[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26739-26740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11314]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for Airfield Operations at Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West, FL
and To Announce Public Scoping Meetings
AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
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[[Page 26740]]
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the
Department of the Navy (Navy) announces its intent to prepare an EIS to
identify and evaluate the potential environmental effects that may
result from airfield training operations at NAS Key West. The EIS will
consider all reasonable alternatives to the proposed action, including
the No Action Alternative.
Dates and Addresses: Public scoping meetings will be held in Key
West, Florida to receive oral and/or written comments on environmental
concerns that should be addressed in the EIS. The public scoping
meetings will be held on:
1. Wednesday, May 26, 2010, Doubletree Grand Key Resort Conference
Room, 3990 South Roosevelt Boulevard, Key West, Florida.
2. Thursday, May 27, 2010, Tennessee Williams Theater at Florida
Keys Community College, 5901 College Road, Key West (Stock Island),
Florida.
Each meeting will occur in consecutive sessions from 3 p.m. to 5
p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The meetings will be an open house
format with informational displays and materials available for public
review. The public will have an opportunity to submit written comments
on environmental concerns that should be addressed in the EIS. Navy
staff will be present at these open houses to answer questions.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: NAS Key West EIS Project Manager,
Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, 904-542-6866.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Navy's proposed action is to support and
conduct aircraft training operations at NAS Key West by maintaining
current/baseline airfield operations, supporting new aircraft airfield
operations, and modifying airfield operations as necessary in support
of the Fleet Readiness Training Plan (FRTP).
The purpose of the proposed action is to sustain the long-term
viability of the NAS Key West airfield as a Fleet training station for
tactical aviation squadrons and other DoD and Federal agency airfield
users. The action is needed to maintain the level of readiness mandated
in section 5062 of Title 10 of the United States Code. The primary
mission of NAS Key West is to provide aviation training facilities,
services, and access to training ranges for tactical aviation squadrons
homebased throughout the United States. NAS Key West's weather/climate
support year-round Fleet training, and its location provides efficient
access to the nearby Key West Range Complex, the Fleet training range
complex regularly used by Department of Defense (DoD) and Federal
agency aircrews from around the country. The location of the Key West
Range Complex offers the supporting infrastructure and unobstructed
airspace that allows the Navy to fulfill operational and readiness
training requirements. The primary users of NAS Key West are active and
reserve Fleet F/A-18C Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet squadrons from
both the East and West Coasts. Additionally, it is anticipated that F-
35C aircraft homebased in the continental United States will operate at
NAS Key West by 2015 as those aircraft replace the Navy's aging F/A-18C
aircraft. Specifically, use of NAS Key West is necessary so that the
Navy is able to support the rapid deployment of naval units; achieve
and sustain readiness of squadrons to quickly surge significant combat
power in the event of a national crisis or contingency operation
consistent with the FRTP; and support required flight operations of
other Federal agencies.
The action alternatives to be considered to achieve the proposed
action include, but are not limited to: (1) Maintaining baseline
operations while supporting the introduction of new aircraft and
related, but minor infrastructure improvements necessary to support
airfield flight operations; and (2) increasing airfield training
operations above baseline levels, while supporting the introduction of
new aircraft and related, but minor, infrastructure improvements
necessary to support airfield flight operations. A potential increase
in airfield operations above current/baseline levels would provide
added operational capacity and flexibility to meet Navy training
requirements under the FRTP.
Under the No Action Alternative, current/baseline operations and
support of existing capabilities would continue and new aircraft would
not be introduced.
No decision will be made to implement any alternative until the EIS
process is completed and a Record of Decision is signed, by the
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations and Environment)
or designee.
The EIS will evaluate the environmental effects associated with:
Airspace; noise; safety; land resources; water resources; air quality;
biological resources, including threatened and endangered species; land
use and coastal resources; socioeconomic resources; infrastructure;
cultural resources; and consistency with existing land use control
plans, policies, and actions. The analysis will include an evaluation
of direct and indirect impacts, and will account for cumulative impacts
from other relevant activities in the area of NAS Key West.
Additionally, the Navy will undertake any consultations required by all
applicable laws or regulations.
The Navy is initiating this scoping process to identify community
concerns and issues that should be addressed in the EIS. Federal,
State, and local agencies, and interested parties and persons are
encouraged to provide comments on the proposed action that clearly
describe specific issues or topics of environmental concern that the
commenter believes that the Navy should consider. All comments, written
or provided orally at during the 30-day scoping comment period (ending
June 10, 2010) will receive the same attention and consideration during
EIS preparation.
Comments may be submitted orally or in writing at one of the public
scoping meetings, electronically through the project Web site at http://www.keywesteis.com, or may be mailed to: U.S. Navy NAS Key West Air
Operations EIS Project Manager, P.O. Box 30, Bldg 903, NAS
Jacksonville, FL 32212. All written comments on the scope of the EIS
must be submitted or postmarked no later than June 10, 2010.
Dated: May 5, 2010.
A. M. Vallandingham,
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-11314 Filed 5-11-10; 8:45 am]
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