Notice2023-26905
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Hawaii-California Training and Testing Activities
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
December 15, 2023
Issuing agencies
Defense DepartmentNavy Department
Abstract
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, and regulations implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality, the Department of the Navy (DoN)(including both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps) in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army, and U.S. Air Force, announces its intent to prepare the Hawaii-California Training and Testing (HCTT) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Overseas EIS (OEIS). The HCTT EIS/OEIS will include an analysis of range sustainment and modernization activities, training activities; and research, development, testing, and evaluation activities (hereafter referred to as "testing") that will be conducted in the HCTT Study Area. When discussed together, training and testing are also referred to as "military readiness activities." The DoN is initiating a 45-day public scoping process to receive comments on the scope of the EIS/OEIS including identification of potential alternatives and environmental concerns, information and analyses relevant to the Proposed Action, issues the public would like to see addressed in the EIS/OEIS, and the project's potential to affect historic properties pursuant to section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 240 (Friday, December 15, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 240 (Friday, December 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86885-86887]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26905]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Hawaii-California Training
and Testing Activities
AGENCY: Department of the Navy (DoN), Department of Defense (DoD).
[[Page 86886]]
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, and regulations implemented by the Council on Environmental
Quality, the Department of the Navy (DoN)(including both the U.S. Navy
and the U.S. Marine Corps) in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard,
U.S. Army, and U.S. Air Force, announces its intent to prepare the
Hawaii-California Training and Testing (HCTT) Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS)/Overseas EIS (OEIS). The HCTT EIS/OEIS will include an
analysis of range sustainment and modernization activities, training
activities; and research, development, testing, and evaluation
activities (hereafter referred to as ``testing'') that will be
conducted in the HCTT Study Area. When discussed together, training and
testing are also referred to as ``military readiness activities.'' The
DoN is initiating a 45-day public scoping process to receive comments
on the scope of the EIS/OEIS including identification of potential
alternatives and environmental concerns, information and analyses
relevant to the Proposed Action, issues the public would like to see
addressed in the EIS/OEIS, and the project's potential to affect
historic properties pursuant to section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966.
DATES: The 45-day public scoping period begins on December 15, 2023,
and extends to January 29, 2024. The scoping period is extended 15
calendar days (from the usual 30-day period) since it overlaps with the
holidays. Comments must be postmarked or submitted electronically via
the website no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on January 29, 2024
for consideration in the Draft EIS/OEIS. The DoN will host a virtual
open house presentation on the project website during the scoping
period to provide information related to the Proposed Action, its
purpose and need, environmental resource areas to be analyzed in the
EIS/OEIS, the NEPA process, the consultation under NHPA, and public
involvement opportunities.
ADDRESSES: The DoN invites all interested parties to submit scoping
comments on the EIS/OEIS or information regarding historic properties
or section 106 consulting party interest through the project website at
<a href="http://www.nepa.navy.mil/hctteis">http://www.nepa.navy.mil/hctteis</a> or by mail to: Naval Facilities
Engineering Systems Command, Pacific, Attention: HCTT EIS/OEIS Project
Manager, 258 Makalapa Drive, Suite 100, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860-3134.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Pacific Fleet Command, Attn: Mr.
Sean Gano, Environmental Public Affairs Specialist, 808-474-8441, or
visit the project website: <a href="http://www.nepa.navy.mil/hctteis">http://www.nepa.navy.mil/hctteis</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet is the DoN's
lead action proponent. Additional DoN action proponents include Naval
Sea Systems Command, Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Information
Warfare Systems Command, Office of Naval Research, Naval Facilities
Engineering Expeditionary Warfare Center, and the U.S. Marine Corps
(USMC). In addition, this EIS/OEIS includes certain activities by the
U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army, and U.S. Air Force when those activities
are similar to Navy or Marine Corps activities and are scheduled on
Navy controlled at-sea ranges.
Proposed military readiness activities are consistent with those
analyzed in the 2018 Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing
(HSTT) EIS/OEIS and the 2022 Point Mugu Sea Range (PMSR) EIS/OEIS, and
are representative of training and testing activities that have been
conducted off Hawaii and California for more than 80 years.
The EIS/OEIS will include an analysis of military readiness
activities using new information including an updated acoustic effects
analysis, updated marine mammal density data, and evolving and emergent
best available science.
The HCTT Study Area (hereafter referred to as the (``Study Area'')
is comprised of established operating and warning areas across the
Pacific Ocean, from California west to Hawaii and the International
Date Line. The HCTT Study Area differs from the HSTT Study Area in that
HCTT includes an extended Southern California (SOCAL) Range Complex;
special use airspace corresponding to the new extensions (Proposed W-
293 and W-294); two existing training and testing ranges, the PMSR and
Northern California (NOCAL) Range Complex; areas along the Southern
California coastline from approximately Dana Point to Port Hueneme; and
four amphibious approach lanes providing land access from the NOCAL
Range Complex and PMSR. The Study Area also includes in-water areas of
San Diego Bay, Port Hueneme, and Pearl Harbor, including select
pierside facilities associated with DoN ports and naval shipyards and a
transit corridor on the high seas and the channels and routes to and
from those ports that are not part of the range complexes, where
training and testing may occur during vessel transit.
