Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period for the Notice of Intent To Prepare the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Joint Military Training Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement, 23920 [2013-09498]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Department of the Navy

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 23920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09498]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period for the Notice of 
Intent To Prepare the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands 
Joint Military Training Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC), as the Executive 
Agent designated by the United States (U.S.) Pacific Command (PACOM), 
is extending the public scoping comment period for the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Joint Military Training 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Overseas EIS (OEIS) until May 13, 
2013. A Notice of Intent (NOI) was published in the Federal Register on 
Thursday, March 14, 2013 (Vol. 78, No. 50, Pages 16257-16259). The 
Notice announced the initial public scoping comment period, including 
three public scoping meetings that took place on Wednesday, April 10, 
2013; Thursday, April 11, 2013 and Friday, April 12, 2013. The public 
scoping meetings provided an opportunity for the public to obtain 
additional information and provide comments on the proposed action. The 
NOI requested the submission of all public scoping comments to 
MARFORPAC by April 29, 2013 Chamorro Standard Time (ChST). With this 
Notice, MARFORPAC is extending the public scoping comment period until 
May 13, 2013 (ChST).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please visit the project Web site or 
contact the CNMI Joint Military Training EIS/OEIS Project Manager by 
telephone at 808-472-1253 or by email via the project Web site 
(www.cnmijointmilitarytrainingeis.com).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section (102)(2)(c) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the 
Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 Code of Federal 
Regulations parts 1500-1508), and Executive Order 12114, and United 
States Marine Corps NEPA implementing regulations in Marine Corps Order 
P5090.2A, MARFORPAC, as the Executive Agent designated by PACOM, 
announces its intent to prepare an EIS/OEIS to evaluate the potential 
impacts associated with preliminary alternatives for meeting PACOM 
Service Components' unfilled unit level and combined level military 
training requirements in the Western Pacific. The proposed action is to 
establish a series of live-fire and maneuver Ranges and Training Areas 
(RTAs) within the CNMI to meet this purpose.
    Existing Department of Defense RTAs and support facilities in the 
Western Pacific, particularly those in the Mariana Islands, are 
insufficient to support PACOM Service Components' U.S. Code (U.S.C.) 
Title 10 training requirements for the region. The expansion of 
existing RTAs and construction of new RTAs will satisfy identified 
training deficiencies for PACOM forces that are based in or regularly 
train in the Mariana Islands. These RTAs will be available to U.S. 
forces and their allies on a continuous and uninterrupted schedule. 
These RTAs are needed to support ongoing operational requirements, 
changes to U.S. force structure and geographic positioning of forces, 
and U.S. training relationships with allied nations.
    MARFORPAC, as the Executive Agent, has invited the Federal Aviation 
Administration; International Broadcasting Bureau; U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers; National Marine Fisheries Service; U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service; and U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Insular Affairs, to 
participate as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS/OEIS. 
MARFORPAC has also developed a Memorandum of Understanding with the 
military services regarding their support and engagement in the 
development of the EIS/OEIS.
    More information on the proposed action can be found on the 
previously published NOI (see Federal Register on March 14, 2013 (Vol. 
78, No. 50, Pages 16257-16259)). Federal, State, and local agencies, 
elected officials, and other interested parties and individuals, are 
invited and encouraged to review and comment on proposed action. 
Comments on the proposed action can be submitted via the project Web 
site (www.cnmijointmilitarytrainingeis.com) or submitted in writing to: 
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Attn: EV21, CNMI Joint 
Military Training EIS/OEIS Project Manager, 258 Makalapa Drive, Suite 
100, JBPHH, HI 96860-3134.
    All comments must be postmarked or electronically dated on or 
before May 13, 2013 (ChST).

C.K. Chiappetta,
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy. 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-09498 Filed 4-22-13; 8:45 am]
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