[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-5334]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: March 9, 1994]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
U.S. Pacific Command; Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for Proposed Actions at Bellows Air Force Station, Waimanalo,
HI
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 U.S. Pacific Command,
announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for proposed actions at Bellows Air Force Station (AFS), Waimanalo,
Hawaii.
The actions to be covered in the EIS form a land use plan and
development of Bellows AFS that: (1) Provide contiguous land, beach,
and water areas of sufficient size and configuration to meet Marine
Corps and other military training requirements; (2) provide a site for
military family housing; and (3) provide new construction and
improvements to existing recreational assets within the present
recreation area. The EIS will analyze reasonable alternatives to meet
these objectives and assess their separate and cumulative environmental
impacts.
There are three major action components to the land use plan. The
first is reconfiguration of training areas at Bellows AFS, which
includes expansion into the site now occupied by communication
facilities. Currently, training activities at Bellows AFS include
amphibious landings, inland maneuver and tactics by foot and vehicle,
engineer/motor transport training, use of pyrotechnics and blank
ammunition, helicopter operations and support, and military operations
in urban terrain. However, the existing acreage and figuration of the
training area does not meet Marine Corps training standards. To achieve
established standards for these and other types of training, additional
land area at Bellow AFS is required. The reallocation of about 500
acres from other areas at Bellows AFS to training use will help meet
these requirements. Alternatives include use of other locations other
than at Bellows AFS, other training configurations at Bellows AFS (for
example, movement through different areas), use of other types of
equipment, and no action.
An alternative within the training component to the land use plan
is the use of approximately 130 acres of the newly redesignated
training area at Bellows AFS by the Hawaii Army National Guard. The
National Guard has plans to relocate its existing Hawaii Military
Academy training facilities from the existing site to 130 acres,
thereby using the Air Force communication building as a replacement
facility. The Hawaii Army National Guard also has a long-range proposal
to establish a youth training center in the communication area. All of
the 130 acres would be available for joint use by the military, and the
beach front area would continue to be open to the public.
The second component to be covered in the EIS is provision of a
site sized for 250 military family housing units, with a potential for
expansion up to a maximum of 500 units. Two alternative sites at
Bellows AFS are being considered, as well as sites other than at
Bellows AFS and no action.
Improvement of recreational facilities and activities is the third
component of the land use plan and developments. The acreage presently
designated for recreational use, as well as existing public access to
the beach at Bellows AFS, would be retained. Specific recreational
facilities would be improved or newly constructed within the existing
recreation areas of Bellows AFS. Alternatives include relocating or
reducing recreational facilities proposed for construction, changing
the locations designated for recreation to permit other uses such as
training, and no action.
Additional infrastructure and base facilities would be constructed
to support the planned land use and development of Bellows AFS. This
would include roads, parking, water and sewage systems, and warehouse
or administrative buildings.
Environmental issues to be addressed will include, but not be
limited to, effects on cultural resources, terrestrial and aquatic
habitats, threatened or endangered species, water quality,
infrastructure, traffic, noise, and the socioeconomic environment.
Direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts will be analyzed, and
mitigation measures will be developed as required.
The U.S. Pacific Command will initiate a scoping process to
identify significant issues related to the proposed actions for study
in EIS, and to identify and notify interested and affected parties of
the EIS process. Two public scoping meetings will be held:
March 30, 1994, 7 p.m., Waimanalo Elementary & Intermediate School
Cafeteria, 41-1330 Kalanianaole Highway, Waimanalo, Hawaii
March 31, 1994, 7 p.m., Washington Intermediate School Cafeteria, 1633
S. King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii
The meeting will open with a short presentation on the purpose of
the actions and the alternatives to be evaluated, followed by a period
for public comment. It is important that interested agencies,
individuals, and organizations take this opportunity to identify
environmental concerns that should be addressed. To allow time for all
views to be shared, each speaker will be limited to five minutes for
oral comments.
Interested parties are also invited and encouraged to provide
written comments in addition to, or in lieu of, oral comments at the
public meetings. Scoping comments should clearly describe specific
issues or topics that the EIS should address. Written statements and/or
questions regarding the scoping process should be mailed no later than
April 15, 1994, to Mr. Stanley Uehara (Code 232), Pacific Division,
Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860; telephone
(808) 471-9338; fax (808) 474-4890.
Dated: March 3, 1994.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 94-5334 Filed 3-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-04-M