Coastal Zone Management Act, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Alaska Coastal Management Program

Coastal Zone Management Act, Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Alaska Coastal Management Program

GULF OF ALASKA NAVY TRAINING ACTIVITIES EIS/OEIS FINAL (MARCH 2011) This page intentionally left blank APPENDIX C REGULATORY CONSULTATION

June 2009 Prepared by US Pacific Fleet GULF OF ALASKA NAVY TRAINING ACTIVITIES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/OVERSEAS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Operational Description of Joint Training Exercises 1.1 Overview Navy training activities in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) covered by this environmental impact statement/overseas environmental impact statement (EIS/OEIS) would occur within the Alaska Training Areas (ATA) over two 21-day periods during the April October time frame which for EIS purposes is defined as summertime. The ATA (as shown in Figure 1) is comprised of three basic components: 1) the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Temporary Maritime Activities Area (TMAA), shown in yellow; 2) U.S. Air Force (Air Force) over-land Special-Use Airspace (SUA), shown in purple and air routes over the State of Alaska; and 3) U.S. Army (Army) training lands, shown in Figure 1 in red. The ATA plays a vital part in executing the Navy s readiness mandate. It serves as a training venue for annual joint training exercises, which can involve forces from the Navy, Air Force, Army, and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). The Navy s Proposed Action is a step toward ensuring the continued vitality of this essential naval training resource. The Proposed Action of the EIS/OEIS would result in selectively focused but critical increases in training to address training shortfalls, as necessary to ensure the ATA supports Navy training and readiness objectives. Actions to support current, emerging, and future training activities in the ATA will be evaluated in the EIS/OEIS. These actions include: Increasing the number of training activities from current levels as necessary to support Fleet exercise requirements (conducting up to two joint force training exercises each of which could last up to 21 days between the months of April and October); Conducting training in the Primary Mission Areas (PMARs) including Anti-Air Warfare (AAW), Anti-Surface Warfare (ASUW), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Naval Special Warfare (NSW), Strike Warfare (STW), and Electronic Combat (EC). This training is necessary and may include the necessary training requirements for newer systems, instrumentation, and platforms, including the EA-18G Growler aircraft, Guided Missile Submarines (SSGN), P-8 Poseidon Multimission Maritime Aircraft (MMA), Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG) 1000 (Zumwalt Class) destroyer, and several types of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs); Accommodating training enhancement instrumentation, to include the use of a Portable Undersea Tracking Range (PUTR); and Conducting a Sinking Exercise (SINKEX) during each summertime exercise (a maximum of 2 annually) in the TMAA. Navy joint training within the ATA would consist of the following sea and land exercises, involving joint forces: Command and Control (C2), Special Warfare Operations (SPECWAROPS), Personnel Recovery (PR), Deck Landing Qualifications (DLQ), Close Air Support (CAS), Defensive Counter Air (DCA), Air Interdiction of Maritime Targets (AIMT), Air to Air Exercises, Air to Surface Exercises, Underway Replenishments (UNREP), Aircraft Operations Support (AIROPS), Submarine Operations (SUBOPS), and Anti-Submarine Warfare Exercises (ASW). 1 Enclosure (1)

June 2009 Prepared by US Pacific Fleet Some of these training activities will occur in the Air Force SUA and on and above the Army training lands in the state of Alaska. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis has been completed for training activities occurring in these established areas. This EIS/OEIS will incorporate these existing NEPA analyses by reference for all Navy training activities taking place over land in Air Force SUA and on Army training lands. 1.2 Participants and Assets Participants in joint training activities would include personnel and assets from the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and various civilian contracted vessels who play the role of an opposing force during the exercise. Surface vessels would include a U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group (CSG) that is typically made up of one nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (CVN), one to two guided missile cruisers (CG), three guided missile destroyers (DDGs), one Navy fleet oiler, one nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN), and up to 19 contracted fishing vessels, for a total of up to 28 surface vessels. A total of approximately 250 aircraft comprising multiple types of fixed- and rotary-wing (helicopters) aircraft will participate in joint training exercises in the TMAA. 1.3 Training Activities to be conducted in the ATA All aircraft participating in joint training activities in the ATA will be stationed at any of the following locations: Elmendorf Air Force Base (AFB), Anchorage; Eielson AFB, 23 miles (37 km) south of Fairbanks; Kulis Air National Guard Base, Anchorage; Fort Wainwright, Fairbanks, and onboard the aircraft carrier (stationed within the TMAA). Aircraft stationed inland and participating in joint training exercises in the TMAA will transit back and forth from their assigned stations to the TMAA via an altitude reservation (ALTRV), which is an approved route coordinated with the FAA and other appropriate authorities prior to flight activities taking place. Aircraft stationed onboard the aircraft carrier in the TMAA will transit back and forth between the TMAA and the inland Air Force and Army training areas via the ALTRV as well. Training activities that would take place within the ATA under the Preferred Alternative are discussed below. Anti-Air Warfare Training Anti-Air Warfare training addresses combat activities by air and surface forces defending against hostile aircraft. Anti-Air Warfare training includes surface-to-air gunnery, surface-to-air and air-to-air missile exercises and aircraft combat maneuvers. Anti-Surface Warfare Anti-Surface Warfare training addresses combat activities in which aircraft, surface ships and submarines employ sensors, weapons, and activities directed against enemy surface ships. Training in Anti-Surface Warfare includes surfaceto-surface gunnery and missile exercises, air-to-surface gunnery and missile exercises, and submarine missile events. This generally involves expenditure of ordnance against a target, which could be floating or towed behind a surface vessel. In cases where ordnance is striking a specially cleaned hull for the purposes of training, this type of activity is called a Sinking Exercise (SINKEX). Anti-Submarine Warfare Anti-Submarine Warfare trains aircraft, ship and submarine crews in tactics, techniques, and procedures for searching, detecting, localizing, and tracking of submarines. Anti-Submarine Warfare activities would include the use of active sonar. 2 Enclosure (1)

