[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 10, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2576-2578]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-563]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy


Record of Decision for Realignment of Naval Air Station Lemoore, 
California

    Pursuant to section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969 and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for 
implementing NEPA procedures (40 CFR 1500-1508), the Department of the 
Navy announces its decision to implement the realignment of Naval Air 
Station (NAS) Lemoore, California.
    In accordance with the legislative requirements of the Base Closure 
and Realignment Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-510), as implemented by the 
1993 Defense Base Closure and Realignment process (BRAC-93), the Navy 
has been directed to relocate mission and operations from NAS Miramar 
to NAS Lemoore, California. The majority of naval training at NAS 
Miramar will be relocated to NAS Lemoore.
    A Draft Environmental Impact Statement was prepared for the action 
and distributed to Federal, State, and local agencies and to interested 
individuals and groups. Public comments and Navy responses to those 
comments were incorporated into a Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS) which was distributed to the public for a review period that 
ended on January 3, 1995. Two letters of comment were received and both 
expressed concern about lack of schoolroom capacity.
    The realignment will relocate 56 F-14 and 16 E-2 aircraft from NAS 
Miramar to NAS Lemoore, resulting in an increase of 72 aircraft at NAS 
Lemoore. The number of permanent-party personnel necessary to support, 
service, and maintain new aircraft and flight operations and apprentice 
school training will increase by approximately 3,990 and the number of 
civilian personnel will increase by 484 over the period from 1995 
through 1998. The number of school age students in grades kindergarten 
through 12 is expected to increase by approximately 2,300 by 1998. 
About 98 military construction (MILCON) projects are required to 
accommodate the realignment at NAS Lemoore. The projects include 
upgrades of existing facilities, construction of new facilities to 
support new aircraft operations and maintenance functions, and new 
housing and temporary quarters for the increased number of students and 
permanent-party personnel. Approximately 1,936 of the personnel 
relocating to NAS Lemoore will live off-station and reside primarily in 
the nearby Lemoore and Hanford communities. In addition to the 
construction and renovation projects, future establishment of a Lemoore 
Military Operations Area (MOA) and two Air Traffic Control Assigned 
Spaces (ATCAAs) were addressed in the EIS. The Lemoore MOA would extend 
approximately 23 miles northwest of NAS Lemoore and 37 miles southeast 
to include approximately 2,055 square miles of airspace. The ATCAAs 
would be implemented within the geographic boundaries of the MOA. The 
Lemoore MOA and the ATCAAs would designate airspace for military 
training activities. The Navy will apply to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) for formal designation of the MOA and ATCAAs.
    The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act waived certain aspects 
of NEPA such that the environmental analysis need not consider the no-
action alternative (no realignment), nor other realignment locations. 
Alternative means of accommodating the mandated BRAC-93 realignment at 
NAS Lemoore that were considered, but eliminated from detailed 
analysis, include retrofitting and remodeling existing structures and 
the use of rental units outside NAS Lemoore. Sites considered at NAS 
Lemoore for the new facilities/renovations avoided environmentally 
sensitive areas, and were selected based on the following functional 
considerations: adequacy of existing structures for the proposed uses, 
availability of utilities, and proximity of the structure/site to 
existing and related facilities, such as hangars, warehouses, 
classrooms, administrative offices, housing and recreational 
facilities.
    There will be no significant impacts to air traffic either in the 
existing operating areas used for training or from the implementation 
of the MOA and the two ATCAAs. Rerouting of non-participating aircraft 
around the MOA boundaries, however, may be necessary during time of MOA 
use. The NAS Lemoore air traffic facility will be responsible for 
routing military and civilian general aviation aircraft around the MOA. 
The FAA will be responsible for rerouting commercial flights when the 
MOA or ATCAAs are activated. The number of aircraft requiring rerouting 
is projected to be small and no impacts to public health and safety 
will result from the implementation of the MOA or ATCAAs.
    There will be no significant impacts to surface water or wetlands. 
