82 FR 49785 - Notice of Availability of a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the East Region of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
First Responder Network Authority Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 207 (October 27, 2017)
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
First Responder Network Authority
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 207 (October 27, 2017)
| Page Range | 49785-49785 | |
| FR Document | 2017-23423 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 207 (Friday, October 27, 2017)] [Notices] [Page 49785] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-23423] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Telecommunications and Information Administration First Responder Network Authority [Docket Number: 160429380-6380-02] RIN 0660-XC025 Notice of Availability of a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the East Region of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network AGENCY: First Responder Network Authority, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of availability of a final programmatic environmental impact statement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The First Responder Network Authority (``FirstNet'') announces the availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the East Region (``Final PEIS''). The Final PEIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the proposed nationwide public safety broadband network in the East Region (Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia). ADDRESSES: The Final PEIS is available for download from www.regulations.gov FIRSTNET-2017-0007. See Chapter 22 of the Final PEIS for the complete distribution list. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the Final PEIS, contact Amanda Goebel Pereira, NEPA Coordinator, First Responder Network Authority, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, M/S 243, Reston, VA 20192, (571) 665-6072. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112-96, Title VI, 126 Stat. 256 (codified at 47 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.)) (the ``Act'') created and authorized FirstNet to take all actions necessary to ensure the building, deployment, and operation of an interoperable, nationwide public safety broadband network (``NPSBN'') based on a single, national network architecture. The Act meets a longstanding and critical national infrastructure need, to create a single, nationwide network that will, for the first time, allow police officers, fire fighters, emergency medical service professionals, and other public safety entities to effectively communicate with each other across agencies and jurisdictions. The NPSBN is intended to enhance the ability of the public safety community to perform more reliably, effectively, and safely; increase situational awareness during an emergency; and improve the ability of the public safety community to effectively engage in those critical activities. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347) (``NEPA'') requires federal agencies to undertake an assessment of environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making a final decision and implementing the action. NEPA requirements apply to any federal project, decision, or action that may have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. NEPA also establishes the Council on Environmental Quality (``CEQ''), which issued regulations implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (see 40 CFR parts 1500- 1508). Among other considerations, CEQ regulations at 40 CFR 1508.28 recommend the use of tiering from a ``broader environmental impact statement (such as a national program or policy statements) with subsequent narrower statements or environmental analysis (such as regional or basin wide statements or ultimately site-specific statements) incorporating by reference the general discussions and concentrating solely on the issues specific to the statement subsequently prepared.'' Due to the geographic scope of FirstNet (all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories) and the diversity of ecosystems potentially traversed by the project, FirstNet elected to prepare five regional PEISs. The five PEISs are divided into the East, Central, West, South, and Non-Contiguous Regions. The East Region consists of Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Final PEIS analyzes potential impacts of the deployment and operation of the NPSBN on the natural and human environment in the East Region, in accordance with FirstNet's responsibilities under NEPA. Now that this PEIS has been completed and once a Record of Decision (ROD) has been signed, the proposed FirstNet projects can begin to submit the site-specific environmental documentation to determine if the proposed project has been adequately evaluated in the PEIS or whether it instead warrants a Categorical Exclusion, an Environmental Assessment, or an Environmental Impact Statement. Dated: October 24, 2017. Amanda Goebel Pereira, NEPA Coordinator, First Responder Network Authority. [FR Doc. 2017-23423 Filed 10-26-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-60-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 207 / Friday, October 27, 2017 / Notices 49785
information collection. Equal Environmental Impact Statement for the Environmental Quality (‘‘CEQ’’), which
Employment Opportunity Commission East Region (‘‘Final PEIS’’). The Final issued regulations implementing the
(EEOC) regulations at 29 CFR 1614.106 PEIS evaluates the potential procedural provisions of NEPA (see 40
require that a person alleging environmental impacts of the proposed CFR parts 1500–1508). Among other
discriminatory treatment by a federal nationwide public safety broadband considerations, CEQ regulations at 40
agency must submit a signed statement network in the East Region CFR 1508.28 recommend the use of
that is sufficiently precise to identify the (Connecticut, Delaware, the District of tiering from a ‘‘broader environmental
general actions or practices that form Columbia, Maine, Maryland, impact statement (such as a national
the bases of the complaint. Although Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New program or policy statements) with
complainants are not required to use the Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode
subsequent narrower statements or
proposed form to file their complaints, Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West
environmental analysis (such as
the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) strongly Virginia).
regional or basin wide statements or
encourages its use to ensure complete ADDRESSES: The Final PEIS is available ultimately site-specific statements)
and accurate case processing and data for download from www.regulations.gov incorporating by reference the general
collection. FIRSTNET–2017–0007. See Chapter 22
The DOC received no comments in discussions and concentrating solely on
of the Final PEIS for the complete the issues specific to the statement
response to the 60-day notice published distribution list.
in the Federal Register on April 14, subsequently prepared.’’
