43230 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 149 / Friday, August 6, 2021 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of the Army 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

Army Training Land Retention of State 

Lands at Kahuku Training Area, 

Poamoho Training Area, and Makua 

Military Reservation, Island of O‘ahu, 

Hawai‘i 

AGENCY: Department of the Army, 

Defense (DoD). 

ACTION: Amended notice of intent. 

SUMMARY: The Department of the Army 

(Army) is issuing this Amended Notice 

of Intent, updating the original notice 

published on July 23, 2021 of its 

continuing intent to prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

to address the Army’s proposed 

retention of up to approximately 6,300 

acres of land currently leased to the 

Army by the State of Hawai‘i (‘‘Stateowned lands’’) on the island of O‘ahu. 

Since coronavirus (COVID–19) 

restrictions have eased in the City and 

County of Honolulu in the State of 

Hawaii (Mayor of the City and County 

of Honolulu’s Fourteenth Proclamation 

issued July 2, 2021), in addition to 

virtual scoping opportunities, EIS 

scoping sessions are scheduled to be 

held at Leilehua Golf Course (199 

Leilehua Golf Course Rd., Wahiawa, HI 

96786) on August 10 and 11, 2021 from 

6 to 9 p.m. 

DATES: The Army invites public 

comments on the scope of the EIS 

during a 40-day public scoping period. 

Comments must be received by 

September 1, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Please send written 

comments to the EIS website at: https:// 

home.army.mil/hawaii/index.php/ 

OAHUEIS. Alternatively, comments can 

be emailed to usarmy.hawaii.nepa@

mail.mil, or mailed to: O‘ahu ATLR EIS 

Comments, P.O. Box 3444, Honolulu, HI 

96801–3444. EIS scoping sessions will 

be held at Leilehua Golf Course (199 

Leilehua Golf Course Rd., Wahiawa, HI 

96786) on August 10 and 11, 2021 from 

6 to 9 p.m., during which video 

presentations will also be viewable at 

https://home.army.mil/hawaii/ 

index.php/OahuEIS, and oral comments 

will be taken via an accompanying callin option at 808–556–8277. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Please contact Amy Bugala, U.S. Army 

Garrison-Hawai‘i (USAG–HI) Public 

Affairs Officer, at: (808) 656–3158 or by 

email to: usarmy.hawaii.comrel@

mail.mil. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Army 

is updating Federal Register, Vol. 86, 

No. 139, 39007 with this notice. USAG– 

HI is home to the 25th Infantry Division 

(ID), and other commands, whose 

mission is to deploy to conduct decisive 

actions in support of unified land 

operations; the Division conducts 

continuous persistent engagement with 

regional partners to shape the 

environment and prevent conflict across 

the Pacific operational environment. On 

orders, these units may conduct theaterwide deployment to perform combat 

operations in support of U.S. IndoPacific Command (USINDOPACOM). 

The 25th ID is based out of Schofield 

Barracks on the island of O‘ahu and 

trains on a rotational basis at various 

training areas, including KTA, 

Poamoho, and MMR. 

Located in northeast O‘ahu, KTA has 

been the site of military training since 

the mid-1950s. Current training 

activities on State-owned lands at KTA 

include high-density company-level 

helicopter training in a tactical 

environment, large-scale ground 

maneuver training, and air support 

training. 

Located in the Ko‘olau Mountains in 

north-central O‘ahu, the Poamoho 

Training Area has been the site of 

military training since 1964 and 

provides ideal airspace with ravines and 

deep vegetation vital to realistic 

helicopter training. 

Located in northwest O‘ahu, MMR 

has been a site for military training for 

nearly 100 years. Tactical training at 

MMR began in 1941 after the surprise 

attack on Pearl Harbor and military 

exercises continue to this day. Current 

training activities on State-owned lands 

at MMR include maneuver training, the 

establishment and use of restricted 

airspace for unmanned aerial vehicle 

training, as well as wildfire suppression 

and security activities. 

State-owned lands include 

approximately 1,170 acres at Kahuku 

Training Area (KTA), approximately 

4,370 acres at Poamoho Training Area 

(Poamoho), and approximately 760 

acres at Makua Military Reservation 

(MMR). Training areas are utilized by 

Army units and other users such as the 

Marine Corps and Hawaii Army 

National Guard. Because the Proposed 

Action involves State-owned lands, the 

EIS will be a joint NEPA–HEPA 

document; therefore, the public scoping 

processes will run concurrently and will 

jointly meet NEPA and HEPA 

requirements. The EIS will evaluate the 

environmental impacts from 

implementing the proposed land 

retention. 

