Summary of Navy Community Outreach Activities

The Navy has conducted, and will continue to conduct, a series of community/public outreach activities for the OLF project. Government entities; local businesses and business organizations; and civic, community, educational and military/veteran's organizations have been contacted and met with under this outreach effort. The Navy is committed to ensuring the meaningful involvement of all potentially affected communities, to include minority communities and low-income communities, throughout the NEPA process. As such, the Navy continues to identify and reach out to communities, groups, and organizations who could be potentially impacted by construction and operation of an OLF near their community.

This Summary of the Navy’s Community Outreach Activities captures the community/public outreach activities the Navy has conducted as of April 30, 2010.

Public Scoping Meetings Held April 28, 29, and 30, and May 1, 2, 5, and 7, 2008

In accordance with Section 1501.7 of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), there shall be an early and open process for determining the scope of issues to be addressed in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and for identifying the significant issues related to a proposed action. To that end, the Navy hosted seven Public Scoping Meetings. These were held on April 28, 29, and 30, and May 1, 2, 5, and 7, 2008. Members of the public had an opportunity to interact with the EIS team members, including representatives from the Navy and their consultants, and to discuss the project, the EIS process, and their concerns. Information on the project, site alternatives, potential issues of concern, and the EIS process was presented on a series of display boards and supporting fact sheets. Public participation at each scoping meeting is detailed in the following table.

Date Site Location Attendance
April 28, 2008 Hale’s Lake (Currituck County, NC) North Carolina Cooperative Extension Currituck County Center 243
April 29, 2008 Cabin Point (Prince George County, VA) J.E.J. Moore Middle School 252
April 30, 2008 Mason/Dory (Sussex County, VA) Sussex Central High School 320
May 1, 2008 Dory/Mason (Southampton County, VA) Southampton High School 461
May 2, 2008 Sandbanks (Gates County, NC) Gates County High School 671
May 5, 2008 Hale’s Lake (Camden County, NC) Camden County High School 392
May 7, 2008 Cabin Point (Surry County, VA) Surry Central High School 315
    Total 2,654

Approximately 1,900 scoping statements were submitted by the public and government agencies during the scoping period. Scoping statements were submitted on comment cards or typed into a computer during scoping meetings; entered onto the project website; or sent via mail. These scoping statements contained approximately 10,500 comments on the proposed action.

The Navy is reviewing comments submitted during the scoping period. These comments will be used to define the issues and alternatives that will be examined in detail in the EIS. Responses to individual public comments will not be provided, however, the public will have the opportunity to review a summary of the scoping comments in the EIS.

As stated in the CEQ regulations implementing NEPA, the scoping process is designed to:

  • Identify people or organizations who are interested in the proposed action;
  • Identify the scope (e.g., range of actions, alternatives, and impacts) and the significant issues to be analyzed in the EIS;
  • Identify and eliminate from detailed review those issues that will not be significant or those that have been adequately covered in prior environmental review;
  • Identify gaps in data and informational needs;
  • Set time limits for the process and page limits for the EIS;
  • Identify any related EAs or EISs;
  • Identify other environmental review and consultation requirements so they can be integrated with the EIS; and
  • Indicate the relationship between the development of the environmental analysis and the agency’s tentative decision making schedule.

View Materials from the Public Scoping Meetings

Fact Sheets

Posters

Public Comments on Draft EIS

Following release of the draft EIS, in accordance with Section 1503 of the CEQ regulations implementing NEPA, the Navy will again obtain comments from appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies which are authorized to develop and enforce environmental standards. Additionally, the Navy will affirmatively solicit comments from those persons or organizations in the public who may be interested or affected.

The Navy shall assess and consider comments both individually and collectively, and shall respond by one or more of the means listed below, stating its response in the final EIS. Possible responses are to:

  • Modify alternatives, including the proposed action
  • Develop and evaluate alternatives not previously given serious consideration by the agency
  • Supplement, improve, or modify its analyses
  • Make factual corrections
  • Explain why the comments do not warrant further agency response, citing the sources, authorities, or reasons which support the agency's position and, if appropriate, indicate those circumstances which would trigger agency reappraisal or further response.

All substantive comments received on the draft statement (or summaries thereof where the response has been exceptionally voluminous), will be attached to the final EIS whether or not the comment is thought to merit individual discussion by the agency in the text of the EIS.

For more on public involvement, please review the text of the NEPA and the CEQ regulations implementing NEPA found on the Regulatory Framework page.