SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Appendix D ⎯ Responses to Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact StatementD.3.10 SOCIOECONOMICSrather than accelerating it. The National Defense Authorization Act requiresan extensive study of PCMS to be prepared. See H.R. 4986, Section 2831. Allof these factors mean that PCMS expansion is not a reasonably foreseeable futureaction, such that it must be considered in this EIS as a cumulative impact.199. The permanent stationing of the 2/25th SBCT in Hawaii will increase the cost of living, strainpublic services and schools, and increase competition for housing and jobs. The EIS shouldinclude costs for educating military children; costs to local governments for increased law enforcement,social services, road maintenance, and use of electric, water, and sewer; increasedhousing costs, costs of loss of use of military lands, and costs of health impacts.Response: The modest increase in population associated with the 2/25 th SBCT is unlikelyto affect public services. Permanent stationing of the 2/25 th in Hawaii wouldincrease the overall population by 2,020 people over the total associated withthe 2/25 th ID (L) in 2004. Because the 2/25 th SBCT was actually organized andwas fully staffed between 2004 and 2007, SBMR and the surrounding communitiesand public services have actually experienced this growth already. Theimpacts of the increase numbers of Soldiers and Family members was studiedin the 2004 EIS, which is incorporated by reference. See Section 5.2.8 for additionaldetails.200. The permanent stationing of the 2/25th SBCT in Hawaii will increase social problems in Hawaiiancommunities, such as transience, prostitution, and violence, including introducingsexual predators.Response: We thank you for your comment and participation in this public process. Yourcomment has been considered and has been included as part of the administrativerecord for this process.201. How has the Army calculated the effects on natural resources? How will the Army compensatecommunities for damages to resources, such as fisheries? How will communities becompensated for the effects on their quality of life, such as loss of wages in the event of roadclosures because of flooding or increases in health problems?Response: The Army calculated the effects on natural resources using the methodologieslaid out in the Chapter 4 of the EIS. The Army proposes to mitigate significantimpacts resulting from this project using the mitigation measures discussed inChapter 5 of the FEIS. We thank you for your comments, which have beenconsidered and included as part of the administrative record for this process.202. The DEIS needs to include data that show that compared to other ethnic groups native Hawaiianssuffer from low incomes, high unemployment rates, high rates of dependence on governmentassistance programs, high risk of homelessness, high rates of health problems, highestincarceration rates, decreasing population in Hawaii (though increasing outside of Hawaii),and shortest life expectancy. It needs to include effects on native Hawaiian spirituallife, culture, connection with the land, self-determination, civil rights, language, wealth, emotionaland physical health, and safety.February 2008 D–69 2/25th SBCT Final EIS