Department of Defense June 30, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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) has prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Overseas EIS (OEIS) for public release on June 30, 2017, to evaluate the potential environmental effects from training and testing activities conducted within the Navy's Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Study Area. The Study Area is in the western Atlantic Ocean and encompasses the waters along the east coast of North America, the Gulf of Mexico, portions of the Caribbean Sea, Navy pierside locations and port transit channels, waters near civilian ports, and inland waters (e.g., lower Chesapeake Bay). The Study Area covers approximately 2.6 million square nautical miles of ocean area and includes designated Navy operating areas and special use airspace. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is a Cooperating Agency for the EIS/OEIS. With the filing of the Draft EIS/OEIS, the DoN is initiating a 60- day public comment period and has scheduled five public meetings to receive oral and written comments on the Draft EIS/OEIS. This notice announces the dates and locations of the public meetings for this Draft EIS/OEIS and provides supplementary information about the environmental planning effort. Dates and Addresses: The Draft EIS/OEIS public review period will begin June 30, 2017, and end on August 29, 2017. The Navy will hold five public meetings to inform the public about the Proposed Action and the alternatives under consideration, and to provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the Proposed Action, alternatives, and the adequacy and accuracy of the analysis in the Draft EIS/OEIS. Each of the public meetings will be conducted in an open-house format with informational stations staffed by DoN representatives. These representatives will be available during the public meeting to clarify information related to the Draft EIS/OEIS. Federal, state, and local agencies and officials, and interested groups and individuals are encouraged to provide comments in person at any of the public meetings or in writing during the public comment period. The public meetings will be held between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the following dates and at the following locations: 1. Wednesday, July 19, 2017, Hotel Providence, 139 Mathewson Street, Providence, RI 02903. 2. Tuesday, July 25, 2017, UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, 3431 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557. 3. Wednesday, July 26, 2017, Nauticus, 1 Waterside Drive, Norfolk, VA 23510. 4. Tuesday, August 1, 2017, Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, 1000 Water Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204. 5. Thursday, August 3, 2017, Gulf Coast State College Conference Center, 5230 W. Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32401. Attendees will be able to submit comments in writing or orally using a voice recorder at the public meetings. Equal weight will be given to oral and written statements. Comments may also be submitted by U.S. postal mail or electronically via the project Web site provided below. Written comments may be submitted by mail to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Attn: Code EV22KP (AFTT EIS Project Managers), 6506 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA 23508-1278 and through the project Web site; all written comments must be post marked or received by August 29, 2017. All statements, oral or written, submitted during the public review period will become part of the public record on the Draft EIS/OEIS and will be considered in preparation of the Final EIS/OEIS. Public meeting details will also be announced in local newspapers and on the project Web site: www.AFTTEIS.com.

The Defense Science Board (DSB) 2017 Summer Study Task Force on Countering Anti-access Systems with Longer Range and Standoff Capabilities (``the Long Range Effects 2017 Summer Study Task Force'') will meet in closed session on Thursday, July 13, 2017 from 7:55 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday, July 14, 2017 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Strategic Analysis Inc., The Executive Conference Center, 4075 Wilson Boulevard, 3rd Floor, Arlington, VA 22203.