Notice2023-10144
Draft Legislative Environmental Impact Statement Addressing Land Withdrawal Extension at Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 12, 2023
Issuing agencies
Defense DepartmentArmy Department
Abstract
The Department of the Army (Army) announces the availability of a Draft Legislative Environmental Impact Statement (LEIS) to address continued military use of the Yukon Training Area, near Fort Wainwright, Alaska, and Donnelly Training Area East and Donnelly Training Area West, near Delta Junction, Alaska. The current land withdrawal will expire on November 6, 2026, unless Congress enacts legislation to extend it. The Draft LEIS evaluates reasonable alternatives, potential environmental impacts, and key issues of concern. The LEIS will inform proposed legislation presented to Congress and Congress' decision regarding the Proposed Action. Comments received on the Draft LEIS will be fully considered and submitted as part of the legislative proposal. The comment period will last 60 days and will include virtual or in-person public meetings.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 92 (Friday, May 12, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 92 (Friday, May 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30730-30731]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10144]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Draft Legislative Environmental Impact Statement Addressing Land
Withdrawal Extension at Fort Wainwright, Alaska
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of the Army (Army) announces the availability
of a Draft Legislative Environmental Impact Statement (LEIS) to address
continued military use of the Yukon Training Area, near Fort
Wainwright, Alaska, and Donnelly Training Area East and Donnelly
Training Area West, near Delta Junction, Alaska. The current land
withdrawal will expire on November 6, 2026, unless Congress enacts
legislation to extend it. The Draft LEIS evaluates reasonable
alternatives, potential environmental impacts, and key issues of
concern. The LEIS will inform proposed legislation presented to
Congress and Congress' decision regarding the Proposed Action. Comments
received on the Draft LEIS will be fully considered and submitted as
part of the legislative proposal. The comment period will last 60 days
and will include virtual or in-person public meetings.
DATES: Comments must be received by July 11, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to Mr. Matt Sprau,
Environmental Planning Branch Chief, at: Directorate of Public Works,
ATTN: AMIM-AKP-E (M. Sprau), 1046 Marks Road #4500, Fort Wainwright, AK
99703-4500; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3e4b4d5f4c534710495f5750494c5759564a10575a134e5f5d5758575d10535c461052495b13525b574d7e5f4c534710535752"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7b0e081a091602550c1a12150c09121c130f55121f560b1a18121d12185516190355170c1e56171e12083b1a09160255161217">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please contact Mr. Grant Sattler,
Public Affairs Office, at: AMIM-AKG-PA (Sattler), 1060 Gaffney Road
#5900, Fort Wainwright, AK 99703-5900; telephone: (907) 353-6701;
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8cede0ede2a2eba2ffedf8f8e0e9fea2efe5faccedfee1f5a2e1e5e0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8dece1ece3a3eaa3feecf9f9e1e8ffa3eee4fbcdecffe0f4a3e0e4e1">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In October 1999, Congress--through the
Military Lands Withdrawal Act (Public Law (Pub. L.) 106-65)--withdrew
869,862 acres of public land comprising Yukon Training Area, Donnelly
Training Area East, and Donnelly Training Area West from all forms of
appropriation under public land laws and reserved the acreage for use
by the Army. The withdrawal extended to November 6, 2026. The Army
determined there is a continuing military need for this land and is
requesting to extend its use of the three training areas, which are
federal lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that
Congress has withdrawn and reserved for military use.
The Engle Act (Pub. L. 85-337; title 43, sections 155-158, United
States Code) requires land withdrawals in excess of 5,000 acres to be
authorized by Congress through legislation. The U.S. Department of the
Interior (DOI) has authority to process federal land withdrawal
applications (title 43, part 2300, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)).
The Military Lands Withdrawal Act requires the Army to notify the
Secretary of the Interior and Congress regarding whether there is a
continuing military need for the withdrawn land. If there is such a
need, the Army and DOI shall submit a legislative proposal to Congress
no later than May 1, 2025. BLM, a subordinate agency within DOI, agreed
to participate in the LEIS process as a cooperating agency.
