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Home My WebLink AboutDepartment of the Navy (2)n EE EIVE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY COMiiANOER UNITEO STATES PACIFIC FLEET 250 IIAXALAPA DRIVE PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII 96860.3131 LciT -J s090 Ser N465/1251 November 01, 2016 Dear Sir or Madam: SLIBJECT:RECORD OF DECISION FOR THE NORTHWEST TRAINING AND TESTING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/OVERSEAS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT The Departrnent of the Navy (Navy) has announced its decision to imFlement its Preferred Altemative, Alternative l, as described in the Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT) Final Environmental knpact Statement/Overseas Environmental knpact Statement @IS/OEIS), to conduct ongoing military readines5 training and testing activities primarily wirhin existing range ssmplexes, operating areas and testing ranges of the NWTT Study Area. Implementing the Preferred Altemative will ensure the Navy accomplishes its mission to maintain, train and equip combalready military forces while minimizing potential environmental impacts to the greatest extent practicable. The NWTI Study Area (see Enclosure l) is primarily comprised of established maritime operating areas and waming areas in the eastern North Pacific Ocean, including the Strait of Juan de Fuc4 Puget Sound and Westem Behm Canal in southeastem Alaska. The NWTI Study Area includes: air and water space within and outside Washington state waters, air and water space outside the state waters ofOregon and northem Californi4 and water space within Alaska state waters. It includes four existing range complexes and facilities (the Northwest Training Range Complex, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Keyport Range Complex, Carr Inlet Operations Area and Southeast Alaska Acoustic Measurement Facility), and Navy installation pierside locations where sonar maintenance and testing occur (Naval Base Kitsap Bremerton, Naval Base Kitsap Bangor and Naval Station Everett). The Navy made its decision to implement Altemative 1 after caref,rlly considering the potential impacts taining and testing activities may have pn the human, natual ard cultural environment, as well as considering comments on the proposal and environmental analysis received from government agencies, tribal govertrments and the public. The Navy used the best available science in conducting its comprehensive analysis ofthe impacts on thirteen resource areas, as well as cumulative impacts. The Record of Decision @OD) documents the Navy's decision to train and test as described in the Final EIS/OEIS under Altemative l. As identified in the Final EIS/OEIS, proposed training and testing activities include the use of active sonar, acoustic sources and explosives, as well as Nov 7 20t6 5090 Ser N465/1251 November 01, 2016 pierside sonar maintenance and testing. While training and testing, the Navy follows strict guidelines and employs measures to reduce effects on marine species. The ROD and Final EIS/OEIS, as well as supporting technical reports and other reference materials, are available online at rvww.llWTTElS,com. Additionally, printed copies and CD copies of the Final EIS/OEIS are available for viewing at 21 community libraries identified on the project website and listed in Enclosure 2. If you have questions or require additional information, please contact the NWTI EIS/OEIS project manager at: Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest Attention: NWTT EIS/OEIS Project Manager 1101 Tautog Circle, Suite 203 Silverdale, WA 983 1 5-l 1 0 1 L. M. FOSTER By direction Enclosures: l. Figures of the NWTI EIS/OEIS Study Area 2. Public Libraries with copies of the NWTI Final EIS/OEIS 2 The ROD and Final EIS/OEIS completion follows years ofresearch, analysis and public involvement. The Navy held nhe public scoping meetings in March 2012, eight public meetings in February/lvlar ch 2014 for the Draft EIS/OEIS and four public meetings in January 