Department of the Army June 19, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of the Army announces its intent to prepare an EIS for expanded activities on WSMR. This EIS will analyze the impacts of new mission requirements and development of new test and training capabilities and associated land use changes to support Army Transformation, the Army Campaign Plan, Future Combat Systems, Grow the Army, and other Army initiatives. This includes the stationing of a Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT) of approximately 3,800 Soldiers at WSMR. This action also supports WSMR as a test bed for rapid development and deployment of new systems in response to rapidly changing world conditions and long-term Department of Defense, U.S. Army Developmental Test Command, and Army planning. Specifically, this EIS will assess environmental impacts associated with changing land uses to allow for expanded off-road maneuver in some areas, to support new testing capabilities and requirements, and continuing off-post to on-post tests. It will also address new weapons firing ranges and capabilities, as well as Soldier and Family housing, schools, infrastructure, utilities, and administrative and related facilities needed to support stationing of the HBCT at WSMR. The proposed action would result in a flexible, capabilities-based airspace and land use plan able to accommodate rapidly evolving customer needs, support current and future mission activities, and support a full range of test and training efforts from individual components up through major joint and multinational programs.