The purpose of land retention is to 

secure the long-term military use of 

State-owned parcels, for which current 

leases expire in 2029. The need to retain 

use of these training lands is to allow 

the military to continue to meet current 

and future training and combat 

readiness requirements on Armymanaged lands in Hawai‘i. 

To understand the environmental 

consequences of the decisions to be 

made, the EIS will evaluate the 

reasonably foreseeable impacts of a 

range of potential alternatives that meet 

the purpose of and need for the 

Proposed Action. Alternatives to be 

considered include the No Action 

Alternative, (1) Full Retention, (2) 

Modified Retention, and (3) Minimum 

Retention and Access. The Proposed 

Action does not involve new training, 

construction, or resource management 

activities. Under Full Retention, the 

Army would retain all State-owned 

lands within each training area. Under 

Modified Retention, the Army would 

retain all State-owned lands within each 

training area except lands on which 

limited training occurs. Under Limited 

Retention and Access, the Army would 

retain the minimum amount of Stateowned lands within each training area 

that is required for USARHAW to 

continue to meet its current ongoing 

training requirements. This includes the 

State-owned lands with the most vital 

training/support facilities, 

infrastructure, maneuver land, all U.S. 

Government-owned utilities, and access 

to these features. Other reasonable 

alternatives raised during the scoping 

process that meet the Army mission, 

project purpose, and need will also be 

considered for evaluation in the EIS. 

An EIS-level analysis is being 

undertaken because the land retention 

action could have potentially significant 

impacts on environmental and social 

resource areas including biological 

resources, cultural resources, hazardous 

and toxic materials and wastes, 

socioeconomics, utilities, and human 

health and safety. The analysis in the 

EIS will determine the projected level of 

impact on each resource area. 

The Army anticipates permits and 

authorizations may be required for the 

Proposed Action, including a lease from 

the State of Hawai‘i Department of Land 

and Natural Resources (DLNR), National 

Historic Preservation Act and Hawai‘i 

Historic Preservation Review 

consultation with the State Historic 

Preservation Officer, Endangered 

Species Act Section 7 consultation with 

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a 

Coastal Zone Management consistency 

determination from the Hawai‘i State 

Office of Planning, and a Conservation 

District Use Permit applicability 

determination from the DLNR Office of 

Conservation and Coastal Lands. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 149 / Friday, August 6, 2021 / Notices 43231 

The Draft EIS will be available at the 

end of 2022. The Final EIS will be 

published in 2023, and the ROD will be 

available by fall 2024. The Final EIS and 

Record of Decision are estimated to be 

available within three years of this 

notice. 

Native Hawaiian organizations; 

Federal, State, and local agencies; and 

the public are invited to be involved in 

the scoping process for the preparation 

of this EIS by participating in a scoping 

meeting and/or submitting written 

comments. The Army requests 

assistance with identifying potential 

alternatives to the Proposed Action to be 

considered and identification of 

information and analyses relevant to the 

Proposed Action. Written comments 

must be sent within 40 days of 

publication of the Notice of Intent in the 

Federal Register. Written comments 

will be accepted during the EIS Scoping 

Open House and throughout the 

duration of the 40-day scoping process 

through an online comment platform or 

by mail or email. Notification of the EIS 

Scoping Open House will also be 

published and announced in local news 

media outlets and on the EIS website: 

https://home.army.mil/hawaii/ 

index.php/OAHUEIS. Hard copy 

scoping materials are available by 

making a request to Amy Bugala, 

USAG–HI Public Affairs Officer at (808) 

656–3158 or by email to: 

usarmy.hawaii.comrel@mail.mil. 

James W. Satterwhite, Jr., 

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2021–16807 Filed 8–5–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 5061–AP–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Department of Army 

Final Environmental Impact Statement 

and Finding of no Practicable 

Alternative for Implementation of Area 

Development Plan at Davison Army 

Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Virginia 

AGENCY: Department of Army, DoD. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Army 

