Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active

1100 Pages·2012·20.16 MB·English

FINAL SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATEMENT / SUPPLEMENTAL
OVERSEAS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT FOR
SURVEILLANCE TOWED ARRAY SENSOR
SYSTEM LOW FREQUENCY ACTIVE
(SURTASS LFA) SONAR

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS

JUNE 2012

Prepared for
Department of the Navy

In accordance with
Chief of Naval Operations Instruction 5090.1C CH-1

Pursuant to
National Environmental Policy Act
Section 102(2)(C)
and
Executive Order 12114

FINAL
SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT/SUPPLEMENTAL OVERSEAS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR
SURVEILLANCE TOWED ARRAY SENSOR
SYSTEM LOW FREQUENCY ACTIVE
(SURTASS LFA) SONAR

June 2012

Abstract
This Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Supplemental Overseas Environmental Impact Statement
(FSEIS/SOEIS) evaluates the potential environmental impacts of employing the Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System
(SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar. It has been prepared by the Department of the Navy in accordance with
the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and Presidential Executive Order (EO) 12114
(Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions). The Navy currently plans to operate up to four SURTASS LFA
sonar systems for routine training, testing and military operations. Based on current U.S. Navy national security and
operational requirements, routine training, testing and military operations using these sonar systems could occur in the
Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. Vessels equipped with, or to be equipped with,
SURTASS LFA sonar systems are the USNS IMPECCABLE (T-AGOS 23) and USNS VICTORIOUS (T-AGOS 19) class
ocean surveillance vessels. In addition to the No Action Alternative, the FSEIS/SOEIS analyzed two additional
alternatives. The analysis of these three alternatives is intended to address concerns of the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of California in its 6 February 2008 opinion and order in relation to compliance with NEPA and the Marine
Mammal Protection Act (MMPA); as well as to fulfill the Navy’s responsibilities under NEPA with regard to providing
additional information related to the proposed action. The FSEIS/SOEIS considers mitigation measures, including the
practicability of greater coastal standoff range where the continental shelf extends further than the current coastal standoff
range of 22 kilometers (12 nautical miles), the designation of additional offshore biologically important areas, and further
analysis of potential cumulative impacts with concurrent use of SURTASS LFA sonar with other active sonar sources

Please contact the following person with comments and questions:
CDR R.A. Dempsey, USN
Attn: SURTASS LFA Sonar SEIS/SOEIS Program Manager
4100 Fairfax Drive, Suite 730
Arlington, VA 22203
E-Mail: [email protected]
FINAL SEIS/SOEIS FOR SURTASS LFA SONAR

June 2012
2012
FINAL SEIS/SOEIS FOR SURTASS LFA SONAR

PREFACE
This Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Supplemental Overseas Environmental Impact
Statement (FSEIS/SOEIS) for Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency
Active (LFA) sonar systems1 provides supplemental analyses to the Final Overseas Environmental
Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Statement (FOEIS/EIS) for SURTASS LFA Sonar (DoN, 2001)
and the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) for SURTASS LFA Sonar (DoN,
2007a), which were filed with the United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency in January 2001
and April 2007, respectively. This second supplemental analysis has been prepared in compliance with
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 United States Code [USC] §4321 et seq.)2; the
Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (Title
40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] §§1500-1508); Navy Procedures for Implementing NEPA (32 CFR
§775); and Executive Order (EO) 12114, Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions3. The
proposed action herein is the employment by the U.S. Navy of up to four SURTASS LFA sonar systems
for routine training, testing, and military operations4. Based on current operational requirements,
exercises using these sonar systems would occur in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, and the
Mediterranean Sea. To reduce adverse effects on the marine environment, areas would be excluded as
necessary to prevent 180-decibel (dB) sound pressure level (SPL) or greater within specific geographic
range of land, in offshore biologically important areas (OBIA) during biologically important seasons, and in
areas necessary to prevent greater than 145-dB SPL at known recreational and commercial dive sites.

REFERENCES TO UNDERWATER SOUND LEVELS
 References to underwater sound pressure level (SPL) in this SEIS/SOEIS are values given in
decibels (dB), and are assumed to be standardized at 1 microPascal at 1 m (dB re 1 µPa @ 1 m [rms])
for source level (SL) and dB re 1 µPa (rms) for received level (RL), unless otherwise stated (Urick,
1983; ANSI, 2006).
 In this SEIS/SOEIS, underwater sound exposure level (SEL) is a measure of energy, specifically the
squared instantaneous pressure integrated over time and expressed as an equivalent one-second in
duration signal, unless otherwise stated; the appropriate units for SEL are dB re 1 µPa²-sec (Urick,
1983; ANSI, 2006; Southall et al., 2007).
 The term “Single Ping Equivalent” (SPE) (as defined in Chapter 4 and Appendix C of this
SEIS/SOEIS) is an intermediate calculation for input to the risk continuum used in this document.
SPE accounts for the energy of all the LFA acoustic transmissions that a modeled animal receives
during an entire LFA mission (modeled for operations from 7 to 20 days). Calculating the potential
risk from SURTASS LFA is a complex process and the reader is referred to Appendix C for details.
As discussed in Appendix C, SPE is a function of SPL, not SEL. SPE levels will be expressed as “dB
SPE” in this document, as they have been in the SURTASS LFA sonar FOEIS/FEIS and FSEIS
documents (DoN, 2001 and 2007a).
The purpose of the SURTASS LFA sonar SEIS/SOEIS is to:

1 In this SEIS/SOEIS, “SURTASS LFA sonar systems” refers to both the LFA and compact LFA (CLFA) systems, each having
similar acoustic operating characteristics.
2 The provisions of NEPA apply to major federal actions that occur or have effects in the U.S., its territories, or possessions.
3 The provisions of EO 12114 apply to major federal actions that occur or have effects outside of U.S. territories (the U.S., its
territories, and possessions).
4 The phrase “military operations” does not include use of SURTASS LFA sonar in armed conflict, or direct combat support
operations, or use of SURTASS LFA sonar during periods of heightened threat conditions, as determined by the National
Command Authorities.

June 2012 P-1
FINAL SEIS/SOEIS FOR SURTASS LFA SONAR

 Address concerns of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (herein referred to as
the Court) in its 6 February 2008 Opinion and Order in relation to compliance with NEPA and the
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA);
 Provide information to support the proposed issuance of MMPA incidental take regulations, the 2012
Letters of Authorization (LOAs), and future LOAs as appropriate; and
 Provide additional information and analyses pertinent to the proposed action.
Due to concerns raised during litigation over employment of the SURTASS LFA sonar system and to
support issuance of a follow-on five-year Rule under the MMPA for employment of SURTASS LFA sonar
systems, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Environment (DASN(E)) determined on 14
November 2008 that the purposes of NEPA and EO 12114 would be furthered by the preparation of an
additional supplemental analysis related to the employment of the system. This analysis takes the form of
this new SEIS/SOEIS.
Accordingly, DASN(E) directed that the new SEIS/SOEIS provide:
 Further analysis of potential additional offshore (greater than 22.2 kilometers [km] [12 nautical miles
{nmi}]) biologically important areas (OBIA) in regions of the world where the Navy intends to use the
SURTASS LFA sonar systems for routine training, testing, and military operations;
 Further analysis of whether using a greater coastal standoff distance where the continental shelf
extends further than current standoff distance is practicable for SURTASS LFA sonar, at least in
some locations; and
 Further analysis of potential cumulative impacts with concurrent use of SURTASS LFA with other
active sonar sources.
In addition to the DASN(E) direction, the FSEIS/SOEIS analyses include:
 Updating purpose and needs statement for the proposed action.
 Updating literature reviews and determining data gaps, especially for fish, sea turtles, marine
mammals, and other marine species.
 Updating acoustic modeling of potential effects of the proposed action for current LOA sites and
additional sites in areas of potential strategic importance and/or areas of possible Fleet exercises.
Modeling updates will include up-to-date marine mammal abundance, density, and behavioral
scientific information.
Information from these analyses is used to assist the Navy in determining how to employ SURTASS LFA
sonar, including the selection of operating areas that the Navy requires for routine training, testing, and
military operations in requests for MMPA LOAs submitted to NMFS. These analyses, or risk
assessments, will also support NMFS consideration of whether:
 Under the MMPA, the total taking will have a negligible impact on the marine mammal species or
stock(s), and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of species or stock(s) for
subsistence uses (as well as inform the permissible methods of taking and requirements pertaining to
the mitigation, monitoring), and
 Under the ESA, potential impacts from the proposed employment of SURTASS LFA sonar are not
likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened marine/anadromous
species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitats.
Table P-1 provides a comparison of the original FOEIS/EIS and the first supplement (FSEIS) with this
second final supplement (FSEIS/SOEIS).

