Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Hearings for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for the Guam and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Military Relocation, 60244-60246 [E9-27960]
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 223 / Friday, November 20, 2009 / Notices
proceeding are requested to submit with
each argument a statement of the issue,
a summary of the arguments not
exceeding five pages, and a table of
statutes, regulations, and cases cited.
Interested parties who wish to request
a hearing or to participate in a hearing
if a hearing is requested must submit a
written request to the Assistant
Secretary for Import Administration
within 30 days of the date of publication
of this notice. See 19 CFR 351.310(c).
Such requests should contain the
following information: (1) The party’s
name, address, and telephone number;
(2) the number of participants; (3) a list
of issues to be discussed. Issues raised
in the hearing will be limited to those
discussed in the case briefs. If
requested, any hearing will be held two
days after the scheduled date for
submission of rebuttal briefs.
The Department will publish in the
Federal Register a notice of the final
results of this changed-circumstances
review, including the results of its
analysis of issues raised in any written
briefs or at the hearing if requested.
As indicated in the CCR Initiation,
during the course of this changedcircumstances review we will not
change any cash-deposit requirements
on entries of merchandise subject to the
antidumping duty order unless a change
is determined to be warranted pursuant
to the final results of this changedcircumstances review.
We are issuing and publishing these
preliminary results and notice in
accordance with sections 751(b) and
777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.216.
Dated: November 16, 2009.
John M. Andersen,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Operations.
[FR Doc. E9–27929 Filed 11–19–09; 8:45 am]
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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY
COMMISSION
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Sunshine Act Meetings
TIME AND DATE: Wednesday, November
18, 2009, 10 a.m.–12 noon.
PLACE: Hearing Room 420, Bethesda
Towers, 4330 East West Highway,
Bethesda, Maryland.
STATUS: Closed to the Public.
Matter To Be Considered
The staff will brief the Commission on
various compliance matters.
17:03 Nov 19, 2009
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a copy of the FEIS. The complete text
of the Navy’s ROD is available for public
viewing on the project Web site at
https://www.nbkeis.gcsaic.com along
with copies of the FEIS and supporting
documents. Single copies of the ROD
will be made available upon request by
contacting Ms. Shannon Kasa, 619–553–
3889.
Dated: November 13, 2009.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9–27818 Filed 11–19–09; 8:45 am]
Dated: November 16, 2009.
A.M. Vallandingham,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate
General’s Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E9–27959 Filed 11–19–09; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Notice of Availability of Record of
Decision for the Swimmer Interdiction
Security System
Department of the Navy
Department of the Navy, DoD.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy
(Navy), after carefully weighing the
operational and environmental
consequences of the proposed action,
announces its decision to construct and
operate a Swimmer Interdiction
Security System at Naval Base KitsapBangor, Washington to find, identify,
and interdict surface and underwater
intruders for engagement by harbor
security forces, in furtherance of the
Navy’s statutory obligations under Title
10 of the United States Code governing
the roles and responsibilities of the
Navy. In its decision, the Navy
considered applicable laws and
executive orders, including an analysis
of the effects of its actions in
compliance with the Endangered
Species Act, the Coastal Zone
Management Act, and the National
Historic Preservation Act, and the
requirements of Executive Order (EO)
12898, Federal Actions to Address
Environmental Justice in Minority
Populations and Low Income
Populations and EO 13045, Protection
of Children from Environmental Health
Risks and Safety Risks.
The proposed action will be
accomplished as set out in Alternative
1, described in the Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS) as the preferred
alternative. Implementation of the
preferred alternative could begin
immediately.
The
Record of Decision (ROD) has been
distributed to all those individuals who
requested a copy of the FEIS and
agencies and organizations that received
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Compliance Weekly and Monthly
Reports—Commission Briefing
VerDate Nov<24>2008
For a recorded message containing the
latest agenda information, call (301)
504–7948.
CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Todd A. Stevenson, Office of the
Secretary, U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission, 4330 East West
Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814 (301)
504–7923.
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Notice of Availability and Notice of
Public Hearings for the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement/
Overseas Environmental Impact
Statement for the Guam and
Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands Military Relocation
Department of the Navy, DoD.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c)
of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA); the Council of
Environmental Quality (CEQ)
Regulations for implementing the
procedural provisions of NEPA (Title 40
Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts
1500–1508) and the Department of Navy
(DON) regulations for implementing
NEPA (32 CFR 775), DON announces
the availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement/
Overseas Environmental Impact
Statement (hereafter called the Draft
EIS) to evaluate the potential
environmental impacts associated with
relocating Marines from Okinawa, Japan
to Guam, constructing transient nuclear
aircraft carrier berthing facilities, and
establishing a U.S. Army Air and
Missile Defense Task Force (AMDTF) on
Guam.
The DON is the lead Federal agency
for development of the Draft EIS. The
agencies that have accepted the
invitation to participate as cooperating
agencies are U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Federal Highways
Administration, Federal Aviation
Administration, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Region 9, U.S. Office
of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, and U.S. Air Force.
The Draft EIS examines potential
environmental impacts from the three
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proposed actions included in the Guam
and Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands (CNMI) Military
Relocation. The Draft EIS also examines
off base mission critical, mission
support, and community support
infrastructure improvements needed to
ensure that Joint Region Marianas can
provide expanded direct support of the
DoD strategic mission and operational
readiness in the Western Pacific Region.
The Draft EIS considers reasonable
alternatives for siting operational,
training, and support facilities on Guam
and CNMI in addition to the no-action
alternative.
The DON will conduct six (6) public
hearings to receive oral and written
comments on the Draft EIS. Federal
agencies, territorial/local governmental
agencies, and interested individuals are
invited to be present or represented at
the public hearings. This notice
announces the dates and locations of the
public hearings for this Draft EIS.
A Notice of Intent for this Draft EIS/
OEIS was published in the Federal
Register on March 7, 2007 (72 FR
10186).
DATES: The public comment period for
the Draft EIS will start at 8:45 a.m.
(Eastern Standard Time) on November
20, 2009, with the publication of a
Notice of Availability in the Federal
Register by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and will end at
midnight (Eastern Standard Time) on
February 17, 2010. All comments on the
Draft EIS must be postmarked or
submitted by midnight (Eastern
Standard Time) on February 17, 2010.
The DON will hold six (6) public
hearings to receive oral and written
comments from the public on the Draft
EIS. These six (6) public hearings will
include a two-hour open house session
at the beginning of the public hearings
where the public can learn more about
the proposed actions and potential
environmental impacts from project
team members and subject matter
experts.
Public hearings and open house
sessions will be held as follows:
Thursday, January 7, 2010, open house
from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and public hearing
from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Southern High
School, Santa Rita, Guam; Saturday,
January 9, 2010, open house from 1 p.m.
to 3 p.m. and public hearing from 3 p.m.
to 5 p.m., University of Guam Field
House, Mangilao, Guam; Monday,
January 11, 2010, open house from 5
p.m. to 7 p.m. and public hearing from
7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Yigo Gymnasium, Yigo,
Guam; Tuesday, January 12, 2010, open
house from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and public
hearing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Okkodo
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:03 Nov 19, 2009
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High School, Dededo, Guam; Thursday,
January 14, 2010, open house from 5
p.m. to 7 p.m. and public hearing from
7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tinian Elementary
School, San Jose, Tinian; and Friday,
January 15, 2010, open house from 5
p.m. to 7 p.m. and public hearing from
7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Multi-Purpose Center,
Susupe, Saipan.
More information about the public
hearings and open house sessions can
be found on the official project Web site
at https://www.guambuildupeis.us/.
ADDRESSES: The public can provide
comments during the open houses/
public hearings through the Web site at
https://www.guambuildupeis.us/, or by
mail at: Joint Guam Program Office, c/
o Naval Facilities Engineering
Command Pacific, 258 Makalapa Drive,
Suite 100, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 96860–
3134, Attention: GPMO.
Electronic copies of the Draft EIS can
be downloaded from the official project
Web site at https://
www.guambuildupeis.us/. Copies of the
Draft EIS are available for public review
at the following libraries: University of
Guam Robert F. Kennedy Memorial
Library, Government Documents, Tan
Siu Lin Building, UOG Station,
Mangilao, GU 96923; Nieves M. Flores
Memorial Library, 254 Martyr Street,
˚ ˜
Hagatna, GU 96910; Joeten-Kiyu Public
Library, P.O. Box 501092, Saipan, MP
96950; Olympio T. Borja Memorial
Library, P.O. Box 501250, Saipan, MP
96950 and Tinian Public Library, P.O.