(Army) announces the availability of the 

Final Environmental Impact Statement 

(EIS) for the proposed implementation 

of an Area Development Plan (ADP) for 

Davison Army Airfield (DAAF) at Fort 

Belvoir, Virginia. In accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA), the Final EIS analyzes the 

potential environmental impacts 

associated with implementing the 

construction, modernization, and 

demolition projects at DAAF 

recommended in the ADP (Proposed 

Action). A Finding of No Practicable 

Alternative (FONPA) addressing 

potential impacts on floodplains and 

wetlands was prepared in parallel with 

and is included as an appendix to the 

Final EIS. The Proposed Action would 

be implemented over an approximately 

30-year time period to provide facilities 

and infrastructure necessary to support 

the ongoing and future missions of 

DAAF’s tenants. The Proposed Action 

would improve the airfield’s functional 

layout, demolish and replace aging 

facilities and infrastructure, and address 

multiple operational safety concerns 

along the runway. The ADP is specific 

to DAAF and all projects would occur 

entirely within its boundaries. No 

substantial changes in missions, air 

operations, or the number of aircraft and 

personnel at DAAF would occur under 

the Proposed Action. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Please contact: Ms. Wilamena G. 

Harback, Fort Belvoir Directorate of 

Public Works-Environmental Division 

(DPW–ED) via phone at (703) 806–3193 

or (703) 806–0020, during normal 

working business hours, Monday 

through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

Further information may also be 

requested via email to: FortBelvoirNOI@

usace.army.mil. Electronic copies of the 

Final EIS and FONPA are available on 

Fort Belvoir’s website at: https://

home.army.mil/belvoir/index.php/ 

about/Garrison/directorate-publicworks/environmental-division. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final 

EIS analyzes the potential 

environmental impacts of the Army’s 

Proposed Action to implement the 

construction, modernization, and 

demolition projects recommended in 

the ADP. The Proposed Action would 

occur entirely within the 673-acre 

DAAF property on Fort Belvoir. Up to 

24 ADP projects would be implemented 

in three sequential phases over the 

course of an approximately 30-year time 

period, as follows: Short-range (next 10 

years), mid-range (11 to 20 years from 

now), and long-range (21 to 30 years 

from now). No substantial changes in 

missions, air operations, or the number 

of aircraft and personnel at DAAF 

would occur under the Proposed 

Action. Operational noise levels 

following implementation of the 

Proposed Action would remain similar 

to current conditions. 

The Proposed Action includes the 

construction of new hangars, 

administrative and operational facilities; 

the modernization of existing facilities; 

the demolition of up to 37 existing 

buildings and structures; and related 

infrastructure improvements. 

Demolition activities would remove a 

number of facilities that partially 

obstruct the airfield’s Primary and 

Transitional Surfaces, which are 

required to be free of obstructions in 

accordance with Department of Defense 

(DoD) operational safety criteria. These 

facilities require temporary safety 

waivers to operate. 

The Final EIS assesses the direct, 

indirect, and cumulative potential 

environmental impacts associated with 

the Proposed Action. In support of the 

Final EIS, the Army conducted 

consultation to obtain regulatory 

concurrence in accordance with Section 

7 of the Endangered Species Act, 

Section 106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act, and Section 307 of the 

Coastal Zone Management Act. 

The Army evaluated several 

alternatives for the Proposed Action 

before selecting two action alternatives 

for detailed analysis in the Final EIS: 

The Full Implementation Alternative 

and the Partial Implementation 

Alternative. A No Action Alternative 

was also carried forward for analysis. 

1. Full Implementation Alternative 

(Preferred Alternative): This alternative 

would implement the complete suite of 

24 projects recommended in the DAAF 

ADP. The Full Implementation 

Alternative would accommodate the 

space and functional needs of all DAAF 

tenants consistent with applicable DoD 

requirements. It would also fulfill 

DAAF’s vision to create a safe, secure, 

sustainable, and consolidated aviation 

complex. 

2. Partial Implementation Alternative: 

This alternative would implement a 

modified, reduced program of 15 ADP 

projects at DAAF. The Partial 

Implementation Alternative would not 

address DAAF’s tenants’ requirements 

in full, but would substantially improve 

conditions. 

Under the No Action Alternative, the 

Army would not implement the DAAF 

ADP; existing conditions at the airfield 

would continue for the foreseeable 

future. The No Action Alternative does 

not meet the Proposed Action’s purpose 

and need, but was analyzed in the Final 

EIS to provide a baseline for the 

comparison of impacts from the Full 

and Partial Implementation 

Alternatives. 

The Final EIS analyzed the Proposed 

Action’s potential impacts on land use, 

aesthetics, and coastal zone 

management; historic and cultural 

resources; air quality; noise; geology, 

topography, and soils; water resources; 

biological resources; health and safety; 

and hazardous materials and waste. 


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