Notice of Public Hearings for the Enhanced Training in Idaho Proposal, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force

Notice of Public Hearings for the Enhanced Training in Idaho

Proposal, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho

The Bureau of Land Management (Department of the Interior) and the

United States Air Force (Department of Defense) will convene public

hearings in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act

(FLPMA) and its associated regulations for public land withdrawals. The

public will be given an opportunity to participate in informal

discussions and/or provide statements in a public forum.

The Air Force proposes to develop a 12,000-acre tactical air-to-

ground training range, 5 no-drop targets, 30 electronic emitter sites,

and an associated road network, all of which would be located on

federal and State of Idaho school endowment lands. For use of the

federal lands, the Air Force proposes to obtain a withdrawal under the

Engle Act and FLPMA for the larger portions and to obtain rights-of-way

from the Bureau of Land Management for the smaller portions. For use of

the state school endowment lands, the Air Force proposes to enter into

lease agreements with the State of Idaho. Three alternatives are being

considered for the 12,000-acre withdrawal. The alternatives include the

same basic elements, varying in the locations of the tactical air-to-

ground training range, the locations of the no-drop target areas, and

the reconfiguration and expansion of the airspace. The No-Action

alternative involves use of existing local and remote range assets at

current levels.

The public hearings will be publicized in the local media and are

scheduled from 6-10 pm for the following dates and locations:

June 3, 1997 (Tuesday) Mountain Home High School Auxiliary Gym and

foyer, Mountain Home, ID.

June 4, 1997 (Wednesday) Grandview Elementary School Gym and foyer,

Grandview, ID.

June 5, 1997(Thursday) College of Southern Idaho, Shilz Building

Rooms 117 & 118, Twin Falls, ID.

June 6, 1997 (Friday) Three Creek School House, Three Creek, ID.

June 9, 1997 (Monday) Duck Valley Reservation Headquarters, Owyhee,

NV.

June 12-13, 1997 (Thursday and Friday) Boise State University,

Jordan Ballrooms B & C, Boise, ID.

Written comments on the proposal may be submitted at the hearings

or directed to U.S. Air Force/Bureau of Land Management, PO Box 329,

Boise, ID 83702-0329. For telephone inquiries, please contact Captain

Melissa Miller, Chief, 366th Wing Public Affairs, (208) 828-

6800.

Carolyn A. Lunsford,

Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 97-11495 Filed 5-2-97; 8:45 am]

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