[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 164 (Friday, August 25, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40572-40573]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18069]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Air Force
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Special Use Airspace Optimization Project, Holloman Air Force Base,
New Mexico
AGENCY: Department of the Air Force, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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The U.S. Air Force is issuing this notice of intent (NOI) (40 CFR
1508.22) to advise the public of its intent to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the potential environmental
consequences associated with modifying existing or creating new special
use airspace (SUA), and relinquishing to the National Airspace System
(NAS) SUA incompatible for today's Air Force mission. SUA used by
Holloman Air Force Base (AFB) dates back more than 30 years ago and was
designed to support different aircraft with significantly different
mission profiles and performance characteristics than the current
aircraft (F-16C/D) flown at Holloman AFB. Optimizing Air Force
controlled SUA would provide the scheduling flexibility necessary to
conduct multiple, simultaneous training missions needed by the aircrews
stationed at Holloman AFB, New Mexico to meet the pilot initial
qualification training requirements. Two action alternatives identified
as meeting the purpose and need for this proposed action will be
analyzed in the EIS. Alternative 1 would reconfigure and expand the
existing Talon Military Operations Area (MOA) and associated Air
Traffic Control Assigned Airspace (ATCAA). Alternative 2 would modify
the existing Cato/Smitty MOA/ATCAA and create a new Lobos MOA to the
west of White Sands Missile Range. Each alternative includes aircraft
activity down to 500 feet above ground level (AGL), supersonic activity
at or above 30,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), and the use of defensive
chaff and flares within certain parameters. The resulting SUA would
provide adequate volumes of SUA to allow for more efficient and
simultaneous training activities that currently occur disjointedly
throughout several airspace areas in New Mexico and return sub-optimal
airspace to the NAS for use by the public.
A No Action Alternative will be included in the EIS, whereby
aircrews at Holloman AFB would continue to utilize existing SUA as it
is currently configured. Aircrews would continue to be limited to SUA
that was developed for legacy aircraft more than 30 years ago and does
not have the optimum volume, proximity to the installation,
availability, or other attributes to efficiently support the Holloman
AFB flying mission. The analysis of the No Action Alternative will
provide a benchmark to enable Air Force decision-makers to compare the
magnitude of the environmental effects of the proposed action.
Scoping and Agency Coordination: To effectively define the full
range of issues and alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS, the Air
Force will determine the scope of the analysis by soliciting comments
from interested local, state and federal elected officials and
agencies, as well as interested members of the public and others. The
public and interested parties can submit their comments through the
project Web site www.HollomanAFBAirspaceEIS.com, by mailing comments to
Holloman Airspace EIS, c/o Cardno, 501 Butler Farm Rd., Suite H,
Hampton, VA 23666, or by attending one of the public meetings. The Air
Force will also pursue government-to-government consultations with
interested Native American tribes and pueblos.
Public Meeting Dates and Locations: Public scoping meetings will be
held in Carlsbad, Truth or Consequences and Las Cruces, New Mexico at
the following dates, times, and locations:
Tuesday, September 12, 2017, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Carlsbad Public
Library, 101 S. Halagueno Street, Carlsbad, NM 88220.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Truth or
Consequences Civic Center, Ralph Edwards Auditorium, 400 W. 4th Avenue,
Truth or Consequences, NM 87901.
Thursday, September 14, 2017, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Hilton Garden
Inn, 2550 S. Don Roser Dr., Las Cruces, NM 88001.
Although comments can be submitted to the Air Force any time during
the EIS process, scoping comments are requested by September 25, 2017
to ensure full consideration in the draft EIS.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Air Force has preliminarily identified
two broad alternatives to optimize existing training airspace at
Holloman AFB. While the alternatives are independent of each other, the
decision-maker may choose to implement one, both, or none of the
alternatives based on the analysis provided in the EIS.
Alternative 1 would evaluate an expansion to the east of Holloman
AFB of the Talon MOA and associated ATCAA. The Talon MOA is located in
the vicinity of Carlsbad, New Mexico and covers approximately 1,848
square nautical miles. Under this alternative, the dimensions of the
existing MOA/ATCAA would be expanded approximately 1,375 square
nautical miles generally to the east. The floor of the MOA would be
raised to 500 feet AGL from the current 300 feet AGL. Training within
the expanded MOA/ATCAA would include supersonic flight at or above
30,000 feet and use of chaff and flares above 2,000 feet AGL.
Alternative 2 would evaluate the area west of Holloman AFB and
White Sands Missile Range for reconfiguring and expanding the Cato/
Smitty MOA and associated ATCAA and/or creating a new Lobos MOA/ATCAA.
The Cato/Smitty MOA is located in the vicinity of Truth or
Consequences, New Mexico and covers approximately 2,680 square nautical
miles. Under this alternative, the dimensions of the Cato/Smitty MOA
would be reconfigured and expanded to the southeast. Reconfiguring this
MOA would result in returning the northern portion of the existing
Cato/Smitty MOA back to the NAS. The new Lobos MOA/ATCAA would be
created south of the reconfigured Cato/Smitty MOA and west of White
Sands Missile Range. The proposed floor of the reconfigured
[[Page 40573]]
Cato/Smitty MOA and the new Lobos MOA would be 500 feet AGL (2,000 feet
AGL over designated wilderness areas as currently observed). Training
within the reconfigured and expanded Cato/Smitty and new Lobos MOAs
would include supersonic flight above 30,000 feet and use of chaff and
flares above 2,000 feet AGL.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions regarding the proposed
action, scoping, and EIS development, contact Holloman AFB Public
Affairs Office, at (575) 572-7383 or at: [email protected].
Henry Williams,
Acting Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-18069 Filed 8-24-17; 8:45 am]
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