Legislative Environmental Impact Statement Addressing Land Withdrawal Extension at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, 53038-53039 [2021-20661]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Department of the Army

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 183 (Friday, September 24, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53038-53039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20661]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Legislative Environmental Impact Statement Addressing Land 
Withdrawal Extension at Fort Wainwright, Alaska

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army (Army) announces its intent to 
conduct public scoping under the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) and solicit public comments to gather information to prepare a 
Legislative Environmental Impact Statement (LEIS) to address continued 
military use of the Yukon Training Area, near Fort Wainwright, and 
Donnelly Training Area East and Donnelly Training Area West, near Delta 
Junction, Alaska. The scoping process will help identify reasonable 
alternatives, potential environmental impacts, and key issues of 
concern to be evaluated in the LEIS. Information presented in the LEIS 
will inform proposed legislation presented to Congress and ultimately 
Congress's decision regarding the proposed action. The current land 
withdrawal will expire on November 6, 2026, unless Congress enacts 
legislation to extend it. The Army is requesting identification of 
potential alternatives, information sources, and analysis relevant to 
the proposed action. The scoping period will last 30 days and will 
include a virtual public meeting.

DATES: Comments must be received by October 25, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to Laura Sample, NEPA Program 
Manager at: Directorate of Public Works, ATTN: AMIM-AKP-E (L. Sample), 
1046 Marks Road #4500, Fort Wainwright, AK 99703-4500, email: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please contact Grant Sattler, Public 
Affairs Office, AMIM-AKG-PA (Sattler), 1060 Gaffney Road #5900, Fort 
Wainwright, AK 99703-5900; telephone (907) 353-6701; email: 
[email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In October 1999 Congress, through the 
Military Lands Withdrawal Act (Pub. L. [Pub. L.] 106-65), withdrew 
869,862 acres of public land comprising Yukon Training Area, Donnelly 
Training Area East, and Donnelly Training Area West from all forms of 
appropriation under public land laws and reserved them for use by the 
Army. The withdrawal extended to November 6, 2026. The Army has 
determined there is a continuing military need for this land and is 
requesting to extend its use of the three training areas, which remain 
officially under the management of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM).
    The Engle Act (Pub. L. 85-337, 43 United States Code Sec.  155ff) 
requires land withdrawals in excess of 5,000 acres be authorized by 
Congress through legislation. The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) 
has authority to process federal land withdrawal applications (43 Code 
of Federal Regulations [CFR] Part 2300). The Military Lands Withdrawal 
Act requires the Army to notify the Secretary of the Interior and 
Congress whether there is a continuing military need of the withdrawn 
land. Subsequently, the Army and DOI shall submit a legislative 
proposal for the proposed action to Congress not later than May 1, 
2025. The BLM, a subordinate agency within the DOI, has agreed to 
participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the LEIS as 
part of the legislative proposal.
    Fort Wainwright, Alaska is in the interior of Alaska in the 
Fairbanks North Star Borough and is home to the U.S. Army Garrison 
Alaska and units of U.S. Army Alaska. The Yukon Training Area covers 
approximately 246,277 acres and is located approximately 16 miles east-
southeast of Fairbanks and immediately east of Eielson Air Force Base. 
Donnelly Training Areas East and West are located near Fort Greely in 
the Tanana River valley in central Alaska approximately 80 miles 
southeast from Fort Wainwright, near the city of Delta Junction in the 
Southeast Fairbanks Census Area. Donnelly Training Area East is 
approximately 51,590 acres and Donnelly Training Area West is 
approximately 571,995 acres.
    The purpose of the proposed action is to obtain an extension of the 
land withdrawal of the three training areas for 25 years or more, or 
have the land assigned to the control of the Secretary of the Army 
until such time as the Army determines it no longer needs the land for 
military purposes. The Army requires the continued use of the training 
areas on withdrawn land to execute and fulfill its mission in Alaska. 
Access to the withdrawn land enables the Army to produce a force 
trained to mobilize, deploy, fight, and win anywhere in the world. Army 
training conditions must match or closely resemble all possible 
environments throughout the world, including arctic and subarctic 
conditions. In addition to Army training needs, the U.S. Air Force 
plans, conducts, and coordinates air operations in the restricted 
airspace over the withdrawn land.
    To understand the environmental consequences of the decision to be 
made, the LEIS will evaluate the reasonably foreseeable effects 
resulting from the project alternatives. Alternatives to be considered 
include (1) extending the land withdrawal for 25 years or more, or 
assigning control of the land to the Secretary of the Army until such 
time as the Army determines it no longer needs the land for military 
purposes, and (2) a No Action alternative, under which the withdrawal 
would not be extended and uncontaminated portions of the withdrawn land 
would be returned to the management of the DOI. Other reasonable 
alternatives raised during the scoping process and capable of meeting 
the project's purpose and need may be considered for evaluation in the 
LEIS.
    The Army will analyze potential impacts for the following resource 
areas: Recreational uses of the withdrawn land; subsistence uses 
according to the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 
Section 810; air quality; noise; soil; water quality; wildlife; timber 
management; archaeological sites and districts; traffic and 
transportation; and hazardous materials. The LEIS will also identify 
mitigation measures that would reduce or eliminate adverse impacts. The 
environmental analysis will include consultation with the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service and the Alaska State Historic Preservation Office and 
other

[[Page 53039]]

Federal, state, and tribal entities. Significant impacts may include 
economic impacts to the communities of Delta Junction and Fairbanks, 
recreational and military use of airspace, including currently 
restricted airspace, utilities and infrastructure, and hazardous and 
toxic materials and waste.
    Following the 30-day scoping period, and after consideration of 
comments received during scoping, the Army will prepare a Draft LEIS. 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will announce the availability 
of the Draft LEIS in the Federal Register. The Army will also announce 
the release of the Draft LEIS in local media outlets, kicking off a 
public comment period during which it will hold public meetings. In 
accordance with 40 CFR 1506.8 a Final LEIS is not required for the 
legislative EIS process, and it will not be prepared for this action. 
Public comments on the Draft LEIS will be submitted as part of the 
legislative proposal.
    Federal, state, and local agencies, Alaska Native tribes, Alaska 
Native tribal organizations, and the public are invited to be involved 
in the scoping process for the preparation of this LEIS by 
participating in a scoping meeting and submitting written comments. To 
assist the Army in the development of this LEIS, the Army encourages 
submission of comments on potential alternatives, potential 
environmental impacts, information, and analyses relevant to the 
proposed action. Written comments must be sent within 30 days of 
publication of this Notice of Intent in the Federal Register. In the 
interest of public health, scoping meetings will be held in a virtual 
environment and the date(s) will be posted online at https://home.army.mil/alaska/index.php/fort-wainwright/NEPA. Date(s) and 
time(s) for the public meeting will also be advertised in local area 
newspapers.
    The Draft LEIS is anticipated to be published in summer 2022. The 
decision for this action will be made by Congress.

James W. Satterwhite Jr.,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-20661 Filed 9-23-21; 8:45 am]
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