REPI 2018- Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program
Abstract
The Department of Defense's (DoD) ability to conduct realistic live-fire training, weapons system testing, and essential operations is vital to preparing warfighters and their equipment for real-world combat and protecting the security of our country. There is a direct relationship between realistic training to restore military readiness and success on the battlefield. Starting in the late 1990s, the Department became increasingly concerned about encroachment- pressures or factors affecting the military's use of training and testing lands. Specifically, military installations saw two main threats to their ability to test and train: nearby incompatible development and environmental restrictions to protect imperiled species and their habitats. The Department's requirement to conduct realistic testing and training is, at times, at odds with neighboring land uses, especially in heavily developed areas. For example, lighting from commercial or residential development near military installations can reduce the effectiveness of night vision training, while military activities can result in noise, dust, and vibrations that disturb civilian communities. Urban sprawl leading to loss of habitat outside the boundaries of our installations and ranges, combined with the Department's good stewardship of its natural resources, often results in remnant populations of imperiled species on DoD's undeveloped land. This leaves the military with significant management and recovery responsibilities for threatened, endangered, and other at-risk species. The management actions required to support these species can diminish the Department's discretion to use its lands optimally to test, train, and operate. To prevent and mitigate increasing encroachment pressures, in 2002 Congress enacted Section 2684a of Title 10, United States Code (U.S.C.), hereafter referred to as the 2684a authority.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1180098
Entities
Organizations
- Office of the Secretary of Defense