Department of the Army August 16, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) and U.S. Army Garrison, Hawai`i, (USAG-HI) announce the decision to construct and operate a new Infantry Platoon Battle Course (IPBC) and associated infrastructure at P[omacr]hakuloa Training Area (PTA), Hawai`i. This decision allows the Army to construct and operate an IPBC that will meet Army training requirements and will support the live-fire collective training needs of the Army, Army Reserve, and Hawai`i Army National Guard, as well as other Service components that are stationed or train in Hawai`i. To comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of the Army prepared an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that evaluated the potential environmental and socioeconomic effects associated with alternatives to construct and operate the IPBC. In the Final EIS published in the Federal Register on April 26, 2013 (78 FR 24734), the Army identified the Western Range Alternative as the preferred alternative. The Army has selected the preferred alternative in the Record of Decision (ROD). The Western Range Area Alternative is located in an under-utilized portion of the PTA impact area where no ranges currently exist. The location has been exposed to indirect munitions fire and constructing the IPBC here will reclaim a portion of the impact area. A copy of the ROD can be found at www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/pta_peis/default.htm.