Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Hawaii-California Training and Testing Activities, 86885-86887 [2023-26905]
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ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 240 / Friday, December 15, 2023 / Notices
Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)
F–15 fighter aircraft and constructing
proposed infrastructure upgrades at
Andersen AFB. The beddown of 12
RSAF F–15 fighter aircraft is in addition
to what was previously proposed.
DATES: A public scoping period of 30
days, to update the public on changes to
the DAF’s proposal that have occurred
since the original scoping period ended
on May 30, 2021, will take place starting
from the date of this NOI publication in
the Federal Register. Comments will be
accepted at any time during the
environmental impact analysis process;
however, to ensure the DAF has
sufficient time to consider public
scoping comments during preparation of
the Draft EIS, please submit comments
within the 30-day scoping period. The
Draft EIS is anticipated mid-2024. The
Final EIS and a decision on the
Proposed Action are expected in early to
mid-2025.
ADDRESSES: For EIS inquires or requests
for printed or digital copies of scoping
materials, please contact Mr. David
Martin, phone: (210) 925–4266 or
david.martin.127@us.af.mil, or postal
address provided below. The project
website
(www.AAFBInfraandF15EIS.com)
provides additional information on the
EIS and can be used to submit scoping
comments. Scoping comments may also
be submitted via postal mail to 36th
Civil Engineer Squadron, ATTN: CEV
(AAFB F–15 and Infrastructure EIS),
Unit 14007, APO, AP 96543–4007. For
printed material requests, the standard
U.S. Postal Service shipping timeline
will apply. Please consider the
environment before requesting printed
material.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DAF
is proposing to beddown and support
the mission of 12 RSAF F–15 fighter
aircraft, and construct infrastructure
upgrades at Andersen AFB, Guam.
Following the initial scoping period
conducted in April to May 2021 (86 FR
20487, April 20, 2021), the DAF placed
the EIS on a strategic pause to further
consider the scope of the EIS, including
the requirements of evolving strategic
initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region and
how the Proposed Action could best
support these initiatives. As a result of
the strategic pause, the DAF revised the
scope of the Proposed Action to include
the beddown of 12 RSAF F–15 fighter
aircraft and associated mission support.
The purpose of the Proposed Action is
to provide critical infrastructure that
enhances U.S. posture west of the
International Date Line. Additionally,
the purpose of the Proposed Action is to
beddown and operate Republic of
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Jkt 262001
Singapore Air Force fighter aircraft at
Andersen AFB to support training
requirements. The Proposed Action is
needed to enhance DAF capability to
support U.S. and partner nation forces
within the Indo-Pacific region and
strengthen the U.S.’s ability to respond
regionally and worldwide, through
construction of infrastructure upgrades
and increased support of fighter aircraft,
in alignment with evolving DAF and
DoD strategies and initiatives for the
region. Increasing and improving
airfield and munitions infrastructure
would address capability gaps and
allow for greater efficiencies and agility
in the way ground operations are
conducted. The DAF is the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) lead
agency, and the U.S. Navy is a
cooperating agency for this EIS process.
Under this proposal, the DAF is
considering the beddown and mission
support of 12 RSAF F–15 fighter
aircraft, increase in annual airfield
operations, increase in personnel to
support the mission, and new
infrastructure upgrades adjacent to the
northwest corner of the airfield and
within the munitions storage area at
Andersen AFB. Construction would take
place over approximately 3 to 7 years
and would include airfield pavements,
an aircraft hangar, maintenance and
utilities buildings, fuel systems, fencing
and utilities, roadways and parking,
stormwater management infrastructure,
and earth covered magazines.
Approximately 209 total acres would be
disturbed during construction, which
would be either developed sites or
maintained vegetation once
construction is complete. The proposed
infrastructure has multiple uses and
could support both the RSAF F–15
beddown and other DAF, service
component, and partner nation aircraft
or missions operating from Andersen
AFB now or in the future. The DAF
reviewed requirements for strategic
capabilities within the Indo-Pacific
region and identified Andersen AFB for
enhanced capabilities, including
beddown of 12 RSAF F–15 aircraft and
upgrade of operationally relevant
infrastructure, dismissing five other
potential alternative locations within
the Pacific Air Forces area of
responsibility from consideration. Once
Andersen AFB was identified for
enhanced strategic capabilities, the DAF
considered other locations on Andersen
AFB for construction of infrastructure
upgrades; however, only the Proposed
Action locations were determined to
meet the criteria for the infrastructure
upgrades. The No Action Alternative
will also be addressed in the EIS.
