Army Department April 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Corps of Engineers is proposing to amend its regulations to designate an existing rifle range fan as a danger zone. The military exercise area is located within the Rifle Range of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, along the Neuse River. The danger zone will only be activated by the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point during range operational hours. The Marine Corps will advise residents in the vicinity of the range fan thus ensuring their safety by alerting them to temporary potential hazardous conditions which may exist as a result of small arms exercises. There will be no change in the use of the existing exercise area. The area, however, needs to be marked on navigation charts to insure security and safety for the public. Entry points into the danger zone will be prominently marked with signage indicating the boundary of the danger zone. The placement of aids to navigation and regulatory markers will be installed in accordance with the requirements of the United States Coast Guard. If the proposed signage exceeds nationwide permit and/or regional general permit conditions, the Commander, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina will seek additional Department of the Army authorizations.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended), the Sunshine in the Government Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended) and 41 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 102-3.140 through 160, the Department of the Army announces the following committee meeting: Name of Committee: Army Science Board (ASB). Date(s) of Meeting: April 23-24, 2007. Time(s) of Meeting: 0800-1700, April 23, 2007. 0800-1700, April 24, 2007. Place of Meeting: Photonics Center at Boston University, Boston, MA.

The U.S. Army announces the availability of the DEIS, which evaluates the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of transformation activities at Fort Benning, Georgia. These transformation proposed actions include implementation of the 05 BRAC Commission recommendations, the Global Defense Posture Realignment (GDPR) overseas re-stationing actions, Army Modular Force (AMF) initiatives, and other discretionary stationing activities.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Jacksonville District, intends to prepare a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS), for the Jacksonville Harbor Navigation Study, General Re-Evaluation Report. This action is a cooperative effort between the Corps and the Jacksonville Harbor Port Authority.

The U.S. Corps of Engineers (Corps) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Sun Valley Environmental Restoration Plan. The study area is located in the City of Los Angeles, in the San Fernando Valley portion of Los Angeles County, CA. The study area is comprised of 4.4 square miles of urban/industrial areas. The proposed Study will be conducted under the Authority for the Los Angeles County Drainage area (LACDA), Flood Control Project, Los Angeles County, CA. Which was initially authorized by Senate Resolution, approved June 25, 1969, reading in part:

In accordance with Section 204 of the 1950 Flood Control Act (Pub. L. 516, 81st Congress, 2nd Session), as recommended by the Chief of Engineers in House Document Number 585, 81st Congress, 2nd Session, the Coyote Dam (also known as the ``Lake Mendocino Project''), Ukiah, CA, is authorized to be raised 36 feet to a total storage capacity of 199,000 acre-feet (ac-ft) when the need for additional water supply arises. Since construction of Coyote Dam, increased development of Mendocino County and the accelerated rate of sedimentation in Lake Mendocino have resulted in the need for additional water supply. The additional storage capacity achieved by raising the dam would address future demands on water supply and also increase flood damage reduction functions. This is a notice of intent to prepare a joint environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR), and to consider all reasonable alternatives, evaluate potential impacts of the proposed action, and identify appropriate mitigation measures. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is the lead agency for this project under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission (IWPC) is the lead agency and local sponsor under the California environmental quality Act (CEQA).

The notice of an open meeting scheduled for April 25, 2007 published in the Federal Register on March 13, 2007 (72 FR 11337) has a new meeting location. The meeting will now be held in Room B318, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.

The Army intends to prepare an EIS to assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the stationing and training of increased numbers and types of aviation assets within Alaska. The proposed increase and reorganization will allow the Army to transition to a force that is capable of providing a broad range of integrated aviation training experience to the forces of USARAK and more aviation capabilities when the unit deploys to support operational missions abroad. Existing aviation units would potentially be reorganized and stationed at Fort Wainwright, Fort Richardson or other military installations to support the training of aviation assets on U.S. Army training lands in Alaska. The reorganized unit would be capable of providing first line air transport, air reconnaissance, and close air support. The new aviation unit would be built around the existing USARAK aviation fleet of 30 medium and heavy lift transport helicopters, and USARAK's 640 aviation personnel. To this the Army proposes to add helicopters capable of providing medical evacuation, air reconnaissance, close air support, and aviation attack capabilities. The proposed aviation unit, an Aviation Task Force or Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), would potentially consist of up to 62 medium and heavy lift helicopters, 30 combat scout helicopter, 24 attack helicopters, and between 1,200 to 2,850 personnel. This proposed stationing and training of increased aviation assets involves construction of new facilities, execution of day-to-day support operations, and routine joint military training at nearby training lands and ranges. The action may have significant environmental impacts resulting from training and construction required as part of the proposed reorganization. Significant impacts resulting from this action may include impacts to air space, noise, and cultural resources. The EIS will analyze the impacts of the proposed action and a full range of reasonable alternatives upon Alaska's natural and man-made environments.