Home Basing and Homeporting

Prior to making home basing and homeporting decisions for our ships, aircraft, and submarines, the Navy considers strategic, operational, training, infrastructure requirements, costs, and potential environmental consequences.

The Navy prepares comprehensive environmental planning documents which analyze military operations and training associated with home basing and homeporting, construction of supporting infrastructure, compliance with federal and state environmental regulations and, if applicable, considers potential mitigation measures.

Members of the public, federal, state and local officials, Native American tribes and communities, regulatory agencies and non-governmental associations are invited to participate in the process: first, in assisting in defining the scope of the environmental analysis and later, in reviewing the draft findings.

Environmental analysis under NEPA generally must be complete and, in the case of an EIS, published, prior to implementation of the proposed action, in order to facilitate an informed decision that supports military mission while balancing environmental concerns.

Informed decisions are based on a candid and factual representation of the environmental impacts. The potential impacts of home basing and homeporting decisions depend on the nature of the project, but most home basing analyses address noise, air quality, public health and safety, land use and compatibility, socioeconomics, community services, transportation, biological resources, cultural resources, and hazardous materials and waste.

Numerous federal laws and Navy regulations govern the protection and preservation of environmental resources. The Navy strictly adheres to these laws and regulations, and may prepare supporting studies such as aircraft noise modeling, archaeological surveys, biological assessments, dredging plans, wetlands surveys, etc., to support compliance and inform decision making.