Home basing and Homeporting

Prior to making home basing and homeporting decisions for our ships, aircraft, and submarines, the Navy considers strategic, operational, training, infrastructure requirements, costs, and potential environmental consequences. The Navy prepares comprehensive environmental planning documents in accordance with NEPA as implemented by CEQ regulations and Navy policy. These documents analyze the environmental effects of military operations and training associated with home basing and homeporting, construction of supporting infrastructure, compliance with federal and state environmental regulations and, if applicable, considers potential mitigation measures to minimize or avoid potential environmental effects prior to making decisions.

Members of the public, federal, state and local officials, Tribes and communities, regulatory agencies and non-governmental associations are invited to participate in the process: first, in assisting in defining the scope of the environmental analysis and later, in reviewing the draft findings. Community involvement is an important part of the NEPA process. Environmental analyses under NEPA generally must be finalized and published, prior to implementation of a Proposed Action, to facilitate an informed decision that supports military mission and readiness while balancing environmental concerns.

Informed decisions are based on a candid and factual representation of the environmental impacts to resource areas considered for analyses in a Proposed Action. Resource areas may include: noise, air quality, public health and safety, land use, socioeconomics, environmental justice, utilities and infrastructure, traffic and transportation, biological resources, traditional and cultural resources, geological resources, visual resources, water resources, and hazardous materials and waste. Numerous federal laws and Navy policy govern the protection and preservation of environmental resources. The Navy strictly adheres to these laws and regulations, and may prepare supporting studies such as aircraft noise modeling, archaeological surveys, biological assessments, dredging plans, wetlands surveys, etc., to support compliance and inform decision making.

If you would like to learn more about the Navy’s active homebasing and homeporting projects, please click here.