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)

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.

[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]]

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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.

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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