NMFS Biological Opinion on U.S. Navy training ... - Govsupport.us

FINAL PROGRAMMATIC BIOLOGICAL OPINION ON U.S. NAVY ACTIVITIES IN THE HAWAII RANGE COMPLEX 2008-2013
mines is generally limited to areas greater than 100 fathoms, or 600 feet in depth. Before dropping inert exercise
mines, the crew visually determines that the area is clear. Although the altitude at which inert exercise mines are
dropped varies, the potential for drift during descent generally favors release at lower altitudes, where visual
searches for marine mammals are more effective. When the inert exercise mine is released, a small parachute retards
its entry into the ocean. The mine can be designed to float on the surface or near surface or to sink on a tether.
Ultimately the mine sinks carrying the parachute with it. Standard Navy procedures are followed for the deployment
of inert mines from submarines. Aerial mining lines are generally developed off the southwest coast of Kaua’i and
the southeast coast of Ni’ihau, within PMRF Warning Areas W-186 and W-188. Submarine mining exercises are
conducted within PMRF Warning Area W-188. Aircraft operations are conducted within R3101.
The U.S. Navy plans to conduct about 32 mine laying exercises each year in the Hawai'i Range Complex, which is
an increase from the 22 exercises conducted under current schedules.
Swimmer Insertion/Extraction. Naval Special Warfare personnel conduct underwater swimmer insertion and
extraction training in the Hawai’i Offshore Areas using either the Sea, Air, Land (SEAL) Delivery Vehicle, or the
Advanced SEAL Delivery System. Both submersibles are designed to deliver special operations forces for clandestine
operations. The Seal Delivery Vehicle is an older, open-design delivery vehicle. The Advanced SEAL Delivery
System is a new dry compartment vehicle that keeps the SEALs warmer during transit. The battery-powered
Advanced SEAL Delivery System is capable of operating independently or with submarines.
Two types of training occur with the Advanced SEAL Delivery System — unit and integrated. Unit training with the
Advanced SEAL Delivery System consists of the Seal Delivery Vehicle Team operating the Advanced SEAL Delivery
System independently. Integrated training operations involve the Seal Delivery Vehicle submarine and the Advanced
SEAL Delivery System. Underwater swimmer insertion and extraction training is focused on undersea operation of
the Seal Delivery Vehicle or Advanced SEAL Delivery System, and does not typically involve SEAL personnel
landing ashore or conducting shore operations. Although undersea range areas are usually reserved for a 24-hour
period, the insertion/extraction operation itself lasts approximately 8 hours. Swimmer insertion and extraction
operations can also include the use of helicopters to insert or extract naval special warfare personnel using a variety
of techniques.
The U.S. Navy plans to conduct about 145 of these exercises each year in the Hawai'i Range Complex, which is an
increase from the 132 exercises conducted under current schedules.
Salvage Operations. The purpose of Salvage Operations is to provide a realistic training environment for battling
fires at sea, de-beaching of stranded ships, and harbor clearance operations training by U.S. Navy diving and salvage
units. The U.S. Navy’s Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One (MDSU-1) and divers from other countries practice swift
and mobile ship and barge salvage, towing, battle damage repair, deep ocean recovery, harbor clearance, removal of
objects from navigable waters, and underwater ship repair capabilities. Diving and salvage forces exercise include
the following activities:
• SCUBA and surface supplied air and mixed gas (HeO2) diving operations to depths of 18 feet of sea water
• Hyperbaric recompression chamber operations
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