NEPA and Application During the Guam Relocation Efforts

1. NEPA and Application During the Guam Relocation Efforts Teresa Bernhard Naval Facilities Engineering Command July 2007

2. Overview • Environmental Planning Primer • Setting The Scene For Force Re-Posturing In Guam • Guam Marine Relocation EIS • Successes and Remaining Challenges

3. Environmental Planning Primer

4. NEPA: CE: EA: EIS: Actions which do not have, under normal circumstances. . .a significant impact on the human environment. Analysis of potential environmental impacts to determine whether to prepare an EIS or a FONSI. Documentation which provides full & unbiased discussion of significant environmental impacts and informs decision makers and the public of reasonable alternatives. . . Categorical Exclusions Environmental Assessment Environ. Impact Statement level of NEPA analysis is determined by the action proponent environmental professional and the decision maker

5. EIS Process Define Proposed Action and Alternatives Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS Public Scoping Meetings Prepare Draft EIS Prepare Final EIS, including response to comments Public Comment Period And Public Hearings Draft EIS Notice of Availability Final EIS Notice of Availability No Decision Period Record of Decision Implement Action

6. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) • Action-forcing device used for actions with the potential for significant environmental effects • Comprehensive - must discuss: • impacts (direct, indirect and cumulative) • actions (connected, cumulative and similar) • reasonable alternatives (at a minimum the “no action alternative”) • Many of the rules for EIS will also apply to preparation of an EA

7. Environmental Impact Statement Specifics • Public Participation - Required for EIS (NOI, DEIS, FEIS, public notice for ROD) • SCOPING - early and open process to determine scope of issues to be addressed and to identify the significant issues related to a proposed action • As part of process, agency: • invites proponent of action, affected Federal, State and local agencies, affected Indian Tribes, and other interested parties to participate • Following DEIS publication, re-invite comments at formal public hearing

8. Reasonable Alternatives Analysis • Shows the comparison between all “reasonable” ways to conduct the action to fulfill “purpose and need.” • Analysis from environmental consequences: scientific and analytic comparison of all pertinent impacts for each alternative under consideration. In other words, WHAT EFFECTS WILL EACH ALTERNATIVE HAVE ON MY ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE.

9. The Record of Decision (ROD) • Following FEIS, ROD is designed to ensure that agency decision makers explain the decision • concise public document • Summarizes the rationale and background for the decision • Is legally binding • IS NOT THE END. The goal is to execute the action: lawsuits and violations of mitigation agreements or permits can stop the action.

10. Making NEPA Work Toward The Project • Involvement of environmental planners in: • the base development, • Platform acquisition, • IPL and, • ILS stages can reduce the complexity of environmental impacts, and hence the duration of the NEPA project. • Upfront conservation planning can decrease cost of a NEPA project, prepare for mitigation and inform the design team of constraints • INRMPS, ICRMPS, encroachment studies the cost of these studies often is paid off by cost avoidance and timeliness later • Early communication and partnering with the regulators prior to NEPA project NOI/NL • Delegate authority to execute the process at the lowest level that wholly owns the operation

11. Setting the Scene

12. Scene Setter • Guam’s prime asset is location • Geography cannot be replicated San Diego, CA Seoul Yokosuka 5,682 NM Taiwan 2,285 NM 1,731 NM 3,318 NM 1,083 NM Hawaii Guam Population: 171,000 Present DoD population: 14,200 Future DoD population: 40,000 DoD owns 40,000 acres; 29% of island GovGuam owns 25,800 acres; 19% of island 1,388 NM Manila Guam 2,200 NM Jakarta 2,694 NM Sydney

13. WHY GUAM? • PACOM Vision: Guam, as the furthest west US territory for basing in the Pacific, provides strategic flexibility, freedom of action, and prompt global action for the Global War on terrorism, peace and wartime engagement, and crisis response. …Guam may be further back, but it leaves us space from which to maneuver. The possibility of having these forces readily employable is uppermost in my mind. Admiral Fallon HAC testimony 8 Mar 06

14. Proposed Future Forces on Guam • USAF • 36th Air Wing • Rotational Bombers • More Based Tankers • More Periodic Fighters • Global Hawk • ( Old 1930 AD/ 2280 Dep) • (New ≈4560 AD/ 3730 Dep) • U.S. Navy • COMNAVMARIANAS • SSNs/Sub Tender • Logistics Prepos Ships • MSC Combat Stores Ships • MSC Ammo Ships • Maritime Prepo Ships • H60s • Transient CVN berthing • HSVs • Littoral Combat ship • (Old 4350 AD/ 5230 Dep) • (New≈≈ 5600 AD/ 5280 Dep) • USMC • III MEF Cmd Element • Ground Combat Element • Aviation Combat Element • Combat Service Support • Plus: • Transient Units Visiting USMC& Allied Forces • (New ≈8,000 AD/ 9000 Dep) • U.S. Army • 1 x Battalion Air Defense • (≈630 AD/ 950 Dep) • USCG • 225’ Buoy Tender • 110’ Patrol Boat • 25’ Response Boat – Small • (140 AD/ 180 Dep) Old Total: 6,420 Active Duty / 7,690 Dependents New Total: ≈18,930 Active Duty / 19,140 Dependents = New

