[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 112 (Friday, June 10, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34066-34068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14449]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Legislative Environmental Impact Statement for Renewal of the Naval Air
Weapons Station China Lake Public Land Withdrawal, California and To
Announce Public Scoping Meetings
AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
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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 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR]
parts 1500-1508), the Department of the Navy (DoN), with the
cooperation of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), announces its
intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Legislative
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/LEIS) to evaluate the potential
environmental effects associated with the continued withdrawal of
approximately 1.1 million acres of public land in Kern, Inyo, and San
Bernardino counties, California. This public land withdrawal comprises
the current North and South ranges at Naval Air Weapons Station China
Lake (NAWSCL). The proposed land withdrawal extension will allow the
DoN to continue defense-related research, development, test and
evaluation (RDT&E) and training missions at NAWSCL, in addition to
other land uses.
The California Military Lands Withdrawal and Overflights Act of
1994 (Pub. L. 103-433, part of the California Desert Protection Act)
withdrew and reserved the lands known then as the China Lake Naval
Weapons Center (subsequently renamed NAWSCL) for defense-related
purposes for a period of 20 years (until October 14, 2014). The Act
provides that the DoN may seek extension of the withdrawal of such
lands. As a part of the withdrawal process, the Secretary of the Navy
is required to publish a draft EIS addressing the effects of continued
withdrawal and hold public hearings in order to receive public comments
on the proposal by October 12, 2012. The NAWSCL EIS/LEIS will examine
current and proposed land uses in support of the DoN's military
mission. The EIS/LEIS will specifically focus on those military land
uses granted to the DoN under Public Law 103-433 that include: (1) Use
as an RDT&E laboratory; (2) use as a range for air warfare weapons and
weapons systems; (3) use as a high hazard training area for aerial
gunnery, rocketry, electronic warfare and countermeasures, and tactical
maneuvering and air support; (4) geothermal leasing and development,
and related power production activities; and, (5) other defense-related
purposes. The environmental analysis in the EIS/LEIS will be
incorporated in an update to the May 2005 NAWSCL Comprehensive Land Use
Management Plan (CLUMP). The CLUMP facilitates NAWSCL in planning for
and managing land use and environmental resources on the withdrawn
public lands in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (FLPMA) (43 U.S.C. 1701). The updated CLUMP will include an
examination of both military land uses authorized under Public Law 103-
433 and those mission-compatible non-military land uses authorized in
the 2005 CLUMP.
Dates and Addresses: The DoN is initiating a 90-day public scoping
process to identify community interests and specific issues to be
addressed in the EIS/LEIS. This public scoping process starts with the
publication of this Notice of Intent. Three public scoping meetings
will be held to receive oral and/or written comments on issues to be
addressed in the EIS/LEIS:
1. Tuesday, July 19, 2011, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Historic USO Building,
230 West Ridgecrest Boulevard, Ridgecrest, California 93555;
2. Wednesday, July 20, 2011, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Statham Hall, 138
Jackson Street, Lone Pine, California 93545; and
3. Thursday, July 21, 2011, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Trona Community
Senior Center, 13187 Market Street, Trona, California 93562.
Additional information concerning meeting times and locations is
available on the NAWSCL EIS/LEIS Web site at http://www.ChinalakeLEIS.com. Public scoping meeting schedules and locations
will also be announced in local newspapers.
Each of the public scoping meetings will consist of an informal,
open house session with information stations staffed
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by DoN and BLM representatives. Comments, both written and oral, will
be collected at each of the three public scoping meetings and on the
project Web site.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: NAWSCL Land Withdrawal EIS/LEIS
Project Manager (Attn: Ms. Jo Ellen Anderson), NAVFAC Southwest, 1220
Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92132-5178, telephone number: 619-532-
2633.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NAWSCL North and South ranges are
located in the western Mojave Desert, approximately 150 miles northeast
of Los Angeles, California. These ranges encompass approximately 1.1
million acres and are located in portions of Inyo, Kern, and San
Bernardino counties. The DoN has been operating the NAWSCL land ranges
for nearly 70 years.
The California Military Lands Withdrawal and Overflights Act of
1994 authorized the withdrawal of the public lands associated with the
NAWSCL ranges for a period of 20 years (until October 14, 2014). The
military land uses specifically allowed under the Act included: (1) Use
as an RDT&E laboratory; (2) use as a range for air warfare weapons and
weapons systems; (3) use as a high hazard training area for aerial
gunnery, rocketry, electronic warfare and countermeasures, and tactical
maneuvering and air support; (4) use for geothermal leasing and
development, and related power production activities; and, (5) use for
other defense-related purposes.
In May 2005, pursuant to the requirements of Public Law 103-433 and
FLPMA, NAWSCL completed and endorsed a comprehensive land use
management plan for the withdrawn public lands. This land use
management plan is referred to as the NAWSCL CLUMP. In addition to the
military land uses granted to the DoN in Public Law 103-433, the 2005
CLUMP authorized the following non-military, but mission-compatible
land uses, on the ranges: (1) Native American access; (2) education and
research projects; (3) limited recreation; and (4) limited commercial
uses, including geothermal leasing and development, and related power
production activities.
