Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Mission and Master Planning Actions at Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield, GA, 15257 [E9-7320]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 63 / Friday, April 3, 2009 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Mission and Master Planning Actions at Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield, GA Department of the Army, DoD. ACTION: Notice of intent. sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: The United States Army announces its intent to proceed with an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address known and reasonably anticipated changes in missions and operations at Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield. This is necessary to analyze the cumulative socioeconomic and environmental impacts associated with a number of recent personnel stationing actions and changes in how the Army trains and deploys our nation’s Soldiers. When the EIS is completed, it will also be used by Army decision makers as an important resource to consult when making future decisions about future land uses and operations at Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Melissa Kendrick, National Environmental Policy Act Specialist, Directorate of Public Works, Prevention and Compliance Branch, Environmental Division, 1550 Frank Cochran Drive, Building 1137–A, Fort Stewart, Georgia 31314–4928. Written comments may be mailed to that address or e-mailed to MeIissa.B.Kendrickus.army.mil. For media queries please contact Fort Stewart Public Affairs Office at (912) 435–9874 during normal business hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield, located in southeastern Georgia, is the largest Army installation east of the Mississippi River covering approximately 280,000 acres. Updates to the installation’s mission and master planning process will allow the installation to continue to train Soldiers, protect valuable environmental and cultural resources, and minimize negative impacts to neighboring communities. The Army’s intent in moving forward with this EIS is to provide decision makers with a comprehensive planning tool, a public information source, and a reference for mitigation. The proposed action involves constructing ranges and facilities to support military units assigned to Fort Stewart, accommodating current and future training requirements, and the updating of operational and management plans for training lands VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:07 Apr 02, 2009 Jkt 217001 and infrastructure. The EIS will address the effects of the proposed activities beginning in FY11 and extending through FY14. Construction projects include ranges, cantonment expansion, Georgia Highway 144 by-pass, widening of Highway 144, and other transportation improvements on Fort Stewart. The EIS will also include an assessment of Fort Stewart’s alternative energy potential and will evaluate alternative energy projects which may be implemented at Fort Stewart in the future. Alternatives may consist of different locations on the installation for specific projects or modifications to those projects. Range projects will be located on areas currently dedicated to military training. The size of the cantonment area may increase. Alternatives will be developed during preparation of the Draft EIS and as a result of public input and environmental analysis. Several areas present the potential for significant impacts. Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield land provides known or potential habitat for protected plant and wildlife species. Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield provides habitat for 40 percent of the protected red-cockaded woodpecker in Georgia and intensively manages installation land to protect their habitat. Approximately 60 percent of the installation has been surveyed for cultural resources. As a result of these surveys, numerous sites have been recommended as eligible or potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Another issue of concern is that approximately 30 percent of the installation is potentially wetlands. The EIS will analyze the potential impacts of the proposed action and the alternatives. Impacts analyzed will include a wide range of environmental resource areas including, but not limited to, air quality, traffic, noise, water resources, biological resources, cultural resources, socioeconomic, utilities, land use, solid and hazardous materials/ waste, and cumulative environmental effects. Additional resources and conditions may be identified as a result of the scoping process initiated by this Notice of Intent (NOI). The public will be invited to actively participate in the EIS process, which includes three scoping meetings to provide input on the proposed actions and alternatives. The public will also be invited to review and comment on the Draft EIS. Dates and times for these public involvement opportunities will be announced in the local news media. Comments from the public will be considered before any decision is made regarding implementing the proposed PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 15257 action at Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield. The public scoping period will last for 30 days following the publication of this NOI in the Federal Register. Comments from the public will be considered before any decision is made regarding implementing the proposed action. Dated: March 20, 2009. Addison D. Davis, IV, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and Occupational Health). [FR Doc. E9–7320 Filed 4–2–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3710–08–M DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report and a Draft General Conformity Determination for the Middle Harbor Redevelopment Project, Port of Long Beach, Los Angeles County, CA AGENCY: Department of the Army—U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD. ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: On May 19, 2008, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, Regulatory Division (Corps) in coordination with the Port of Long Beach (POLB) completed and published the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Middle Harbor Redevelopment Project (Project) in the Port of Long Beach. The Corps and POLB considered all comments received in preparing the Final EIS/EIR, which is available for a 30-day review (April 3, 2009 through May 3, 2009). The Final EIS/EIR includes a draft general conformity determination (see Appendix A–4), pursuant to Section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act. A general conformity determination is necessary because Project construction would require Federal action (i.e., issuance of a Corps permit for activities proposed in navigable waters and waters of the U.S.) and not all the Federal action’s direct and indirect emissions would be below specified de minimis thresholds (40 CFR 93.153(b)). Pursuant to the general conformity regulations (40 CFR part 93, subpart B), general conformity determinations do not have to be included in the EIS and can be separately noticed, but the draft general conformity determination for the Federal action associated with the E:\FR\FM\03APN1.SGM 03APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 63 (Friday, April 3, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 15257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-7320]