June 2009 Prepared by US Pacific Fleet Electronic Combat Electronic combat training aims to control the use of the electromagnetic spectrum and deny its use by the enemy. Typical electronic combat training includes threat avoidance training, signals analysis, and electronic jamming. Naval Special Warfare - Naval Special Warfare training involves specialized tactics, techniques and procedures that support specific special operations areas (unconventional warfare, direct action, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, and counterterrorism). The only Naval Special Warfare activities that are included within the Preferred Alternative are inland insertion/extraction activities using helicopters and other equipment. No beach landings would occur as a part of the Proposed Action. Strike Warfare Training Strike Warfare training includes combat activities by air and surface forces against hostile land-based forces and assets. Strike Warfare training of Navy assets in the ATA would only occur on the land and air training ranges that belong to the Army and Air Force. Other Training Other training activities not included in the descriptions above that would take place within the TMAA would include Deck Landing Qualifications, in which rotary-wing aircraft from other services practice landing on a Navy surface ship while underway. 1.4 Activities within the Coastal Zone Activities within the ATA that would occur in the coastal zone include aircraft overflights in to and out of the TMAA from Air Force SUA and Army training lands. All of these overflights would occur above 15,000 feet above sea level in the ALTRV. Air, surface, and subsurface activities taking place within the TMAA will not take place within the coastal zone (0-3 nm from shore).the closest point of the TMAA to land is Cape Cleare, on Montague Island, which is just over 12 nautical miles away. The Kenai Peninsula shoreline is approximately 24 nautical miles away from the TMAA. 3 Enclosure (1)

June 2009 Prepared by US Pacific Fleet Figure 1. Alaska Training Areas 4 Enclosure (1)

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY COMMANDER UNITED STATES PACIRC FLEET 250 MAKALAPA DRIVE PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII 96860-3131 IN REPLY REFER TO: 5090 Ser NOICEI/0755 29 JulIO Ms. Carrie Bohan Division of Coastal and Ocean Management Alaska Department of Natural Resources Box 111030 Juneau, AK 99811-1030 Dear Ms. Bohan: In accordance with previous communications relating to the Navy's Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Environmental Impact Statement/ Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) with your office, the Navy respectfully submits the attached de minimis determination. On 7 June 2009, the Navy submitted a letter to your office seeking assistance in identifying relevant enforceable policies that would apply to the Navy's proposed actions in the GOA. On 27 August 2009, your office replied with additional information about the applicable enforceable policies that should be considered as a part of the Navy's determination, which is included as enclosure 1 to this letter. Enclosure 1 was prepared in compliance with Section 307 of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) and with 15 CFR Part 930. 15 CFR Part 930.33 states that, "...de minimis activities are activities that are expected to have insignificant direct or indirect (cumulative and secondary) coastal effects and which the State agency concurs are de minimis." The U.S. Navy concludes in enclosure 1 that the proposed activities would have insignificant direct and indirect coastal effects and thus should be considered de minimis. Navy training activities in the GOA take place within a 42,146 square nautical mile area of surface and subsurface ocean training area and overlying airspace, and designated in the GOA EIS/OEIS as the Temporary Maritime Activities Area (TMAA). These areas are all more than 20 nautical miles (nm) from the Alaska coastline, and extend to further than 200 nm from the coast. The approximate middle of the TMAA is located 140 nm (259 km) offshore. GOA training activities also include overflights over coastal districts along the western GOA between the TMAA and inland Air Force and Army ranges (see Figure 1-1 in enclosure 1). A detailed description of the Proposed Action is included in enclosure 1. The Proposed Action would involve an increase in number of

5090 Ser NOICEI/0755 29 JulIO training activities conducted over and on the GOA and use of midfrequency active sonar (MFAS) in the GOA. As summarized in enclosure 1, the Navy reviewed the Alaska Coastal Management Program to determine which enforceable policies are applicable to the Proposed Action and conducted an effects test to determine whether activities included in the Proposed Action would have reasonably foreseeable direct and/or indirect effects on any coastal uses or resources, either inside or outside of the coastal zone. As identified in enclosure 1, the Navy has concluded that several Alaska state enforceable policies could be applicable to the Proposed Action. However, the Navy's analysis shows that the actions would not have reasonably foreseeable coastal effects. Accordingly, the Navy has prepared this de minimis determination. Pursuant to the CZMA and based on the effects analysis conducted during the development of the EIS/OEIS and shown in enclosure 1, the Navy has determined that the Proposed Action for the GOA would have insignificant direct and indirect (cumulative and secondary) coastal effects and thus is a de minimis activity in accordance with 15 CFR 930.33 and is requesting concurrence from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. If you have questions concerning this Coastal Consistency Determination, please contact Mr. Alex Stone, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (NOICEl), (619) 545-8128, Alexander.Stone@navy.mil and Mrs. Amy Burt, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, (360) 396-0924, amy.burt@navy.mil. Sincerely, D. A. MCNAIR Captain, U.S. Navy Deputy Fleet Civil Engineer By direction Enclosure: 1. Gulf of Alaska Navy Training Activities de minimis determination (July 2010) Copy to: Mr. Tom Atkinson, Alaska Coastal Management Program Chief of Naval Operations (N456) (w/o enclosure) Commander, Navy Region Northwest (N40) (w/o enclosure) 2