4 August 2004
Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html

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[Federal Register: August 4, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 149)]
[Notices]
[Page 47125-47126]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04au04-52]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Chemical and Biological Defense Program Final Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement (CBDP FPEIS)

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Army has prepared an FPEIS covering the execution of an
integrated CBDP designed to protect the members of the Armed Forces
from the evolving chemical and biological (CB) threats they may
encounter on the battlefield. The FPEIS includes an evaluation of how
the various environmental compliance programs in the military services,
the Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense, and
the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency would be able to mitigate
environmental impacts.

DATES: The waiting period for the FPEIS will end 30 days after
publication of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

ADDRESSES: Written comments or requests for copies of the FPEIS may be
made to: Ms. JoLane Souris, Command Environmental Coordinator, U.S.
Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Office of Surety, Safety,
and Environment, 504 Scott Street, Fort Detrick, MD 21702-5012 or visit
the CBDP PEIS Web site at http://chembioeis.detrick.army.mil.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. JoLane Souris at phone at (301)
619-2004, or by fax at (301) 619-6627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Prior to 2003, the mission of the DoD CBDP
was to provide CB defense capabilities to allow the military forces of
the United States to survive and successfully complete their
operational missions in battle space environments contaminated with CB
warfare agents. Now this mission has expanded to cover military
capability to operate in the face of threats in homeland security
missions, as well as war fighter missions. If our military forces are
not fully and adequately prepared to meet these threats, the
consequences could be devastating. The CBDP to support this mission
comprises research, development, and acquisition activities. Each of
the Military Services, the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical
and Biological Defense, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency conduct CBDP activities. Some of these CBDP activities
necessarily involve the use of hazardous chemicals or infectious
disease agents for research, development, and production purposes. The
controls on and the potential environmental consequences of such use
for both the proposed action and the alternative were primary focuses
of the CBDP FPEIS.
     The activities take place at numerous military installations and
contractor facilities throughout the United States. Details concerning
the CBDP are contained in the Chemical and Biological Defense Program,
Annual Report to Congress, April 2003 at http://www.acq.osd.mil/cp/reports.html.
 The proposed action consists of the execution of an

integrated CBDP designed to protect the members of the Armed Forces
from the evolving CB threats they may encounter on the battlefield. The
No Action Alternative, continuation of current CBDP operations as
described in and covered by existing environmental analyses, also was
evaluated. No other alternatives

[[Page 47126]]

were identified during the public scoping process.
     Although numerous environmental documents dating back to the
Biological Defense Research Program Final Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement (April 1989) have been prepared analyzing the
potential environmental consequences of various elements of the CBDP,
no one document analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the
full range of CBDP activities. In keeping with the purposes of NEPA,
DoD has now prepared such a document in the form of the CBDP FPEIS.
This document creates an overarching framework that will continue to
ensure fully informed Government decision making within the CBDP and
will provide a single, up-to-date information resource for the public.
The FPEIS addresses and incorporates comments received on the Draft
PEIS during the public comment period.

    Dated: July 28, 2004.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and
Occupational Health) OASA (I&E).
[FR Doc. 04-17750 Filed 8-3-04; 8:45 am]

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