[CPEO-MEF] Urgent: National Security Impact Statements

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@cpeo.org>]

Section 312 of the House Defense Authorization bill contains little known
language that could have potentially huge impacts on environmental
considerations in regards to the military and DOD.

Specifically the bill calls for:

"the Secretary of Defense shall include as a part of the
environmental impact statement or environmental assessment a detailed
evaluation of the impact of the proposed action, and each alternative to
the proposed action considered in the statement or assessment, on
national security, including the readiness, training, testing, and
operations of the armed forces."

the bill goes on to state:

"shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and
apply with respect to any environmental impact statement or environmental
assessment prepared by the Secretary of Defense that has not been
released in final form as of that date."

Full text below:

SEC. 312. NATIONAL SECURITY IMPACT STATEMENTS. 
 (a) EVALUATION OF NATIONAL SECURITY IMPACTS REQUIRED.--(1)
Chapter 160 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting
after section 2710, as added by section 311, the following new
section:``§2711. Environmental impact statements and environmental
assessments: evaluation of national security impacts of proposed action
and alternatives 
 ``(a) AGENCY ACTION.--Whenever an environmental impact
statement or environmental assessment is required under section 102 of
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332) to be
prepared in connection with a proposed Department of Defense action, the
Secretary of Defense shall include as a part of the environmental impact
statement or environmental assessment a detailed evaluation of the impact
of the proposed action, and each alternative to the proposed action
considered in the statement or assessment, on national security,
including the readiness, training, testing, and operations of the armed
forces. 
 ``(b) AGENCY INPUT.--The Secretary of Defense shall also
include the evaluation required by subsection (a) in any input provided
by the Department of Defense as a cooperating agency to a lead agency
preparing an environmental impact statement or environmental
assessment.''. 
 (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is
amended by adding at the end the following new item: 
``2711. Environmental impact statements and environmental assessments:
evaluation of national security impacts of proposed action and
alternatives.''. 
 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.--Section 2711 of title 10, United States
Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on the date of the
enactment of this Act and apply with respect to any environmental impact
statement or environmental assessment prepared by the Secretary of
Defense that has not been released in final form as of that date.

Please note new phone number and address below.

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Aimee R. Houghton                                 

Associate Director, CPEO

1101 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1000

Washington, DC  20036

tel: 202-452-8039; fax: 202-452-8095

Email: aimeeh@cpeo.org

www.cpeo.org

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