[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 206 (Friday, October 24, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 63610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25316]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplement to the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement 
for Military Readiness Activities in the Northwest Training and Testing 
Study Area

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy (DoN) announces its intent to 
prepare a Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS)/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (OEIS) for the Northwest 
Training and Testing (NWTT) Study Area. This Supplemental DEIS/OEIS 
will focus on substantial changes in the proposed action and 
significant new information relevant to environmental concerns per 40 
Code of Federal Regulations CFR 1502.9. The Supplemental DEIS/OEIS will 
also provide additional updated information to further the purposes of 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the NEPA, 
regulations implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR 
parts 1500-1508), and Presidential Executive Order 12114, the DoN 
announced its intent to prepare an EIS/OEIS for the NWTT Study Area in 
the Federal Register (FR) on February 27, 2012 (77 FR 11497), and 
invited the public to comment on the scope of the EIS/OEIS. A Draft 
EIS/OEIS was subsequently released on January 24, 2014 (79 FR 4158), in 
which the potential environmental effects associated with military 
readiness training and research, development, test, and evaluation 
activities (training and testing) conducted within the NWTT Study Area 
were evaluated.
    Since the release of the DEIS/OEIS on January 24, 2014, the DoN has 
determined that a Supplemental DEIS/OEIS is warranted for two reasons. 
First, one activity, known as Tracking Exercises--Maritime Patrol 
(Extended Echo Ranging Sonobuoys), substantially changes the type and 
number of sonobuoys to be used. This change in the proposed action 
warrants preparation of a Supplemental DEIS/OEIS under 40 CFR 
1502.9(c)(1)(i). Second, new information relevant to air quality 
emissions of inland water vessel movements associated with Maritime 
Security Operations warrants further consideration and preparation of 
an Supplemental DEIS/OEIS under 40 CFR 1502.9(c)(1)(ii).
    All public comments received during the DEIS/OEIS comment period 
(January 24, 2014, through April 15, 2014) are still valid and are 
being considered in the Final EIS/OEIS for this action. Previously 
submitted comments need not be resubmitted. The Supplemental DEIS/OEIS 
is expected to be available in early December 2014. A Notice of 
Availability of the Supplemental DEIS/OEIS will be published in the 
Federal Register at that time, and the Supplemental DEIS/OEIS will be 
released for a public comment period of 45 days. No decision will be 
made to implement any alternative in the NWTT Study Area until the NEPA 
process is complete and a Record of Decision is signed by the DoN.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naval Facilities Engineering Command 
Northwest, Attention: Ms. Kimberly Kler--NWTT EIS/OEIS Project Manager, 
1101 Tautog Circle, Suite 203, Silverdale, WA 98315-1101.

    Authority:  35 U.S.C. 207, 37 CFR part 404.

    Dated: October 20, 2014.
N.A. Hagerty-Ford,
Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register 
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-25316 Filed 10-23-14; 8:45 am]
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