Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 126 / Friday, June 29, 2012 / Notices 38779 

technical assistance, and other related 

logistics support. 

(iv) Military Department: Army (USQ) 

(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None 

(vi) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, 

Offered, or Agreed to be Paid: None 

(vii) Sensitivity of Technology 

Contained in the Defense Article or 

Defense Services Proposed to be Sold: 

See attached Annex 

(viii) Date Report Delivered to 

Congress: 18 June 2012 

POLICY JUSTIFICATION 

Kingdom of Morocco—M1A1 SA 

Abrams Tank Enhancement, Support 

and Equipment 

The Government of the Kingdom of 

Morocco has requested a possible 

enhancement and refurbishment of 200 

M1A1 Abrams tanks, provided as part of 

a grant Excess Defense Article (EDA) 

transfer notified to Congress on 27 April 

2011, to the M1A1 Special Armor (SA) 

configuration. The possible sale will 

also provide 150 AN/VRC–87E and 50 

AN/VRC–89E Exportable Single 

Channel Ground and Airborne Radio 

Systems (SINCGARS), 200 M2 Chrysler 

Mount Machine Guns, and 400 7.62MM 

M240 Machine Guns. The possible sale 

also includes 12,049,842 Ammunition 

Rounds (including 1400 C785 SABOT, 

1800 CA31 HEAT, and 5400 AA38 

SLAP–T), 200 M250 Smoke Grenade 

Launchers, support equipment, spare 

and repair parts, personnel training and 

training equipment, publications and 

technical data, communication support, 

U.S. Government and contractor 

technical assistance, and other related 

logistics support. The estimated cost is 

$1.015 billion. 

This proposed sale will contribute to 

the foreign policy and national security 

of the United States by helping to 

improve the security of a major NonNATO ally that continues to be an 

important force for political stability 

and economic progress in Africa. 

This package of M1A1 tank 

enhancements will contribute to the 

modernization of Morocco’s tank fleet, 

enhancing its ability to meet current and 

future threats. These tanks will 

contribute to Morocco’s goal of updating 

its military capability while further 

enhancing interoperability with the U.S. 

and other allies. 

The proposed sale of this equipment 

and support will not alter the basic 

military balance in the region. 

The prime contractor will be General 

Dynamics Land Systems in Sterling 

Heights, Michigan. Refurbishment work 

will be performed at Anniston Army 

Depot in Anniston, Alabama and the 

Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in 

Lima, Ohio. There are no known offset 

agreements proposed in connection 

with this potential sale. 

Implementation of this proposed sale 

will require annual trips to Morocco 

involving up to 64 U.S. Government and 

13 contractor representatives for a 

period of up to five years to manage the 

fielding and training for the program. 

There will be no adverse impact on 

U.S. defense readiness as a result of this 

proposed sale. 

Transmittal No. 12–28 

Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of 

Offer Pursuant to Section 36(b)(1) of the 

Arms Export Control Act 

Annex 

Item No. vii 

(vii) Sensitivity of Technology: 

1. The M1A1 Abrams Tanks 

components considered to contain 

sensitive technology in the proposed 

program are as follows: 

a. The M1A1 Thermal Imaging System 

(TIS) 2nd Gen Forward Looking Infrared 

(FLIR) constitutes a target acquisition 

system which, when operated with 

other tank systems, gives the tank crew 

a substantial advantage over the 

potential threat. The TIS provides the 

M1A1 crew with the ability to 

effectively aim and fire the tank main 

armament system under a broad range of 

adverse battlefield conditions. The 

hardware itself is Unclassified. The 

engineering design and manufacturing 

data associated with the detector and 

infrared (IR) optics and coatings are 

considered sensitive. The technical data 

package is Unclassified with the 

exception of the specifications for target 

acquisition range (Confidential), nuclear 

hardening (Confidential, restricted data) 

and laser hardening (Secret). 

b. The M1A1 Tank Special Armor and 

other special armors used in the hull 

and turret are classified at the Secret 

level. Major components of Special 

Armor are fabricated in sealed modules 

and in serialized removable 

subassemblies. Special Armor 

components and associated 

vulnerability data for both chemical and 

kinetic energy rounds are classified 

Secret. 

c. The use of the Advanced Gas 

Turbine-1500 (AGT–1500) Gas Turbine 

Propulsion System in the MlA1 is a 

unique application of armored vehicle 

power pack technology. The hardware is 

composed of the AGT–1500 engine and 

transmission, and is Unclassified. 

