81 FR 51192 - Record of Decision for Activities and Operations at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 149 (August 3, 2016)
Department of the Army
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 149 (August 3, 2016)
| Page Range | 51192-51192 | |
| FR Document | 2016-18364 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 149 (Wednesday, August 3, 2016)] [Notices] [Page 51192] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-18364] [[Page 51192]] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army Record of Decision for Activities and Operations at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD. ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for implementation of activities and operations at Yuma Proving Ground (YPG), AZ. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of the Army prepared a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) that evaluated the potential environmental and socioeconomic effects of proposed construction and demolition of facilities and infrastructure, and proposed changes to current types and levels of testing and training at YPG. The Army selected the Preferred Alternative identified in the Final PEIS. The ROD explains that the Army will proceed with its Preferred Alternative to implement 296 proposed activities, including construction and demolition of facilities and infrastructure, changes to current types and levels of testing and training, and activities conducted under private industry partnerships. ADDRESSES: For questions concerning the ROD, please contact Mr. Sergio Obregon, U.S. Army Garrison Yuma Proving Ground, National Environmental Policy Act Coordinator, IMYM-PWE, Yuma, AZ 85365-9498. Questions may be mailed to that address or emailed to [email protected]. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Chuck Wullenjohn, Yuma Proving Ground Public Affairs Office, at (928) 328-6189 Monday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Mountain Standard Time. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Yuma Proving Ground is a major range and test facility base, responsible for testing technology, equipment, and weapon systems. The purpose of the selected action is to provide upgraded facilities for testing military ground and aerial vehicle systems, weapons, ammunitions, sensors, and guidance systems for performance and reliability, and to provide realistic training for military units. The Final PEIS, published in April 2015, examined the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts associated with implementing new activities and operations at YPG. Activities addressed in the Final PEIS included construction and demolition of facilities and infrastructure, and changes to current types and levels of testing and training. It provided thorough analysis under NEPA for the short- term, well-defined projects and allows less well-defined projects to be implemented following a focused, site-specific NEPA analysis that would tier from the PEIS. The ROD incorporates analysis contained in the Final PEIS for activities and operations at YPG, as well as comments provided during formal comment and review periods, to include the Final PEIS waiting period. The Army considered reasonable alternatives for components of the activities in the Proposed Action and has selected an alternative that will have a lower impact for some projects than would the original Proposed Action. These include reduced areas and selection of a smaller area for some of the proposed activities to avoid or minimize potential impacts. Implementation of this decision is expected to result in direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts to environmental resources. To minimize the potential adverse impacts from implementation of the selected alternative, the Army will mitigate these effects through a variety of mitigation and control measures, as described in the ROD. All practicable means to avoid or minimize environmental harm from the selected alternative have been adopted. In making this decision, the Army is aware that implementation of the selected alternative could result in potentially significant impacts to Fire Management, Soils, and Vegetation, even after implementation of mitigation measures. The selected alternative represents a balance between mission requirements and stewardship of the environment. The full text of the ROD and the Final PEIS are available at the following Web site: http://www.yuma.army.mil/Documents.aspx. Brenda S. Bowen, Army Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. 2016-18364 Filed 8-2-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001-03-P
![51192 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 149 / Wednesday, August 3, 2016 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE and demolition of facilities and SUMMARY: The National Museum of
infrastructure, and changes to current Health and Medicine (NMHM), in
Department of the Army types and levels of testing and training. consultation with appropriate
It provided thorough analysis under descendant and memorial organizations,
Record of Decision for Activities and NEPA for the short-term, well-defined shall release the human remains of an
Operations at Yuma Proving Ground, projects and allows less well-defined unidentified child’s skull, aged 6–10
Arizona projects to be implemented following a years, for burial alongside other victim
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD. focused, site-specific NEPA analysis remains of the 1857 Mountain Meadows
ACTION: Notice of availability. that would tier from the PEIS. Massacre, interred by the U.S. Army in
The ROD incorporates analysis 1859. Next-of-kin, or representatives of
SUMMARY: The Department of the Army contained in the Final PEIS for activities any organizations who believe they have
announces the availability of the Record and operations at YPG, as well as a legitimate claim to the remains of
of Decision (ROD) for implementation of comments provided during formal victims of the 1857 Mountain Meadows
activities and operations at Yuma comment and review periods, to include Massacre, who wish to assert a
Proving Ground (YPG), AZ. Pursuant to the Final PEIS waiting period. legitimate claim for these remains or
the National Environmental Policy Act The Army considered reasonable otherwise direct their disposition
(NEPA), the Department of the Army alternatives for components of the should submit a written request to the
prepared a Programmatic Environmental activities in the Proposed Action and NMHM. If no additional claimants come
Impact Statement (PEIS) that evaluated has selected an alternative that will forward, transfer of possession of the
the potential environmental and have a lower impact for some projects human remains to the aforementioned
socioeconomic effects of proposed than would the original Proposed descendant and memorial organizations
construction and demolition of facilities Action. These include reduced areas stated in this notice may proceed.