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86885
Additional review and consultation
which will be incorporated into the
preparation of the Draft EIS will
include, but are not necessarily limited
to, consultation under Section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act and
consultation under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act. The
DAF will conduct cultural and natural
resources surveys in the areas proposed
for upgrades and consult with
appropriate resource agencies to
determine the potential for significant
impacts on those resources. The Draft
EIS will present the analysis of the
potential effects of the Proposed Action
and alternatives, which may include
effects on historic properties, sensitive
species or habitat, socioeconomics, and
the noise environment among other
currently unknown potential effects.
Any required permits or authorizations
will be determined through the EIS
analysis process and presented in the
Draft EIS.
Scoping and Agency Coordination: To
effectively define the full range of issues
to be evaluated in the EIS, the DAF is
soliciting comments from interested
local, territorial, and federal elected
officials and agencies, as well as
interested members of the public and
other stakeholders. Comments are
requested on potential alternatives and
impacts, and identification of any
relevant information, studies, or
analyses of any kind concerning impacts
affecting the quality of the human
environment. Concurrent with the
publication of this Notice of Intent,
public scoping notices will be
announced locally. Public scoping
updates will be accomplished via the
project website at
www.AAFBInfraandF15EIS.com. The
website provides posters, an
informational brochure, and other
scoping materials, and the capability for
the public to provide public scoping
comments.
Tommy W. Lee,
Acting Air Force Federal Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023–27166 Filed 12–14–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–10–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement/
Overseas Environmental Impact
Statement for Hawaii-California
Training and Testing Activities
Department of the Navy (DoN),
Department of Defense (DoD).
AGENCY:
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86886
ACTION:
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 240 / Friday, December 15, 2023 / Notices
Notice.
Pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, and regulations implemented by
the Council on Environmental Quality,
the Department of the Navy
(DoN)(including both the U.S. Navy and
the U.S. Marine Corps) in cooperation
with the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army,
and U.S. Air Force, announces its intent
to prepare the Hawaii-California
Training and Testing (HCTT)
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/
Overseas EIS (OEIS). The HCTT EIS/
OEIS will include an analysis of range
sustainment and modernization
activities, training activities; and
research, development, testing, and
evaluation activities (hereafter referred
to as ‘‘testing’’) that will be conducted
in the HCTT Study Area. When
discussed together, training and testing
are also referred to as ‘‘military
readiness activities.’’ The DoN is
initiating a 45-day public scoping
process to receive comments on the
scope of the EIS/OEIS including
identification of potential alternatives
and environmental concerns,
information and analyses relevant to the
Proposed Action, issues the public
would like to see addressed in the EIS/
OEIS, and the project’s potential to
affect historic properties pursuant to
section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966.
DATES: The 45-day public scoping
period begins on December 15, 2023,
and extends to January 29, 2024. The
scoping period is extended 15 calendar
days (from the usual 30-day period)
since it overlaps with the holidays.
Comments must be postmarked or
submitted electronically via the website
no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on
January 29, 2024 for consideration in
the Draft EIS/OEIS. The DoN will host
a virtual open house presentation on the
project website during the scoping
period to provide information related to
the Proposed Action, its purpose and
need, environmental resource areas to
be analyzed in the EIS/OEIS, the NEPA
process, the consultation under NHPA,
and public involvement opportunities.
ADDRESSES: The DoN invites all
interested parties to submit scoping
comments on the EIS/OEIS or
information regarding historic
properties or section 106 consulting
party interest through the project
website at https://www.nepa.navy.mil/
hctteis or by mail to: Naval Facilities
Engineering Systems Command, Pacific,
Attention: HCTT EIS/OEIS Project
Manager, 258 Makalapa Drive, Suite
100, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860–3134.
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:57 Dec 14, 2023
U.S.
Pacific Fleet Command, Attn: Mr. Sean
Gano, Environmental Public Affairs
Specialist, 808–474–8441, or visit the
project website: https://www.nepa.
navy.mil/hctteis.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet is the
DoN’s lead action proponent.
Additional DoN action proponents
include Naval Sea Systems Command,
Naval Air Systems Command, Naval
Information Warfare Systems Command,
Office of Naval Research, Naval
Facilities Engineering Expeditionary
Warfare Center, and the U.S. Marine
Corps (USMC). In addition, this EIS/
OEIS includes certain activities by the
U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army, and U.S.
