[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 28 (Friday, February 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4965-4966]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-2913]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent to Prepare a Legislative Environmental Impact 
Statement for Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR) Renewal, AZ

    The United States Air Force (Air Force) will prepare a legislative 
environmental impact statement (LEIS) to assess the potential 
environmental impacts of renewal of the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force 
Range (BMGR), Arizona. The LEIS will be prepared in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
    The current land withdrawal and reservation of the BMGR was 
established by the Military Lands Withdrawal Act of 1986 (Public Law 
99-606) for the period ending on November 6, 2001. The Act provides 
that the Air Force may seek renewal of the BMGR withdrawal, in 
connection with which the Secretary of the Air Force will publish a 
legislative EIS addressing legislative alternatives and the effects of 
continued withdrawal.
    The purpose of the proposed BMGR renewal is to retain a military 
aircrew training range essential to near- and long-term preparedness of 
United States tactical air forces. Renewing the land withdrawal will 
provide for the continued effective implementation of ongoing air 
services training missions while maintaining the flexibility to adapt 
to the training needs of new technologies as they develop. The 
performance of air operations in combat is directly related to the 
quality and depth of training. BMGR provides a unique combination of 
attributes that serve this training requirement, including the 
following: favorable location and flying weather; sufficient land and 
airspace; diverse terrain; and developed training support facilities.
    A range of alternatives, including the No Action alternative 
required by NEPA, will be considered. Three alternatives are described 
below.
     Proposed Action: Renew Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range 
withdrawal and reservation for an indefinite period of time with 
Congressional review every 15 years. The existing land withdrawal and 
reservation, consisting of 2,664,423 acres, would be reauthorized for 
an indefinite period of time. The land would be reserved by Congress 
for use by the Air Force for an armament and high-hazard test area; 
training for aerial gunnery, rocketry, electronic warfare, and tactical 
maneuvering and air support; and other defense-related purposes. Every 
15 years Congress would review the Air Force's continuing military need 
for the land, the environmental effects, and the needs of competing 
uses for the land and could adjust, if warranted, the terms and 
conditions of the withdrawal. Without limiting the priority use by the 
Air Force, the land would be managed in part by the Bureau of Land 
Management and in part by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 
Specifically, the Bureau of Land Management would manage 1,842,423 
acres of the BMGR pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976 and other applicable law. (The limited acreage of State 
Trust Land within this portion of the BMGR would continue under Air 
Force use.) The remaining 822,000 acres of the BMGR are within the 
Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and would be managed by the Fish 
and Wildlife Service pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System 
Act of 1976.
     Alternative A: Renew the existing BMGR land withdrawal and 
reservation for 25 years. The existing land withdrawal and reservation, 
consisting of 2,664,423 acres, would be reauthorized for a specified 
term of 25 years, rather than for an indefinite time with periodic 
reviews. Otherwise, this alternative is like the Proposed Action.
     No Action Alternative: No renewal of the BMGR land 
withdrawal and reservation. The land would not be reserved for use by 
the Air Force. The lands within the existing BMGR boundary would be 
managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the State of Arizona, and the 
Fish and Wildlife Service under existing authorities. The No Action 
alternative would result in the fragmentation or cancellation of 
training missions accomplished at the BMGR. DOD would prepare 
appropriate environmental documentation to obtain Federal Aviation 
Administration approval to reclassify the existing restricted airspace 
to a Military Operation Area (MOA). This would allow for air-to-air 
training operations to continue, but would preclude air-to-ground 
training missions.
    To provide a forum for interested parties to provide comments on 
the 

[[Page 4966]]
scope of the LEIS, a series of scoping meetings will be held in eight 
southern Arizona communities. In addition, written comments will be 
accepted throughout the scoping period, which ends April 1, 1996. 
Scoping meetings will be held at the following times and locations.

Public Meeting Locations and Times

Phoenix--February 20, 1996, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., Glendale Community College, 
Student Union, Student Lounge, 6000 W. Olive Ave.
Sells--February 24, 1996, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Tribal Council Chambers
Tucson--February 26, 1996, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., U of A Medical College, 
Duval Auditorium, 1501 N. Campbell Ave.
Ajo--February 27, 1996, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., Ajo Community Center, Bud 
Walker Park, 290 E. 5th St.
Santa Rosa--February 28, 1996, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Santa Rosa Boarding 
School
Yuma--March 4, 1996, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., Yuma Civic Center, 1440 Desert 
Hills Drive
Gila Bend--March 5, 1996, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., Gila Bend Union High School, 
Logan Auditorium, 308 N. Martin
Casa Grande--March 6, 1996, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., Ironwood Elementary School, 
Gymnasium, 1500 N. Colorado

    Please direct written comments concerning the BMGR Renewal LEIS to: 
Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range Renewal LEIS, P.O. Box 1558, Tempe, 
Arizona 85280-1558.
If you have any questions or require additional information, please 
contact Lt. Marshall Wolfe at (602) 856-6011.
Patsy J. Conner,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-2913 Filed 2-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3910-01-P