The military land uses authorized by Public Law 103-433 and the
non-military uses authorized by the 2005 CLUMP are consistent with the
mission of NAWSCL, which is to conduct weapons RDT&E for weapon systems
associated with air warfare, aircraft weapons integration, missiles and
missile subsystems, and assigned airborne electronic warfare systems
and related training within a safe, secure, and operationally diverse
land range test environment. Combat relevant test and evaluation, as
well as training for operational compatibility, is the primary means to
ensure readiness and prepare our military to fight and win in combat.
To be effective in its mission, the NAWSCL ranges must provide
sufficient land and airspace to conduct test and evaluation at
distances and scenarios with fidelity to combat uses. Access to a
variety of conditions (e.g., simulated threats, operational space,
topographic relief, and safety constraints) and scheduling availability
are important characteristics that must be preserved and enhanced. The
DoN's continuing need for RDT&E and training range capability balances
maximum use of the range with maintaining stewardship responsibilities
for the lands and their resources.
In accordance with the Engle Act of 1958 (Pub. L. 85-337) and
FLPMA, the DoN is required to file an application with BLM requesting
the Secretary of the Interior process a proposed legislative withdrawal
and reservation of public land to continue military RDT&E and training
activities on the NAWSCL ranges. The proposed action would continue the
existing withdrawal of 1.1 million acres of public land for military
use. The public land would be withdrawn from all forms of appropriation
under the public land laws, including surface entry, mining, mineral
leasing, and the Materials Act of 1947.
Purpose and Need: Given the primary mission of the NAWSCL land
ranges, to provide a safe, secure, and highly instrumented volume of
land and airspace in which to conduct controlled tests, operations and
training with fidelity to combat uses, the purpose of the proposed
action is to retain a military range for RDT&E and training activities
for a period of 25 years. The proposed action will meet the need to
support the application of current and evolving technology to solve
theatre-relevant problems for the warfighter and ensure necessary
training readiness, while ensuring appropriate management of land use
and environmental resources; revise and implement the installation's
CLUMP; and, maintain DoN readiness by accommodating current and
evolving state-of-the-art RDT&E and training requirements at NAWSCL.
Alternatives: The EIS/LEIS addresses three alternatives, including
the no action alternative:
1. Alternative 1 (Withdrawal with Increased Tempo) consists of: (1)
Congressional renewal of the current land withdrawal of approximately
1.1 million acres of public land for continued military use; (2)
revision to and implementation of the NAWSCL CLUMP to reflect current
and future land uses, both military and non-military; and (3) an
increase of up to 25% in the tempo of military RDT&E, training
activities (including ground and air training by DoN special operations
forces and other Services), and expansion of unmanned aerial and
surface systems, as well as the expansion of existing and the
introduction of evolving directed energy weapons development at NAWSCL.
2. Alternative 2 (Withdrawal with Baseline Tempo) consists of: (1)
Renewing (through Congressional action) the land withdrawal; (2)
revising and implementing the NAWSCL CLUMP; and, (3) maintaining
current levels of RDT&E and training use (type, tempo, location).
3. Alternative 3 (No Action Alternative) would allow the public
land withdrawal to expire, with administrative control of the withdrawn
land returning to the BLM. Withdrawn lands would comprise 92% of all
NAWSCL lands. Limited RDT&E and training activities at NAWSCL would
continue on 8% of remaining NAWSCL fee-owned/leased land and within
managed airspace.
Environmental Issues and Resources To Be Examined: Environmental
issues that will be addressed in the EIS/LEIS include, but are not
limited to, the following: Air quality; biological resources (including
threatened and endangered species); cultural resources; geology and
soils; hazardous materials and hazardous waste management; health and
safety; noise; socioeconomics (including environmental justice);
transportation; and water resources. Relevant and reasonable measures
that would avoid or mitigate environmental effects will also be
analyzed. Additionally, the DoN will undertake any consultations
required by the Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation
Act, Clean Water Act, and any other applicable law or regulation.
Submitting Comments: The DoN encourages interested persons to
submit comments concerning the proposed extension of the public land
withdrawal, the alternatives proposed for study, and environmental
impacts to be analyzed. Federal, state, and local agencies, Native
Americans and Federally Recognized Tribes, and interested persons are
encouraged to provide oral and/or written comments to the DoN to
identify specific environmental issues or topics of
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environmental concern that the DoN should consider. The DoN will
prepare the draft LEIS incorporating issues identified by the
commenting public. All comments on the EIS/LEIS, whether provided
orally or in writing at the scoping meetings, or provided to the DoN
during the public commenting period, will receive the same
consideration during EIS/LEIS preparation.
Written comments on the scope of the EIS/LEIS should be postmarked
no later than September 8, 2011. Comments may be mailed to NAWSCL Land
Withdrawal EIS/LEIS Project Manager (Attn: Ms. Jo Ellen Anderson),
NAVFAC Southwest, 1220 Pacific Highway, San Diego, California 92132-
5178. Comments may also be submitted via the EIS/LEIS Web site located
at http://www.ChinalakeLEIS.com.
Dated: June 3, 2011.
D.J. Werner,
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy,
Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-14449 Filed 6-9-11; 8:45 am]
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