[[Page 15257]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
Mission and Master Planning Actions at Fort Stewart/Hunter Army 
Airfield, GA

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States Army announces its intent to proceed with an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address known and reasonably 
anticipated changes in missions and operations at Fort Stewart/Hunter 
Army Airfield. This is necessary to analyze the cumulative 
socioeconomic and environmental impacts associated with a number of 
recent personnel stationing actions and changes in how the Army trains 
and deploys our nation's Soldiers. When the EIS is completed, it will 
also be used by Army decision makers as an important resource to 
consult when making future decisions about future land uses and 
operations at Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Ms. Melissa Kendrick, National 
Environmental Policy Act Specialist, Directorate of Public Works, 
Prevention and Compliance Branch, Environmental Division, 1550 Frank 
Cochran Drive, Building 1137-A, Fort Stewart, Georgia 31314-4928. 
Written comments may be mailed to that address or e-mailed to 
MeIissa.B.Kendrickus.army.mil. For media queries please contact Fort 
Stewart Public Affairs Office at (912) 435-9874 during normal business 
hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield, located 
in southeastern Georgia, is the largest Army installation east of the 
Mississippi River covering approximately 280,000 acres. Updates to the 
installation's mission and master planning process will allow the 
installation to continue to train Soldiers, protect valuable 
environmental and cultural resources, and minimize negative impacts to 
neighboring communities. The Army's intent in moving forward with this 
EIS is to provide decision makers with a comprehensive planning tool, a 
public information source, and a reference for mitigation.
    The proposed action involves constructing ranges and facilities to 
support military units assigned to Fort Stewart, accommodating current 
and future training requirements, and the updating of operational and 
management plans for training lands and infrastructure. The EIS will 
address the effects of the proposed activities beginning in FY11 and 
extending through FY14. Construction projects include ranges, 
cantonment expansion, Georgia Highway 144 by-pass, widening of Highway 
144, and other transportation improvements on Fort Stewart. The EIS 
will also include an assessment of Fort Stewart's alternative energy 
potential and will evaluate alternative energy projects which may be 
implemented at Fort Stewart in the future.
    Alternatives may consist of different locations on the installation 
for specific projects or modifications to those projects. Range 
projects will be located on areas currently dedicated to military 
training. The size of the cantonment area may increase. Alternatives 
will be developed during preparation of the Draft EIS and as a result 
of public input and environmental analysis.
    Several areas present the potential for significant impacts. Fort 
Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield land provides known or potential habitat 
for protected plant and wildlife species. Fort Stewart/Hunter Army 
Airfield provides habitat for 40 percent of the protected red-cockaded 
woodpecker in Georgia and intensively manages installation land to 
protect their habitat. Approximately 60 percent of the installation has 
been surveyed for cultural resources. As a result of these surveys, 
numerous sites have been recommended as eligible or potentially 
eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Another issue of 
concern is that approximately 30 percent of the installation is 
potentially wetlands.
    The EIS will analyze the potential impacts of the proposed action 
and the alternatives. Impacts analyzed will include a wide range of 
environmental resource areas including, but not limited to, air 
quality, traffic, noise, water resources, biological resources, 
cultural resources, socioeconomic, utilities, land use, solid and 
hazardous materials/waste, and cumulative environmental effects. 
Additional resources and conditions may be identified as a result of 
the scoping process initiated by this Notice of Intent (NOI).
    The public will be invited to actively participate in the EIS 
process, which includes three scoping meetings to provide input on the 
proposed actions and alternatives. The public will also be invited to 
review and comment on the Draft EIS. Dates and times for these public 
involvement opportunities will be announced in the local news media. 
Comments from the public will be considered before any decision is made 
regarding implementing the proposed action at Fort Stewart/Hunter Army 
Airfield.
    The public scoping period will last for 30 days following the 
publication of this NOI in the Federal Register. Comments from the 
public will be considered before any decision is made regarding 
implementing the proposed action.

    Dated: March 20, 2009.
Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health).
 [FR Doc. E9-7320 Filed 4-2-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M
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