[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 4 (Monday, January 7, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 1206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-6222]



[[Page 1206]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for Army Growth 
and Force Structure Realignment

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of the 
Record of Decision (ROD) for Army Growth and Force Structure 
Realignment. This ROD announces the Army's decisions for growing and 
realigning U.S. Army forces within the Continental United States 
(CONUS). Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 
Department of the Army prepared a Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement (PEIS) that evaluated the potential environmental and socio-
economic effects associated with alternatives for Army growth and 
realignment. In the Final PEIS, which was published on 26 OCT, 2007, 
the Army identified Alternative Three as the preferred alternative. The 
Record of Decision explains that the Army will proceed with its 
preferred alternative, Alternative Three. This alternative best 
supports Army Modular Transformation; implements Global Defense Posture 
Realignment (GDPR) decisions; adds the necessary Combat Support and 
Combat Service Support Soldiers to the Active and Reserve components of 
the Army; and grows the Army by six Active component Brigade Combat 
Teams (BCTs) and fifteen Active and Reserve component support brigades. 
Each of the BCTs will be Infantry BCTs. In addition, the PEIS analysis 
was used to relocate a Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) headquarters 
and two Heavy Brigade Combat Teams (HBCTs). The HBCTs will be activated 
in Germany and retained until FY12 and FY13 before returning to the 
United States. A return of these BCTs to the United States is not a 
part of previous decisions to implement Base Realignment and Closure 
(BRAC) 2005. This decision and analysis within this PEIS do not include 
BRAC 2005 stationing actions, which are considered part of the baseline 
condition for analysis. This decision will result in a total growth in 
Army forces by approximately 74,200 Soldiers, and will realign forces 
to improve readiness and responsiveness to meet future challenges.

ADDRESSES: Comments or questions regarding the ROD can be sent to the 
Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army Environmental Command, Building E4460, 
Attention: IMAE-PA 5179 Hoadley Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 
21010-5401.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Public Affairs Office at (410) 436-
2556; facsimile at (410) 436-1693 (during normal business hours Monday 
through Friday).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In January 2007, President Bush asked 
Congress for authority to increase the overall strength of the Army by 
74,200 Soldiers over the next five years. This growth will mitigate 
shortages in units, Soldiers, and time to train that would otherwise 
inhibit the Army from meeting readiness goals and supporting strategic 
requirements. In September 2007, the Secretary of Defense approved the 
Army's proposal to accelerate growth for the Active component and Army 
National Guard. The Army must grow, adjust its force structure, and 
station its units and Soldiers to meet the strategic requirements of 
the contemporary global security environment.
    The Final PEIS examined major Army installations within CONUS and 
their ability to support new unit stationing actions in connection with 
growth and realignment. The Final PEIS provided the Army Senior 
Leadership with an assessment of environmental and socio-economic 
impacts that would be associated with these actions in addition to the 
feedback and concerns of the public. This information was considered as 
part of the decision-making process for selecting the final stationing 
locations for new units.
    Stationing decisions included in the ROD for Army Growth and Force 
Structure Realignment include: retaining one IBCT at Ft Carson, CO as 
the 43rd BCT in Fiscal Year (FY) 08; activating the 44th BCT at Ft 
Bliss, TX in FY09; converting one Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT) to 
an IBCT at Ft Stewart, GA in FY10; and growing three IBCTs in FY11, one 
each at Ft Stewart, GA, Ft Carson, CO, and Ft Bliss, TX. Two BCTs 
stationed in Germany will relocate back to CONUS in FY12 and 13, 
respectively. These units are selected for stationing at Ft Bliss, TX 
and White Sands Missile Range, NM. The Army will also activate eight 
Active component support brigades and restation two others. These 
actions will occur at the following locations: In FY08, an Air Defense 
Artillery Brigade headquarters activates at Ft Hood, TX; in FY09, a 
Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) activates at Ft Leonard Wood, MO; in 
FY10 a Fires Brigade activates at Ft Bliss, TX; in FY11, an 
Expeditionary Sustainment Command Headquarters activates at Ft Lewis, 
WA, and a Sustainment Brigade activates at Ft Hood, TX; in FY13, a 
(BfSB) activates at Ft Polk, LA and a MEB will be restationed to Fort 
Drum, NY.
    The restationing of a MEB is tentatively being considered for Fort 
Richardson, AK in FY 2010. The Army is considering the stationing of an 
Engineer Brigade and a Military Police Brigade at Schofield Barracks, 
HI. These actions will ensure the proper balance of combat support 
units and command and control functions are available in the Pacific 
theater to support training and operational requirements. A final 
decision on these actions will not be made until a supplemental NEPA 
analysis is completed to analyze impacts of stationing actions in the 
Pacific theater.
    A copy of the ROD and Final PEIS are available at http://www.aec.army.mil.

Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 07-6222 Filed 1-4-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M