Published: 2009
Total Pages:
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"This EIS/OEIS has been prepared by the DON to evaluate the effects associated with the littoral and expeditionary maneuver warfare activities proposed for the NSWC PCD Study Area, which includes St. Andrew Bay (SAB) and warning areas W-151, W-155, and W-470. These activities involve a variety of naval assets including vessels, aircraft, and underwater systems that support eight primary research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT & E) capabilities: air, surface, and subsurface operations, sonar, laser, electromagnetic, live ordnance, and projectile firing operations occurring within the NSWC PCD Study Area. The potentially affected resources have been studied to evaluate if changes in NSWC PCD RDT & E, particularly sonar use and ordnance detonations, would affect the marine environment, air environment, and water surface environment. The Proposed Action is to improve NSWC PCD's capabilities to conduct new and increased mission operations for DON and customers within the three military warning areas and SAB. Three Alternatives are analyzed in this EIS/OEIS. The No Action Alternative addresses historical and current mission activities (referred to cumulatively as 'baseline mission activities') within the NSWC PCD Study Area. Alternative 1 addresses baseline mission activities, as well as identified (known) future (five-year) NSWC PCD RDT & E requirements. Alternative 2 addresses baseline mission activities, as well as identified future NSWC PCD RDT & E requirements at an increased tempo, in order to maximize NSWC PCD operational capability. Potential effects associated with the alternatives were identified and evaluated. The U.S. Navy concludes that there will be no significant impact to geology and sediments, air quality, water quality, biological resources, marine habitats, invertebrates, fish, essential fish habitat (EFH), birds, socioeconomics, airspace, artificial reefs, safety, cultural and historical resources, low-income and minority populations, children, or coastal zone resources. NSWC PCD activities have the potential to expose marine mammals to sound likely to result in Level A and Level B harassment and to expose sea turtles to sound likely to result in temporary threshold shifts (TTS). NSWC PCD will implement mitigation measures and management practices to reduce the level of effects to the environment. NSWC PCD has requested from NMFS to 'take' protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA), respectively"--Cover sheet.
