Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Projects and Activities Associated With Programs at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), New Mexico

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Projects and

Activities Associated With Programs at White Sands Missile Range

(WSMR), New Mexico

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD; White Sands Missile Range.

COOPERATING AGENCIES: U.S. Air Force; Ballistic Missile Defense

Organization; Defense Special Weapons Agency; National Aeronautics and

Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice of availability is for the White Sands Missile

Range Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS addresses the

potential impacts of several categories of test projects at WSMR. The

testing categories include: missile testing (i.e., Multiple Launch

Rocket System, Special Launch Vehicle, and Standard Missile), high

altitude testing (i.e., High Altitude Balloon Experiment and Research

Rockets), environmental testing (Large Blasts, Temperature Testing),

and high energy testing (Lasers, Radio Detecting and Ranging (RADAR)).

In the past, WSMR incorporated the National Environmental Policy

Act (NEPA) requirements into project planning on a case-by-case basis.

To better evaluate the cumulative effects of unrelated actions being

planned at the same time, the EIS incorporates all known and future

programs. The analysis addresses potential impacts and cumulative

effects. Mitigation of these effects is incorporated into the proposed

action.

DATES: The public review period for this FEIS will end 30 days after

publication of the NOA in the Federal Register by the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: Anyone wishing to receive a copy of the EIS may send a

postcard with their name and address to Commander, WSMR, ATTN: STEWS-

NRES-C (Robert J. Andreoli), White Sands Missile Range, NM 88002-5048.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Robert J. Andreoli at (505) 678-7926.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EIS's proposed action and alternatives

are described below:

Proposed Action

The proposed action of this EIS is the long-term operation of WSMR

with the proposed adoption of specific mitigation measures for the

continuation of existing programs and the future testing of scientific,

military, and commercial systems. This proposed action includes two

major components. The first component is the continuation of current

project activities and existing operations and services including

routine maintenance; modernization or removal of outdated facilities;

and improvements in infrastructure, utilities, and services as

necessary. The second component consists of changes in the number of

projects and programs planned for the next 10-year period, with

resulting changes in site usage and services. The proposed action

includes adoption of mitigation measures to reduce the effect of WSMR

activities on the environment.

Other Alternatives Considered

The no action alternative is the other primary alternative

considered. This alternative represents the status quo. Under this

alternative, WSMR would remain a viable national range which supports

missile development and test programs for the Army, Navy, Air Force,

NASA, and other government and private organizations. Chapter 1 of the

WSMR Environmental Assessment (1985) describes the current activities

at WSMR. The no action alternative is the continuation of existing

missions and operations at approximately their current scope and rates,

but without the adoption of specific mitigation measures.

The alternative of closing WSMR is considered to be out of the

scope of this analysis. There are no Congressional or U.S. Army

indications that this option is contemplated. A special NEPA process to

address the shutdown and conversion of military bases has been

established for such analyses.

The other preliminary alternative identified for consideration in

the Notice of Intent (NOI), but not further analyzed in the EIS,

focused on testing of future systems and expansion of the mission into

nuclear effects testing and launches into WSMR from off the range.

Ongoing simulated nuclear effects testing is included in current

operations and is analyzed accordingly in the EIS. (This research is

more accurately referred to as nuclear effects simulation. It does not

involve the testing of actual nuclear weapons.) A parallel NEPA process

has been implemented with respect to current off-range launches into

WSMR and is briefly discussed in Section 1.5.

Dated: July 23, 1998.

Raymond J. Fatz,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and

Occupational Health) OASA (I,L&E).

[FR Doc. 98-20210 Filed 7-28-98; 8:45 am]

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