2015 for the Supplement to the Draft EIS/OEIS. Meetir:gs took place in Washington, Oregon, Northem Califomia and Alaska. The Final EIS/OEIS includes public comments received during the Draft and Supplement review periods and the Navy's responses to those comments. In the ROD, the Navy also considered and responded to comments substantively different ftom those already addressed in the Final EIS/OEIS, which were received after the Final EIS/OEIS was published on October 2,2015. Sincerely, I OLYMPIC MOAA -/ - OLYITPIC [,!OA B W a s h i n g tro n Spokane Ocean {I ( ( d \ \I({ rif#nra Southeast Alaska Acoustic Measurement Facility NADA SoutheastAlaska Acoustic Measurement Facility Static Site UnderYiay _' Site w237 attle acoma I Natal Statron Everett S€attb Oak o E Harbor Range KiGap at Naval Base NUVrc Keyport Range Complex Hood Canal EOD Training Range - - TdrlDdC Sc. Boridary (1Am) { eoguAteal* ffi Urr.,y tn"r"ui,rt ErpbJl,e Ordn$ce Dasposal (EOO) Uid.ff.tcr Tr.hiu R.nge Sodh€a.i Ah(. Acoosfh Il'cGlrrernGr Facify SEAFAC Stdrc Sre I ila/, Ope.etirg A€a (OPAREA) t{orlhrvesr Treining ..d T6slhO (}IWTT) Ofi.rEro&E ta.val Surlbc. lrtrrfar€ Ceoter Op€rator|sl Are. tleval Und€rr€e lrA.brs Cei*6t oul lc) K€y9ort R.ng6 Comd.x L_l SEAFAC Urd€rvray Site Sp.drl U.. Akrp.c. 200 Miles ) Enclosure I : Northwest Training and Testing Study Area ) Ketchikan 2 I 7 ArAa j :j,) CA E MIt ry Op..atinsArE (fr ) ffbmiiEA,ra Roai idad Ar€ Sour@s.' ESR4 ManTedt rae o@@rt xwI@ro5 Pro.iection: \A,IGS84, UTM 1ON 0 50 100 N A Enclosure ( l) Enclosure l: Inland Waters of the Northwest Training and Testing Study Area r Crescent HarborStrait of Juan de [:uca . EOD NAVY Training Range 6 7 OPAREA Chinook trfrIq I R-670 Naval M .c inook rf (:T{MO} A lndian lsland Naval Surface wariare Center Carderock Division Delachment Puget Sound Hood Canal I T I EOD Training Ran Dabob Bay Range Complex Site (- Zelatched Point Naval Base Kitsap, Bangor + + 4 I? *ions Area ,- I i\ 200510 N A Miles Proiection: V\GS84, UTM ,ION Le0End + Populated Area Sg.clrl traa Ahp.cr ffi lfiil,ary lnsldhtbn E iiEt8ry Opetalbns Ares (tiloA) E Naw operdlim Area (oPAREA) El R6birled Area I carr lnlet operations Area - Na.d Urdersea litrrfare CenterLJ (Nut\,c) Keyport Range compler rHBro;,?tffi:igffiJ""* 4 Enclosure ( 1) I \ NAVY 3 OPAREA -l ) {-Naval Station Everett'f.o I- Seatfle (. I! 't \ I \ Naval Base Bremerton n SoUIc€s: ESRI. Manlqrll rr!, Oe6.ft rM@.2.Y5 Enclosure 2: Public Libraries with Copies of the NWTT Final EIS/OEIS Washington: Everett Main [.ibrarv 2702 Hoyt Ave. Everett, WA 98201 Gig Harbor Library 4424 Point Fosdick Drive NW Gig Harbor, WA 98335 Jefferson County Library (Port Hadlock) 620 Cedar Ave. Port Hadlock. WA 98339 Kitsap Regional Library (Poulsbo) 700 NE Lincoln Road Poulsbo. WA 98370 Kitsap Regional Library - Sylvan Way (Bremerton) l30l Sylvan Way Bremerton. WA 983 l0 Oak Harbor Public Library 1000 SE Regatta Drive Oak Harbor, W A 98277 Port Angeles Main Library 2210 S. Peabody St. Port Angeles, WA 98362 Port Townsend Public Library 1220 Lawrence St. Port Townsend, WA 98368 Timberland Regional Library - Aberdeen l2l E. Market St. Aberdeen, WA 98520 Timberland Regional Library - Hoquiam 420 Seventh St. Hoquiam, WA 98550 Oreqon: Astoria Public Library 450 lOrh St. Astoria, OR 97103 Enclosure (2) Driftwood Public Library 801 SW Highway l0l #201 Lincoln City, OR 97367 Guin Library, Hatfield Marine Science Center 2030 SE Marine Science Drive Newport, OR 97365 Newport Public Library 35 NW Nye St. Newport, OR 97365 Tillamook Main Library l7l6 Third St. Tillamook. OR 97141 California: Fort Bragg Branch Library 499 I-aurel St. Fort Bragg, CA 95437 Humboldt County Public Library - Arcata Branch Library 500 Seventh St. Arcata, CA 95521 Humboldt County Public Library - Eureka Main Library l3 l3 Third St. Eureka, CA 95501 Redwood Coast Senior Center 490 N. Harold St. Fort Bragg, CA 95437 Alaska: Juneau Public Library - Downtown Branch 292 Marine Way Juneau, AK 99801 Ketchikan Public Library I I l0 Copper Ridge Lane Ketchikan. AK 99901 €. Enclosure (2)