Notice of Comment Period Extension Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Enhanced Training in Idaho Proposal Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force

Notice of Comment Period Extension Draft Environmental Impact

Statement (DEIS) for the Enhanced Training in Idaho Proposal Mountain

Home Air Force Base, ID

The Air Force and the Bureau of Land Management are extending the

public comment period for the Enhanced Training in Idaho DEIS to

September 8, 1997. The DEIS prepared by the Air Force in accordance

with the National Environmental Policy Act and the Federal Land Policy

and Management Act and its associated regulations for public land

withdrawals, was released for public comment on May 9, 1997. The Bureau

of Land Management is a cooperating agency for the environmental and

land renewal processes associated with the proposed action.

The DEIS analyses three range development alternatives to enhance

training for the 366th Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, as well as a No-

Action alternative. Development of one of the range alternatives would

substantially enhance the realism, quality, and flexibility of local

training. Each of the three range development alternatives includes a

ground component and an airspace component. The ground component

consists of development of 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 initiate a Department of Defense military

withdrawal under the Engle Act 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. The

airspace component of the three alternatives would involve modification

of special use airspace, including establishment of restricted airspace

over the tactical training range and reconfiguration and expansion of

existing Military Operations Areas (MOAs), under approval of the

Federal Aviation Administration.

Written comments on this document should be directed to U.S. Air

Force/Bureau of Land Management, P.O. Box 329, Boise, ID 83702-0329;

for telephone inquiries, please contact Capt. Melissa Miller, Chief

366th Wing Public Affairs, Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID, (208) 828-

6800.

Barbara A. Carmichael,

Alternate Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 97-20909 Filed 8-7-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3901-01-P