Department of the Navy August 22, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, regulations implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 1500-1508), and Presidential Executive Order 12114, the Department of the Navy (DoN) has prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS). The DoN prepared this analysis to update the Gulf of Alaska Navy Training Activities Final EIS/OEIS, which was completed with community input in May 2011 (hereafter referred to as the 2011 GOA Final EIS/OEIS), and to renew federal regulatory permits and authorizations. In the Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS, the DoN uses a new acoustic modeling method and evaluates new, relevant information, such as new marine mammal density data and new scientific information, and updates environmental analyses, as appropriate. The DoN analyzes data using the Navy Acoustic Effects Model, not previously available for the 2011 GOA Final EIS/ OEIS, to evaluate potential effects on marine species from training activities. The National Marine Fisheries Service is a cooperating agency for this Supplemental EIS/OEIS. With the filing of the Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS, the DoN is initiating a 60-day public comment period and has scheduled five public meetings to inform the public and receive comments on the Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS. This notice announces the dates and locations of the public meetings and provides supplementary information about the environmental planning effort. Dates And Addresses: The 60-day Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS public review period will begin August 22, 2014, and end October 20, 2014. The DoN will hold five public meetings to inform the public about the Proposed Action and to provide an opportunity to comment on the adequacy and accuracy of the supplemental environmental analysis. Each of the public meetings will include an open house information session, followed by a short presentation by the DoN. DoN representatives will be available during the open house information sessions to provide information related to the Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS. Federal, state, and local agencies and officials, as well as interested organizations and individuals are encouraged to provide comments in writing during the public review period or in person at one of the scheduled public meetings. The public meetings will be held from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m., with a DoN presentation at 6:30 p.m., on the following dates and at the following locations: