Army Department 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of the Army announces the availability of a DEIS which evaluates the potential environmental impacts associated with realignment actions directed by the Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission at Fort Lee, Virginia.

Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2869(d)(1) the Department of the Army (Army) is providing notice of its intent to convey the ``Drum Stick'' parcel of the former Fort Ord, located in Monterey County, CA in return for the ``Stillwell Kidney'' parcel owned by the City of Seaside. Fort Ord was selected for closure by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission in 1991. The Drum Stick parcel is an undeveloped, densely- vegetated 11.28-acre property adjacent to California State Route 1 on the former Fort Ord. the Stillwell Kidney parcel currently contains approximately 400 abandoned housing units. Under 10 U.S.C. 2869, the Army is authorized to enter into an agreement to convey real property, including any improvements thereon, located on a military installation that is closed or realigned under a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Act to any person who agrees to convey to the Army real property of at least equal value. The Army has concluded that the Stillwell Kidney parcel has a fair market value that is at least equal to that of the Drum Stick parcel.

In accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), announcement is made of the following committee meeting:

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD, Huntington District will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate potential impacts to the natural, physical, and human environment as a result of the proposed installation of hydropower generation facilities at Bluestone Dam, Hinton, Summers County, WV (Hydropower Project). The proposed hydropower project would utilize three of the six existing penstocks which were part of the original construction of the dam. The proposed project would also involve the discharge of dredged and fill material into waters of the United States (U.S.) and would involve work in the New River, a navigable water of the U.S. Therefore, the subject proposal would require a Department of the Army (DA) permit pursuant to section 404 of the Clean Water Act (Section 404) and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (Section 10). This EIS will document the agency's evaluation of all reasonable alternatives as they affect stability of the dam and control the release of water from Bluestone Dam, and will document analysis of impacts to Waters of the U.S. sufficient to accommodate the NEPA process for permitting under section 10 and section 404.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District (Regulatory Branch), in coordination with the Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), announced availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Hemet/San Jacinto Integrated Recharge and Recovery Project. The announced deadline for submittal of comments has been corrected in order to meet the statutory 45-day requirement. The new deadline is October 31, 2006.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District (Regulatory Branch), in coordination with the Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), has completed a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Hemet/San Jacinto Integrated Recharge and Recovery Project. EMWD requires authorization pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for 53.1 acres of fill into waters of the U.S. A public hearing will be held at the Simpson Center (305 East Devonshire Avenue, Hemet, CA 92543) on September 19, 2006 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

In accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District has prepared a Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration Project in Dorchester County, on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Approximately 90 to 95 million cubic yards of material, primarily dredged during maintenance of the Chesapeake Bay approach channels to Baltimore Harbor, would be placed behind dikes at James Island. Material placed at Barren Island would be from authorized maintenance dredging of Federal navigation channels in the Honga River. After placement, the material would be shaped and planted to provide 2,144 acres of island habitat at James and Barren Islands as well as protect existing island ecosystem habitat, including critical submerged aquatic vegetation.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is initiating the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EIS is for a Department of the Army permit issued under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act to install the infrastructure necessary to support an approximately 500-acre development of water dependent and industrial facilities at the Port of Vancouver.

The Department of the Army is proposing to alter a system of records to its existing inventory of records systems subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended.

The Department of Defense has submitted to OMB for clearance, the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

The Army Installation Management Agency and the Fort Irwin National Training Center will prepare a PEIS to analyze the impacts of mission realignment in support of the Army Transformation, the Army Campaign Plan, and other Army initiatives. Under the proposed action, the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment will expand to become a full-size, multi-component Heavy Brigade Combat Team (BCT), deployable throughout the world. Other, smaller units will also be stationed at Fort Irwin. Training rotations will increase from 10 per year to 12. The PEIS will evaluate the new construction, new land use, and changes in training, area use necessary to implement the proposed action at Fort Irwin.

In accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(e) and 37 CFR 404.7(a)(I)(i), announcement is made of the intent to grant an exclusive, royalty- bearing, revocable license to U.S. patent number 6,399,332 issued June 4, 2002 entitled ``Bacterial Superantigen Vaccines,'' and U.S. patent number 6,713,284 issued March 30, 2004 entitled ``Bacterial Superantigen Vaccines,'' and all pending foreign patents to Integrated Biotherapeutics, Inc. with its principal place of business at Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Rosenstock Hall, Frederick, MD 21702.

The Department of the Army proposes to amend its regulations to reflect a substantial revision of AR 27-20, an Army publication which governs the processing of claims worldwide. The purpose of this revision is to make AR 27-20 clearer and easier to use, after years of piecemeal amendments. This rewrite also ensures that AR 27-20 is in keeping with current statutes, legal opinions and Department of Justice guidance pertaining to claims processing. This updated rule will expedite payment of meritorious claims throughout the world.

The Department of the Army is updating policies and responsibilities for the Army Privacy Program, which implements the Privacy Act of 1974, by showing organizational realignments and by revising referenced statutory and regulatory authority, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and E-Government Act of 2002. This rule finalizes the proposed rule that was published in the Federal Register on April 25, 2006.

This announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for an airspace proposal in the Savannah, GA, Hunter Army Airfield area. The airspace proposal is required for the establishment of Helicopter Aerial Refueling routes utilizing United States Army helicopters and United States Air Force and/or Marine Corp. airplanes to conduct air-to air refueling training. In order to use these routes on a recurring basis they are required to be published in the Department of Defense publication system therefore requiring an environmental study. The EA assesses the potential environmental impacts of all areas that underlie the flight routes. There are four routes in the proposal which will be utilized by an U.S. Army tenant unit of Hunter Army Airfield, GA.

On July 8, 2005, the Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) issued a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) for the Major Rehabilitation actions proposed for Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD), Reach One. Herbert Hoover Dike is the levee that completely surrounds Lake Okeechobee. On September 23, 2005, a Record of Decision was signed adopting the preferred alternative as the Selected Plan for Reach One. At this time the Corps plans to extend rehabilitation along Reaches Two and Three of HHD. This stretch of HHD extends for approximately 27 miles between an area west of Belle Glade, Palm Beach County to east of Moore Haven, Glades County, FL.

The U.S. Army announces the availability of DEIS which evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the construction and operation of new USAMRIID facilities and the decommissioning and demolition and/or re-use of existing USAMRIID facilities at Fort Detrick, Maryland.

The Department of the Army announces that, unless there is an objection, after 15 days it will grant an exclusive license to MadahCom, Inc., a corporation having a place of business in Sarasota Florida, on ``System And Method For Tactical Centralized Event Warning/ Notification For Individual Entities'', by Paul Manz of PM Battle Command, disclosure docket numberCECOM 5531; ``System And Method For Semi-Distributed Event Warning/Notification For Individual Entities'' by Paul Manz of PM Battle Command, disclosure docket numberCECOM 5530; ``System And Method For Tactical Distributed Event Warning/ Notification For Individual Entities'' by Paul Manz of PM Battle Command and Fernando Maymi of the U.S. Military Academy (USMA), disclosure docket numberCECOM 5532; and ``System For Event Warning/ Notification And Reporting For Individual Entities'' by Paul Manz of PM Battle Command and Fernando Maymi of USMA disclosure docket number CECOM 5533. Any license granted shall comply with 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR Part 404.

In accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(e) and 37 CFR 404.7(a)(I)(i), announcement is made of the intent to grant an exclusive, royalty- bearing, revocable license to U.S. provisional patent number 60/723,442 filed October 5, 2005 entitled ``Small Molecule Inhibitors of Botulinum Neurotoxins,'' to Microbiotix, Inc. with its principal place of business at 1 Innovation Drive, STE 15, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605- 4332.

In compliance with 37 CFR part 404 et seq., the Department of the Army hereby gives notice of its intent to grant to Cardiovascular Resonance LLC, a corporation having its principle place of business at 517 A Spring Forest Road, Greenville, NC 27834-7254, an exclusive license relative to an ARL patent; US patent 5,853,005, issued December 29, 1998, entitled ``Acoustic Monitoring System''; Mike Scanlon inventor.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Sacramento District, will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Corps authorization actions on the proposed SunCreek Specific Plan project, which as proposed would result in the permanent loss of approximately 18.25 acres of waters of the United States, including vernal pools and other wetlands. The overall project purpose is to construct large scale mixed-use development in Sacramento County.

The comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Floyd County, KY (Levisa Fork Basin), Section 202 Project published in the Federal Register on Friday, May 5, 2006 (71 FR 26478), required comments be submitted 45 days (June 19, 2006) following publication in the Federal Register. The comment period was extended to 60 days (July 5, 2006) in the Federal Register on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 (71 FR 34077). The comment period has now been extended to 100 days (August 14, 2006).

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, is initiating this study under the authority provided by the resolutions adopted by the Committees on Public Works of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, dated April 19, 1967 and October 19, 1967, respectively, an expansion of the authority created under section 3 of the River and Harbor Act approved June 13, 1902. The Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) Beneficial Use of Dredged Material Program will optimize the use of dredged material resulting from the maintenance of federally maintained navigational channels to (1) restore formerly existing coastal wetlands; (2) reduce, halt or reverse the loss of existing coastal wetlands; (3) create coastal wetlands where none existed previously; or (4) provide protection to any of the above wetland situations or other coastal landscape features within the study placement area. The LCA Beneficial Use of Dredged Material Program costs are those costs incurred above and beyond the ordinary costs incurred with USACE Operations and Maintenance dredging and disposal operations in accordance with their established base plan for maintenance dredging activities. The base plan is determined by applying the Federal Standard which requires maintenance dredging and disposal activities to be conducted in the most cost effective, environmentally acceptable manner. The study area is Louisiana's coastal area from Mississippi to Texas. Louisiana parishes included in the study area include Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, and Vermilion. The following seven navigation channels represent an initial list of areas with the most significant opportunities (1) Calcasieu River and Pass; (2) Houma Navigation Canal; (3) Atchafalaya River and Bayous Chene, Boeuf, and Black; (4) Bayou Lafourche; (5) Mississippi River and Tributaries Project, Head of Passes and Southwest Pass; (6) Barataria Bay Waterway; and (7) Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (although this channel is not currently funded for O&M dredging).