Manufacturing processes associated 

with the production of turbine blades, 

recuperator, bearings and shafts, and 

hydrostatic pump and motor, are 

proprietary and therefore commercially 

competition sensitive. 

d. A major survivability feature of the 

Abrams Tank is the 

compartmentalization of fuel and 

ammunition. Compartmentalization is 

the positive separation of the crew and 

critical components from combustible 

materials. In the event that the fuel or 

ammunition is ignited or deteriorated by 

an incoming threat round, the crew is 

fully protected by the 

compartmentalization. Sensitive 

information includes the performance of 

the ammunition compartments as well 

as the compartment design parameters. 

2. If a technologically advanced 

adversary were to obtain knowledge of 

the specific hardware and software 

elements, the information could be used 

to develop countermeasures or 

equivalent systems which might reduce 

weapon system effectiveness or be used 

in the development of a system with 

similar or advanced capabilities. 

[FR Doc. 2012–15988 Filed 6–28–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 5001–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of the Army; Corps of 

Engineers 

Notice of Availability of Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the Proposed Mather Specific Plan 

Project, Sacramento County, CA, 

Corps Permit Application Number 

SPK–2002–561 

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers, DOD. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), 

Sacramento District has prepared a Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 

to analyze the potential direct, indirect 

and cumulative effects of implementing 

the No Action alternative and three 

large-scale, mixed-use development 

alternatives in the approximately 5,749- 

acre Mather Specific Plan area, 

Sacramento County, California (note 

that approximately 2,554 acres of the 

Plan area contains existing 

development, primarily Mather Airport, 

a Commerce Center, a residential 

subdivision, lake and golf course). 

The purpose of the DEIS is to provide 

decision-makers and the public with 

information pertaining to the 

Applicant’s Preferred Alternative and 

alternatives, and to disclose 

environmental impacts and identify 

mitigation measures to reduce impacts. 

The DEIS documents the existing 

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38780 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 126 / Friday, June 29, 2012 / Notices 

condition of resources in the Specific 

Plan area, concentrating on those areas 

proposed for development, and analyzes 

the potential impacts to resources as a 

result of implementing the alternatives. 

The alternatives considered in detail 

are: (A) Applicant’s Preferred 

Alternative; (B) 2006 Conceptual Land 

Use Plan Alternative; (C) Multiple 

Preserves Alternative; and (D) No 

Action/No USACE Permit Alternative. 

DATES: All written comments must be 

postmarked on or before August 13, 

2012. 

ADDRESSES: Comments may be 

submitted in writing to: Kathleen 

Dadey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 

Sacramento District, Regulatory 

Division; 1325 J Street, Room 1350, 

Sacramento, CA 95814–2922, or via 

email to 

Kathleen.A.Dadey@usace.army.mil. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kathleen Dadey at 916–557–5250, or via 

email at 

Kathleen.A.Dadey@usace.army.mil. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Sacremento County Office of Economic 

Development and Marketing (applicant) 

is seeking authorization from USACE for 

the placement of dredged or fill material 

into waters of the United States 

pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean 

Water Act to develop portions of the 

Mather Specific Plan area. The overall 

project purpose is a large scale, mixed 

use development to promote economic 

and wetland conservation opportunities 

within the Mather Specific Plan area. 

All of the build alternatives include the 

following land uses: airport commercial, 

commercial development, parks and 

recreation, aggregate extraction, 

university village/residential, regional 

sports park and infrastructure, including 

roadways. 

Alternative A, the Applicant’s 

Preferred Alternative, includes 

approximately 1,910 acres of 

development a 1,272-acre Preserve and 

a 13-acre riparian buffer area. The 

applicant proposes to fill a total of 40.25 

acres of waters of the U.S., including 

seasonal wetlands, vernal pools and 

swales, channels and drainage ditches. 

The preserved areas would provide 

protection for wetlands (including 

vernal pools) and endangered species, 

including vernal pool fairy shrimp, 

vernal pool tadpole shrimp, and 

legenere. The Preserve would also 

protect federally listed critical habitat. 

Alternative B is based on a land use 

plan for the Mather Specific Plan area 

that was conceptually endorsed by the 

Sacramento County Board of 

Supervisors in February 2006. 

