[Federal Register: April 9, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 69)]
[Notices]
[Page 19196-19197]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09ap08-29]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Terminate the Draft Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement for the Introduction of F/A-18E/F (Super
Hornet) Aircraft to the East Coast of the United States (Construction
and Operation of an Outlying Landing Field); To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for Construction and Operation of an
Outlying Landing Field To Support Carrier Air Wing Aircraft at Naval
Air Station Oceana and Naval Station Norfolk, VA; and To Announce
Public Scoping Meetings
AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In a Notice of Intent published on June 24, 2005 (70 Federal
Register [FR] 36566), the Department of the Navy announced its intent
to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to
provide additional analysis of the environmental consequences
associated with the construction and operation of an Outlying Landing
Field (OLF) needed to support operations of Super Hornet squadrons
stationed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, Virginia, and Marine Corps
Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina. The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) published a Notice of Availability (NOA) of the
Draft SEIS on February 23, 2007 (72 FR 8155). Pursuant to section
(102)(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and
the regulations implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (40
CFR Parts 1500-1508), the Navy announces its intent to terminate the
Draft SEIS for the Introduction of F/A-18E/F (Super Hornet) Aircraft to
the East Coast of the United States (Construction and Operation of an
Outlying Landing Field) and prepare an EIS to evaluate potential
environmental consequences of the construction and operation of an OLF
at new alternative sites to support Field Carrier Landing Practice
(FCLP) training requirements for carrier-based fixed-wing aircraft
stationed at and transient to NAS Oceana and Naval Station (NS) Norfolk
Chambers Field, Virginia. The five new alternative OLF sites identified
to date are: (1) Cabin Point Site, located in Surry, Prince George, and
Sussex counties, Virginia; (2) Dory Site, located in Southampton and
Sussex counties, Virginia; (3) Mason Site, located in Sussex and
Southampton counties, Virginia; (4) Sandbanks Site, located in Gates
and Hertford counties, North Carolina; and (5) Hale's Lake Site,
located in Camden and Currituck counties, North Carolina. These five
site alternatives were identified by applying operational,
environmental and population criteria to a list of 13 new sites
provided by the State of North Carolina and the Commonwealth of
Virginia, as well as on the five sites examined in the Draft SEIS.
Dates and Addresses: The Navy is initiating a scoping process to
identify community concerns and local issues that will be addressed in
the EIS. Federal, state, and local elected officials and agencies and
interested persons are encouraged to provide comments to the Navy to
identify environmental concerns that should be addressed in the EIS. To
be most helpful, scoping comments should clearly describe the specific
issues or topics the EIS should address.
Public scoping meetings, using an Open House format, will be held
to receive written comments or concerns that should be addressed in the
EIS. Public scoping meetings will be as follows:
1. Currituck County, North Carolina. North Carolina Cooperative
Extension, Currituck County Center, 120 Community Way, Barco, NC 27917
on April 28, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.;
2. Prince George County, Virginia. J.E.J Moore Middle School, 11455
Prince George Drive, Disputanta, VA 23842 on April 29, 2008, 4 p.m. to
9 p.m.;
3. Sussex County, Virginia. Sussex Central High School, 21394
Sussex Drive, Sussex, VA 23884 on April 30, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.;
4. Southampton County, Virginia. Southampton High School, 23350
Southampton Parkway, Courtland, VA 23837 on May 1, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9
p.m.;
5. Gates County, North Carolina. Gates County High School, 088 U.S.
Highway 158 West, Gatesville, NC 27938 on May 2, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9
p.m.;
6. Camden County, North Carolina. Camden County High School, 103
U.S. Highway 158 West, Camden, NC 27921 on May 5, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9
p.m.; and
7. Surry County, Virginia. Surry Central High School, 1675
Hollybush Road, Dendron, VA 23839 on May 7, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The dates, times, and locations of public scoping meetings are also
available at (http://www.olfeis.com), and will be provided to local and
regional media serving localities in the vicinity of proposed OLF
sites.
