Department of the Navy February 27, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 1500-1508), and Executive Order 12114, the Department of the Navy (DoN) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (OEIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts associated with training and testing military readiness activities conducted in the Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT) Study Area (Study Area). The Study Area is composed of established maritime operating and warning areas in the eastern north Pacific Ocean region, located adjacent to the Northwest coast of the United States, to include the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound, and the Behm canal in southeastern Alaska. The Study Area includes four existing range complexes and facilities: The Northwest Training Range Complex (NWTRC), the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Keyport Range Complex, Carr Inlet Operations Area, and the Southeast Alaska Acoustic Measurement Facility (SEAFAC). In addition to these range complexes, the Study Area also includes pierside locations on Navy bases where sonar maintenance and testing occurs within the Study Area, and inland waters that are not part of the range complexes, where training and testing may occur. The DoN is preparing this EIS/OEIS to renew current federal regulatory permits and authorizations, address proposed, future training and testing activities not covered under existing permits and authorizations (such as those activities proposed to be conducted in the Carr Inlet Operations Area), and include new platforms and weapons systems training and testing requirements. The DoN will invite the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be cooperating agencies in preparation of this EIS and OEIS pursuant to 40 CFR 1501.6.