Preparation of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the Growth of the United States Army, 27545-27546 [07-2405]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Department of the Army
• Army Department

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 94 (Wednesday, May 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27545-27546]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-2405]



[[Page 27545]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Preparation of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement 
(PEIS) for the Growth of the United States Army

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The President of the United States has directed the growth of 
the United States Army. In an unpredictable and rapidly changing global 
security environment, this directive is designed to ensure the Nation 
has the ground forces necessary to meet its strategic security and 
defense needs. These needs, as outlined in the National Security 
Strategy, include the disruption of terrorist networks, the prevention 
of nuclear proliferation, the support of peace and regional stability, 
the denial of rogue Nation support to terrorist organizations, and the 
promotion and advancement of democratic forms of government. The 
President has determined that the implementation of these security 
goals in the 21st century will require increased numbers of U.S. Army 
forces to sustain the military operaitons required to support these 
objectives. The Army, therefore, intends to prepare a PEIS to analyze 
alternatives for executing the Presidentially directed growth required 
to support the defense and security missions of the Nation in the 21st 
century.
    The Presidential decision directs the Army to add 74,200 active and 
reserve component Soldiers to its total end strength. This growth 
includes the addition of six Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) and the combat 
support (CS) and combat service support (CSS) units required to support 
them. In addition, the growth of the force will include ``right 
sizing'' or rebalancing the Army force structure to add increaed 
numbers of high demand critical skills which have been identified as 
shortfalls. Military skills, such as military police, engineers, and 
explosive ordnance detachments, must be added to the force in greater 
numbers to meet the increased needs for these types of units in 
operational theaters abroad. Rebalancing of the Army's force is needed 
to ensure the Army has the proper capabilities to sustain operations 
for promoting global and national security now and into the foreseeable 
future.
    In addition to this growth, the Army recognizes the need to 
continue with initiatives to restructure its forces to implement the 
standard modular unit configurations directed by the Quadrennial 
Defense Review (QDR) in 2001 and 2006. Modularity is a critical 
component of Army Transformation and the Army continues to implement 
the QDR directive to standardize its units and their force structure. 
This standardization of Army force structure will continue to improve 
management and generate increased operational efficiencies within the 
Army. Stationing actions supporting modularity will be evaluated and 
considered in conjunction with stationing actions required to support 
Army growth.
    The PEIS will assess the environmental capacity of the Army's 
installations to accommodate different types and combinations of new 
units as part of the growth and restructuring. The PEIS will examine 
the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts at installations 
resulting from various combinations of new unit stationing actions. 
These stationing actions could include additional CS or CSS units, the 
addition of different types of modular BCTs, or combinations of these 
actions at a given stationing location. Under the Army's modularity 
initiative, which standardizes BCT force structure, there are three 
types of maneuver BCTs that will be discussed in the PEIS. These 
include the infantry BCT which consists of approximately 3,500 
Soldiers; the Stryker BCT which consists of approximately 4,000 
Soldiers; and the heavy BCT which consists of approximately 3,800 
Soldiers. Potential impacts resulting from stationing actions of new CS 
and CSS units and these maneuver BCTs will be discussed and assessed at 
installation locations that have potential to support the growth and 
restructuring of the Army. The PEIS will analyze the proposed action's 
impacts upon the natural, cultural, and man-made environments at those 
stationing locations best able to meet the needs of the Army and its 
Soldiers and Families.
    The Army intends to analyze the following alternatives in the PEIS: 
(1) Grow and restructure the Army by permanently stationing new units 
at existing Army installations within the United States and retaining 
some units at overseas installations outside of the continental United 
States that were originally scheduled to return to the United States; 
(2) Grow and restructure the Army by permanently stationing units at 
existing stationing locations within the United States. As part of this 
alternative, overseas installations would be used to temporarily 
accommodate a portion of Army growth while permanent facilities were 
constructed at existing Army installations within the United States; 
and (3) Grow and restructure the Army by permanently stationing new 
units at new and existing Army stationing locations within the United 
States. This alternative would include the construction of permanent 
party facilities at locations where the Army owns land but does not 
currently station permanent party personnel. As part of this 
alternative, overseas installations would be used to temporarily 
accommodate a portion of Army growth while permanent facilities were 
constructed within the United States.
    In addition to the above alternatives, the no-action alternatives 
will be considered and used as a baseline for comparison of 
alternatives. The no-action alternative is to retain the U.S. Army at 
its current and strength and force structure. The no-action alternative 
includes those realignments and stationing actions directed by Base 
Realignment and Closure legislation in 2005, Army Global Defense 
Posture Realignment, and Army Modular Forces initiatives. The no-action 
alternative serves as a baseline for the comparison only and is not a 
viable means for meeting the current and future strategic security and 
defense requirements of the Nation.
    Viable alternative stationing locations considered in this analysis 
for the growth of the Army are those installations that are best able 
to meet Army unit requirements for training ranges and maneuver space, 
housing and office space, maintenance and vehicle parking, and Soldier 
and Family quality of life (e.g., schools, gyms, medical facilities, 
reducing family disruption). The proposed action will require the Army 
to balance strategic, sustainment, and environmental considerations 
with evolving world conditions and threats to national defense and 
security.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert E. DiMichele, Public 
Affairs Officer, U.S. Army Environmental Command, Aberdeen Proving 
Ground, MD 21010; phone (410) 436-2556.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The global security environment is 
turbulent, unpredictable, and rapidly changing. It has placed 
considerable demands on the Nation's military, and highlighted the need 
for the Army to correct shortfalls in high demand skills while 
reassessing its force capability. No one has felt the impacts of the 
recent demands of the modern security environmental more than Soldiers 
and their Families. To meet the challenges of the wider range of 
security threats present in the 21st century the Army requires the 
growth

