[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 209 (Wednesday, October 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 56153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28637]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the Renewal of the McGregor Range, New Mexico, Military Land 
Withdrawal

AGENCY: U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Center and Fort Bliss, Fort 
Bliss, Texas and New Mexico, Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The United States Army will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts of 
renewal of the McGregor Range, New Mexico, military land withdrawal. 
McGregor Range, New Mexico, is an integral part of the U.S. Army Air 
Defense Artillery Center and For Bliss (USAADACENFB). The current land 
withdrawal and reservation of the McGregor Range was established by the 
Military Lands Withdrawal Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-606) for the period 
ending November 6, 2001. The Act provides that the Army may seek 
renewal of the McGregor Range withdrawal, in connection with which the 
Secretary of the Army will publish a Draft EIS consistent with the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. 
In preparing the DEIS, the Army and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
have mutually agreed to use the legislative environmental impact 
statement (LEIS) process pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.8 to comply with the 
requirements of P.L. 99-606. This LEIS will be prepared in cooperation 
with BLM and will be completed by November 6, 1998, in accordance with 
P.L. 99-606. Therefore, pursuant to the LEIS process, a Final LEIS 
(FLEIS) will be prepared and a Notice of Availability of the FLEIS will 
be published in the Federal Register; however, there will not be a 
Record of Decision.
    The purpose of the proposed McGregor Range renewal is to retain a 
military training and testing range essential to near and long-term 
preparedness of the U.S. Army and other military services. Renewing the 
land withdrawal will provide for the continuation of on-going training 
and testing missions for air defense artillery systems while 
maintaining the flexibility to adapt to the training needs of new 
technologies and doctrine as they develop. McGregor Range provides a 
combination of attributes that serve this training requirement, 
including favorable location and weather; sufficient land and airspace; 
diverse terrain; and developed training support facilities. McGregor 
Range includes approximately 608,385 acres of withdrawn pubic domain 
land in Otero County, New Mexico, containing a complex of facilities, 
ranges, and safety areas to support training and test activities of the 
U.S. Army and other organizations.
    As a result of the Military lands Withdrawal Act of 1986, the Army 
and BLM co-manage McGregor Range with military requirements having 
priority over non-military uses. This management arrangement is defined 
in a Memorandum of Understanding between Fort Bliss and the BLM which 
define agency responsibilities related to energy and mineral resources, 
wildlife habitat management, grazing, recreation, hunting, visual and 
cultural resources, fire management, wilderness study areas and areas 
of environmental concern.
    The LEIS will consider reasonable alternatives including renewal of 
the current public domain land withdrawal for military use. Without 
limiting the priority military use, non-military co-use activities 
would continue to be managed in part by the BLM. The No Action 
(allowing the current withdrawal to expire) alternative required by 
NEPA will be evaluated. Other reasonable alternatives will also be 
considered.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 9, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Please direct written comments concerning the scope of the McGregor 
Range, New Mexico, Military Land Withdrawal Renewal LEIS to: Dr. A. 
Vliet, Program Manager, McGregor Range Withdrawal, U.S. Army Air 
Defense Artillery Center and Fort Bliss, ATTN: ATZC-CSA, PO Box 6020, 
Fort Bliss, Texas 79906; telephone (915) 568-6708.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: Continuance of military and non-military multiple 
use of McGregor Range, in particular the area known as Otero Mesa will 
be addressed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public scoping meetings in connection with 
this LEIS will be held in three communities: Las Cruces and Alamogordo, 
New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas. Meeting times and locations will be 
published in local newspapers. These meetings will provide the 
opportunity for the public to become aware of the LEIS and for the Army 
to gather public input regarding the scope of the study and reasonable 
alternatives. Those unable to attend the scheduled scoping meetings may 
submit written comments regarding the scope of the LEIS through January 
9, 1998, to the address above.
    A mailing list has been prepared for public scoping and review 
throughout the process of preparation of this LEIS. This list includes 
local, state and federal agencies with jurisdiction of other interests 
in the project. In addition, the mailing list includes adjacent 
property owners, affected municipalities and other interested parties 
such as conservation organizations. Anyone wishing to be added to the 
mailing list may request to be added by contacting the person 
identified below.

    Dated: October 24, 1997.
Richard E. Newsome,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health) OASA (I, L&E).
[FR Doc. 97-28637 Filed 10-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-38-M