The purpose of the Proposed Action is to ensure U.S. military
services are able to organize, train, and equip service members and
personnel to meet their respective national defense missions in
accordance with their Congressionally mandated requirements \1\ and
advance joint interoperability in Navy led exercises with other
military service.
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\1\ 10 United States Code (U.S.C.), sections 8062 (Navy), 8063
(USMC), 7062 (U.S. Army), 9062 (U.S. Air Force) and 14 U.S.C.,
sections 101 and 102 (USCG).
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The Proposed Action is to conduct at-sea military readiness
activities and range modernization within HCTT the Study Area.
Activities include the use of active sonar and explosives while
employing marine species protective mitigation measures.
The Navy has identified two preliminary action alternatives to
carry forward for analysis in the EIS/OEIS along with the No Action
Alternative. Alternative 1 reflects a representative year of training
and testing to account for the natural fluctuation of training cycles
and deployment schedules that generally limit the maximum level of
training occurring every year over any seven-year period. Alternative 2
reflects the maximum number of training and testing activities that
could occur within a given year and assumes that the maximum level of
activity would occur every year over any seven-year period. As required
by NEPA for the purpose of establishing a baseline for analysis, a No
Action Alternative will be evaluated which represents a scenario where
no military readiness activities are conducted in the Study Area. The
tempo and types of training and testing activities have fluctuated
because of the introduction of new technologies, the evolving nature of
international events, advances in war fighting doctrine and procedures,
and changes in force structure (organization of ships, submarines,
aircraft, weapons, and Sailors). Such developments influence the
frequency, duration, intensity, and location of required training and
testing activities. The HCTT EIS/OEIS will reflect the current
compilation of training and testing activities required to fulfill the
military readiness requirements, and therefore both action alternatives
include the analysis of newly proposed activities and changes to
previously analyzed activities. Additionally, both action alternatives
will include modernization and sustainment of ranges necessary to
support military readiness activities. Modernization and sustainment
[[Page 86887]]
proposals include new special use airspace in Southern California, an
expansion of an underwater training range near San Clemente Island, and
installation and maintenance of mine training areas off Hawaii and
California.
Environmental resources that are determined to be potentially
affected are carried forward for full analysis. Resources to be
evaluated include, but are not limited to, biological resources
(including marine mammals, reptiles, fishes, vegetation, invertebrates,
habitats, birds, and other protected species), sediments and water
quality, air quality, cultural resources, socioeconomic resources, and
public health and safety. The EIS/OEIS will also analyze measures that
would avoid, minimize, or mitigate environmental effects. The Navy will
conduct all coordination and consultation activities required by the
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NHPA, Endangered Species Act
(ESA), National Marine Sanctuaries Act, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act, Clean Water Act, Rivers and Harbor
Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, Clean Air Act, and other laws and
regulations determined to be applicable to the project. As part of this
process, the DoN will seek the issuance of regulatory permits and
authorizations under MMPA and ESA to support at-sea mission readiness
activities within the Study Area, beginning in December 2025.
Pursuant to 40 CFR 1501.8, the DoN invited the National Marine
Fisheries Service and the Federal Aviation Administration to be
cooperating agencies in preparation of the EIS/OEIS.
The scoping process invites comments on the scope of the EIS/OEIS
including identification of potential alternatives, information and
analyses relevant to the Proposed Action, identification of
environmental concerns, issues the public would like to see addressed
in the EIS/OEIS, and the projects potential to affect historic
properties pursuant to Section 106 of the NHPA. Parties with
demonstrated interest in the undertaking and its effects on historic
properties may request to become a consulting party in the section 106
process. Federal agencies, State agencies, local agencies, Native
American Indian Tribes and Nations, Native Hawaiian Organizations, the
public, and interested persons are encouraged to provide comments.
Comments must be postmarked or submitted electronically via the
website no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on January 29, 2024 for
consideration during the development of the Draft EIS/OEIS. Comments
can be submitted electronically via the project website at <a href="http://www.nepa.navy.mil/hctteis">http://www.nepa.navy.mil/hctteis</a> or mailed to the address noted above.
After the scoping period, DoN will coordinate with participating
and cooperating agencies to develop a Draft EIS/OEIS. The DoN intends
to release the Draft EIS/OEIS in the fall of 2024, release the Final
EIS/OEIS in the fall of 2025, and sign a Record of Decision following
the 30-day Final EIS/OEIS wait period.
Dated: December 4, 2023.
J.E. Koningisor,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-26905 Filed 12-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P
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