Theater Missile Defense Extended Test Range Final Environmental Impact Statement

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

Theater Missile Defense Extended Test Range Final Environmental

Impact Statement

AGENCY: Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Theater

Missile Defense (TMD) Extended Test Range proposal is now available.

The Final EIS incorporates findings and public comment information from

the Draft EIS (January 1994) and from the Supplement to the Draft EIS

(July 1994) that was prepared to analyze additional booster drop zones

associated only with the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) extended test

range alternative.

The Final EIS assessed potential impacts associated with conducting

missile defense tests and associated sensor system tests at four

alternative extended test range areas: Eglin Air Force Base, Florida;

White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; Western Range (Vandenberg AFB,

San Nicholas Island, and San Clemente Island), California; and

Kwajalein Missile Range in the mid-Pacific. The TMD program allows for

the development of a means to protect deployed U.S. forces, as well as

U.S. friends and allies around the world, against attacks by short- and

medium-range ballistic, cruise, or air-to-surface missiles armed with

conventional, nuclear, biological, or chemical warheads.

These tests would consist of multiple demonstration and

developmental missile launches along proposed flight paths from off-

range locations, with intercepts of targets over existing range areas

or open sea areas located within and outside of the United States.

Surface-to-surface missile tests were also considered. These flights

would [[Page 2951]] validate system design and operational

effectiveness.

The Final EIS addresses the potential environmental impacts that

would result from test site modifications, launch preparation

requirements, missile flights along the proposed flight paths, and

intercepts of targets over existing ranges or open sea areas. It also

identifies mitigation measures that would lessen the impacts.

Environmental resource topics evaluated include: health and safety, air

quality, airspace, noise, geology and soils, water resources,

socieconomics, hazardous materials and waste, land use, infrastructure

and transportation, and biological and cultural resource stewardship.

EIS LEAD AGENCY: U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command.

COOPERATING AGENCIES: Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, United

States Air Force, United States Navy, and Federal Aviation

Administration.

PROPOSED ACTION: The action is to conduct defensive missile tests and

associated sensor tests at one or more of four extended test ranges.

The tests involve target missile launches and defensive missile

launches from existing test ranges and from off-range locations.

Potential off-range launch locations included land areas and sea-based

platforms. Missile-to-missile intercepts will occur over existing test

range areas or over open sea areas. Up to approximately 100 flight

tests could occur during the period 1995 to 2000, from more than one

off-range location, and potentially from more than one test range area.

These test may continue well beyond 2000.

Alternatives for conducting these missile flight tests and

intercepts, evaluated in the TMD Extended Test Range EIS, are:

1. White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), NM. This alternative includes

defensive missile launches and associated sensor testing at WSMR and

Fort Bliss, TX, with off-range target missile launches from Fort

Wingate Depot Activity, NM, and the Green River Launch Complex, UT.

2. Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), FL. This alternative includes

defensive missile launches and associated sensor testing at Eglin AFB

on Santa Rosa Island and at Cape San Blas, with off-range target

missile launches from a sea-based platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

3. The Western Range, CA. This alternative includes defensive

missile launches and associated sensor testing at Vandenberg AFB, San

Nicholas Island, and San Clemente Island, with off-range target missile

launches from a sea-based platform in the Pacific Ocean.

4. Kwajalein Missile Range (KMR), U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll,

Republic of the Marshall Islands. This alternative includes defensive

missile launches and associated sensor testing at KMR and Wake Island

with off-range target missile launches from a sea-based platform in the

Pacific Ocean.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Major Thomas LaRock, OATSD/PA, Washington, DC 20301-1400, (703) 697-

5131.

Dated: January 9, 1995.

Patricia L. Toppings,

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.

[FR Doc. 95-842 Filed 1-11-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 5000-04-M