There will be no significant impacts to groundwater or potable water 
resources as a result of the realignment.
    The action will increase total flight operations at NAS Lemoore, 
but will not produce a significant change in ambient noise levels on-
station or in surrounding communities. Appropriate noise level 
reduction measures will be incorporated into Bachelor Enlisted Quarter 
(BEQ) and Bachelor Officer Quarter (BOQ) facilities to ensure 
appropriate interior noise levels. Construction activity near 
residential areas will be limited to normal daytime working hours to 
minimize temporary construction noise impacts.
    The BRAC action will result in significant mitigatable air quality 
impacts related to construction activities, added stationary emission 
sources, added aircraft flight operations, added motor vehicle traffic, 
and added area sources (building and landscape maintenance, space 
heating, etc.). No new violations of national ambient air quality 
standards are anticipated as a result of the BRAC action. Mitigation 
measures will be implemented to reduce the potential for localized dust 
conditions at construction sites to ensure compliance with the San 
Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control [[Page 2577]] District 
(SJVUAPCD) rules and regulations, and to implement SJVUAPCD mobile and 
area source emission reduction programs. Added stationary source 
emissions will be offset through existing SJVUAPCD permit procedures. 
Most other emission increases associated with the BRAC action will be 
offset by emission reductions at Castle Air Force Base (also located 
within the SJVUAPCD), thus avoiding significant impacts to regional air 
quality conditions.
    NAS Lemoore is located in an area that is classified as a serious 
nonattainment area for ozone and particulate matter (PM10). The 
direct and indirect emissions of ozone precursors and PM10 
associated with the action exceed the de minimis levels of 50 tons per 
year for ozone precursors and 70 tons per year for PM10 and 
PM10 precursors. Consequently, a Clean Air Act conformity 
determination is required by 40 CFR Part 93 to demonstrate that the 
proposed action will not interfere with attainment of national ambient 
air quality standards. Volume 2 (Appendix A) of the FEIS presented a 
Clean Air Act conformity determination analysis of the proposed actions 
in accordance with rules promulgated by the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency and set forth at 40 CFR Part 93.
    BRAC-related direct and indirect emissions at NAS Lemoore will be 
at a maximum during the facility construction period, with somewhat 
lower emissions during subsequent base operations. Maximum direct and 
indirect emissions from the BRAC action are estimated to be 96 tons per 
year of organic compounds, 367 tons per year of nitrogen oxides, and 
187 tons per year of PM10. These maximum emissions result only in 
those years when both construction activities and increased aircraft 
operations occur concurrently. Steady-state emissions are projected to 
be less, paricularly for PM10.
    Emission increases at NAS Lemoore will be offset from a combination 
of three sources: eliminated aircraft, motor vehicle, and area source 
emissions resulting from the closure of Castle Air Force Base (which 
also is located in the San Joaquin Valley); on-station PM10 
emission reductions achieved by replacing existing fire fighter 
training facilities with new facilities; and the purchase of privately 
held PM10 Emission Reduction Credits.
    On behalf of the Department of the Navy, I have reviewed the FEIS 
and conformity determination analysis for the realignment of NAS 
Lemoore. It is my determination that the proposed Navy actions are in 
compliance with 40 CFR Part 93 (Determining Conformity of General 
Federal Actions to State or Federal Implementation Plans) and satisfy 
the requirements of Section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act (42 USC 7506).
    Consequently, the proposed actions at NAS Lemoore conform to the 
state implementation plan's purpose of eliminating or reducing the 
severity and number of violations of the federal ambient air quality 
standards and achieving expeditious attainment of those standards. The 
proposed actions are consistent with the programs and milestones 
contained in the State Implementation Plan for the San Joaquin Valley 
Air Basin. The proposed actions will not increase the frequency or 
severity of existing violations of the federal ozone and PM10 
standards, and will not delay the timely attainment of the ozone or 
PM10 standards.