Box 520704, Tinian, MP 96952.
Electronic copies of the Draft EIS and
copies of the executive summary can
also be obtained on the project Web site
at https://www.guambuildupeis.us/, or by
contacting the Joint Guam Program
Office, c/o Naval Facilities Engineering
Command Pacific, 258 Makalapa Drive,
Suite 100, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 96860–
3134, Attention: GPMO.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
overarching purpose for the proposed
actions is to locate U.S. military forces
to meet international agreement and
treaty obligations and fulfill U.S.
government national security to provide
mutual defense, deter aggression, and
dissuade coercion in the Western Pacific
Region. The need of the proposed
actions is to meet various criteria based
upon U.S. policy, international
agreements, and treaties, including but
not limited to positioning forces to
defend the homeland and U.S. Pacific
territories; respond within a timely
response range; maintain regional
stability; provide flexibility to respond
to regional threats; defend U.S., Japan,
and allied interests, and other defense
related criteria. Guam’s location as the
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60245
westernmost part of the United States is
critical to U.S. national security
interests. In implementing U.S. national
security policy, the Department of
Defense would increase the role of
Guam and the CNMI through the
relocation of Marines to Guam,
increased presence of a transient aircraft
carrier, and enhanced capability to
protect the U.S. homeland, Pacific
territories, forces, and its allies from
ballistic missile attacks.
As a result of reviews of the U.S.
defense posture in the Pacific region
and a parallel review of U.S. force
posture supporting the U.S. alliance
with Japan, a portion of U.S. Marine
Corps forces currently located in
Okinawa, Japan would be relocated to
Guam. This relocation is proposed to
occur concurrent with proposed wharf
construction in Guam’s Apra Harbor to
support the Navy transiting nuclear
aircraft carriers. An Army AMDTF is
also proposed for Guam to protect the
U.S homeland, Pacific territories, forces
and its allies against the threat of harm
from ballistic missile attacks.
The Draft EIS was prepared to support
inform decision making based on an
understanding of the environmental
impacts of the proposed Guam and
CNMI military relocation and take
measures to protect, restore, and
enhance the environment. The decisions
to be made are whether and how to
implement the proposed actions.
The three proposed actions are briefly
stated as follows: (1) Develop and
construct facilities and infrastructure to
support approximately 8,600 Marines
and their 9,000 dependents relocated
from Okinawa to Guam and to support
training and operations on Guam and
CNMI for those relocated Marines; (2)
Develop and construct a new deep-draft
wharf with shore side infrastructure
improvements creating the capability in
Apra Harbor, Guam to support a
transient nuclear-powered aircraft
carrier; and (3) Develop and construct
facilities and infrastructure on Guam to
support approximately 600 military
personnel and their 900 dependents and
to establish and operate an Army
AMDTF.
The project locations addressed in
Draft EIS are on Guam and CNMI. Guam
and CNMI are part of the Mariana
Islands archipelago.
Facilities construction and
improvements would be necessary to
accommodate the proposed actions. The
proposed actions would entail increased
operational activities associated with
Marine Corps and Army basing, more
frequent ship berthing, and the
establishment of aviation maintenance
operations and facilities. There would
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also be increased opportunities for
additional military personnel to meet
critical training requirements. Training
could take the form of communications,
command and control, combat skills,
aviation, logistics, amphibious vehicle
maneuvers, and weapons firing
activities. Thus, required construction
would include the facilities and
infrastructure for maintaining a
permanent Marine Corps and Army
presence on Guam, and the creation of
new training ranges to accommodate
training a larger population of military
personnel. In summary, implementation
of the proposed actions would result in
the following: a temporary increase in
population related to the constructionrelated work force; a permanent increase
in number of military and civilian
personnel and dependents on Guam; an
increase in transient presence on Guam
and Tinian; an increase in number and
type of major equipment assets to
support military personnel and
operations (e.g., aircraft, ships,
amphibious watercraft); an increase in
number and type of training activities;
construction of new facilities;
improvements to existing facilities;
improvements to existing infrastructure
(including roads and utilities); and the
potential acquisition or long-term
leasing of additional land to support the
Marine Corps main cantonment area
and live fire training ranges on Guam.
