Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for Use of Pinecastle Training Range, Florida, 33414 [E8-13284]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Department of the Navy
• Navy Department

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 114 (Thursday, June 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 33414]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement (SEIS) for Use of Pinecastle Training Range, Florida

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, and the regulations implemented by the 
Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the 
Department of the Navy (DON) announces its intent to prepare a SEIS on 
the use of Pinecastle Training Range in Florida. The SEIS supplements 
the FEIS for ``Renewal of Authorization to Use Pinecastle Range, Ocala 
National Forest, Florida'' dated January 2002. The Record of Decision 
for the FEIS for ``Renewal of Authorization to Use Pinecastle Range, 
Ocala National Forest, Florida'' was dated March 29, 2002 and published 
in the Federal Register on April 10, 2002 (67 FR 17418).
    Pursuant to 40 CFR 1502.9, a SEIS is being prepared for the limited 
purpose of supplementing the 2002 FEIS to analyze new information 
regarding Range Compatibility Zones (RCZs) and to assess the 
effectiveness of existing mitigation measures to determine if any 
additional mitigation measures or a modification to the governing range 
Operating Plan are warranted.
    After completion of the 2002 FEIS, a new safety modeling program 
was adopted by the Navy. This new modeling program, SAFERANGE, when 
applied to current training operations, indicates that the Range 
Compatibility Zones, formerly referred to as Range Safety Zones, are 
larger than previously modeled.
    Impacts associated with this significant new information are the 
focus of the SEIS. The new RCZs could affect the following counties in 
Florida: Marion, Lake, Volusia, and Putnam.
    The SEIS will analyze the environmental effects resulting from the 
revised RCZs and the effectiveness of existing mitigation measures to 
determine if additional actions or modifications to the range Operating 
Plan are necessary to maintain public safety and ensure range 
sustainability. The SEIS will also evaluate past, present and 
reasonably foreseeable future land use proposals and forestry actions 
from a cumulative impacts perspective.
    The SEIS will not propose any changes to the Fleet's Training and 
Readiness Program. The targets, ordnance, method of delivery (air-to-
ground), and volume of munitions utilized at Pinecastle for military 
training are not changing, and, therefore, will not be re-analyzed in 
the SEIS.
    The Navy is also initiating a public scoping period for the SEIS 
with this announcement. Public input is requested to ensure the scope 
of the SEIS analysis incorporates public concerns and affords the 
public an input in the decision-making process.
    Dates and Addresses: The Navy must receive scoping comments within 
30 days of June 12, 2008. Comments may be submitted by mail or 
electronically through the project Web site at www.pinecastleseis.com. 
Mail scoping comments to: Naval Facilities Engineering Command 
Southeast, Attention: Mr. Richard Davis (Code EV21), 2155 Eagle Drive, 
North Charleston, SC 29406.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard Davis, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command Southeast (Code EV21), 2155 Eagle Drive, North 
Charleston, SC, 29406 or telephone: 843-820-5589, facsimile: 843-820-
7465.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Navy is initiating the scoping process 
to identify community concerns and local issues to be addressed in the 
SEIS. Federal agencies, state agencies, local agencies, and interested 
persons are encouraged to provide comments to the Navy to identify 
specific issues or topics of environmental concern that should be 
addressed in the SEIS. Written comments must be postmarked within 
thirty days from the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. Notices announcing the intent to prepare a SEIS will also 
appear in local newspapers.

    Dated: June 4, 2008.
T.M. Cruz,
Lieutenant, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register 
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-13284 Filed 6-11-08; 8:45 am]
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