    In making the above determinations I have relied on the air quality 
analyses and conclusions contained in the conformity determination 
analysis appendix to the FEIS for Base Realignment of NAS Lemoore, 
California.
    The action at NAS Lemoore will not significantly impact any 
Department of Defense Installation Restoration Program (IRP) sites. 
Construction projects located adjacent to IRP sites will be designed to 
avoid the sites. The action will not violate any conditions of the NAS 
Lemoore Waste Management Plan or the Spill Prevention Control and 
Countermeasures Plan. There will be no significant impacts to hazardous 
materials, as long as all applicable laws, regulations, and standard 
operating procedures are followed.
    Pursuant to Executive Order 12898, Environmental Justice, potential 
environmental and economic impacts on minority and low-income persons 
and communities were assessed. These persons and communities will not 
be disproportionately adversely affected by the NAS Lemoore BRAC 
action. The increase in population from the action will not result in 
significant impacts to housing, facilities, or services on-base or in 
the region. The additional economic activity from the action will 
result in a net positive effect on the local economy. The action will 
not significantly impact existing land uses at NAS Lemoore.
    The additional vehicular traffic generated by the action will 
result in significant mitigable impacts to transportation, traffic, and 
circulation. The Navy will continue to coordinate selection of 
mitigation for six intersections on or near NAS Lemoore which appear to 
warrant the installation of signals or an equivalent improvement to 
accommodate the increase in traffic resulting from the action. Traffic 
engineering solutions will be reviewed, local authorities will be 
consulted, and appropriate mitigation selected from among identified 
feasible options.
    The BRAC action will increase the number of school-aged children by 
an estimated 2,300 students. Between 975 to 1,240 of these students who 
are of elementary school age (K-8) are expected to attend on-station 
schools. The increase in students will exceed the physical capacity of 
the two on-station elementary schools as well as the maximum allowable 
student/teacher ratio. The physical capacity of Lemoore Union High 
School will also be exceeded. Therefore, the BRAC action will result in 
a significant, but mitigable, impact to the school system. Identified 
mitigation measures include construction of a new on-base school, 
expanding the physical capacity of existing schools by leased or 
leased-to-own portable classroom units, and/or by constructing 
additional classrooms. The Navy recognizes the significance of these 
impacts and will identify feasible mitigation to assure a high quality 
education environment for dependent children. On-station elementary 
schools can also obtain acceptable student/teacher ratios by hiring 
additional teachers. Local schools that serve military dependent 
children will continue to receive federal impact aid, in accordance 
with the Education Appropriation Act for 1995, which provides annual 
federal funding to school districts for each student whose parents live 
and work on federal property. Federal impact aid funds to school 
districts will be comparable to local property tax revenue generated by 
off-base residents.
    The existing utility infrastructure will be upgraded as part of the 
BRAC action to accommodate the demands of the BRAC relocation. 
Therefore, utilities at NAS Lemoore will have adequate capacity to 
serve the additional personnel. NAS Lemoore personnel residing off-
station will not have a significant impact on the regional water 
supply. Police and fire protection services are adequate to serve the 
needs of the new facilities, as are solid waste disposal facilities. No 
significant impacts will result to recreational facilities, either on- 
or off-station.
    The action will result in no significant impacts to plant or animal 
species listed as threatened or endangered by either federal or state 
agencies, or to sensitive habitats. No impact will result to cultural 
resources or properties of traditional cultural significance. No 
[[Page 2578]] impacts will result to visual resources due to the 
action.
    Questions regarding the Draft and Final Environmental Impact 
Statement prepared for this action may be directed to: Mr. John 
Kennedy, Head Environmental Planning Branch, Engineering Field Activity 
West, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, San Bruno, CA, 94066-5006; 
phone: (415) 244-3713; fax: (415) 244-3737.

    Dated: January 5, 1995.
Elsie L. Munsell,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Environment and Safety).
[FR Doc. 95-563 Filed 1-9-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P