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

CD-086-06, Navy Training ExercisesSouthern CaliforniaPage 19Marine Corps Base Camp PendletonSubstantial public access to beaches and nearshore waters is provided both to the northand south of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. San Onofre Beach, located at thenorthern end of MCBCP, is a public beach leased to the State by the Marine Corps.Both San Onofre State Beach and the adjacent San Mateo State Preserve/TrestlesBeach are directly accessible from the Interstate-5 freeway. Immediately south of CampPendleton lies the City of Oceanside, with a harbor and extensive beach areas. Publicaccess is not affected by COMPTUEX/JTFEX training exercises because the CampPendleton shoreline is not accessible to the public. Under the Proposed Action, theextent and accessibility of adjacent public areas would not change. The ProposedAction is consistent with Section 30210 to provide maximum public access consistentwith public safety.Concerning commercial fishing, the Navy states:Potential effects of the Proposed Action on economic, commercial, and recreationalfishing have been evaluated by the Navy. COMPTUEX/JTFEX activities do not havethe potential to result in permanent modifications of the marine environment within theCZ. Elements of the Proposed Action that require exclusive use of an ocean area (e.g.,those operations in which weapons are fired) have the potential to affect commercialand recreational fishing operations during the actual operation. Short-term adverseeffects on individual commercial fishermen may result from temporary closures ofspecific ocean areas, but the economic importance of the regional commercial fishingindustry would be unchanged.Prior to these events, NOTMARs and NOTAMs are issued, providing the public andcommercial fishermen with notice of upcoming location and timing restrictions inspecific training areas. In addition, the Southern California Offshore Range (SCORE)maintains a public website depicting upcoming restrictions in designated Danger Zonesaround SCI. These notices detail date, time duration, and location of restricted access,so that commercial and private fishermen and divers can plan their activitiesaccordingly. The restricted times only extend through the duration of the trainingactivity; thereby allowing the public to shift their activities to alternate areas duringtemporary closures. Thus, the Proposed Action would be consistent with Section30234.5 to the maximum extent practicable.The Navy’s proposal is consistent with the Coastal Act policies that provide for balancingmaximum public access in a manner consistent with public safety and military security needs.In past reviews, the Commission has found that absent a nexus such as intensifications ofpublic access closures, no new public access requirements are normally required. For theproposed exercises, the public area closures during the exercises, which are clearly necessaryfor both public safety and military needs, are similar to past closures from similar Navy testing.The proposal may even reduce closures, as one of the Navy’s goals is to schedule morefrequent simultaneously occurring exercises than previously scheduled. The Commission