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17 May 2007
[Federal Register: May 16, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 94)]
[Notices]
[Page 27545-27546]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16my07-47]
[[Page 27545]]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Preparation of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
(PEIS) for the Growth of the United States Army
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The President of the United States has directed the growth of
the United States Army. In an unpredictable and rapidly changing global
security environment, this directive is designed to ensure the Nation
has the ground forces necessary to meet its strategic security and
defense needs. These needs, as outlined in the National Security
Strategy, include the disruption of terrorist networks, the prevention
of nuclear proliferation, the support of peace and regional stability,
the denial of rogue Nation support to terrorist organizations, and the
promotion and advancement of democratic forms of government. The
President has determined that the implementation of these security
goals in the 21st century will require increased numbers of U.S. Army
forces to sustain the military operaitons required to support these
objectives. The Army, therefore, intends to prepare a PEIS to analyze
alternatives for executing the Presidentially directed growth required
to support the defense and security missions of the Nation in the 21st
century.
The Presidential decision directs the Army to add 74,200 active and
reserve component Soldiers to its total end strength. This growth
includes the addition of six Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) and the combat
support (CS) and combat service support (CSS) units required to support
them. In addition, the growth of the force will include ``right
sizing'' or rebalancing the Army force structure to add increaed
numbers of high demand critical skills which have been identified as
shortfalls. Military skills, such as military police, engineers, and
explosive ordnance detachments, must be added to the force in greater
numbers to meet the increased needs for these types of units in
operational theaters abroad. Rebalancing of the Army's force is needed
to ensure the Army has the proper capabilities to sustain operations
for promoting global and national security now and into the foreseeable
future.
In addition to this growth, the Army recognizes the need to
continue with initiatives to restructure its forces to implement the
standard modular unit configurations directed by the Quadrennial
Defense Review (QDR) in 2001 and 2006. Modularity is a critical
component of Army Transformation and the Army continues to implement
the QDR directive to standardize its units and their force structure.
This standardization of Army force structure will continue to improve
management and generate increased operational efficiencies within the
Army. Stationing actions supporting modularity will be evaluated and
considered in conjunction with stationing actions required to support
Army growth.
The PEIS will assess the environmental capacity of the Army's
installations to accommodate different types and combinations of new
units as part of the growth and restructuring. The PEIS will examine
the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts at installations
resulting from various combinations of new unit stationing actions.
These stationing actions could include additional CS or CSS units, the
addition of different types of modular BCTs, or combinations of these
actions at a given stationing location. Under the Army's modularity
initiative, which standardizes BCT force structure, there are three
types of maneuver BCTs that will be discussed in the PEIS. These
include the infantry BCT which consists of approximately 3,500
Soldiers; the Stryker BCT which consists of approximately 4,000
Soldiers; and the heavy BCT which consists of approximately 3,800
Soldiers. Potential impacts resulting from stationing actions of new CS
and CSS units and these maneuver BCTs will be discussed and assessed at
installation locations that have potential to support the growth and
restructuring of the Army. The PEIS will analyze the proposed action's
impacts upon the natural, cultural, and man-made environments at those
stationing locations best able to meet the needs of the Army and its
Soldiers and Families.
The Army intends to analyze the following alternatives in the PEIS:
(1) Grow and restructure the Army by permanently stationing new units
at existing Army installations within the United States and retaining
some units at overseas installations outside of the continental United
States that were originally scheduled to return to the United States;
(2) Grow and restructure the Army by permanently stationing units at
existing stationing locations within the United States. As part of this
alternative, overseas installations would be used to temporarily
accommodate a portion of Army growth while permanent facilities were
constructed at existing Army installations within the United States;
and (3) Grow and restructure the Army by permanently stationing new
units at new and existing Army stationing locations within the United
States. This alternative would include the construction of permanent
party facilities at locations where the Army owns land but does not
currently station permanent party personnel. As part of this
alternative, overseas installations would be used to temporarily
accommodate a portion of Army growth while permanent facilities were
constructed within the United States.