To accomplish the Guam and CNMI
proposed actions, the DoD has
considered developmental and
operational alternatives as required by
NEPA. The Draft EIS analyzes a range of
alternatives for the proposed actions
including the no action alternative,
which represents the baseline.
The Draft EIS provides information on
the affected environment and impacts of
the proposed actions for eighteen
distinct resource areas. Volume 1 of the
Draft EIS provides an overview of the
proposed actions and alternatives.
Volumes 2 through 5 of the Draft EIS
provide details on the impacts of
individual proposed Marine Corps,
Navy and Army actions while Volume
6 addresses island-wide impacts of
utilities and proposed roadway
improvement projects. Volume 7
provides a summary of the impacts of
all of the proposed actions should the
preferred alternatives be implemented
as well as a discussion of cumulative
impacts. The Draft EIS evaluates the
following resource areas: groundwater,
marine water quality, coral, terrestrial
biology, socioeconomics, cultural
resources, recreation, roadways, air
quality, noise, and utilities (including
water, power and wastewater), among
others.
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:03 Nov 19, 2009
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joint
Guam Program Office in Guam at (671)
333–2302 or in Washington, DC at (703)
602–4716.
Dated: November 16, 2009.
A.M. Vallandingham
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate
General’s Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E9–27960 Filed 11–19–09; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
Department of Education.
The Acting Director,
Information Collection Clearance
Division, Regulatory Information
Management Services, Office of
Management invites comments on the
submission for OMB review as required
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY:
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before
December 21, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be addressed to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Attention: Education Desk Officer,
Office of Management and Budget, 725
17th Street, NW., Room 10222, New
Executive Office Building, Washington,
DC 20503, be faxed to (202) 395–5806 or
send e-mail to
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov.
Section
3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires
that the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) provide interested
Federal agencies and the public an early
opportunity to comment on information
collection requests. OMB may amend or
waive the requirement for public
consultation to the extent that public
participation in the approval process
would defeat the purpose of the
information collection, violate State or
Federal law, or substantially interfere
with any agency’s ability to perform its
statutory obligations. The Acting
Director, Information Collection
Clearance Division, Regulatory
Information Management Services,
Office of Management, publishes that
notice containing proposed information
collection requests prior to submission
of these requests to OMB. Each
proposed information collection,
grouped by office, contains the
following: (1) Type of review requested,
e.g., new, revision, extension, existing
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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or reinstatement; (2) Title; (3) Summary
of the collection; (4) Description of the
need for, and proposed use of, the
information; (5) Respondents and
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Reporting and/or Recordkeeping
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Dated: November 16, 2009.
Sheila Carey,
Acting Director, Information Collection
Clearance Division, Regulatory Information
Management Services, Office of Management.
Office of Special Education and
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Type of Review: Extension.
Title: Annual Performance Report for
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Frequency: Annually.
Affected Public: Federal Government;
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Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour
Burden:
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Burden Hours: 26,768.
Abstract: Section 4 of the Assistive
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Requests for copies of the information
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edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the
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1–800–877–8339.
[FR Doc. E9–27901 Filed 11–19–09; 8:45 am]
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 223 (Friday, November 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60244-60246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27960]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Hearings for the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact
Statement for the Guam and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Military Relocation
AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA); the Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ)
Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (Title
40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 1500-1508) and the
Department of Navy (DON) regulations for implementing NEPA (32 CFR
775), DON announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (hereafter called the
Draft EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated
with relocating Marines from Okinawa, Japan to Guam, constructing
transient nuclear aircraft carrier berthing facilities, and
establishing a U.S. Army Air and Missile Defense Task Force (AMDTF) on
Guam.
The DON is the lead Federal agency for development of the Draft
EIS. The agencies that have accepted the invitation to participate as
cooperating agencies are U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Federal
Highways Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Region 9, U.S. Office of Insular
Affairs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
and U.S. Air Force.