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
2017 (82 FR 17968). more information on the Final PEIS, Due to the geographic scope of
Affected Public: Individuals and contact Amanda Goebel Pereira, NEPA FirstNet (all 50 states, the District of
households. Coordinator, First Responder Network Columbia, and five territories) and the
Frequency: On occasion. Authority, National diversity of ecosystems potentially
Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. Telecommunications and Information traversed by the project, FirstNet elected
This information collection request Administration, U.S. Department of to prepare five regional PEISs. The five
may be viewed at reginfo.gov. Follow Commerce, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, PEISs are divided into the East, Central,
the instructions to view Department of M/S 243, Reston, VA 20192, (571) 665– West, South, and Non-Contiguous
Commerce collections currently under 6072. Regions. The East Region consists of
review by OMB.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Connecticut, Delaware, the District of
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Columbia, Maine, Maryland,
Creation Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112–96, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New
information collection should be sent
Title VI, 126 Stat. 256 (codified at 47 Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode
within 30 days of publication of this
U.S.C. 1401 et seq.)) (the ‘‘Act’’) created Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West
notice to OIRA_Submission@
and authorized FirstNet to take all Virginia. The Final PEIS analyzes
omb.eop.gov or fax to (202) 395–5806.
actions necessary to ensure the building, potential impacts of the deployment and
Sheleen Dumas, deployment, and operation of an operation of the NPSBN on the natural
Departmental PRA Lead, Office of the Chief interoperable, nationwide public safety and human environment in the East
Information Officer. broadband network (‘‘NPSBN’’) based Region, in accordance with FirstNet’s
[FR Doc. 2017–23435 Filed 10–26–17; 8:45 am] on a single, national network
responsibilities under NEPA. Now that
BILLING CODE 3510–BP–P architecture. The Act meets a
this PEIS has been completed and once
longstanding and critical national
a Record of Decision (ROD) has been
infrastructure need, to create a single,
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE nationwide network that will, for the signed, the proposed FirstNet projects
first time, allow police officers, fire can begin to submit the site-specific
National Telecommunications and fighters, emergency medical service environmental documentation to
Information Administration professionals, and other public safety determine if the proposed project has
entities to effectively communicate with been adequately evaluated in the PEIS
First Responder Network Authority each other across agencies and or whether it instead warrants a
[Docket Number: 160429380–6380–02] jurisdictions. The NPSBN is intended to Categorical Exclusion, an
enhance the ability of the public safety Environmental Assessment, or an
RIN 0660–XC025 community to perform more reliably, Environmental Impact Statement.
effectively, and safely; increase Dated: October 24, 2017.
Notice of Availability of a Final
situational awareness during an
Programmatic Environmental Impact Amanda Goebel Pereira,
emergency; and improve the ability of
Statement for the East Region of the NEPA Coordinator, First Responder Network
the public safety community to
Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Authority.
effectively engage in those critical
Network [FR Doc. 2017–23423 Filed 10–26–17; 8:45 am]
activities.
AGENCY: First Responder Network The National Environmental Policy BILLING CODE 3510–60–P
Authority, National Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321–4347)
Telecommunications and Information (‘‘NEPA’’) requires federal agencies to
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
Administration, U.S. Department of undertake an assessment of
Commerce. environmental effects of their proposed
ACTION: Notice of availability of a final actions prior to making a final decision
programmatic environmental impact and implementing the action. NEPA
statement. requirements apply to any federal
project, decision, or action that may
SUMMARY: The First Responder Network have a significant impact on the quality
Authority (‘‘FirstNet’’) announces the of the human environment. NEPA also
availability of the Final Programmatic establishes the Council on
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Document Created: 2017-10-27 02:05:56
Document Modified: 2017-10-27 02:05:56
| 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 of a final programmatic environmental impact statement. | |
| Contact | For more information on the Final PEIS, contact Amanda Goebel Pereira, NEPA Coordinator, First Responder Network Authority, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, M/S 243, Reston, VA 20192, (571) 665-6072. | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 49785 | |
| RIN Number | 0660-XC02 |
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