- Overview
- CG Organizational Historical Timeline
- Studies
- In the News
- All Hands Messages
- NEPA
- Organization Evolution
- Points of Contact
Security Levels
Coast Guard Modernization
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Notice of Availability of Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Proposed Modernization of the US Coast Guard
The Coast Guard announces the availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for Coast Guard modernization. Based on the PEA's analysis and the mitigation plan committed to in the PEA, the Coast Guard determined that an environmental impact statement is not required, and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) has been issued for the proposed action.
The Coast Guard proposes modernizing its command structure, support systems, and business practices to position the service for sustainable and effective mission execution into the 21st century. As part of the modernization program the Coast Guard would realign its headquarters to improve the way it develops policy and manages resources. Changes would occur primarily in the Washington, Baltimore, Portsmouth, Va., Norfolk, Va., and Alameda, Calif., areas and would involve (1) a Surface Forces Logistics Center to be constructed at the Coast Guard Yard, Curtis Bay, Md., or established in leased space in the Portsmouth and Norfolk, Va. area; (2) a new Personnel Service Center and a Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Information Technology Service Center would be created in leased space in the Washington area (the current Personnel Service Center, Topeka, KS, will be renamed); (3) a Shore Infrastructure Logistics Center to be established in leased space in Alameda, Calif., or Norfolk, Va.; and (4) restructuring of the Atlantic and Pacific Area Commands into an Operations Command and a Force Readiness Command, respectively.
The Coast Guard has developed two action alternatives to achieve modernization, a full modernization alternative and a partial modernization alternative. These two alternatives represent the upper and lower levels of change required to achieve the purpose and need of the modernization program and capture the range of social, economic, and environmental impacts that would occur while implementing the program. The full modernization alternative emphasizes co-location of Coast Guard mission support and operations resources and functions. This alternative evaluates the impacts of increased billet levels (a billet is a Coast Guard employment position) at each of the three geographic areas affected (though increases would depend upon where the service decided to ultimately site logistics and service centers), leasing additional facility space, and potential construction at the Coast Guard Yard. The partial modernization alternative would focus on operating from existing locations rather than co-locating functional resources in a single location. This alternative evaluates a decrease in billet levels in some geographic locations, minimizes leasing, and would include no new construction. The partial modernization alternative would minimally achieve the purpose and need for modernization, while the full modernization alternative would allow the Coast Guard to fully achieve the envisioned functionality of modernization. The Coast Guard prefers the full modernization alternative. Either modernization alternative would be implemented over at least five years.
Electronic copies of the Final PEA and FONSI, as well as comments received on the Draft PEA and FONSI, are available from the Federal Docket Management Facility at Internet Web site address: www.regulations.gov using the docket number USCG-2008-0991.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Please contact Ms. Kebby Kelly, telephone (202) 475-5690, e-mail: Kebby.Kelley@uscg.mil, or Mr. Frank Esposito, telephone (202) 372-3746, e-mail: Frank.H.Esposito@uscg.mil for more information about this notice, the proposed action or the Final PEA. For questions on viewing the docket, call Ms. Renee Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone (202) 366-9826.
Notice of Intent to Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Proposed Modernization of the US Coast Guard
Per the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality NEPA regulations at 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508, the US Coast Guard (USCG) announces its intent to prepare a programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) for the proposed modernization of the USCG. The PEA will evaluate the environmental and socioeconomic effects of modernizing its command and control structure, support systems, and business practices to more effectively execute its missions.
While the USCG’s core missions have not changed substantially, responsibilities have expanded in complexity and authority, mission workload has increased, and the environment in which the USCG operates has changed. The proposed action is needed to allow the USCG to be more responsive to current and emerging threats, and globalization challenges such as natural or manmade disasters, maritime terrorist events, pandemic diseases, mass migration, and emerging trade routes.
The USCG is proposing to implement what will initially and primarily be an administrative reorganization to realign functional responsibilities of major commands in Alameda, Ca., Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Md., and the Tidewater area of Virginia, as well as some subordinate support commands. However, the USCG does anticipate some future personnel movement and associated leasing or construction of new facilities in order to create more effective organizational structures. The USCG has no plans to close any facilities under this proposed action.
The PEA will evaluate the full modernization alternative (which would likely include new construction, acquisition of leased facilities and movement of personnel), a partial modernization alternative (which would not include any new construction but could include some leasing actions and minimal movement of personnel), and taking no action (status quo). New construction, acquisition of leased space, and movement of personnel would be focused primarily in the following areas: Alameda, Ca., Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Md., and the Tidewater area of Virginia.
Interested parties are invited to submit concerns or comments on this action via mail to CDR Robert Bailey, 2100 2nd St. SW, Washington, DC 20593-0001, or via e-mail. Comments should be received by May 20, 2008. The USCG does not anticipate holding public meetings at this time, but if the scoping process identifies a need, the USCG will notify the public of its intent to hold a public meeting.
Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF)