Action would not result in jeopardy to any
endangered species. No new special use airspace proposal or any
modification to the existing special use airspace is proposed. Impacts
to cultural resources, land use, noise, and safety and health are not
anticipated.
Based on the information gathered during preparation of the USWEX
Programmatic EA/OEA, the DoD finds that up to six USWEX per year under
Alternative 1 within the Hawaii Range Complex will not significantly
impact the environment and, therefore, an EIS is not required for
implementing Alternative 1.
Dated: January 29, 2007.
M.A. Harvison,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-1746 Filed 2-1-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P