Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed West Coast Introduction of the F/A-18 E/F Aircraft

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for

the Proposed West Coast Introduction of the F/A-18 E/F Aircraft

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

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

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

Department of the Navy announces its intent to prepare an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the environmental impacts of the

West Coast introduction of F/A-18 E/F aircraft, associated functional

and administrative components, and associated military personnel. Naval

Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) Pt. Mugu,

and Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro, California are proposed as

potential basing locations.

This process involves retiring older aircraft from active use and

incorporating the new F/A-18 E/F into service. The new aircraft will

continue to support operations of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Major environmental issues addressed in the EIS will include, but

are not limited to, air space, operational training capability,

socioeconomic and environmental justice impacts, air quality, noise,

endangered species, cultural resources, traffic, local infrastructure

impacts, and cumulative impacts.

ADDRESSES: The Navy will initiate a scoping process for the purpose of

determining the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the

significant issues related to this action. The Navy will hold public

scoping meetings on Monday, April 28, 1997 at 7 p.m. at the Lemoore

High School Cafeteria, 101 East Bush Street, Lemoore, California; on

Tuesday, April 29, 1997 at 7 p.m. at the Imperial County Board of

Supervisors Office, 940 West Main Street, El Centro, California; and on

Wednesday, April 30, 1997 at 7 p.m. in the Bougainvillea Room, Orchid

Professional Building, 816 Camarillo Springs Road, Camarillo,

California. A brief presentation will precede a request for public

comments. Navy representatives will be available at this meeting to

receive comments from the public regarding information on issues of

concern. It is important that federal, state, and local agencies and

interested individuals take this opportunity to provide information or

identify environmental concerns that should be addressed during the

preparation of the EIS. In the interest of available time, each speaker

will be asked to limit oral comments to five minutes.

Agencies and the public are also invited and encouraged to provide

written comments in addition to, or in lieu of, oral comments at the

public meeting. To be most helpful, scoping comments should clearly

describe specific issues or topics which the commenter believes the EIS

should address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Written statements and/or questions regarding the scoping process

should be mailed to: Commanding Officer, Engineering Field Activity

West, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 900 Commodore Drive, San

Bruno, CA 94066-5006 (Attention: Mr. Surinder Sikand, Code 18511),

telephone (415) 244-3020, fax (415) 244-3737. All

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comments must be received no later than May 23, 1997.

Dated: April 1, 1997.

D.E. Koenig,

LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 97-8720 Filed 4-4-97; 8:45 am]

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