ALCOAST 387/08
COMDTNOTE 5090
SUBJ: NOTIFICATION OF NEPA REVIEW AS PART OF PROPOSED COAST GUARD
MODERNIZATION
1. I AM PLEASED TO SHARE ANOTHER MILESTONE ON THE PROPOSED
MODERNIZATION OF OUR SERVICE.  FOR TRANSPARENCY, I WANT EACH OF YOU
TO HAVE VISIBILITY OF THE CURRENT REVIEW THAT OUR MODERNIZATION
EFFORTS ARE GOING THROUGH IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NATIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA).
2. ON FRIDAY, 15 AUG 08, WE WILL PUBLISH FOR PUBLIC REVIEW A NOTICE
OF AVAILABILITY (NOA), A DRAFT PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT (PEA), AND A MITIGATED DRAFT FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT (FONSI) FOR OUR PROPOSED MODERNIZATION.  UPON ANNOUNCEMENT,
A 30-DAY PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD WILL COMMENCE (15 AUG-15 SEP 08)
WHERE WE WILL INVITE COMMENTS FROM ALL POTENTIALLY AFFECTED
STAKEHOLDERS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES.
3. UNDER NEPA, WE ARE REQUIRED TO CONSIDER THE POTENTIAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF MODERNIZATION WITHIN THE COAST GUARDS
OPERATING ENVIRONMENT AND IN THE SITE-SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC AREAS
WHERE MODERNIZATION-RELATED ACTIONS COULD OCCUR, INCLUDING THE
ALAMEDA/OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA AREA, THE BALTIMORE,
MARYLAND/WASHINGTON, DC AREA, AND THE PORTSMOUTH/NORFOLK, VIRGINIA
AREA.  BASED ON OUR ANALYSIS, WE ANTICIPATE THAT OUR FINAL PEA WILL
SHOW NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT.  HOWEVER THE FINAL
ASSESSMENT IS ALSO DEPENDENT UPON CONSIDERATION OF COMMENTS WE
RECEIVE DURING THE 30-DAY COMMENT PERIOD.
4. THE DRAFT PEA AND ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR
VIEWING ONLINE BEGINNING 15 AUG 08.  TO ACCESS THE DRAFT PEA OR TO
SUBMIT COMMENTS BY EMAIL, GO TO HTTP://WWW.REGULATIONS.GOV.  ENTER
USCG-2008-0751 IN THE BOX UNDER "COMMENTS OR SUBMISSION", AND CLICK
ON "GO".  TO COMMENT, CLICK "SEND A COMMENT OR SUBMISSION".
COMMENTS MAY ALSO BE MAILED TO COMMANDER ROBERT E. BAILEY, JR. AT
2100 2ND STREET SW, WASHINGTON, DC 20593, ATTN: ROOM 6310.  ALL
COMMENTS MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN 15 SEP 08.
5. UPDATED INFORMATION ON THE MODERNIZATION EFFORTS MAY BE FOUND AT
THE CG MODERNIZATION SECTION ON CG CENTRAL, THE
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/MODERNIZATION SITE, OR ONE OF THE LATEST
MAGAZINE ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN THE AUGUST EDITION OF NAVY
PROCEEDINGS AND OUR OWN COAST GUARD MAGAZINE.
6. RADM JODY A. BRECKENRIDGE, DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC TRANSFORMATION
TEAM, SENDS.
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.