June 2012 P-2
FINAL SEIS/SOEIS FOR SURTASS LFA SONAR

Table P-1. SURTASS LFA Sonar FOEIS/EIS, FSEIS, and FSEIS/SOEIS comparison.
FOEIS/EIS FSEIS FSEIS/SOEIS
COMPARISON (FSEIS/SOEIS
CHAPTER SUBCHAPTER CHAPTER SUBCHAPTER CHAPTER SUBCHAPTER UPDATES/CHANGES)
 Updated Purpose and Need
with addition of NMFS’
purpose and need
 Updated background and
1 1 1 chronology of key events
 Updated environmental
impact analysis process
description
 Updated analytical context
 Updated general SURTASS
LFA sonar system
description to include
compact LFA (CLFA)
 Updated operating profile
and potential OPAREAs
2 2 2  Review of NMFS interim
operational restrictions and
modifications to mitigation
 Additional alternatives to
include updated (additional)
offshore biologically
important areas
3 3.1 3 3.1 3 3.1 Updated marine environment
section
Species Screening—Updated
3.2.1 3.2.1 3.2.1
literature review
3.2.2 3.2.2 3.2.2 Fish—Updated literature
review
Sea Turtles—Updated
3.2.3 3.2.3 3.2.3
literature review
Mysticete Species—Updated
3.2.4 3.2.4.1 3.2.4.1
literature review
Odontocete Species—Updated
3.2.5 3.2.4.2 3.2.4.2
literature review
3.2.6 3.2.5 3.2.5 Pinnipeds—Updated literature
review
Protected Habitats—ESA
3.2.6.1
Critical Habitat, Essential Fish
through
Habitat, and Marine Protected
3.2.6.3
Areas—New
Commercial Fisheries, Marine
3.3.1.1 and Fisheries Production and
3.3.1 3.3.1
3.3.1.2 Fisheries Trade—Updated
literature review
Commercial Fisheries, Marine
3.3.1.4 3.3.1.3 3.3.1.3 Mammals, Subsistence
Whaling—Updated literature