Air Force when those activities are
similar to Navy or Marine Corps
activities and are scheduled on Navy
controlled at-sea ranges.
Proposed military readiness activities
are consistent with those analyzed in
the 2018 Hawaii-Southern California
Training and Testing (HSTT) EIS/OEIS
and the 2022 Point Mugu Sea Range
(PMSR) EIS/OEIS, and are
representative of training and testing
activities that have been conducted off
Hawaii and California for more than 80
years.
The EIS/OEIS will include an analysis
of military readiness activities using
new information including an updated
acoustic effects analysis, updated
marine mammal density data, and
evolving and emergent best available
science.
The HCTT Study Area (hereafter
referred to as the (‘‘Study Area’’) is
comprised of established operating and
warning areas across the Pacific Ocean,
from California west to Hawaii and the
International Date Line. The HCTT
Study Area differs from the HSTT Study
Area in that HCTT includes an extended
Southern California (SOCAL) Range
Complex; special use airspace
corresponding to the new extensions
(Proposed W–293 and W–294); two
existing training and testing ranges, the
PMSR and Northern California (NOCAL)
Range Complex; areas along the
Southern California coastline from
approximately Dana Point to Port
Hueneme; and four amphibious
approach lanes providing land access
from the NOCAL Range Complex and
PMSR. The Study Area also includes inwater areas of San Diego Bay, Port
Hueneme, and Pearl Harbor, including
select pierside facilities associated with
DoN ports and naval shipyards and a
transit corridor on the high seas and the
channels and routes to and from those
ports that are not part of the range
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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complexes, where training and testing
may occur during vessel transit.
The purpose of the Proposed Action
is to ensure U.S. military services are
able to organize, train, and equip service
members and personnel to meet their
respective national defense missions in
accordance with their Congressionally
mandated requirements 1 and advance
joint interoperability in Navy led
exercises with other military service.
The Proposed Action is to conduct atsea military readiness activities and
range modernization within HCTT the
Study Area. Activities include the use of
active sonar and explosives while
employing marine species protective
mitigation measures.
The Navy has identified two
preliminary action alternatives to carry
forward for analysis in the EIS/OEIS
along with the No Action Alternative.
Alternative 1 reflects a representative
year of training and testing to account
for the natural fluctuation of training
cycles and deployment schedules that
generally limit the maximum level of
training occurring every year over any
seven-year period. Alternative 2 reflects
the maximum number of training and
testing activities that could occur within
a given year and assumes that the
maximum level of activity would occur
every year over any seven-year period.
As required by NEPA for the purpose of
establishing a baseline for analysis, a No
Action Alternative will be evaluated
which represents a scenario where no
military readiness activities are
conducted in the Study Area. The
tempo and types of training and testing
activities have fluctuated because of the
introduction of new technologies, the
evolving nature of international events,
advances in war fighting doctrine and
procedures, and changes in force
structure (organization of ships,
submarines, aircraft, weapons, and
Sailors). Such developments influence
the frequency, duration, intensity, and
location of required training and testing
activities. The HCTT EIS/OEIS will
reflect the current compilation of
training and testing activities required
to fulfill the military readiness
requirements, and therefore both action
alternatives include the analysis of
newly proposed activities and changes
to previously analyzed activities.
Additionally, both action alternatives
will include modernization and
sustainment of ranges necessary to
support military readiness activities.
Modernization and sustainment
1 10 United States Code (U.S.C.), sections 8062
(Navy), 8063 (USMC), 7062 (U.S. Army), 9062 (U.S.
Air Force) and 14 U.S.C., sections 101 and 102
(USCG).
E:\FR\FM\15DEN1.SGM
15DEN1
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 240 / Friday, December 15, 2023 / Notices
proposals include new special use
airspace in Southern California, an
expansion of an underwater training
range near San Clemente Island, and
installation and maintenance of mine
training areas off Hawaii and California.
Environmental resources that are
determined to be potentially affected are
carried forward for full analysis.