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and restructuring of its forces in order to sustain the broad range of 
operations required for national and global stability.
    The PEIS is being prepared to comply with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and 
meet Army NEPA procedures, which are outlined in Environmental Analysis 
of Army Actions (32 CFR part 651). These regulations require the Army 
to consider the environmental impacts of its proposed action and 
alternatives and to solicit the views of the public so it can make an 
informed final decision regarding how to proceed.
    Proposed alternatives to grow the Army could involve three primary 
action depending on the installation being analyzed. These actions 
include the construction of housing and quality of life facilities 
(i.e., schools, gymnasiums, hospitals), the construction of new 
training ranges and infrastructure, and changes in the intensity of use 
of maneuver land and firing ranges associated with the increased 
frequency of training events. Evaluations will include strategic 
military and national security considerations for new stationing 
actions at locations which, if selected, are capable of supporting the 
National Security Strategy (2006), the QDR (2006), National Military 
Strategy, and the Army Campaign Plan. These strategic guidance 
documents have been incorporated into the Army's decision-making 
process. All of these individual components will be considered in the 
Army's PEIS for growth of the force in order to ensure a range of 
reasonable alternatives are carried forward which support the Nation's 
security requirements.
    Based on public scoping and the factors discussed above, the Army 
will refine its range of reasonable alternatives to the extent possible 
to accommodate both mission requirements and quality of life 
considerations. In reaching its decision, the Army will assess and 
consider public concerns. The PEIS compares the direct, indirect, and 
cumulative environmental effects that may result from stationing 
actions connected with initiatives to grow the Army. The primary 
environmental issues to be analyzed will include those identified as 
the result of the scoping process and installation-specific 
considerations. These issues may include impacts to soil, water and air 
quality, airspace conflicts, natural and cultural resources, land use 
compatibility, noise, socioeconomics, environmental justice, energy 
use, human health and safety considerations, and infrastructure and 
range/training requirements.
    Scoping and Public Comment: All interested members of the public, 
federally-recognized Indian Tribes, Native Alaskans, Native Hawaiian 
groups, federal, state, and local agencies are invited to participate 
in the scoping process for the preparation of the PEIS. Written 
comments identifying environmental issues, concerns and opportunities 
to be analyzed in the PEIS will be accepted for 30 days following 
publication of this Notice of Intent in the Federal Register. Comments 
may be sent to Mr. Robert E. DiMichele at the above address.

    Dated: May 11, 2007.
Addison D. Davis,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety, and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 07-2405 Filed 5-15-07; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M