June 2012 P-3
FINAL SEIS/SOEIS FOR SURTASS LFA SONAR

Table P-1. SURTASS LFA Sonar FOEIS/EIS, FSEIS, and FSEIS/SOEIS comparison.
FOEIS/EIS FSEIS FSEIS/SOEIS
COMPARISON (FSEIS/SOEIS
CHAPTER SUBCHAPTER CHAPTER SUBCHAPTER CHAPTER SUBCHAPTER UPDATES/CHANGES)
review
Other Recreational Activities—
3.3.2 3.3.2 3.3.2
Updated literature review
Research and Exploration
3.3.3 3.3.3 3.3.3 Activities—Updated literature
review
Coastal Zone Management—
3.3.4 3.3.4 3.3.4 No changes; FOEIS/EIS
incorporated by reference
 Potential Impacts on Fish
Stocks—Analysis and
literature updated
4 4.1.1 4 4.1 4 4.1
 Presented additional results
of Fish Controlled Exposure
Experiments
Potential Impacts on Sea Turtle
4.1.2 4.2 4.2 Stocks—Updated literature
review
Potential Impacts on Marine
Mammals—Updated literature
4.2 4.3 4.3 reviews include non-auditory
injury and auditory effects of
sound on marine mammals
Marine Mammal Strandings—
4.4.3 4.3.3 Updated literature review and
analysis
FSEIS/SOEIS updated the
Risk Assessment of Potential
4.2.6 4.4 4.4 Impacts on Marine Mammals
from SURTASS LFA Sonar
Operations
Comprehensive update of
Offshore Biologically Important
4.5
Areas for SURTASS LFA
Sonar Operations—New
Socioeconomic—Updated
4.3 4.5 4.6
literature review
Cumulative Effects—Analysis
4.4 4.6 4.7
updated

June 2012 P-4
FINAL SEIS/SOEIS FOR SURTASS LFA SONAR

Table P-1. SURTASS LFA Sonar FOEIS/EIS, FSEIS, and FSEIS/SOEIS comparison.
FOEIS/EIS FSEIS FSEIS/SOEIS
COMPARISON (FSEIS/SOEIS
CHAPTER SUBCHAPTER CHAPTER SUBCHAPTER CHAPTER SUBCHAPTER UPDATES/CHANGES)
Cumulative Effects from
Anthropogenic Oceanic
4.4.1 Noise—New data on recent
4.7.1 changes in oceanic noise
4.4.2 4.6.1
4.7.1.1 levels, commercial shipping,
vessel noise sources, oil and
gas industry, and military and
commercial sonar
Comparison of SURTASS LFA
sonar with other human-
4.4.3 4.6.1.2 4.7.1.2
generated sources of oceanic
noise—Analysis updated
Cumulative effects due to injury
4.6.2 4.7.2 and lethal takes—Updated
literature review
Cumulative effects on
4.6.3 4.7.3 socioeconomic resources—
Analysis updated
Cumulative effects from
4.7.4 concurrent LFA and MFA sonar
operations—New analyses
Summary of Cumulative
4.4.4 4.6.4 4.7.5
Effects—Conclusion updated
Evaluation of Alternatives—
4.7 4.8
Revised
Conclusions of analyses of
potential impacts and effects of
4.9
SURTASS LFA sonar on
marine species
Mitigation Measures—Changes
include increased number of
5 5 5
offshore biologically import
areas (OBIA)
Federal, State, Local Plans,
6 6 6 6.2 Policies, and Controls—
Updated
Unavoidable Adverse
Impacts—No
7 7 6.1
change/Incorporated by
reference
Relationship Between Short-
term Use of Man’s
8 8 6.3
Environment and Maintenance
and Enhancement of Long-

June 2012 P-5
FINAL SEIS/SOEIS FOR SURTASS LFA SONAR

Table P-1. SURTASS LFA Sonar FOEIS/EIS, FSEIS, and FSEIS/SOEIS comparison.
FOEIS/EIS FSEIS FSEIS/SOEIS
COMPARISON (FSEIS/SOEIS
CHAPTER SUBCHAPTER CHAPTER SUBCHAPTER CHAPTER SUBCHAPTER UPDATES/CHANGES)
term Productivity—No
change/Incorporated by
reference
Irreversible/Irretrievable
Commitments of Resources—
9 9 6.4
No change/Incorporated by
reference
Public Review Process—
10 10 7
Updated
11 11 8 Distribution—Updated
Glossary—No
changes/incorporated by
12
reference (not included in this
document)
13 12 9 Literature Cited—Updated
List of Preparers and
14 13 10
Reviewers—Updated

June 2012 P-6