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Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for Army Growth and Force Structure Realignment

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[Federal Register: January 7, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 4)]
[Notices]
[Page 1206]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07ja08-29]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army

Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for Army Growth
and Force Structure Realignment

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army announces the availability of the
Record of Decision (ROD) for Army Growth and Force Structure
Realignment. This ROD announces the Army's decisions for growing and
realigning U.S. Army forces within the Continental United States
(CONUS). Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
Department of the Army prepared a Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement (PEIS) that evaluated the potential environmental and socio-
economic effects associated with alternatives for Army growth and
realignment. In the Final PEIS, which was published on 26 OCT, 2007,
the Army identified Alternative Three as the preferred alternative. The
Record of Decision explains that the Army will proceed with its
preferred alternative, Alternative Three. This alternative best
supports Army Modular Transformation; implements Global Defense Posture
Realignment (GDPR) decisions; adds the necessary Combat Support and
Combat Service Support Soldiers to the Active and Reserve components of
the Army; and grows the Army by six Active component Brigade Combat
Teams (BCTs) and fifteen Active and Reserve component support brigades.
Each of the BCTs will be Infantry BCTs. In addition, the PEIS analysis
was used to relocate a Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) headquarters
and two Heavy Brigade Combat Teams (HBCTs). The HBCTs will be activated
in Germany and retained until FY12 and FY13 before returning to the
United States. A return of these BCTs to the United States is not a
part of previous decisions to implement Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) 2005. This decision and analysis within this PEIS do not include
BRAC 2005 stationing actions, which are considered part of the baseline
condition for analysis. This decision will result in a total growth in
Army forces by approximately 74,200 Soldiers, and will realign forces
to improve readiness and responsiveness to meet future challenges.

ADDRESSES: Comments or questions regarding the ROD can be sent to the
Public Affairs Office, U.S. Army Environmental Command, Building E4460,
Attention: IMAE-PA 5179 Hoadley Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
21010-5401.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Public Affairs Office at (410) 436-
2556; facsimile at (410) 436-1693 (during normal business hours Monday
through Friday).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In January 2007, President Bush asked
Congress for authority to increase the overall strength of the Army by
74,200 Soldiers over the next five years. This growth will mitigate
shortages in units, Soldiers, and time to train that would otherwise
inhibit the Army from meeting readiness goals and supporting strategic
requirements. In September 2007, the Secretary of Defense approved the
Army's proposal to accelerate growth for the Active component and Army
National Guard. The Army must grow, adjust its force structure, and
station its units and Soldiers to meet the strategic requirements of
the contemporary global security environment.
    The Final PEIS examined major Army installations within CONUS and
their ability to support new unit stationing actions in connection with
growth and realignment. The Final PEIS provided the Army Senior
Leadership with an assessment of environmental and socio-economic
impacts that would be associated with these actions in addition to the
feedback and concerns of the public. This information was considered as
part of the decision-making process for selecting the final stationing
locations for new units.
    Stationing decisions included in the ROD for Army Growth and Force
Structure Realignment include: retaining one IBCT at Ft Carson, CO as
the 43rd BCT in Fiscal Year (FY) 08; activating the 44th BCT at Ft
Bliss, TX in FY09; converting one Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT) to
an IBCT at Ft Stewart, GA in FY10; and growing three IBCTs in FY11, one
each at Ft Stewart, GA, Ft Carson, CO, and Ft Bliss, TX. Two BCTs
stationed in Germany will relocate back to CONUS in FY12 and 13,
respectively. These units are selected for stationing at Ft Bliss, TX
and White Sands Missile Range, NM. The Army will also activate eight
Active component support brigades and restation two others. These
actions will occur at the following locations: In FY08, an Air Defense
Artillery Brigade headquarters activates at Ft Hood, TX; in FY09, a
Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) activates at Ft Leonard Wood, MO; in
FY10 a Fires Brigade activates at Ft Bliss, TX; in FY11, an
Expeditionary Sustainment Command Headquarters activates at Ft Lewis,
WA, and a Sustainment Brigade activates at Ft Hood, TX; in FY13, a
(BfSB) activates at Ft Polk, LA and a MEB will be restationed to Fort
Drum, NY.
    The restationing of a MEB is tentatively being considered for Fort
Richardson, AK in FY 2010. The Army is considering the stationing of an
Engineer Brigade and a Military Police Brigade at Schofield Barracks,
HI. These actions will ensure the proper balance of combat support
units and command and control functions are available in the Pacific
theater to support training and operational requirements. A final
decision on these actions will not be made until a supplemental NEPA
analysis is completed to analyze impacts of stationing actions in the
Pacific theater.
    A copy of the ROD and Final PEIS are available at 
http://www.aec.army.mil. Exit Disclaimer

Addison D. Davis, IV,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and
Occupational Health).
[FR Doc. 07-6222 Filed 1-4-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M

 
 

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