[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 39 (Monday, February 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 10889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4332]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Record of Decision (ROD) for Grow the Army (GTA) Actions at Fort 
Lewis and the Yakima Training Center (YTC), Washington

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).

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SUMMARY: The Executive Director of the Army's Installation Management 
Command (IMCOM) has reviewed the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS) for implementing Army GTA decisions at Fort Lewis and YTC and 
has made the decision to proceed with implementing the Preferred 
Alternative for the Proposed Action. The Preferred Alternative has 
several components that consist of stationing up to 1,900 Soldiers at 
Fort Lewis to implement GTA stationing decisions, the potential 
stationing of up to approximately 1,000 additional combat service 
support (CSS) Soldiers, and the potential stationing of a Combat 
Aviation Brigade (CAB) of up to 2,800 Soldiers. If all stationing 
components are implemented, the Preferred Alternative would station up 
to 5,700 Soldiers, along with their Families, at Fort Lewis. Soldiers 
stationed at Fort Lewis as part of this decision would train at Fort 
Lewis and YTC. This alternative is summarized in the Army's ROD and 
described fully in Chapter 2 of the FEIS.

ADDRESSES: Questions or comments regarding the ROD should be forwarded 
to: Directorate of Public Works, Attention: Environmental (Mr. Paul T. 
Steucke, Jr.), Building 2012 Liggett Avenue, Box 339500 MS 17, Joint 
Base Lewis-McChord, WA 98433-9500.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bill Van Hoesen, Joint Base Lewis-
McChord National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Coordinator, at (253) 
966-1780 during normal business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ROD incorporates analyses contained in 
the FEIS, including comments provided during formal comment and review 
periods. The ROD discusses the ability of each alternative to meet the 
Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action and outlines environmental 
mitigation commitments the Army will implement as part of this 
decision. The preferred alternative was selected as it is best able to 
meet the Army's mission training and operational requirements while 
supporting the Army's responsibility for protecting and sustaining the 
environment. The stationing of CSS units and/or a CAB are actions that 
the Army may implement in the future. Currently, the Army is completing 
a programmatic environmental analysis of suitable installations for CAB 
stationing that may result in the assignment of additional aviation 
units at Fort Lewis. As part of that CAB stationing evaluation, the 
Army considered the stationing of a full CAB equivalent of Soldiers and 
equipment; however, consideration is being given to stationing 
approximately half that total (up to 1,400 new Soldiers and their 
equipment). This more limited CAB stationing would provide a CAB 
training capability at Fort Lewis that would complement Active Army 
aviation units already stationed there. A final decision on the CAB 
stationing will be made as part of a separate decision process by the 
Army.
    This ROD documents the decision to proceed with the stationing of 
1,900 GTA Soldiers at Fort Lewis, and the decision about where the 
facilities for the CSS and CAB units could be located on the 
installation, what and where the training may be conducted, and what 
impacts or effects are anticipated. Construction and training to 
support CSS and CAB stationing would proceed in the future if the Army 
decided to station all or some of these Soldiers at Fort Lewis.
    On February 1, 2010, Fort Lewis, Yakima Training Center, and 
McChord Air Force Base were designated a joint base and renamed Joint 
Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM); however, the terms Fort Lewis, and Yakima 
Training Center (YTC) are retained in the EIS and ROD and will be used 
until the EIS process is complete.
    A rationale for the decision can be found in the ROD which is 
available for public review at http://www.lewis.army.mil/publicworks/sites/envir/EIA_2.htm.

    Dated: February 17, 2011.
Hershell E. Wolfe,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health.
[FR Doc. 2011-4332 Filed 2-25-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-P