Department of the Navy February 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.

In compliance with Section 3502(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Chief of Naval Education and Training announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

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 CFR parts 1500-1508), the Department of the Navy (DoN) announces its intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to evaluate the potential environmental consequences that may result from construction and operation of a live-fire training range complex and associated infrastructure on Guam to support the Guam Military Relocation. The SEIS supplements the Final EIS for the ``Guam and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Military Relocation; Relocating Marines from Okinawa, Visiting Aircraft Carrier Berthing, and Army Air and Missile Defense Task Force'' dated July 2010. Pursuant to 40 CFR 1502.9(c), a SEIS is being prepared for the limited purpose of supplementing the 2010 Final EIS regarding the establishment of a live-fire training range complex on Guam. The proposed action that will be analyzed in the SEIS is to construct and operate a live-fire training range complex that allows for simultaneous use of all firing ranges to support training and operations on Guam for the relocated Marines. The DoN has preliminarily identified five alternatives for the range complex: two are adjacent to Route 15 in northeastern Guam, and three are located at or immediately adjacent to the Naval Magazine (NAVMAG), also known as the Naval Munitions Site. The SEIS will also consider the No Action Alternative. The purpose and need for the proposed action is to ensure that the relocated Marines are organized, trained, and equipped as mandated in section 5063 of Title 10 of the United States Code, and to satisfy individual live-fire training requirements as described in the Guam and CNMI Military Relocation Final EIS and associated Record of Decision (ROD). The live-fire training range complex will consist of a Known Distance (KD) rifle range, KD pistol range, Modified Record of Fire Range, nonstandard small arms range, Multipurpose Machine Gun range, and a hand grenade range. The proposed action also includes associated roadways and supporting infrastructure. The DoN encourages government agencies, private-sector organizations, and the general public to participate in the NEPA process for the training range complex. Because the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will have to approve airspace associated with the training range complex at any of the five preliminary alternatives being considered, the DoN will invite the FAA to participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the SEIS. The DoN invites comments on the proposed scope and content of the SEIS from all interested parties. Comments on the scope of the SEIS may be provided by mail and through the SEIS Web site at: https://bit.ly/ GuamLFTRCSEIS. In addition, the DoN will conduct public open-house scoping meetings on Guam to obtain comments on the scope of the SEIS and to identify specific environmental concerns or topics for consideration in the SEIS. Meetings will be held at the following locations and times: