[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2950-2951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-842]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Theater Missile Defense Extended Test Range Final Environmental
Impact Statement
AGENCY: Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Theater
Missile Defense (TMD) Extended Test Range proposal is now available.
The Final EIS incorporates findings and public comment information from
the Draft EIS (January 1994) and from the Supplement to the Draft EIS
(July 1994) that was prepared to analyze additional booster drop zones
associated only with the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) extended test
range alternative.
The Final EIS assessed potential impacts associated with conducting
missile defense tests and associated sensor system tests at four
alternative extended test range areas: Eglin Air Force Base, Florida;
White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; Western Range (Vandenberg AFB,
San Nicholas Island, and San Clemente Island), California; and
Kwajalein Missile Range in the mid-Pacific. The TMD program allows for
the development of a means to protect deployed U.S. forces, as well as
U.S. friends and allies around the world, against attacks by short- and
medium-range ballistic, cruise, or air-to-surface missiles armed with
conventional, nuclear, biological, or chemical warheads.
These tests would consist of multiple demonstration and
developmental missile launches along proposed flight paths from off-
range locations, with intercepts of targets over existing range areas
or open sea areas located within and outside of the United States.
Surface-to-surface missile tests were also considered. These flights
would [[Page 2951]] validate system design and operational
effectiveness.
The Final EIS addresses the potential environmental impacts that
would result from test site modifications, launch preparation
requirements, missile flights along the proposed flight paths, and
intercepts of targets over existing ranges or open sea areas. It also
identifies mitigation measures that would lessen the impacts.
Environmental resource topics evaluated include: health and safety, air
quality, airspace, noise, geology and soils, water resources,
socieconomics, hazardous materials and waste, land use, infrastructure
and transportation, and biological and cultural resource stewardship.
EIS LEAD AGENCY: U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command.
COOPERATING AGENCIES: Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, United
States Air Force, United States Navy, and Federal Aviation
Administration.
PROPOSED ACTION: The action is to conduct defensive missile tests and
associated sensor tests at one or more of four extended test ranges.
The tests involve target missile launches and defensive missile
launches from existing test ranges and from off-range locations.
Potential off-range launch locations included land areas and sea-based
platforms. Missile-to-missile intercepts will occur over existing test
range areas or over open sea areas. Up to approximately 100 flight
tests could occur during the period 1995 to 2000, from more than one
off-range location, and potentially from more than one test range area.
These test may continue well beyond 2000.
Alternatives for conducting these missile flight tests and
intercepts, evaluated in the TMD Extended Test Range EIS, are:
1. White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), NM. This alternative includes
defensive missile launches and associated sensor testing at WSMR and
Fort Bliss, TX, with off-range target missile launches from Fort
Wingate Depot Activity, NM, and the Green River Launch Complex, UT.
2. Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), FL. This alternative includes
defensive missile launches and associated sensor testing at Eglin AFB
on Santa Rosa Island and at Cape San Blas, with off-range target
missile launches from a sea-based platform in the Gulf of Mexico.
3. The Western Range, CA. This alternative includes defensive
missile launches and associated sensor testing at Vandenberg AFB, San
Nicholas Island, and San Clemente Island, with off-range target missile
launches from a sea-based platform in the Pacific Ocean.
4. Kwajalein Missile Range (KMR), U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll,
Republic of the Marshall Islands. This alternative includes defensive
missile launches and associated sensor testing at KMR and Wake Island
with off-range target missile launches from a sea-based platform in the
Pacific Ocean.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Major Thomas LaRock, OATSD/PA, Washington, DC 20301-1400, (703) 697-
5131.
Dated: January 9, 1995.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 95-842 Filed 1-11-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-04-M