[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 122 (Friday, June 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39135-39136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15973]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Public Hearings for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS) for the North Pacific Acoustic Laboratory (NPAL)

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy, Office of Naval Research (ONR), 
has prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) a DEIS for the reuse of the sound source and cable previously 
installed by the Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate (ATOC) Project 
for the NPAL. Public hearings will be held to provide information and 
to receive oral and written comments on the DEIS. Federal, state and 
local agencies, and interested individuals are invited to be present or 
represented at the hearings.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: Public hearings will be held in: (1) Lihue, Kauai, 
HI on July 5, 2000 from 7 PM--9:30 PM at the Kauai Community College 
Dining Room, 3-1901 Kaumualii Highway; (2) Honolulu, HI on July 6, 2000 
from 7 PM--9:30 PM at the Hawaii Imin International Conference Center, 
East-West Center, 2nd Floor, Pacific Room, 1777 East-West Road, and (3) 
Kilauea, Kauai, HI on July 8, 2000 from 1:30 PM--4 PM at the Kilauea 
Neighborhood Center, 2460 Keneke Street.
    The evening meetings in Lihue and Honolulu will consist of an 
informational presentation at 7 PM, followed by a public hearing at 8 
PM. The afternoon meeting in Kilauea will consist of an informational 
presentation at 1:30 PM, followed by a public hearing at 2:30 PM.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kathleen Vigness Raposa, telephone 
(401) 847-7508.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-4345) and its 
implementing regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 to 1508), and in accordance 
with the Hawaii Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Law (Chapter 343, 
Hawaii Revised Statutes), ONR has prepared and filed with the EPA a 
joint state-federal DEIS for the reuse of the sound source and cable 
previously installed for use in ATOC research for NPAL.
    A Notice of Intent for this EIS was published in the Federal 
Register on June 15, 1999. Public scoping meetings were held in 
Hanalei, Kauai, HI, on June 29, 1999; in Lihue, Kauai, HI, on June 30, 
1999; and in Honolulu, HI, on July 1, 1999.
    The proposed action is reuse of the ATOC sound source and cable for 
NPAL, an ONR basic research project, which would combine: a second 
phase of research on the feasibility and value of large-scale acoustic 
thermometry; long-range underwater sound transmission studies; and 
marine mammal monitoring and studies.
    Under the proposed action, the seabed power cable and sound source 
would remain in their present locations, and transmissions would 
continue for a period of five years with approximately the same signal 
parameters and transmission schedule used in the ATOC project. The 
action would be carried out by Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 
University of California, San Diego, which is the applicant for 
necessary state and federal permits, and by the Applied Physics 
Laboratory of the University of Washington.
    The DEIS addresses the potential effects of the transmissions on 
the marine environment, including potential auditory, behavioral, and 
physiological effects on marine mammals and other marine creatures. 
Alternatives developed and analyzed in

[[Page 39136]]

the DEIS include: the Preferred Alternative, in which the Kauai sound 
source would be used as described above; the No Action Alternative, in 
which no further activity with the Kauai source would occur; and the 
Midway Alternative, in which a sound source and cable would be located 
off Midway Island. The proposed action is the preferred alternative 
because it best meets the project's purpose and need.
    The DEIS has been distributed to various federal, state, and local 
agencies, elected officials, special interest groups, and public 
libraries. The document is available for public review at the following 
libraries:

Aina Haina Public Library, 5246 Kalanianaole Highway, Honolulu, HI 
96821
Hawaii Kai Public Library, 249 Lunalilo Home Road, Honolulu, HI 96825
Hawaii State Library, Hawaii Documents Center, 478 South King Street, 
Honolulu, HI 96813
Kaimuki Public Library, 1041 Koko Head Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
Kailua Public Library, 239 Kuulei Road, Kailua, HI 96734
McCully-Moiliili Public Library, 2211 South King Street, Honolulu, HI 
96826
Pearl City Public Library, 1138 Waimano Home Road, Pearl City, HI 96782
Salt Lake-Moanalua Public Library, 648 Ala Lilikoi Street, Honolulu, HI 
96818
Waikiki-Kapahulu Public Library, 400 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 
96815
University of Hawaii, Hamilton Library, 2559 The Mall, Honolulu, HI 
96822
Kalihi-Palama Public Library, 1325 Kalihi Street, Honolulu, HI 96819
Kaneohe Public Library 45-829 Kamehameha Highway, Kaneohe, HI 96744
Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped, 402 Kapahulu Avenue, 
Honolulu, HI 96815
Liliha Public Library, 1515 Liliha Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
Manoa Public Library, 2716 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822
Wailuku Public Library, 251 High Street, Wailuku, HI 96793
Kapaa Public Library, 1464 Kuhio Highway, Kapaa, HI 96746
Lihue Public Library, 4344 Hardy Street, Lihue, HI 96766
Lanai Public & School Library, P.O. Box 550, Lanai City, HI 96763
Hilo Public Library, 300 Waianuenue, Hilo, HI 96720
Kahului Public Library, 90 School Street, Kahului, HI 96732
Kailua-Kona Public Library, 75-I38 Hualalai Road, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Kihei Public Library, 35 Waimahaihai Street, Kihei, HI 96753
Lahaina Public Library, 680 Wharf Street, Lahaina, HI 96761
Hanapepe Public Library, P.O. Box B, Hanapepe, HI 96716
Koloa Public & School Library, P.O. Box 9, Koloa, HI 96756
Waimea Public Library, P.O. Box 397, Waimea, HI 96796
Molokai Public Library, P.O. Box 395, Kaunakakai, HI 96748

    Navy will conduct three public hearings to receive oral and written 
comments concerning the DEIS. A brief presentation will precede a 
request for public information and comments. Navy representatives will 
be available at the hearings to receive information and comments from 
agencies and the public regarding issues of concern. Federal, state, 
and local agencies, and interested parties are invited and urged to be 
present or represented at the hearing. Those who intend to speak will 
be asked to submit a speaker card (available at the door). Oral 
comments will be heard and transcribed by a stenographer.
    To assure accuracy of the record, all statements should be 
submitted in writing. All statements, both oral and written, will 
become part of the public record in the study. Equal weight will be 
given to both oral and written comments. In the interest of available 
time, each speaker will be asked to limit oral comments to three 
minutes. Longer comments should be summarized at the public hearings 
and submitted in writing either at the hearings or mailed to Office of 
Naval Research, Marine Acoustics, Inc., 809 Aquidneck Avenue, 
Middletown, RI 02842 (Attn. Ms. Kathleen Vigness Raposa, telephone 
(401) 847-7508, facsimile (401) 847-7864). Written comments are 
requested not later than July 24, 2000.

    Dated: June 20, 2000.
C.G. Carlson,
Major, U.S. Marine Corps, Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-15973 Filed 6-22-00; 8:45 am]
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