Resources to be evaluated include, but
are not limited to, biological resources
(including marine mammals, reptiles,
fishes, vegetation, invertebrates,
habitats, birds, and other protected
species), sediments and water quality,
air quality, cultural resources,
socioeconomic resources, and public
health and safety. The EIS/OEIS will
also analyze measures that would avoid,
minimize, or mitigate environmental
effects. The Navy will conduct all
coordination and consultation activities
required by the Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA), NHPA,
Endangered Species Act (ESA), National
Marine Sanctuaries Act, MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, Clean Water Act,
Rivers and Harbor Act, Coastal Zone
Management Act, Clean Air Act, and
other laws and regulations determined
to be applicable to the project. As part
of this process, the DoN will seek the
issuance of regulatory permits and
authorizations under MMPA and ESA to
support at-sea mission readiness
activities within the Study Area,
beginning in December 2025.
Pursuant to 40 CFR 1501.8, the DoN
invited the National Marine Fisheries
Service and the Federal Aviation
Administration to be cooperating
agencies in preparation of the EIS/OEIS.
The scoping process invites
comments on the scope of the EIS/OEIS
including identification of potential
alternatives, information and analyses
relevant to the Proposed Action,
identification of environmental
concerns, issues the public would like
to see addressed in the EIS/OEIS, and
the projects potential to affect historic
properties pursuant to Section 106 of
the NHPA. Parties with demonstrated
interest in the undertaking and its
effects on historic properties may
request to become a consulting party in
the section 106 process. Federal
agencies, State agencies, local agencies,
Native American Indian Tribes and
Nations, Native Hawaiian
Organizations, the public, and
interested persons are encouraged to
provide comments.
Comments must be postmarked or
submitted electronically via the website
no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on
January 29, 2024 for consideration
during the development of the Draft
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:57 Dec 14, 2023
Jkt 262001
EIS/OEIS. Comments can be submitted
electronically via the project website at
https://www.nepa.navy.mil/hctteis or
mailed to the address noted above.
After the scoping period, DoN will
coordinate with participating and
cooperating agencies to develop a Draft
EIS/OEIS. The DoN intends to release
the Draft EIS/OEIS in the fall of 2024,
release the Final EIS/OEIS in the fall of
2025, and sign a Record of Decision
following the 30-day Final EIS/OEIS
wait period.
Dated: December 4, 2023.
J.E. Koningisor,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate
General’s Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023–26905 Filed 12–14–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[Docket No.: ED–2023–SCC–0212]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Comment Request; U.S.
Department of Education Grant
Performance Report Form (ED 524B)
Office of Finance and
Operations (OFO), Department of
Education (ED).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of
1995, the Department is proposing a
revision of a currently approved
information collection request (ICR).
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before February
13, 2024.
ADDRESSES: To access and review all the
documents related to the information
collection listed in this notice, please
use https://www.regulations.gov by
searching the Docket ID number ED–
2023–SCC–0212. Comments submitted
in response to this notice should be
submitted electronically through the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov by selecting the
Docket ID number or via postal mail,
commercial delivery, or hand delivery.
If the regulations.gov site is not
available to the public for any reason,
the Department will temporarily accept
comments at ICDocketMgr@ed.gov.
Please include the docket ID number
and the title of the information
collection request when requesting
documents or submitting comments.
Please note that comments submitted
after the comment period will not be
accepted. Written requests for
information or comments submitted by
postal mail or delivery should be
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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86887
addressed to the Manager of the
Strategic Collections and Clearance
Governance and Strategy Division, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Ave. SW, LBJ, Room 6W203,
Washington, DC 20202–8240.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
specific questions related to collection
activities, please contact Cleveland
Knight, 202–987–0064.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Department, in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA)
(44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the
general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on
proposed, revised, and continuing
collections of information. This helps
the Department assess the impact of its
information collection requirements and
minimize the public’s reporting burden.
It also helps the public understand the
Department’s information collection
requirements and provide the requested
data in the desired format. The
Department is soliciting comments on
the proposed information collection
request (ICR) that is described below.
The Department is especially interested
in public comment addressing the
following issues: (1) is this collection
necessary to the proper functions of the
Department; (2) will this information be
processed and used in a timely manner;
(3) is the estimate of burden accurate;
(4) how might the Department enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (5) how
might the Department minimize the
burden of this collection on the
respondents, including through the use
of information technology. Please note
that written comments received in
response to this notice will be
considered public records.
Title of Collection: U.S. Department of
Education Grant Performance Report
Form (ED 524B).
OMB Control Number: 1894–0003.
Type of Review: Revision of a
currently approved ICR.
Respondents/Affected Public: State,
Local, and Tribal Governments.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Responses: 13,300.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Burden Hours: 297,800.