The Draft EIS examines potential environmental impacts from the
three
[[Page 60245]]
proposed actions included in the Guam and Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands (CNMI) Military Relocation. The Draft EIS also examines
off base mission critical, mission support, and community support
infrastructure improvements needed to ensure that Joint Region Marianas
can provide expanded direct support of the DoD strategic mission and
operational readiness in the Western Pacific Region.
The Draft EIS considers reasonable alternatives for siting
operational, training, and support facilities on Guam and CNMI in
addition to the no-action alternative.
The DON will conduct six (6) public hearings to receive oral and
written comments on the Draft EIS. Federal agencies, territorial/local
governmental agencies, and interested individuals are invited to be
present or represented at the public hearings. This notice announces
the dates and locations of the public hearings for this Draft EIS.
A Notice of Intent for this Draft EIS/OEIS was published in the
Federal Register on March 7, 2007 (72 FR 10186).
DATES: The public comment period for the Draft EIS will start at 8:45
a.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on November 20, 2009, with the publication
of a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and will end at midnight (Eastern
Standard Time) on February 17, 2010. All comments on the Draft EIS must
be postmarked or submitted by midnight (Eastern Standard Time) on
February 17, 2010.
The DON will hold six (6) public hearings to receive oral and
written comments from the public on the Draft EIS. These six (6) public
hearings will include a two-hour open house session at the beginning of
the public hearings where the public can learn more about the proposed
actions and potential environmental impacts from project team members
and subject matter experts.
Public hearings and open house sessions will be held as follows:
Thursday, January 7, 2010, open house from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and public
hearing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Southern High School, Santa Rita, Guam;
Saturday, January 9, 2010, open house from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and public
hearing from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., University of Guam Field House,
Mangilao, Guam; Monday, January 11, 2010, open house from 5 p.m. to 7
p.m. and public hearing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Yigo Gymnasium, Yigo,
Guam; Tuesday, January 12, 2010, open house from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and
public hearing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Okkodo High School, Dededo, Guam;
Thursday, January 14, 2010, open house from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and public
hearing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tinian Elementary School, San Jose,
Tinian; and Friday, January 15, 2010, open house from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
and public hearing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Multi-Purpose Center, Susupe,
Saipan.
More information about the public hearings and open house sessions
can be found on the official project Web site at https://www.guambuildupeis.us/.
ADDRESSES: The public can provide comments during the open houses/
public hearings through the Web site at https://www.guambuildupeis.us/,
or by mail at: Joint Guam Program Office, c/o Naval Facilities
Engineering Command Pacific, 258 Makalapa Drive, Suite 100, Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii 96860-3134, Attention: GPMO.
Electronic copies of the Draft EIS can be downloaded from the
official project Web site at https://www.guambuildupeis.us/. Copies of
the Draft EIS are available for public review at the following
libraries: University of Guam Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Library,
Government Documents, Tan Siu Lin Building, UOG Station, Mangilao, GU
96923; Nieves M. Flores Memorial Library, 254 Martyr Street,
Hag[aring]t[ntilde]a, GU 96910; Joeten-Kiyu Public Library, P.O. Box
501092, Saipan, MP 96950; Olympio T. Borja Memorial Library, P.O. Box
501250, Saipan, MP 96950 and Tinian Public Library, P.O. Box 520704,
Tinian, MP 96952.
Electronic copies of the Draft EIS and copies of the executive
summary can also be obtained on the project Web site at https://www.guambuildupeis.us/, or by contacting the Joint Guam Program Office,
c/o Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific, 258 Makalapa Drive,
Suite 100, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 96860-3134, Attention: GPMO.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The overarching purpose for the proposed
actions is to locate U.S. military forces to meet international
agreement and treaty obligations and fulfill U.S. government national
security to provide mutual defense, deter aggression, and dissuade
coercion in the Western Pacific Region. The need of the proposed
actions is to meet various criteria based upon U.S. policy,
international agreements, and treaties, including but not limited to
positioning forces to defend the homeland and U.S. Pacific territories;
respond within a timely response range; maintain regional stability;
provide flexibility to respond to regional threats; defend U.S., Japan,
and allied interests, and other defense related criteria. Guam's
location as the westernmost part of the United States is critical to
U.S. national security interests. In implementing U.S. national
security policy, the Department of Defense would increase the role of
Guam and the CNMI through the relocation of Marines to Guam, increased
presence of a transient aircraft carrier, and enhanced capability to
protect the U.S. homeland, Pacific territories, forces, and its allies
from ballistic missile attacks.