In addition to the above alternatives, the no-action alternatives
will be considered and used as a baseline for comparison of
alternatives. The no-action alternative is to retain the U.S. Army at
its current and strength and force structure. The no-action alternative
includes those realignments and stationing actions directed by Base
Realignment and Closure legislation in 2005, Army Global Defense
Posture Realignment, and Army Modular Forces initiatives. The no-action
alternative serves as a baseline for the comparison only and is not a
viable means for meeting the current and future strategic security and
defense requirements of the Nation.
Viable alternative stationing locations considered in this analysis
for the growth of the Army are those installations that are best able
to meet Army unit requirements for training ranges and maneuver space,
housing and office space, maintenance and vehicle parking, and Soldier
and Family quality of life (e.g., schools, gyms, medical facilities,
reducing family disruption). The proposed action will require the Army
to balance strategic, sustainment, and environmental considerations
with evolving world conditions and threats to national defense and
security.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert E. DiMichele, Public
Affairs Officer, U.S. Army Environmental Command, Aberdeen Proving
Ground, MD 21010; phone (410) 436-2556.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The global security environment is
turbulent, unpredictable, and rapidly changing. It has placed
considerable demands on the Nation's military, and highlighted the need
for the Army to correct shortfalls in high demand skills while
reassessing its force capability. No one has felt the impacts of the
recent demands of the modern security environmental more than Soldiers
and their Families. To meet the challenges of the wider range of
security threats present in the 21st century the Army requires the
growth
[[Page 27546]]
and restructuring of its forces in order to sustain the broad range of
operations required for national and global stability.
The PEIS is being prepared to comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and
meet Army NEPA procedures, which are outlined in Environmental Analysis
of Army Actions (32 CFR part 651). These regulations require the Army
to consider the environmental impacts of its proposed action and
alternatives and to solicit the views of the public so it can make an
informed final decision regarding how to proceed.
Proposed alternatives to grow the Army could involve three primary
action depending on the installation being analyzed. These actions
include the construction of housing and quality of life facilities
(i.e., schools, gymnasiums, hospitals), the construction of new
training ranges and infrastructure, and changes in the intensity of use
of maneuver land and firing ranges associated with the increased
frequency of training events. Evaluations will include strategic
military and national security considerations for new stationing
actions at locations which, if selected, are capable of supporting the
National Security Strategy (2006), the QDR (2006), National Military
Strategy, and the Army Campaign Plan. These strategic guidance
documents have been incorporated into the Army's decision-making
process. All of these individual components will be considered in the
Army's PEIS for growth of the force in order to ensure a range of
reasonable alternatives are carried forward which support the Nation's
security requirements.
Based on public scoping and the factors discussed above, the Army
will refine its range of reasonable alternatives to the extent possible
to accommodate both mission requirements and quality of life
considerations. In reaching its decision, the Army will assess and
consider public concerns. The PEIS compares the direct, indirect, and
cumulative environmental effects that may result from stationing
actions connected with initiatives to grow the Army. The primary
environmental issues to be analyzed will include those identified as
the result of the scoping process and installation-specific
considerations. These issues may include impacts to soil, water and air
quality, airspace conflicts, natural and cultural resources, land use
compatibility, noise, socioeconomics, environmental justice, energy
use, human health and safety considerations, and infrastructure and
range/training requirements.
Scoping and Public Comment: All interested members of the public,
federally-recognized Indian Tribes, Native Alaskans, Native Hawaiian
groups, federal, state, and local agencies are invited to participate
in the scoping process for the preparation of the PEIS. Written
comments identifying environmental issues, concerns and opportunities
to be analyzed in the PEIS will be accepted for 30 days following
publication of this Notice of Intent in the Federal Register. Comments
may be sent to Mr. Robert E. DiMichele at the above address.
Dated: May 11, 2007.
Addison D. Davis,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety, and
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 07-2405 Filed 5-15-07; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M