Abstract: The ED 524B form and
instructions are used by many ED
discretionary grant programs to enable
grantees to meet ED deadline dates for
submission of performance reports to
the Department.
As an interim (usually annual)
performance report, ED uses the
information submitted by grantees in
the ED 524B to evaluate grantee
performance and progress and to
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 240 (Friday, December 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86885-86887]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26905]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Hawaii-California Training
and Testing Activities
AGENCY: Department of the Navy (DoN), Department of Defense (DoD).
[[Page 86886]]
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, and regulations implemented by the Council on Environmental
Quality, the Department of the Navy (DoN)(including both the U.S. Navy
and the U.S. Marine Corps) in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard,
U.S. Army, and U.S. Air Force, announces its intent to prepare the
Hawaii-California Training and Testing (HCTT) Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS)/Overseas EIS (OEIS). The HCTT EIS/OEIS will include an
analysis of range sustainment and modernization activities, training
activities; and research, development, testing, and evaluation
activities (hereafter referred to as ``testing'') that will be
conducted in the HCTT Study Area. When discussed together, training and
testing are also referred to as ``military readiness activities.'' The
DoN is initiating a 45-day public scoping process to receive comments
on the scope of the EIS/OEIS including identification of potential
alternatives and environmental concerns, information and analyses
relevant to the Proposed Action, issues the public would like to see
addressed in the EIS/OEIS, and the project's potential to affect
historic properties pursuant to section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966.
DATES: The 45-day public scoping period begins on December 15, 2023,
and extends to January 29, 2024. The scoping period is extended 15
calendar days (from the usual 30-day period) since it overlaps with the
holidays. Comments must be postmarked or submitted electronically via
the website no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on January 29, 2024
for consideration in the Draft EIS/OEIS. The DoN will host a virtual
open house presentation on the project website during the scoping
period to provide information related to the Proposed Action, its
purpose and need, environmental resource areas to be analyzed in the
EIS/OEIS, the NEPA process, the consultation under NHPA, and public
involvement opportunities.
ADDRESSES: The DoN invites all interested parties to submit scoping
comments on the EIS/OEIS or information regarding historic properties
or section 106 consulting party interest through the project website at
https://www.nepa.navy.mil/hctteis or by mail to: Naval Facilities
Engineering Systems Command, Pacific, Attention: HCTT EIS/OEIS Project
Manager, 258 Makalapa Drive, Suite 100, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3134.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Pacific Fleet Command, Attn: Mr.
Sean Gano, Environmental Public Affairs Specialist, 808-474-8441, or
visit the project website: https://www.nepa.navy.mil/hctteis.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet is the DoN's
lead action proponent. Additional DoN action proponents include Naval
Sea Systems Command, Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Information
Warfare Systems Command, Office of Naval Research, Naval Facilities
Engineering Expeditionary Warfare Center, and the U.S. Marine Corps
(USMC). In addition, this EIS/OEIS includes certain activities by the
U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army, and U.S. Air Force when those activities
are similar to Navy or Marine Corps activities and are scheduled on
Navy controlled at-sea ranges.
Proposed military readiness activities are consistent with those
analyzed in the 2018 Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing
(HSTT) EIS/OEIS and the 2022 Point Mugu Sea Range (PMSR) EIS/OEIS, and
are representative of training and testing activities that have been
conducted off Hawaii and California for more than 80 years.
The EIS/OEIS will include an analysis of military readiness
activities using new information including an updated acoustic effects
analysis, updated marine mammal density data, and evolving and emergent
best available science.
The HCTT Study Area (hereafter referred to as the (``Study Area'')
is comprised of established operating and warning areas across the
Pacific Ocean, from California west to Hawaii and the International
Date Line. The HCTT Study Area differs from the HSTT Study Area in that
HCTT includes an extended Southern California (SOCAL) Range Complex;
special use airspace corresponding to the new extensions (Proposed W-
293 and W-294); two existing training and testing ranges, the PMSR and
Northern California (NOCAL) Range Complex; areas along the Southern
California coastline from approximately Dana Point to Port Hueneme; and
four amphibious approach lanes providing land access from the NOCAL
Range Complex and PMSR. The Study Area also includes in-water areas of
San Diego Bay, Port Hueneme, and Pearl Harbor, including select
pierside facilities associated with DoN ports and naval shipyards and a
transit corridor on the high seas and the channels and routes to and
from those ports that are not part of the range complexes, where
training and testing may occur during vessel transit.
