[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 175 (Thursday, September 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54556-54557]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-22773]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to
Transition Six FA-18C Strike Fighter Squadrons to FA-18E Strike Fighter
Squadrons at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia 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 of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental
Quality regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations parts 1500-1508),
the Department of the Navy (DoN) announces its intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential
environmental consequences of transitioning six FA-18C (Hornet) strike
fighter squadrons to FA-18E (Super Hornet) strike fighter squadrons at
Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, Virginia. The EIS will also include a
comprehensive analysis of NAS Oceana operations, addressing
[[Page 54557]]
overall air operations at the main base and Field Carrier Landing
Practice (FCLP) operations at Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (NALF)
Fentress.
DATES AND ADDRESSES: Two public scoping meetings will be held from 5:00
p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on:
1. Tuesday, September 29, 2015, at the Columbian Club, 1236
Prosperity Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23451; and
2. Wednesday, 30 September, 2015, at Centerville Baptist Church,
908 Centerville Turnpike, Chesapeake, VA 23322.
The two public scoping meetings will be informal, using an open
house format to obtain verbal or written comments on the scope of the
EIS and to identify specific environmental concerns or topics for
consideration. Each information station will be staffed by DoN
representatives. Additional information concerning each public scoping
meeting is available on the EIS Web page located at: http://www.oceanastrikefightereis.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: NAS Oceana EIS Project Manager (Code
EV21/TW); Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic, 6506
Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, Virginia 23508.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since 2002, FA-18C Hornet aircraft have been
used in support of world-wide operations at higher rates than
originally projected. The result of this higher use has been greater
airframe fatigue, which in turn is rapidly accelerating the date at
which the Hornet aircraft will reach the end of their service life and
need to be retired. While the DoN plan had been to replace Hornet
aircraft with the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, the entry
of the F-35C into the U.S. Navy inventory has been delayed and it will
not be available on the East Coast before the current inventory of
Hornet aircraft based at NAS Oceana will be retired.
The combination of the accelerated retirement of the Hornet
aircraft and delays in the availability of replacement F-35C aircraft
warrants an interim measure to ensure the requisite number of strike
fighter aircraft remain at NAS Oceana to meet operational and training
needs. Therefore, the DoN proposes to transition the six NAS Oceana
squadrons that still operate the FA-18C Hornet, and the NAS Oceana-
based Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), to the FA-18E Super Hornet
aircraft. The proposed transition would involve a one-for-one aircraft
replacement, occur at NAS Oceana, and begin no earlier than 2018. The
proposed action will provide newer, more capable, and more reliable
aircraft to the NAS Oceana-based strike fighter community using
existing assets until the replacement F-35C aircraft are available for
East Coast operations. No other aircraft carrier (CVN)-capable strike
fighter aircraft exist to cover the gap until the introduction of the
F-35C.
Since Super Hornet flight training is nearly identical to Hornet
flight training, the type and quantity of flight training operations at
NAS Oceana, NALF Fentress, and the local operating areas are not
expected to be affected by the proposed transition and the subsequent
retirement of the Hornet. Other than minor modifications to aircraft
auxiliary power utilities in hangars, and installation of Super Hornet-
compatible electrical distribution on the flight line, no major
construction or facility modifications are planned.
Recognizing that noise will be an important environmental concern
associated with the transition, the EIS will include a comprehensive
analysis of NAS Oceana air operations, including noise impacts, at the
main base and FCLP operations at NALF Fentress. In addition, the DoN
will use the EIS scoping period to conduct a thorough review of
existing flight procedures to determine if any reasonable adjustments
can be made to mitigate potential noise impacts of the proposed action.
Following scoping, the DoN will also consider input from the public to
help identify reasonable noise mitigation alternatives not already
implemented to carry forward for analysis in the Draft EIS.
Federal, state, and local agencies, the public and interested
persons are encouraged to provide comments to the DoN during the public
scoping period to identify environmental concerns that the commenter
believes should be addressed in the EIS. To be most effective, scoping
comments should clearly describe the specific issues(s) or topic(s)
that the EIS should address. Mailed comments must be postmarked by (30
Days).
In addition to the proposed action, the EIS will address the No
Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, the DoN would not
transition six NAS Oceana Hornet squadrons and the NAS Oceana based FRS
from Hornet aircraft to Super Hornet aircraft. The shortage of Hornet
airframes that would result under this alternative would have an
immediate and growing impact on the operational readiness of the strike
fighter squadrons at NAS Oceana.
The DoN will analyze the potential environmental effects of
transitioning the remaining Hornet aircraft to the Super Hornet
aircraft. Resource areas to be addressed in the EIS will include, but
not be limited to: noise, air quality, land use, socioeconomics,
natural resources, biological resources, cultural resources, and safety
and environmental hazards. The analysis will evaluate direct and
indirect impacts, and will account for cumulative impacts from other
relevant activities near the installation. Relevant and reasonable
measures that could avoid or mitigate environmental effects will also
be analyzed. Additionally, the DoN will undertake any consultations
required by law or regulation.
The DoN will not release the names, street addresses, email
addresses and screen names, telephone numbers, or other personally
identifiable information of individuals who provide comments during
scoping unless required by law. However, the DoN may release the city,
state, and 5-digit zip code of individuals who provide comments. Each
commenter making oral comments at the public scoping meetings will be
asked by the stenographer if he/she otherwise elects to authorize the
release of their personally identifiable information prior to providing
their comments. Commenters submitting written comments, either using
comment forms or via the project Web site, may elect to authorize
release of personally identifiable information by checking a
``release'' box on the comment form.
To be included on the DoN's mailing list for the EIS (or to receive
a copy of the Draft EIS, when released), electronic requests can be
made on the project Web site at www.oceanastrikefightereis.com.
Requests via the U.S. Postal Service should be submitted to: NAS Oceana
EIS Project Manager (Code EV21/TW); Naval Facilities Engineering
Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic, 6506 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, Virginia
23508. The same policy for release of personally identifiable
information as identified above for scoping comments will be maintained
by DoN for individuals requesting to be included on the EIS mailing
list.
Dated: August 27, 2015.
N. A. Hagerty-Ford,
Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-22773 Filed 9-9-15; 8:45 am]
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