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13 February 2007
[Federal Register: February 12, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 28)]
[Notices]
[Page 6536-6537]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12fe07-48]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for a Swimmer Interdiction Security System (SISS) at Naval Base
Kitsap-Bangor, Kitsap County, WA, and Announce Public Scoping Meetings
AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, and the regulations implemented by the
Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the
Department of the Navy (DON) announces its intent to prepare an EIS to
evaluate the potential environmental consequences of construction of
facilities for and operation of the SISS.
The DON's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego (SSC San
Diego) proposes to construct and operate a SISS at Naval Base Kitsap-
Bangor (NBK-Bangor). In response to the terrorist attacks of September
11,
[[Page 6537]]
2001, the U.S. Government has increased security requirements at its
military installations. Chief of Naval Operations Instruction
(OPNAVINST) 5530.14C, Navy Physical Security Manual, establishes
requirements for security at naval bases, including NBK-Bangor.
OPNAVINST 5530.14C requires waterside security measures be implemented
to protect the DON's assets. The proposed SISS is needed to provide
additional waterside security at NBK-Bangor to counter threats from
surface and submerged swimmers. SSC San Diego is the Action Proponent.
Other than the preferred alternative, the most effective
alternatives would be use of Combat Swimmers and Remotely Operated
Vehicles (ROVs). Under the Combat Swimmers alternative, specially
trained personnel would be used to interdict underwater intruders. The
combat swimmers would be aboard Harbor Security Boats (HSB) and would
be deployed into the water to respond to security alerts by finding,
identifying, and marking the location of underwater objects or
initiating interdiction of intruders. Under the ROV alternative, ROVs
would be deployed from HSBs to respond to security alerts by finding,
identifying, and marking the location of underwater objects or
initiating interdiction of intruders. A No Action alternative will also
be evaluated. Under this alternative, no SISS would be implemented.
DATES AND ADDRESSES: Public scoping meetings will be held in Keyport,
Kitsap County, Washington, and Seattle, King County, Washington, to
receive oral and written comments on environmental concerns that should
be addressed in the EIS. Public scoping meetings will be held on: March
27, 2007, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Naval Undersea Museum,
Highway 308 at Garnet Way, Keyport, WA 98345, and on March 28, 2007,
from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Holiday Inn, 211 Dexter Avenue
North, Seattle, WA 98109.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DON conducted a literature review and
held discussions with subject matter experts to identify alternatives
for implementing the SISS. Nine action alternatives and a No Action
alternative have been identified. The highest rated and preferred
alternative would be composed of human/marine mammal teams that would
support DON operations and respond rapidly to security alerts. The
system would involve stationing California sea lions and Atlantic
Bottlenose dolphins at the site (combined total of no more than 30
animals). In-water enclosures housing SISS mammals would be placed
adjacent to an existing pier/wharf on a floating dock at NBK-Bangor.
The enclosures for the sea lions would be of the open-mesh type, while
the dolphins would be housed in environmentally controlled enclosures.
Additional support facilities, including on-shore pools for veterinary
purposes and trailers for staff, laboratory, food preparation, and
storage would be installed at an upland location at NBK-Bangor. The
marine mammals would be deployed along the waterfront in conjunction
with humans aboard small power boats; the mammals would respond to
security alerts by finding, identifying, and marking the location of
underwater objects, or initiating interdiction of intruders.
The marine mammals used in this system would come from the DON's
marine mammal program in San Diego, and would undergo extensive health
screening before and after transport to NBK-Bangor. The SISS facilities
would operate in conformance with standards for animal care established
by the Department of Defense, the Department of Agriculture, the Animal
Welfare Act, and the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of
Laboratory Animal Care, and a veterinarian would remain on site to meet
animal health care needs. The DON is committed to protecting its marine
mammals, and makes every effort to ensure the operational capability
they provide is maintained by ensuring the animals remain healthy and
safe while performing their duties. To this end, several studies have
been conducted looking at the affects of cold water and air on the
health and behavior of dolphins. Studies have been conducted in both
artificial environments, such as an arctic research facility (Chun and
Harris, 1978), and in naturally cold environments, such as off the
coast of Connecticut (Scronce and Bowers, 1983). Other studies have
been conducted in San Diego and Hawaii to determine the impact of cold
water on the dolphin's ability to preserve its body temperature (Costa
et al., Williams et al., 1991, Heath and Miller, 1998). Another study
is currently being conducted to determine the exact temperature limits
under which the dolphins can perform their tasking. These studies have
helped the DON develop safe operational guidelines for the use of
marine mammal systems under thermally challenging conditions. In
addition, the DON has deployed dolphins to numerous cold water
environments (e.g., Canada, Alaska, Norway, and Germany). It has
developed facilities and procedures for mitigating any impact of cold
exposure on the dolphins during these deployments. These will be
further analyzed and reviewed during this EIS process. Analysis will
include water quality, air quality, biological communities, fish,
marine mammals, land and sea birds, threatened and endangered species,
land and water use, geology and soils/sediments, cultural resources,
socioeconomics, noise, public safety, aesthetics, energy, and, in the
case of the preferred alternative, effects of the site environment on
the deployed mammals.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public may provide
comments orally or in writing at the scoping meeting, or by mail, fax,
or email sent to the following address: Commanding Officer, Space and
Naval Warfare Systems Center, ATTN: Mike Rothe 235, 53560 Hull St., San
Diego, CA 92152, phone: 888-510-5476, fax: 619-221-5251, e-mail:
NBKEIS@spawar.navy.mil. The deadline for submitting comments is April
11, 2007.
Dated: February 5, 2007.
M. A. Harvison,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-2307 Filed 2-9-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P