SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYIn May 2004, the Department of the Army (Army) released the Final Environmental Impact Statement(FEIS) for Transformation of the 2 nd Brigade, 25 th Infantry Division (ID) (Light) (referred to throughoutthis document as the 2/25 th ) to an SBCT. The SBCT is a maneuver brigade that includes approximately4,105 Soldiers (infantry, artillery, engineers, and other Army specialties) and 1,000 vehicles (includingabout 320 Strykers). In July 2004, the Army released a Record of Decision (ROD) documenting its decisionto transform the 2/25 th in place to an SBCT and permanently home station it in Hawaii.The 2/25 th began its transformation to an SBCT shortly after completion of the 2004 FEIS and signing ofthe ROD to proceed with the transformation. As of November 2007, the Brigade had completed trainingand almost all equipment fielding as an SBCT unit, completing those training tasks in Hawaii as permittedby Court ruling. The unit completed the rest of its training certifications during an extended trainingrotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California and the Southern California LogisticsArea. The SBCT has deployed from Hawaii to meet the ongoing operational requirements and it is scheduledto return in early 2009.In October of 2006, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit determined that the Army had notfully complied with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the transformation of the 2/25 thbecause it did not adequately address or analyze potentially reasonable alternative locations for the transformationand training of this unit. In particular, the Court concluded that the Army had a duty underNEPA to consider locations other than Hawaii for the permanent stationing of the 2/25 th SBCT, and itordered the Army to prepare a supplemental EIS to address a full range of alternatives. The Army preparedthis EIS in accordance with the Court’s guidance to examine a broader range of reasonable alternativesfor the Proposed Action of permanently stationing the 2/25 th SBCT.This EIS examines alternative Army installations capable of supporting the permanent stationing of the2/25 th SBCT. The EIS provides the Army senior leadership with a hard look at environmental impactsassociated with selecting a home station for the 2/25 th SBCT and it better informs the decision-makingprocess for selecting the final stationing location. This effort includes analysis of all activities (equipmentfielding, training, facilities construction, and Soldier and Family support) required to station the 2/25 thpermanently. This EIS effort will assist the Army in arriving at a decision for the permanent stationing ofthe SBCT in a location that can accommodate the Brigade’s training and quality of life requirementswhile meeting the strategic needs and national security requirements of the United States (U.S.). The EISwill simultaneously allow the Army to consider the social, economic, and environmental impacts relatedto the 2/25 th stationing action.Need for the Permanent Stationing of the 2/25 th SBCTThe need for action for permanently stationing the 2/25 th SBCT centers on five primary areas of need thatrequire the Army to take action. These areas of need include:• adhering to national security and defense policy,• furthering Army Transformation as directed by these policies,• meeting training and operational requirements for the SBCT,• providing for Soldier and Family quality of life requirements, and• meeting strategic deployment requirements to ensure adequate defense assets can be deployed ina timely manner to support national security requirements worldwide.February 2008 xiii 2/25th SBCT Final EIS