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Home My WebLink About04082019 City Council Laydown - Northern Edge ', 4/5/2019 NORTHERN :.., �•SAS �a ' EDGE '_- Alaska's Premier Joint Training Exercise Seward,Alaska Community Presentation 8 April 2019 Lt Colonel Vaughn Brazil John Mosher Captain Bryant Davis Senior Chief Brandon Raffle 11th Air Force U.S.Pacific Fleet Alaskan Command Alaskan Command NW/Alaska Environmental Public Affairs Officer Public Affairs Program Manager '4 MOSCOW BERLIN -_ 1 . V• -*IN\.. r '5k. ti..44;:‘ . %PI• SEOUL �, a ;'i - TOKYO �6'O6: `� WASHINGT•' 7GE6• VµS l i.7 .''fit HONOLULU .. - - y-'''.>Ik- 1 4/5,'0)1-9 Northern Edge 19 Overview . • May 13-24, 2019 • Biennial exercise(odd years)dating back to 1975 ' • Comprehensive,realistic training • Joint interoperability tactics,techniques and , procedures • Air focused exercise -w;.-,N..;5 • Safety a top priority ]l( t' —, = I • Requires Alaskan-sized spaces to simulate - I ' ! vast distances that modern military forces -- ,_ face , --- - • US Pacific Air Forces is the"Organization p ; Conducting Event" i • Northern Edge 19 similar in size and scope •' r 3 ,� to NE17* • *Carrier Strike Group requested `� F c • 1 • Northern Edge 17 size and scope s.►. - • Approximately 6,000 personnel • 175 fixed-wing aircraft at JBER and EAFB • 3 Navy ships—2 Destroyers and 1 Replenishment Ship • Estimated economic impact of over$28M YL CC-V: .'^0:N IC.7W t•,0)'0, IF).Th- . l+�l - FieV11Yfn• •t! '''''. . _\ / Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex f' .,-,&,- :.... . 1 1 . _____-7,,\ <. T ( ___...ij ' .! • , - . _____.) Mxft,4�V' - i�. 1 ..-n •Nhn... Vidor l ia. a i t • • • 1f _ 1c____-1-------j W4I Gulf of Alaska Temporary Maritime Activities Area(TMAA) Kodoy. 2 4/5/2019 Anchorage ' l • Valdez •Whitt r Kenai ' • i - .� \: Cordova -/� ,% \,'' a.erei l��` 24 nm it �A�i 80 nm Horner• 1'12nm Yak t W-612 i 130 n m 45 nm Center of TMAA: Kcd ak'•� 140 nm offshore K;d9�: 170 nm to Cordova I='�'d 190 nm to Kodiak 240 nm to Yakutat TMAA & Maritime Activities During Northern Edge: • All at-sea Navy events occur within the TMAA • TMAA only used and established for duration of Navy participation in the exercise • Large area = 42,146 nm2 of sea space • No restrictions on civilian navigation to include fishing vessels, commercial shipping or aircraft • Most exercise at-sea activities occur far offshore toward center of TMAA • Activities involve protective measures to minimize - . effects to marine environment i— „....itir 3 4/5/2019 Protective Measures: • Extensive mitigations developed in coordination with National Marine Fisheries Service • Implement mitigation zones for sonar and weapons activities • Minimize use of live explosives during weapons training • Portlock Bank mitigation: No use of explosives during training activities in this area • Post qualified marine mammal Lookouts • Report monitoring results and training activities • Coordinate with regulatory agencies for adaptive management • Conduct offshore population surveys and other Marine Species Monitoring projects r r <"- as. • Minimal Impacts to Marine Species t" " Fish : •TMAA minimal overlap with fisheries management areas; no overlap with salmon management areas • Mid-frequency active sonar not heard by shellfish and most fish species including key commercial species (e.g. salmon, groundfish); no fish mortality occurs from sonar • Minimal use of explosives during training, occurring far off shore and away from fisheries management areas; Navy vessels avoid fishing activities Marine Mammals : • Minimal exposure of marine mammals with limited active sonar use; would not have significant long term or species level effects • No strandings have been associated with Navy training in the Gulf of Alaska, and no Navy ship strikes of marine mammals have occurred 4 4/5/2019 Marine Species Monitoring Program • The Navy is a world leader in marine species research and is responsible for compliance with environmental laws that apply to marine protected species • As part of the regulatory compliance process, the Navy is responsible for meeting monitoring and reporting requirements for readiness activities • Since 2009, the Navy has contributed $3.47 million to marine species monitoring projects in the Gulf of Alaska • 2019 project work includes deployment of two bottom mounted passive acoustic monitoring devices that will be in place prior to, during, and post Northern Edge 2019 • Navy funded marine research information can be obtained at: navymarinespeciesmonitoring.us Environmental Planning & Outreach • Navy completed Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process and issued Record of Decision for Gulf of Alaska Training Activities in April 2017: Latest science showed minimal impacts to the marine environment c National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued final MMPA permit and ESA Biological Opinion for 2017-2022 time frame Navy and NMFS Documents available on project website: gOaeiS.com • Next Supplement to the EIS and permit renewal process to address Navy training beyond 2022 to be initiated in summer 2019: Supplemental EIS process to include extensive public participation and formal consultation with Alaska Native Tribes Ongoing public outreach planned during public events in addition to EIS project meetings. 5 4/5/2019 • Questions Capt Bryant Davis Mr. John Mosher Phillip.davis.12@us.af.mil John.g.mosher@navy.mil 907.552.2341 360.257.3234 6