The purpose of the Proposed Action is to ensure U.S. military
services are able to organize, train, and equip service members and
personnel to meet their respective national defense missions in
accordance with their Congressionally mandated requirements \1\ and
advance joint interoperability in Navy led exercises with other
military service.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 10 United States Code (U.S.C.), sections 8062 (Navy), 8063
(USMC), 7062 (U.S. Army), 9062 (U.S. Air Force) and 14 U.S.C.,
sections 101 and 102 (USCG).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Proposed Action is to conduct at-sea military readiness
activities and range modernization within HCTT the Study Area.
Activities include the use of active sonar and explosives while
employing marine species protective mitigation measures.
The Navy has identified two preliminary action alternatives to
carry forward for analysis in the EIS/OEIS along with the No Action
Alternative. Alternative 1 reflects a representative year of training
and testing to account for the natural fluctuation of training cycles
and deployment schedules that generally limit the maximum level of
training occurring every year over any seven-year period. Alternative 2
reflects the maximum number of training and testing activities that
could occur within a given year and assumes that the maximum level of
activity would occur every year over any seven-year period. As required
by NEPA for the purpose of establishing a baseline for analysis, a No
Action Alternative will be evaluated which represents a scenario where
no military readiness activities are conducted in the Study Area. The
tempo and types of training and testing activities have fluctuated
because of the introduction of new technologies, the evolving nature of
international events, advances in war fighting doctrine and procedures,
and changes in force structure (organization of ships, submarines,
aircraft, weapons, and Sailors). Such developments influence the
frequency, duration, intensity, and location of required training and
testing activities. The HCTT EIS/OEIS will reflect the current
compilation of training and testing activities required to fulfill the
military readiness requirements, and therefore both action alternatives
include the analysis of newly proposed activities and changes to
previously analyzed activities. Additionally, both action alternatives
will include modernization and sustainment of ranges necessary to
support military readiness activities. Modernization and sustainment
[[Page 86887]]
proposals include new special use airspace in Southern California, an
expansion of an underwater training range near San Clemente Island, and
installation and maintenance of mine training areas off Hawaii and
California.
Environmental resources that are determined to be potentially
affected are carried forward for full analysis. Resources to be
evaluated include, but are not limited to, biological resources
(including marine mammals, reptiles, fishes, vegetation, invertebrates,
habitats, birds, and other protected species), sediments and water
quality, air quality, cultural resources, socioeconomic resources, and
public health and safety. The EIS/OEIS will also analyze measures that
would avoid, minimize, or mitigate environmental effects. The Navy will
conduct all coordination and consultation activities required by the
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NHPA, Endangered Species Act
(ESA), National Marine Sanctuaries Act, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act, Clean Water Act, Rivers and Harbor
Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, Clean Air Act, and other laws and
regulations determined to be applicable to the project. As part of this
process, the DoN will seek the issuance of regulatory permits and
authorizations under MMPA and ESA to support at-sea mission readiness
activities within the Study Area, beginning in December 2025.
Pursuant to 40 CFR 1501.8, the DoN invited the National Marine
Fisheries Service and the Federal Aviation Administration to be
cooperating agencies in preparation of the EIS/OEIS.
The scoping process invites comments on the scope of the EIS/OEIS
including identification of potential alternatives, information and
analyses relevant to the Proposed Action, identification of
environmental concerns, issues the public would like to see addressed
in the EIS/OEIS, and the projects potential to affect historic
properties pursuant to Section 106 of the NHPA. Parties with
demonstrated interest in the undertaking and its effects on historic
properties may request to become a consulting party in the section 106
process. Federal agencies, State agencies, local agencies, Native
American Indian Tribes and Nations, Native Hawaiian Organizations, the
public, and interested persons are encouraged to provide comments.
Comments must be postmarked or submitted electronically via the
website no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on January 29, 2024 for
consideration during the development of the Draft EIS/OEIS. Comments
can be submitted electronically via the project website at https://www.nepa.navy.mil/hctteis or mailed to the address noted above.
After the scoping period, DoN will coordinate with participating
and cooperating agencies to develop a Draft EIS/OEIS. The DoN intends
to release the Draft EIS/OEIS in the fall of 2024, release the Final
EIS/OEIS in the fall of 2025, and sign a Record of Decision following
the 30-day Final EIS/OEIS wait period.
Dated: December 4, 2023.
J.E. Koningisor,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-26905 Filed 12-14-23; 8:45 am]
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