and infrastructure, and proposed and selection of a smaller area for some DATES: Next-of-kin or representatives of
changes to current types and levels of of the proposed activities to avoid or any relevant organizations that wish to
testing and training at YPG. The Army minimize potential impacts. submit a legitimate claim for these
selected the Preferred Alternative Implementation of this decision is remains or otherwise direct disposition
identified in the Final PEIS. The ROD expected to result in direct, indirect, should submit a written request, with
explains that the Army will proceed and cumulative impacts to information in support of their claim, to
with its Preferred Alternative to environmental resources. To minimize the NMHM at the address stated in the
implement 296 proposed activities, the potential adverse impacts from ADDRESSES section by September 2,
including construction and demolition implementation of the selected 2016.
of facilities and infrastructure, changes alternative, the Army will mitigate these ADDRESSES: Brian Spatola, National
to current types and levels of testing and effects through a variety of mitigation Museum of Health and Medicine, 2460
training, and activities conducted under and control measures, as described in Linden Lane #2500, Silver Spring, MD
private industry partnerships. the ROD. All practicable means to avoid 20910. Telephone: 301–319–3353;
ADDRESSES: For questions concerning or minimize environmental harm from Email: brian.f.spatola.civ@mail.mil.
the ROD, please contact Mr. Sergio the selected alternative have been
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Statutory
Obregon, U.S. Army Garrison Yuma adopted. In making this decision, the
Authority for the intended actions
Proving Ground, National Army is aware that implementation of
include: Public Law 103–337, div. A,
Environmental Policy Act Coordinator, the selected alternative could result in
title X, § 1067, Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat.
IMYM–PWE, Yuma, AZ 85365–9498. potentially significant impacts to Fire
2851, as amended by Pub. L. 105–78,
Questions may be mailed to that address Management, Soils, and Vegetation,
title VII, § 702, Nov. 13, 1997, 111 Stat.
or emailed to even after implementation of mitigation
1524 (reprinted in the notes to 10 U.S.C.
usarmy.ypg.imcom.mbx.nepa@mail.mil. measures. The selected alternative
176) as statutory authority for the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. represents a balance between mission
NMHM; and DoDD 5136.13, as the
Chuck Wullenjohn, Yuma Proving requirements and stewardship of the
Director, Defense Health Agency’s
Ground Public Affairs Office, at (928) environment.
general authority over matters
328–6189 Monday through Thursday The full text of the ROD and the Final
concerning the Museum as a component
from 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Mountain PEIS are available at the following Web
of the Defense Health Agency.
Standard Time. site: http://www.yuma.army.mil/ History and Description of Human
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Yuma
Documents.aspx. Remains: The human remains consist of
Proving Ground is a major range and Brenda S. Bowen, the cranium of a child with an estimated
test facility base, responsible for testing Army Federal Register Liaison Officer. age of 6–10 years, based on dental
technology, equipment, and weapon [FR Doc. 2016–18364 Filed 8–2–16; 8:45 am] development. The cranium shows
systems. The purpose of the selected BILLING CODE 5001–03–P
evidence of a perforating gunshot
action is to provide upgraded facilities wound. In 1857, members of the Church
for testing military ground and aerial of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
vehicle systems, weapons, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (allegedly in coordination with Native
ammunitions, sensors, and guidance American allies) murdered
systems for performance and reliability, Office of the Secretary approximately 120 members of a wagon
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
and to provide realistic training for train travelling from Arkansas to
military units. The Final PEIS, Notice of Intent To Return Human California in an event known
published in April 2015, examined the Remains: National Museum of Health historically as the Mountain Meadows
potential environmental and and Medicine, Defense Health Agency, Massacre. The victims included men,
socioeconomic impacts associated with Silver Spring, MD women, and children. In 1859, the U.S.
implementing new activities and AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DoD. Army travelled to Utah to investigate
operations at YPG. Activities addressed the incident, bury the dead, and return
ACTION: Notice.
in the Final PEIS included construction the surviving children to Arkansas. At
VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:21 Aug 02, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\03AUN1.SGM 03AUN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/81_FR_51341/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2016-08-02 23:44:16
Document Modified: 2016-08-02 23:44:16
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of availability. | |
| Contact | Mr. Chuck Wullenjohn, Yuma Proving Ground Public Affairs Office, at (928) 328-6189 Monday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Mountain Standard Time. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 51192 |
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