Notice of an Additional Public Hearing In Manteo, NC for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Realignment of F/A-18 Aircraft and Operational Functions from Naval Air Station (NAS) Cecil Field, Florida to Other East Coast Installations

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Notice of an Additional Public Hearing In Manteo, NC for the

Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Realignment of F/A-18

Aircraft and Operational Functions from Naval Air Station (NAS) Cecil

Field, Florida to Other East Coast Installations

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2) of the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 as implemented by the Council on

Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), the Department of

the Navy has prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to evaluate the

realignment of F/A-18 aircraft and operational functions from Naval Air

Station (NAS) Cecil Field, Florida to other Navy and Marine Corps air

stations on the east coast of the United States. In accordance with

these laws and regulations, this notice announces the date and location

of an additional public hearing for the DEIS. A public hearing has been

scheduled for Monday, November 17, 1997, at the North Carolina Aquarium

on Roanoke Island, Airport Road, Manteo, North Carolina to provide

information and to receive public input on the DEIS for the realignment

of F/A-18 aircraft and associated functions from NAS Cecil Field,

Florida to east coast installations. On October 23, 1997, the

Department of the Navy conducted a public hearing at the North Carolina

Aquarium in Manteo. Notice of this public hearing was made in the

Federal Register on October 3, 1997. However, subsequent to the October

23 hearing, the Navy received information that indicated that the

notice of the public hearing was not well publicized in the primary

local newspaper serving the Manteo/Dare County area (The Virginian-

Pilot, North Carolina edition). Therefore, the Department of the Navy

has decided to conduct an additional public hearing at the North

Carolina Aquarium on Monday, November 17, 1997, to ensure the public

has an opportunity to obtain information and provide comment on the

DEIS. An open information session, which will precede the scheduled

public hearing will allow individuals to review the data presented in

the DEIS. Navy representatives will be available during the information

session to answer questions and/or clarify information related to the

DEIS. The open information session is scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00

p.m., followed by the public hearing, which will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Navy will conduct the public hearing. Federal, state and local

agencies and interested parties are invited and urged to be present or

represented at the hearing. Oral statements will be heard and

transcribed by a stenographer; however, to ensure the accuracy of the

record, all statements should be submitted in writing. All statements,

both oral and written, will become part of the public record on the

DEIS and will be responded to in the Final Environmental Impact

Statement (FEIS). Equal weight will be given to both oral and written

statements.

In the interest of available time and to ensure all that wish to

give an oral statement have the opportunity to do so, each speaker will

be asked to limit comments to three (3) minutes. If longer statements

are to be presented, they should be summarized at the public hearing

and submitted in writing either at the hearing or mailed or faxed to

Mr. Dan Cecchini at: Commander, Atlantic Division, Naval Facilities

Engineering Command, Attn: Mr. J. Dan Cecchini (Code 2032DC), 1510

Gilbert Street, Norfolk, Virginia 23511; Fax: (757) 322-4894.

ADDRESSES: The DEIS has been distributed to various Federal, state, and

local agencies, as well as other interested individuals and

organizations. In addition, copies of the DEIS have been distributed to

the following libraries for public review: Virginia Beach Central

Library, 4100 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach, Virginia; Great

Neck Library, 1251 Bayne Drive, Virginia Beach, Virginia; Chesapeake

Central Library, 298 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, Virginia; Craven County

Library, 300 Miller Boulevard, Havelock, North Carolina; Beaufort

County Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort, South Carolina; Dare County

Library, 700 North U.S. 64/264, Manteo, North Carolina; Pamlico County

Library, 603 Main Street, Bayboro, North Carolina; Ida Hilton Library,

1105 North Way, Darien, Georgia. A limited number of single copies are

available upon request by contacting Mr. J. Dan Cecchini at (757) 322-

4891.

POINT OF CONTACT: Additional information concerning this notice may be

obtained by contacting Mr. Cecchini at (757) 322-4891.

Dated: October 29, 1997.

Darse E. Crandall,

LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 97-29033 Filed 10-30-97; 8:45 am]

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