15. NEPA Planning Considerations • 2-3 year NEPA timeline required in order to facilitate FY 14 completion schedule • Potential ramifications to timeline • Alternative Site Analysis • Cumulative Effects Analysis • Consultations • Mitigations • Communication Plan (External-Internal) • Impacted Community • Congressional interests • Special interests groups • Internal (EPA, USFW, DOI, NOAA, DLA)

16. Guam Relocation EIS

18. The Purpose and Need • The purpose of the action is to: • Fulfill U.S. government national security and alliance requirements in the Western Pacific Region • • Increase the strategic role of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands through the relocation of U.S. forces • The need for the action is to: • Maintain the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) capability to accomplish its mission in the Western Pacific Region Enhance capability to defend critical military assets • • Improve mission-critical, mission support, Improve support infrastructure and Expand operational readiness in the Western Pacific Region

19. The overall proposed action • Relocate U.S. Marine Corps command, air, ground, and logistics units to Guam • Enhance infrastructure and logistics capabilities for military training and operations • Improve pier/waterfront infrastructure for transient nuclear aircraft carrier (CVN) berthing at Naval Base Guam

20. FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S Draft EIS Tiger Team Reviews DEIS Notice of Availability Public Comment Period (45 days) (CVN Transient Berth & Army BMD TF included) Guam Master Plan Topographic Studies Additional Apra Harbor Plan CVN Master Planning Final Master Plan Draft Master Plan NEPA - EIS RCE for Topo Studies CVN inclusion Notice of Intent Scoping FRF Studies Okinawa Consolidation Plan Final EIS Tiger Team Reviews FEIS Notice of Availability Public Comment Period (30 days) Record of Decision (ROD) SPEs Defined RCMP Resourcing and Phasing Plan - ~13 mo Identifies impacts of CNMI alternatives to meet RCMP training shortfalls Outside Gate Traffic Study – Baseline - ~12 mo Outside Gate Traffic Study – Mitigation - ~18 mo Water Capacity and Siting - ~11 mo USG SPE Utilities Studies Wastewater Capacity and Siting - ~11 mo Continuing CNMI mitigation consultations and land lease acquisition Electrical - ~18 mo Solid Waste and Recycling - ~12 mo HAZMAT/HAZWASTE - ~11 mo CNMI Baseline and Lease Studies - ~30 mo Biological/Natural Resources Guam- ~17 mo Concurrent Upland alternative (4x increase in disposal costs) required due to uncertainty with Ocean Disposal approval. Biological/Natural Resources CNMI - ~25 mo Cultural Resources Guam - ~18 mo Cultural Resources CNMI - ~26 mo D F USEPA Ocean Disposal site EIS - ~33 mo Specific Site Dredged Material Characterization/Disposal Permitting - ~15 mo CVN Studies Quantitative Dive Surveys R/S, D/E - ~3 mo Coral HEA - ~18 mo Upland Disposal Site Surveys, Studies - ~12 mo

21. Human Health and Life Issues Safety Quality of life Effect on educational facilities Effect on public health and social services Labor-related issues Increases in traffic Utility requirements Noise Government issues Small business opportunities Availability and cost of civilian housing Land use Access to recreation locations Effect on local fisherman/fishing industry Effect on tourism and recreation Population increase and associated effects Natural Resources Wetlands Coastal zone impacts Endangered species Marine resources – essential fish habitat, coral reefs, marine Mammals Invasive species such as the brown tree snake Wildlife habitat Cultural and archaeological Chamorro interests – sacred burial grounds, cultural sites Environmental Conditions Air quality Water quality Recharge of groundwater aquifers Dredging and disposal requirements in Apra Harbor Environmental factors of interest

22. Challenges • Magnitude of Project • Schedule • Coordination of ongoing EISs that must both address DoD training in the Marianas • JGPO EIS • Mariana Islands Range Complex (MIRC) EIS • Kilo Wharf EIS • Andersen AFB • NW Field

23. Take-aways • Committed to being good stewards of the environment • Success involves • Outstanding communications • Open and on-going partnering • Emphasize strategic communication • Huge undertaking – very complex project

24. Questions?