Comments can be made in the following ways: (1) Written statements
submitted to Navy representatives at the public scoping open houses;
(2) written statements mailed to Commander, Naval Facilities
Engineering Command Atlantic, 6506 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, Virginia
23508, Attn: Code EV OLF Project Manager; and (3) written statements
submitted via the Web site at http://www.OLFEIS.com. All written
comments must be postmarked by June 7, 2008.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Navy proposes to construct an OLF that
will support the FCLP operations of carrier-based fixed-wing aircraft
squadrons stationed at and transient to NAS Oceana, Virginia Beach,
Virginia (F/A-18C Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet squadrons and Fleet
Replacement Squadrons (FRS)), and NS Norfolk Chambers Field, Norfolk,
Virginia (E-2C Hawkeye, C-2A Greyhound, and E-2C/C-2A FRS). While NALF
Fentress will continue providing necessary support for FCLP and other
training requirements, this landing field alone cannot fully support
training requirements of home-based and transient aircraft from NAS
Oceana and NS Norfolk Chambers Field. Training requirements for
aircraft based at these airfields can exceed NALF Fentress capacity up
to 63% of the time during summertime when hours of darkness are
limited. Capacity problems are further exacerbated when operational
demands require surging additional carrier strike groups. A new OLF is
required to provide year-round capacity to support FCLP training
requirements under the Fleet Response Plan, provide operational
flexibility needed to respond to emergent national defense
requirements, and FCLP
[[Page 19197]]
training consistent with at-sea operating conditions.
Facilities at the OLF would include an 8,000-foot runway, aircraft
traffic control tower, and other support buildings. The Navy also
proposes to establish Class D airspace around the OLF. Property and
property interests for construction of the facilities, airfield safety
zones, and projected high-noise zones would need to be acquired through
purchase, lease, or acquisition of restrictive use or conservation
easements.
The EIS will address environmental consequences associated with
construction of the airfield, associated infrastructure and support
facilities, and aircraft operations. In addition, the EIS will assess
socioeconomic consequences associated with acquisition of property and
property interests for the OLF and any relocation of residences within
the proposed airfield safety and projected high-noise zones.
The Navy has worked with the leadership in the State of North
Carolina and Commonwealth of Virginia to identify a range of reasonable
site location alternatives for the OLF. For purposes of analysis, an
estimated 25,000 to 30,000-acre area is being considered for each site
location alternative. Additional alternative site locations may be
identified during the scoping process. The five site location
alternatives identified to date are: (1) Cabin Point Site, located in
Surry, Prince George, and Sussex counties, Virginia; (2) Dory Site,
located in Southampton and Sussex counties, Virginia; (3) Mason Site,
located in Sussex and Southampton counties, Virginia; (4) Sandbanks
Site, located in Gates and Hertford counties, North Carolina; and (5)
Hale's Lake Site, located in Camden and Currituck counties, North
Carolina.
The Navy has and will continue to work with the leadership from the
State of North Carolina and the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as
local communities to explore all possible economic benefits to the
community to offset the potential impacts from the OLF. During the
scoping process, the Navy will encourage and solicit input on other
potential economic benefit proposals.
The Navy intends to analyze potential environmental consequences of
the construction and operation of the OLF on the natural environment,
including, but not limited to, air quality, plant and animal habitats,
and water resources such as streams and wetlands. It will also evaluate
potential consequences to the built environment, including land use
patterns, transportation, housing, and regional economy. Further, the
Navy will prepare analyses of projected operations on existing airspace
and of aircraft noise exposure levels on the ambient noise environment.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Commander, Naval Facilities
Engineering Command Atlantic, 6506 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA
23508, Attn: Code EV OLF Project Manager.
Dated: April 4, 2008.
T. M. Cruz,
Lieutenant, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-7463 Filed 4-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P