Document ID: FAA-2022-0655-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Environmental Assessments; Availability, etc.: Establishment of Restricted Area at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, CA; Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision
Posted Date: 2022-07-18T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 136 (Monday, July 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42793-42794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15210]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket: FAA-2022-0655]

Notice of Availability of the Finding of No Significant Impact 
and Record of Decision and Adoption of the United States Department of 
the Navy Environmental Assessment for the Establishment of Restricted 
Area R-2511 at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, CA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI)/Record of Decision (ROD).

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its 
decision to adopt the Department of the Navy (DON) Final Environmental 
Assessment--Establishment of Restricted Area R-2511 at Naval Air 
Weapons Station China Lake, California. The Environmental Assessment 
(EA) underwent a 15 day public comment period from June 17, 2021 to 
July 2, 2021 and no comments were received. This notice announces that, 
based on its independent review and evaluation of the EA and supporting 
documents, the FAA is adopting the EA and issuing a FONSI/ROD for the 
establishment of the Restricted Area (RA) R-2511.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ryan Weller, Operations Support Group, 
Western Service Center, 2200 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; 
telephone (206) 231-2286.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA's Proposed Action would be entirely 
airspace-based and would establish a Special Use Airspace (SUA), 
consisting of one RA. The new SUA would connect the existing RAs R-2505 
and R-2524. The new RA would be titled R-2511 and would have the same 
dimensions as the existing Trona Controlled Firing Area (TCFA). The 
FAA's Proposed Action would not change or modify existing military 
flight activities or weapons testing occurring within the SUA. Aircraft 
activities would be consistent with those already occurring in the 
airspace.
    The RA would help notify, advise, and alert other pilots to where 
military training activity could be occurring. The RA would be 
established when determined necessary to confine or segregate 
activities considered hazardous to non-participating aircraft, which is 
defined as any aircraft

[[Page 42794]]

(military or civilian) that is not actively involved in the research, 
development, acquisition, test, and evaluation (RDAT&E) activities 
within the RA when activated. Itinerant (non-local) or other aircraft 
not familiar with DON RDAT&E activities would now be made aware of the 
military flight activity more formally, by the existence of the RA on 
the FAA Sectional Aeronautical Chart. The RA would be mapped on the FAA 
Los Angeles Sectional Chart and knowledge of its activation would 
prompt all pilots to take notice of existing military flight activity, 
resulting in better awareness and coordination. Non-participating 
aircraft would not be allowed in the RA when activated.

Implementation

    After evaluating the aeronautical study and the EA, the FAA has 
issued a FONSI/ROD to establish R-2511. The RA would improve flight 
safety for all pilots (civilian, commercial and military) while 
improving the capability of the DON to conduct RDAT&E and training 
activities. The R-2511 would create a linkage between existing R-2505 
and R-2524, covering an area of approximately 87 square miles. The 
designated altitudes are at 6,000 feet (ft) mean sea level (MSL) to, 
but not including, flight level (FL) 200 (20,000 ft MSL). The times of 
use are between 0700-1700 pacific time, Monday through Friday. 
Activation of the RA is by Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) at least 
seven days in advance. Operations would be scheduled for two-hour 
blocks, with a maximum of two blocks authorized per day. Annual 
operations would be conducted within the R-2511 up to 36 days per year.
    In accordance with Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) 
regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and other 
applicable authorities (including FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental 
Impacts: Policies and Procedures, paragraph 8-2, and FAA Order JO 
7400.2M, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters, paragraph 32-2-3), 
the FAA has conducted an independent review and evaluation of the DON's 
EA. As a cooperating agency with responsibility for approving SUA under 
49 U.S.C. 40103(b)(3)(A), the FAA provided subject matter expertise and 
coordinated with the DON during the environmental review process.
    The FONSI/ROD and EA are available on the FAA website at: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/environmental_issues/.

    Issued in Des Moines, WA, on July 12, 2022.
Ryan Wade Weller,
Environmental Protection Specialist, Operation Support Group, Western 
Service Area.
[FR Doc. 2022-15210 Filed 7-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P