NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY

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Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment Addressing Air Force Research

Laboratory Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Activities at Kirtland Air

Force Base, New Mexico

The United States Air Force (USAF), United States Space Force (USSF), Kirtland Air Force

Base (AFB), Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) announce the availability of a Draft

Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) addressing the continuation of research,

development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) activities on Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB), New

Mexico. The Draft PEA was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy

Act (NEPA), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations, and USAF instructions

implementing NEPA.

The Draft PEA describes the AFRL proposal to evaluate potential environmental impacts

associated with continuing to conduct RDT&E activities on Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. AFRL

has been conducting RDT&E activities on Kirtland AFB since the 1960s and there are many

existing Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Analysis Process

documents spanning the decades from 1970 to present day. The Proposed Action

consolidates all current and proposed future AFRL RDT&E activities into one PEA, ensuring

these activities can continue to occur on Kirtland AFB into the future. Two units of AFRL

conduct these activities, ARFL’s Directed Energy Directorate (AFRL/RD) and AFRL’s Space

Vehicle Directorate (AFRL/RV). AFRL/RD develops directed energy weapons (including high

energy lasers, high-power microwave, and high-power electromagnetic system prototypes)

to counter, disable, and attack adversary sources. Equipment, components, and designs for

warﬁghter weapons are created and tested in laboratories across Kirtland AFB before being

tested outdoors at the High Energy Research and Technology Facility (HERTF)/HERTF

Canyon, Frustration Canyon, Starﬁre Optical Range/1-Mile and 2-Mile sites, and Outdoor

Laser Propagation and Firing Area to evaluate performance of the new technology. AFRL/RV

ensures that the United States and its allies maintain space superiority by developing and

transitioning technologies that provide space-based capabilities to the nation. Equipment,

components, and designs for space-based technologies are created in laboratories across

Kirtland AFB and then tested outdoors at the Skywave Technology Laboratory, Improved

Solar Observing Optical Network, and South Park Antenna Field.

The Draft PEA evaluates potential impacts on the environment from the Proposed Action and

the No Action Alternative. The Draft PEA demonstrates that the Proposed Action would not

signiﬁcantly impact the environment and based on this analysis, AFRL has prepared a Draft

Finding of No Signiﬁcant Impact (FONSI).

The Draft PEA and Draft FONSI are available for review on the Kirtland AFB website at

http://www.kirtland.af.mil/Home/Environment and at the San Pedro Public Library, 5600

Trumbull Avenue SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108. Comments regarding this document will be

accepted for 30 days from the publication of this notice. Comments for consideration and

other inquiries should be directed by mail to Ms. Martha Garcia, Unit Environmental

Coordinator RV & RD, Building 464 | Room 405, 3550 Aberdeen Avenue SE, Kirtland AFB, New

Mexico 87117, or by email to martha.garcia.3@spaceforce.mil.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.