[Federal Register: October 24, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 207)]
[Notices]
[Page 63450-63451]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24oc08-52]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to
Construct a Second Runway at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport,
Killeen, TX
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural
Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and Department of the Army
(DoA) Implementing regulations (32 CFR part 651 Environmental Analysis
of Army Actions; Final Rule), the DoA is issuing this notice to advise
the public of its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts on a proposal to
construct a second runway at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport
(Airport) at Killeen, TX. Initial assessment indicates that the
preparation of an EIS is warranted because the proposed action would
involve construction of facilities that would have a significant effect
on habitat for the federally listed black-capped vireo and golden
cheeked warbler. The City of Killeen initiated the proposed project,
thus is the project's proponent. Because the proposed
[[Page 63451]]
project will be located on Fort Hood Military Reservation, or Federal
land, the Department of the Army is the lead agency.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John MacFarlane, Environmental
Research Group, LLC, P.O. Box 11544, Fort Worth, TX 76110, 817-923-
6455, 817-923-6456 (fax), http://www.envrg.com.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Fort Hood Military Reservation occupies
214,778 acres in central Texas in Bell and Coryell Counties. It is 58
miles north of Austin, TX, and 39 miles southwest of Waco, TX, and lies
adjacent to the City of Killeen, TX. The installation has three
cantonment areas (designated Main Cantonment Area, West Fort Hood, and
North Fort Hood) on 8,604 acres, two instrumented airfields on 2,915
acres, and maneuver and live-fire training areas on 197,603 acres.
In 1999, Fort Hood and the City of Killeen (City) completed
negotiations for a joint-use agreement that allowed the City to lease
property southeast of Robert Gray Army Airfield and allow civilian
access to Fort Hood's 10,000 ft runway. The resulting Killeen-Fort Hood
Regional Airport began commercial operations on August 2, 2004. It is a
small, regional/commercial joint-use airport also known by its military
designation as Robert Gray Army Airfield. The airport is within the
boundaries of the Fort Hood Military Reservation and is located a few
miles southwest of the City of Killeen. The joint-use airport operates
with a single runway.
The EIS will analyze the impacts of all practicable alternatives,
including the No Action Alternative. Impacts analyzed in the EIS will
include a wide range of environmental resource areas including, but not
limited to, air quality, traffic, noise, water resources, biological
resources, cultural resources, socioeconomics, utilities, land use,
solid and hazardous materials/waste, and cumulative environmental
effects. Additional resources, conditions, and alternatives may be
identified as a result of the scoping process initiated by this NOI.
Opportunities for public participation will be announced in the
local news media, on the City's Web site at http://
www.ci.killeen.tx.us, and on Fort Hood's Web site http://
www.dpw.hood.army.mil, click on ``Public Notices'' link. The City will
host public scoping meetings in the vicinity of the proposed project.
Previously identified alternatives will be displayed at those meetings,
while public input may determine other alternatives. The exact dates,
times, and location(s) of public scoping meetings will be announced
through the local news media, including, but not limited to local
newspapers. Oral and written comments presented at the public scoping
meetings, as well as written comments received by the City during this
scoping period and throughout the environmental impact analysis
process, will be considered in the preparation of the EIS. Following
completion of a Draft EIS (DEIS), the public will have an additional
opportunity for review and comment. Comments from the public will be
considered before any decision is made regarding implementing the
proposed action at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport.
Steven G. Burrow,
Chief, Environmental Programs, Directorate of Public Works.
[FR Doc. E8-25425 Filed 10-23-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-P