Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Who will provide independent oversight of the analysis conducted by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard (known as the Action Proponents) and presented in the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (OEIS)?  

A1. The Action Proponents work and coordinate with numerous state and federal regulatory agencies during the preparation of a Supplemental EIS/OEIS, including the National Marine Fisheries Service NMFS. A thorough review of the draft documents by relevant government agencies (to include the Marine Mammal Commission) will be requested, and their input will be carefully considered in the analyses. The Action Proponents also invite comments from the public and request input from researchers, academics, and environmental and scientific groups. 

Q2. Why do the Action Proponents need to train in the study areas? 

A2. On any given day, over one-third of the Navy’s ships, submarines, and aircraft are deployed to key maritime regions. Through its continuous presence on the world’s oceans, the Navy is uniquely positioned to respond to a wide range of situations and threats to the nation’s economic and national interests.  Before deploying, Sailors and Marines must realistically train to develop the capabilities necessary to execute a broad variety of missions and threat responses, ranging from full-scale armed conflict to humanitarian and disaster relief efforts, in different geographic areas and environmental conditions across the globe.  

The Coast Guard has broad, multifaceted, jurisdictional authority for management of activities over all waters subject to jurisdiction of the United States. The Coast Guard’s law enforcement and national defense mission authority requires the Coast Guard to “maintain a state of readiness to function as a specialized service in the Navy in time of war, including the fulfillment of Maritime Defense Zone command responsibilities.”  

The AFTT Study Area provides access to military ranges, operating areas and airspace that ensure that Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel will become proficient in operating and maintaining the equipment, weapons and systems they will use to conduct their assigned missions, as well as developing, maintaining and sharpening tactics and personnel readiness. The AFTT Study Area also provides a series of ocean training range complexes and Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation (RDT&E) ranges that provide a robust training and testing capability for all naval warfare missions.   

The Navy and Marine Corps also train in multiple other locations around the globe. To ensure compliance with applicable state and federal environmental laws in these locations, the Navy has established study areas for each location. The following EISs for each study area ongoing: Hawaii-California Training and Testing (HCTT), formerly known as Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing (HSTT), Marianas Islands Training and Testing (MITT), Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT), and Gulf of Alaska Training Activities (GOA). 

Q3. What is an EIS? OEIS? A Supplemental EIS/OEIS? 

A3. An EIS – or an Environmental Impact Statement – is a detailed public document that provides an assessment of the potential effects a federal action may have on human, natural and cultural environments as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. 

An Overseas EIS (OEIS) is prepared to comply with Executive Order (EO) 12114, Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions, signed in 1979. This EO requires federal agencies to consider the potential environmental effects of agency actions that occur outside U.S. territorial waters. U.S. territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles (nm) from shore. 

A federal agency may prepare a Supplemental EIS/OEIS for several reasons. For example, circumstances may change or new information relevant to the Proposed Action may be available, and an agency may determine that preparation of a Supplemental EIS/OEIS will further the agency’s interests or the purposes of NEPA or EO 12114. 

Q4. Why are the Action Proponents preparing a Supplemental EIS/OEIS? 

A4. The Action Proponents are preparing the AFTT Phase IV Supplemental EIS/OEIS to plan for the future and to assess the effects of their ongoing and anticipated activities on the environment as part of their overall commitment to protecting the environment as it conducts military readiness activities. Additionally, the Phase IV EIS/OEIS is part of a fourth round of environmental compliance documents, which are needed to support the request for authorization of another seven-year Marine Mammal Protection Act permit. 

Q5. Who is preparing the Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS?  

A5. The Navy is the lead agency for the proposed action. U.S. Fleet Forces Command is the lead Action Proponent and lead Navy command for preparation and coordination of the Supplemental EIS/OEIS. To support Naval integration, the United States Marine Corps (USMC)  has been added to the Office of Naval Research, Naval Sea Systems Command, and Naval Air Systems Command as co-action proponents for the proposed action. The U.S. Coast Guard has also been invited to serve as a Joint Lead Agency for the development of the Supplemental EIS/OEIS. 

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will participate as a cooperating agency in these analyses. In particular, NMFS will provide review of and guidance for those sections that deal with potential effects on marine mammals and other protected marine species such as sea turtles.  

This proposed action will ensure Navy, USMC and USCG personnel will become proficient in operating and maintaining the equipment, weapons and systems they will use to conduct their assigned missions. 

Q6. Who will provide independent oversight of the work the Action Proponents do on this EIS/OEIS? 

A6. The Action Proponents work and coordinate with numerous state and federal regulatory agencies during the preparation of the Supplemental EIS/OEIS, including NMFS. A thorough review of the draft documents by relevant government agencies will be requested, and their input will be carefully considered in the analyses. The Action Proponents also invite comments from the public and requests input from researchers, academics, and environmental and scientific groups. 

Q7. Are the Action Proponents really committed to helping the environment? Aren’t these environmental studies all just an obligation to comply with federal regulations? 

A7. In addition to satisfying legal requirements, the Action Proponents are preparing these documents as part of an overall commitment to evaluating their actions proactively to protect and minimize effects on the environment as they train and test. The Action Proponents have a proven track record of working with environmental resource agencies and stakeholders, funding marine species research, and employing scientific experts focused on ensuring that the Action Proponents actively conduct activities in an environmentally responsible manner. 

Q8. Where and how can I get more information? 

A8.  Information can be obtained on the AFTT Phase IV project website at www.nepa.navy.mil/aftteis. Several detailed fact sheets have been developed to provide a broad range of information to the public as well as background information on environmental topics referenced in project documents. The AFTT Phase IV project website also features links to the Navy’s Stewards of the Sea informational videos. 

Q9. How will the Action Proponents protect marine life while they are training and testing at-sea?  What additional marine mammal protective measures do they use? 

A9. The Action Proponents are committed to protecting the marine environment while conducting its training and testing activities. We have been using measures to protect marine species while training and testing for decades. Some examples include: 

• Using trained lookouts to search for marine species in the vicinity of training/testing events. 
• Reducing power or securing active sonars when marine mammals get within a predetermined mitigation zone. 
• Establishing mitigation zones around detonations. 
• Maneuvering vessels to avoid close interactions with marine mammals and sea turtles. 
• Avoiding anchoring and explosive and non-explosive gunnery, missile, and bombing activities within 350 yards of coral reefs. 
• Exercise planners use the Navy’s Protective Measures Assessment Protocol (PMAP) to identify required protective measures and any geographic limitations within important habitat areas.