The U.S. Department of the Navy has published its Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/ Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings.The Study Area consists of the in-water areas of the Southern California (SOCAL) Range Complex (including San Diego Bay); inwater areas of Silver Strand Training Complex (SSTC); the Hawaii Range Complex (HRC); areas on the high seas where training and sonar testing and maintenance may occur during vessel transit between the Hawaii and Southern California Range Complexes; the Temporary Operating Area north and west of the Hawaii Range Complex; and specific Navy pierside, port, and harbor locations.
In order to achieve and maintain military readiness, the Navy proposes to:
- Conduct training and testing activities at levels required to support Navy military readiness requirements beginning in December 2018 into the reasonably foreseeable future; and
- Accommodate evolving mission requirements associated with force structure changes, including those resulting from the development, testing, and ultimate introduction of new platforms (vessels, aircraft, and weapon systems) into the fleet; thereby ensuring critical Navy requirements are met.
As part of this process the Navy will seek to obtain authorization and permitting, as required under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act, respectively.
The Navy invites comments on the scope and content of the EIS/OEIS from all interested parties. Comments may be provided by mail and through the EIS/ OEIS Web site at: http:// www.hstteis.com. Mailed comments must be postmarked no later than January 16, 2016 to ensure they are considered.
In addition, the Navy will conduct public scoping meetings to obtain comments on the scope of the EIS/OEIS and to identify specific environmental concerns or topics for consideration in the document.
Dates and Addresses: Three public scoping meetings will be held on:
- Tuesday, December 1, 2015, 5:00– 8:00 p.m., Marina Village Conference Center Starboard Room, 1936 Quivira Way, San Diego, CA 92109;
- Thursday, December 3, 2015, 5:00– 8:00 p.m., Island School Main Hall, 3– 1901 Kaumuali’i Highway Lihue, Kauai, HI 96766;
- Saturday, December 5, 2015, 11:00– 2:00 p.m., Ke’ehi Lagoon Memorial, N. Nimitz Highway, Honolulu, HI 96819.
The scoping meetings will consist of an informal, open-house session with informational stations staffed by Navy representatives. Meeting details will be announced in local newspapers.
Click here to read the Navy’s Federal Register notice of these actions.
