Department of Defense September 22, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate environmental impacts from reasonable project alternatives and to determine the potential for significant impacts related to improvements to the Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Channels. If the USACE determines that there is a potential for a significant environmental impact, the USACE will issue a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the Federal Register. Federal, state, and local agencies, Indian tribes, and the public are invited to provide scoping comments to identify issues, alternatives, and potentially significant effects to be considered in the analysis.

Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate environmental impacts from reasonable project alternatives and to determine the potential for significant impacts related to improvements to the Norfolk Harbor Channels. If the USACE determines that there is a potential for a significant environmental impact, the USACE will issue a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the Federal Register. Federal, state, and local agencies, Indian tribes, and the public are invited to provide scoping comments to identify issues, alternatives, and potentially significant effects to be considered in the analysis.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and Air Force policy and procedures (32 CFR part 989), the Air Force is issuing this notice to advise the public of the intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed F-22 operational efficiency improvements at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER). The proposed action is to improve F-22 operational efficiency; there is no proposed change in the number of aircraft at JBER nor in the ongoing military training in existing Alaska training airspace. Six alternatives that have been initially identified include changes in runway use and/or airfield infrastructure and maintenance. The EIS will address potential impacts resulting from implementation of the alternatives. The No Action Alternative is the runway use conditions from the F-22 Plus-Up Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impacts (FONSI) published, June 2011. Scoping: In order to define the full range of issues to be evaluated in the EIS, the Air Force will determine the scope of the analysis by soliciting comments from interested local, state and federal elected officials and agencies, as well as interested members of the public. This NOI also serves to provide early notice of compliance with Executive Order (EO) 11990, ``Protection of Wetlands'' and EO 11988, ``Floodplain Management.'' State and federal regulatory agencies with special expertise in wetlands and floodplains have been contacted to request comment. The Air Force plans to use the NEPA scoping process to also fulfill the requirements of the NHPA Section 106 implementing regulations by seeking public input on historic preservation issues and concerns. The scoping meeting will be held Wednesday, October 14, 2015, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ADT, at Tyson Elementary School, 2801 Richmond Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska. Public scoping comments will be accepted in writing at the scoping meetings. Additional scoping comments will be accepted at any time during the EIS process. However, in order to ensure the Air Force has sufficient time to consider public input, scoping comments should arrive at the address below by October 27, 2015.

The Department of the Army announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed update of the Real Property Master Plan (RPMP) for Fort Belvoir, VA, which includes proposed short-term projects and long-term development. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the FEIS analyzes the environmental impacts associated with the proposed short- term projects, long-term development, and anticipated land use changes designated in an updated RPMP. The short-term projects are proposed for implementation through 2017. The long-term development projects, which currently are not fully defined, are proposed for implementation between 2018 and 2030. The FEIS assesses potential environmental impacts associated with future development and management of land, facilities, resources and infrastructure based on the population capacity identified in the updated RPMP. The only area for which significant adverse impacts are identified is traffic and transportation. The updated RPMP incorporates adjustments to the land use plan in the RPMP that were made in the Final EIS for the Implementation of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Recommendations and Related Army Actions at Fort Belvoir, VA (2007) and BRAC-related changes made since 2007.