Fort Wainwright is in the interior of Alaska. It is located in the
Fairbanks North Star Borough and is home to U.S. Army Garrison--Alaska
and to units of the 11th Airborne Division. The Yukon Training Area
covers approximately 246,277 acres and is located approximately 16
miles east-southeast of Fairbanks and immediately east of Eielson Air
Force Base. Donnelly Training Areas East and West are located near Fort
Greely. These areas are situated in the Tanana River Valley in central
Alaska, approximately 80 miles southeast of Fort Wainwright, near the
city of Delta Junction in the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area. Donnelly
Training Area East is approximately 51,590 acres and Donnelly Training
Area West is approximately 571,995 acres.
The purpose of the Proposed Action is to obtain an extension of the
land withdrawal of the three training areas for 25 years or more, until
such time as the Army determines it no longer needs the land for
military purposes. The Army requires the continued use of the training
areas on withdrawn land to execute and fulfill its mission in Alaska.
Access to the withdrawn land enables the Army to produce a force
trained to
[[Page 30731]]
mobilize, deploy, fight, and win anywhere in the world. Army training
conditions must match or closely resemble all possible environments
throughout the world, including arctic and subarctic conditions. In
addition to the Army's use of the withdrawn land, the U.S. Air Force
plans, conducts, and coordinates air operations in the restricted
airspace over the withdrawn land.
The Draft LEIS evaluates the reasonably foreseeable effects of
multiple alternatives. The alternatives considered include: (1)
requesting that Congress extend the land withdrawal for 25 years or
more until such time as the Army determines it no longer needs the land
for military purposes; and (2) a No-Action Alternative, under which the
withdrawal would not be extended. Besides the first alternative above,
there are no reasonable alternatives capable of meeting the project's
purpose and need.
Resource areas and impacts analyzed in the Draft LEIS include, but
are not limited to, the following: recreational uses of the withdrawn
land; subsistence uses; air quality; noise; soil; water quality;
biological resources; socioeconomics; public health and safety;
archaeological sites and districts; traffic and transportation; land
use; airspace; and hazardous materials. The Draft LEIS also identifies
measures that would reduce or eliminate adverse impacts. BLM's findings
regarding potential impacts on subsistence uses will--consistent with
the requirements of section 810 of the Alaska National Interest Lands
Conservation Act--be appended to the Draft LEIS. The Army coordinated
with federal, state, and Tribal entities during development of the
LEIS, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and BLM.
The No-Action Alternative could have significant economic impacts
on the cities of Delta Junction and Fairbanks. Under the Proposed
Action, there would be no change to training activities. The Draft LEIS
identified ongoing, potential, moderate and minor adverse impacts on
biological resources, cultural resources, water resources, air quality,
and hazardous material levels resulting from the Proposed Action. The
Army does not anticipate the Proposed Action causing any significant
impacts.
The Army announced the release of the Draft LEIS through local
media outlets, beginning a public comment period during which public
meetings will be held in Delta Junction and Fairbanks. Pursuant to
section 810(b) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act
(Pub. L. 96-487, title 16, section 3120, United States Code), the
public meeting in Delta Junction will also serve as a public hearing on
BLM's finding of potential impacts on subsistence uses. Following the
60-day public comment period, the Army will consider all comments and
append them to the Draft LEIS for inclusion in the legislative
proposal. Under title 40, part 1506, CFR, a Final EIS is not required
in the LEIS process, and the Army will not prepare a Final EIS for this
Proposed Action.
Federal, state, and local agencies, Alaska Native Tribes, Alaska
Native Tribal organizations, and the general public are invited to
participate in a public meeting and/or submit written comments. Written
comments must be received within 60 days of publication of this Notice
of Availability in the Federal Register. Public meetings will be held
in a virtual environment, in person, or both. Dates and times will be
advertised in local newspapers and will be posted online at: <a href="https://home.army.mil/alaska/index.php/fort-wainwright/NEPA">https://home.army.mil/alaska/index.php/fort-wainwright/NEPA</a>.
James W. Satterwhite, Jr.,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-10144 Filed 5-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3711-02-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on May 12, 2023.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.