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[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26739-26740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11314]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for Airfield Operations at Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West, FL 
and To Announce Public Scoping Meetings

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 26740]]

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 (Navy) announces its intent to prepare an EIS to 
identify and evaluate the potential environmental effects that may 
result from airfield training operations at NAS Key West. The EIS will 
consider all reasonable alternatives to the proposed action, including 
the No Action Alternative.
    Dates and Addresses: Public scoping meetings will be held in Key 
West, Florida to receive oral and/or written comments on environmental 
concerns that should be addressed in the EIS. The public scoping 
meetings will be held on:
    1. Wednesday, May 26, 2010, Doubletree Grand Key Resort Conference 
Room, 3990 South Roosevelt Boulevard, Key West, Florida.
    2. Thursday, May 27, 2010, Tennessee Williams Theater at Florida 
Keys Community College, 5901 College Road, Key West (Stock Island), 
Florida.
    Each meeting will occur in consecutive sessions from 3 p.m. to 5 
p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The meetings will be an open house 
format with informational displays and materials available for public 
review. The public will have an opportunity to submit written comments 
on environmental concerns that should be addressed in the EIS. Navy 
staff will be present at these open houses to answer questions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: NAS Key West EIS Project Manager, 
Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, 904-542-6866.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Navy's proposed action is to support and 
conduct aircraft training operations at NAS Key West by maintaining 
current/baseline airfield operations, supporting new aircraft airfield 
operations, and modifying airfield operations as necessary in support 
of the Fleet Readiness Training Plan (FRTP).
    The purpose of the proposed action is to sustain the long-term 
viability of the NAS Key West airfield as a Fleet training station for 
tactical aviation squadrons and other DoD and Federal agency airfield 
users. The action is needed to maintain the level of readiness mandated 
in section 5062 of Title 10 of the United States Code. The primary 
mission of NAS Key West is to provide aviation training facilities, 
services, and access to training ranges for tactical aviation squadrons 
homebased throughout the United States. NAS Key West's weather/climate 
support year-round Fleet training, and its location provides efficient 
access to the nearby Key West Range Complex, the Fleet training range 
complex regularly used by Department of Defense (DoD) and Federal 
agency aircrews from around the country. The location of the Key West 
Range Complex offers the supporting infrastructure and unobstructed 
airspace that allows the Navy to fulfill operational and readiness 
training requirements. The primary users of NAS Key West are active and 
reserve Fleet F/A-18C Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet squadrons from 
both the East and West Coasts. Additionally, it is anticipated that F-
35C aircraft homebased in the continental United States will operate at 
NAS Key West by 2015 as those aircraft replace the Navy's aging F/A-18C 
aircraft. Specifically, use of NAS Key West is necessary so that the 
Navy is able to support the rapid deployment of naval units; achieve 
and sustain readiness of squadrons to quickly surge significant combat 
power in the event of a national crisis or contingency operation 
consistent with the FRTP; and support required flight operations of 
other Federal agencies.
    The action alternatives to be considered to achieve the proposed 
action include, but are not limited to: (1) Maintaining baseline 
operations while supporting the introduction of new aircraft and 
related, but minor infrastructure improvements necessary to support 
airfield flight operations; and (2) increasing airfield training 
operations above baseline levels, while supporting the introduction of 
new aircraft and related, but minor, infrastructure improvements 
necessary to support airfield flight operations. A potential increase 
in airfield operations above current/baseline levels would provide 
added operational capacity and flexibility to meet Navy training 
requirements under the FRTP.
    Under the No Action Alternative, current/baseline operations and 
support of existing capabilities would continue and new aircraft would 
not be introduced.
    No decision will be made to implement any alternative until the EIS 
process is completed and a Record of Decision is signed, by the 
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations and Environment) 
or designee.
    The EIS will evaluate the environmental effects associated with: 
Airspace; noise; safety; land resources; water resources; air quality; 
biological resources, including threatened and endangered species; land 
use and coastal resources; socioeconomic resources; infrastructure; 
cultural resources; and consistency with existing land use control 
plans, policies, and actions. The analysis will include an evaluation 
of direct and indirect impacts, and will account for cumulative impacts 
from other relevant activities in the area of NAS Key West. 
Additionally, the Navy will undertake any consultations required by all 
applicable laws or regulations.
    The Navy is initiating this scoping process to identify community 
concerns and issues that should be addressed in the EIS. Federal, 
State, and local agencies, and interested parties and persons are 
encouraged to provide comments on the proposed action that clearly 
describe specific issues or topics of environmental concern that the 
commenter believes that the Navy should consider. All comments, written 
or provided orally at during the 30-day scoping comment period (ending 
June 10, 2010) will receive the same attention and consideration during 
EIS preparation.
    Comments may be submitted orally or in writing at one of the public 
scoping meetings, electronically through the project Web site at http://www.keywesteis.com, or may be mailed to: U.S. Navy NAS Key West Air 
Operations EIS Project Manager, P.O. Box 30, Bldg 903, NAS 
Jacksonville, FL 32212. All written comments on the scope of the EIS 
must be submitted or postmarked no later than June 10, 2010.

    Dated: May 5, 2010.
A. M. Vallandingham,
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-11314 Filed 5-11-10; 8:45 am]
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