Department of the Navy

[ross.vincent@sfsierra.sierraclub.org]

[Federal Register: December 28, 1994]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy

Notice of Intent to Clarify Public Scoping for an Environmental 
Impact Statement for Proposed Development of Facilities to Accommodate 
Realignment of One Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier to San Diego, CA

 Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality 
regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-508) and the Defense Base Closure and 
Realignment Act (DBCRA, 1990), the Department of the Navy announces its 
intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
development of facilities and infrastructure to accommodate the 
realignment of one Nimitz-class aircraft carrier (CVN) from Naval Air 
Station Alameda, CA to San Diego, CA.
 This Notice of Intent (NOI) supercedes all previous notices and is 
intended to provide clarification of the action the Navy is proposing 
to implement, i.e., the mandated realignment of one CVN pursuant to the 
1993 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. A decision to 
establish the capability to support one CVN in San Diego makes it 
reasonably foreseeable that future decisions on where to homeport new 
CVNs beyond the year 2000 could result in their being proposed for 
homeporting in San Diego. Therefore, this EIS will consider the 
potential cumulative environmental impacts of homeporting three CVNs in 
San Diego. The Navy is not, however, considering a proposal where to 
homeport new CVNs beyond the year 2000 at this time. When the Navy does 
make such a proposal, it will prepare the appropriate NEPA analysis.
 The EIS will assess the potential environmental impacts associated 
with construction and operation of those facilities and infrastructure 
necessary to support one CVN in addition to those existing assets that 
currently support two conventionally- powered carriers (CVs) and one 
transient CVN. The additional requirements will include (1) dredging of 
berthing areas, turning basin, and access channel to accommodate the 
deeper-draft ship, (2) dredge material disposal in a bay fill site, 
ocean disposal, and/or various beach disposal sites, (3) construction 
of berthing to accommodate the larger class ship and its greater 
utility requirements, and (4) construction of repair facilities 
equipped and designed to support a homeported CVN.
 A Draft EIS is planned to be available for public review and 
comment in mid to late 1995. The Navy would appreciate any public 
comments pertaining to the scope of the project as presented in this 
NOI and to specific environmental issues requiring particular 
attention. Please provide written comments no later than January 27, 
1995, to: Commanding Officer, NAS North Island (ATTN: Code 00B), PO Box 
357033, San Diego, CA, 92135-033.

 Dated: December 22, 1994.
L.R. McNees,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-31902 Filed 12-27-94; 8:45 am]
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