Alternative B includes a 1,064-acre 

Preserve and 27 acre riparian buffer area 

which would provide protection for 

wetlands and endangered species. This 

alternative anticipates development of 

approximately 2,011 acres. Alternative 

B also includes four ‘‘avoidance areas’’ 

totaling 93 acres within the parks and 

recreation and university village/ 

residential areas. Impacts to waters of 

the U.S. associated with Alternative B 

would 39.64 acres. 

Alternative C proposes land uses 

identical to Alternative A with the 

addition of three smaller Preserves 

within the commercial development 

and university village/residential areas, 

with a total of 33.65 acres of fill into 

waters of the U.S. Alternative C would 

develop approximately 1,836 acreas and 

includes 1,346 acres of Preserve and 13 

acres of riparian buffer area. Preserve 

areas would provide protection for 

wetlands and endangered species. 

Alternative D, No Action/No USACE 

permit, avoids the placement of dredged 

or fill material into waters of the United 

States, including wetlands. A reduced 

amount of future development could 

occur without Department of the Army 

authorization, including infill 

development at Mather Airport and 

aggregate extraction in the southwestern 

corner of the project site. Because this 

alternative does not anticipate 

substantial economic development and 

related revenue to fund active 

management of a Preserve, however, the 

level of protection and management of 

wetland resources, listed species and 

their habitat is unknown. 

Comments on the DEIS must be 

submitted to USACE by August 13, 

2012. The public and affected Federal, 

State and local agencies, Native 

American Tribes, and other 

organizations and parties are invited to 

comment. An electronic copoy of the 

DEIS may be found on the USACE Web 

site at: http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/ 

Missions/Regulatory/Overview/ 

EnvironmentalImpactStatements.aspx. 

A hard copy of the DEIS is available for 

review at the USACE office during 

normal business hours. To schedule a 

time to view the hard copy, please 

contact Kathleen Dadey. 

The USACE will conduct a public 

meeting for the DEIS on July 25, 2012 

from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Main 

Conference Room A at 10590 Armstrong 

Avenue, Mather, California 95655. 

Interested parties can provide oral and 

written comments at this meeting. 

In addition to this Federal Register 

notice, USACE will issue public notices 

advising interested parties of the 

availability of the DEIS. Interested 

parties may register for USACE public 

notices at: http:// 

www.spk.usace.army.mil/Media/ 

RegulatoryPublicNotices.aspx. 

Dated: June 20, 2012. 

Braden G. LeMaster, 

Lieutenant Colonel, Corps of Engineers, 

Deputy District Engineer. 

[FR Doc. 2012–15965 Filed 6–28–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3720–58–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of the Army; Corps of 

Engineers 

Proposed Reduction in Hours of 

Operation at the Mississippi River Twin 

Cities Locks Located in Minneapolis, 

MN 

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers, DOD. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The three locks in the Twin 

Cities (Upper St. Anthony Falls, Lower 

St. Anthony Falls, and Lock and Dam 1) 

located in Minneapolis, MN, on the 

Mississippi River, currently operate at 

Service Level 1 (24 hours per day/7 days 

per week) during the navigation season. 

It is proposed that these three locks and 

dams transition to Service Level 2 for 

the 2013 navigation season and beyond. 

The navigation season on the Upper 

Mississippi normally begins in March, 

depending on river conditions. Under 

Service Level 2, the locks will operate 

from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. and will be 

closed to lockages between 2:00 a.m. 

and 7:00 a.m. 

Constrained funding has led to 

reduced Operations and Maintenance 

funding within the Corps’ Inland 

Marine Transportation System (IMTS). 

The intended effect of the proposed 

change reduces operational costs and 

aligns lock availability with existing 

levels of lock usage. The Twin Cities 

locks have less than 1000 commercial 

lockages per year. Based on guidance 

adopted by the IMTS Board of Directors, 

locks operating at Service Level 1 

should pass more than 1,000 

commercial lockages per year. Pool 

levels will not be affected by change of 

operating hours. 

DATES: Submit written comments by 

August 30, 2012, to Mr. Kevin 

Baumgard, Deputy Chief, Operations 

Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 

180 Fifth Street East, Suite 700, St. Paul, 

MN 55101–1678, or by email at 

kevin.l.baumgard@usace.army.mil. 

Written comments will also be accepted 

at the public meeting. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Michael Kidby at Corps of Engineers 

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