Public Hearing for Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Improved Ordnance Storage for Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Public Hearing for Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the

Improved Ordnance Storage for Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Announcement of public hearing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States Marine Corps has prepared and filed with the

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the Draft Environmental Impact

Statement (DEIS) for the Improved Ordnance Storage for Marine Corps Air

Station Yuma, Arizona. Two public hearings will be held to inform the

public of the DEIS findings and to solicit oral and written comments.

Federal, state and local agencies, and interested parties are invited

to be present or represented at the hearings.

DATES: Hearing dates are as follows:

(1) February 17, 1999, 1:00 p.m., Yuma, AZ.

(2) February 23, 1999, 7:00 p.m., Yuma, AZ.

ADDRESSES: Hearing locations are:

(1) February 17, 1999, at the Ramada Inn Chilton Conference Center,

Maya Room, 300 East 32nd Street, Yuma, AZ 85364.

(2) February 23, 1999, at the Ramada Inn Chilton Conference Center,

Maya Room, 300 East 32nd Street, Yuma, AZ 85364.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Deb Theroux, (619) 532-2058.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Council on Environmental Quality

regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) implementing procedural provisions

of the National Environmental Policy Act, the United States Marine

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

Agency the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Improved

Ordnance Storage for Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona.

The proposed action includes constructing a new Combat Aircraft

Loading Area (CALA), constructing a new station ordnance area, and

acquiring land for the elimination of safety waivers and the relocation

of facilities at MCAS Yuma.

The Marine Corps has analyzed the environmental effects of the

proposed action. The environmental studies were based on reasonable

alternatives for accomplishing the proposed action, taking into account

sites identified through the scoping process. Four potential

alternatives have been identified: (1) the preferred alternative,

acquiring 1,641 acres of nonmilitary land south of MCAS Yuma and

constructing new ordnance storage magazines and other military

facilities in that area; (2) acquiring 1,069 acres of nonmilitary land

south of MCAS Yuma and constructing new ordnance storage magazines and

other military facilities in that area; (3) acquiring 482 acres of

nonmilitary land south of MCAS Yuma and constructing military

facilities in that area, along with constructing ordnance storage

magazines on the nearby Barry M. Goldwater U.S. Air Force Range; and

(4) taking no action (No Action Alternative).

No decision on the proposed action will be made until the National

Environmental Policy Act process has been completed and the Secretary

of the Navy, or a designated representative, releases the Record of

Decision (ROD).

The DEIS has been distributed to various federal, state, and local

agencies, elected officials, and special interest groups. Two copies of

the DEIS are available for review at each of the following libraries:

Yuma County Library District--Main Library, 350 S. 3rd Avenue, Yuma, AZ

85364; and Foothills Branch Library, 11279 S. Glenwood, Yuma, AZ 85367.

A limited number of single copies are available from Mr. Richard

Samrah, Planning Supervisor, Building 888, Box 99140, Marine Corps Air

Station, Yuma, AZ 85369-9110.

The two public hearings will be conducted by the Marine Corps to

receive oral and written comments. Federal, state and local agencies,

and interested parties are invited and urged to be present or

represented at the hearings. Oral statements will be heard and

transcribed by a stenographer; however, to assure 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 this

study. Equal weight will be given to both oral and written statements.

In the interest of available time, speakers will be asked to limit

their oral comments to five minutes. If longer statements are to be

presented, they should be summarized at the public hearings and

submitted in writing either at the hearings or mailed to Mr. Richard

Samrah, Planning Supervisor, Building 888, Box 99140,

[[Page 5037]]

Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, AZ 85369-9110. All written statements

must be received by Monday, March 15, 1999, to become part of the

official record. A Spanish/English interpreter will be present at the

February 23 hearing.

Dated: Janaury 29, 1999.

Lawrence L. Larson,

Colonel, USMC, Head, Land Use and Military Construction Branch,

Facilities and Services Division, Installations and Logistics

Department, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.

[FR Doc. 99-2546 Filed 2-1-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P