As a result of reviews of the U.S. defense posture in the Pacific
region and a parallel review of U.S. force posture supporting the U.S.
alliance with Japan, a portion of U.S. Marine Corps forces currently
located in Okinawa, Japan would be relocated to Guam. This relocation
is proposed to occur concurrent with proposed wharf construction in
Guam's Apra Harbor to support the Navy transiting nuclear aircraft
carriers. An Army AMDTF is also proposed for Guam to protect the U.S
homeland, Pacific territories, forces and its allies against the threat
of harm from ballistic missile attacks.
The Draft EIS was prepared to support inform decision making based
on an understanding of the environmental impacts of the proposed Guam
and CNMI military relocation and take measures to protect, restore, and
enhance the environment. The decisions to be made are whether and how
to implement the proposed actions.
The three proposed actions are briefly stated as follows: (1)
Develop and construct facilities and infrastructure to support
approximately 8,600 Marines and their 9,000 dependents relocated from
Okinawa to Guam and to support training and operations on Guam and CNMI
for those relocated Marines; (2) Develop and construct a new deep-draft
wharf with shore side infrastructure improvements creating the
capability in Apra Harbor, Guam to support a transient nuclear-powered
aircraft carrier; and (3) Develop and construct facilities and
infrastructure on Guam to support approximately 600 military personnel
and their 900 dependents and to establish and operate an Army AMDTF.
The project locations addressed in Draft EIS are on Guam and CNMI.
Guam and CNMI are part of the Mariana Islands archipelago.
Facilities construction and improvements would be necessary to
accommodate the proposed actions. The proposed actions would entail
increased operational activities associated with Marine Corps and Army
basing, more frequent ship berthing, and the establishment of aviation
maintenance operations and facilities. There would
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also be increased opportunities for additional military personnel to
meet critical training requirements. Training could take the form of
communications, command and control, combat skills, aviation,
logistics, amphibious vehicle maneuvers, and weapons firing activities.
Thus, required construction would include the facilities and
infrastructure for maintaining a permanent Marine Corps and Army
presence on Guam, and the creation of new training ranges to
accommodate training a larger population of military personnel. In
summary, implementation of the proposed actions would result in the
following: a temporary increase in population related to the
construction-related work force; a permanent increase in number of
military and civilian personnel and dependents on Guam; an increase in
transient presence on Guam and Tinian; an increase in number and type
of major equipment assets to support military personnel and operations
(e.g., aircraft, ships, amphibious watercraft); an increase in number
and type of training activities; construction of new facilities;
improvements to existing facilities; improvements to existing
infrastructure (including roads and utilities); and the potential
acquisition or long-term leasing of additional land to support the
Marine Corps main cantonment area and live fire training ranges on
Guam.
To accomplish the Guam and CNMI proposed actions, the DoD has
considered developmental and operational alternatives as required by
NEPA. The Draft EIS analyzes a range of alternatives for the proposed
actions including the no action alternative, which represents the
baseline.
The Draft EIS provides information on the affected environment and
impacts of the proposed actions for eighteen distinct resource areas.
Volume 1 of the Draft EIS provides an overview of the proposed actions
and alternatives. Volumes 2 through 5 of the Draft EIS provide details
on the impacts of individual proposed Marine Corps, Navy and Army
actions while Volume 6 addresses island-wide impacts of utilities and
proposed roadway improvement projects. Volume 7 provides a summary of
the impacts of all of the proposed actions should the preferred
alternatives be implemented as well as a discussion of cumulative
impacts. The Draft EIS evaluates the following resource areas:
groundwater, marine water quality, coral, terrestrial biology,
socioeconomics, cultural resources, recreation, roadways, air quality,
noise, and utilities (including water, power and wastewater), among
others.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joint Guam Program Office in Guam at
(671) 333-2302 or in Washington, DC at (703) 602-4716.
Dated: November 16, 2009.
A.M. Vallandingham
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-27960 Filed 11-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P
