Composite Training Unit Exercises and Joint Task ... - Govsupport.us

COMPTUEX/JTFEX EA/OEA Final Chapter 1CHAPTER 1PURPOSE AND NEED FOR PROPOSED ACTION1.1 INTRODUCTIONThe training mission of Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT) is to provide fully-trained U.S.combat ready forces to the Combatant Commanders as dictated by the National Command Authority. Infurtherance of this mandate, the U.S. Navy’s THIRD Fleet conducts Composite Training Unit Exercises(COMPTUEXs) and Joint Task Force Exercises (JTFEXs) on a recurring basis at military installationsand operation areas in the southwest United States and offshore of Southern California (Figure 1.2-1).These exercises are large, deployment-level exercises, requiring vast and varied land, sea, and underseatraining environments necessary to exercise the full range of capabilities required of deploying navalforces. The THIRD Fleet is proposing to conduct seven Composite Training Unit Exercises(COMPTUEX) and seven Joint Task Force Exercises (JTFEX) from February 2007 through January2009. The major ranges and facilities to be utilized include:U.S. Navy Southern California Operating Areas (SOCAL OPAREAs) (including Warning Area W-291) San Clemente Island Range Complex (SCIRC) Naval Base (NB) Coronado, CA Point Mugu Sea Range (PMSR) (including Warning Area W-289), NB Ventura County, CA. China Lake Range, Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake, CA Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC), Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, NVU.S. Marine Corps Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Pendleton, CA Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, CA Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, CA Bob Stump Training Range Complex (BSTRC) (including Chocolate Mountain Aerial GunneryRange), CA and AZU.S. Air Force Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), Nellis Air Force Base (AFB), NV Vandenberg AFB, CAU.S. Army National Training Center (NTC), Fort Irwin, CAThis Environmental Assessment (EA)/Overseas EA (OEA) evaluates potential environmental impacts ofseven COMPTUEXs and seven JTFEXs proposed to be conducted during the period February 2007through January 2009, assuming that each exercise will maximize the employment of operational andtraining assets consistent with exercise objectives and scenarios. This EA/OEA analyzes the offshore andnearshore activities occurring during COMPTUEX/JTFEX. Other activities occurring on land-basedareas described above are conducted in accordance with the existing environmental documentationpresented in Chapter 2, Table 2.1-1.This EA/OEA has been prepared by the Department of the Navy (Navy) in compliance with the NationalEnvironmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S. Code [U.S.C] § 4321 et seq.); the Council onEnvironmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (Title1-1 February 2007