[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 209 (Wednesday, October 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 56153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28637]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Renewal of the McGregor Range, New Mexico, Military Land
Withdrawal
AGENCY: U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Center and Fort Bliss, Fort
Bliss, Texas and New Mexico, Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The United States Army will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts of
renewal of the McGregor Range, New Mexico, military land withdrawal.
McGregor Range, New Mexico, is an integral part of the U.S. Army Air
Defense Artillery Center and For Bliss (USAADACENFB). The current land
withdrawal and reservation of the McGregor Range was established by the
Military Lands Withdrawal Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-606) for the period
ending November 6, 2001. The Act provides that the Army may seek
renewal of the McGregor Range withdrawal, in connection with which the
Secretary of the Army will publish a Draft EIS consistent with the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969.
In preparing the DEIS, the Army and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
have mutually agreed to use the legislative environmental impact
statement (LEIS) process pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.8 to comply with the
requirements of P.L. 99-606. This LEIS will be prepared in cooperation
with BLM and will be completed by November 6, 1998, in accordance with
P.L. 99-606. Therefore, pursuant to the LEIS process, a Final LEIS
(FLEIS) will be prepared and a Notice of Availability of the FLEIS will
be published in the Federal Register; however, there will not be a
Record of Decision.
The purpose of the proposed McGregor Range renewal is to retain a
military training and testing range essential to near and long-term
preparedness of the U.S. Army and other military services. Renewing the
land withdrawal will provide for the continuation of on-going training
and testing missions for air defense artillery systems while
maintaining the flexibility to adapt to the training needs of new
technologies and doctrine as they develop. McGregor Range provides a
combination of attributes that serve this training requirement,
including favorable location and weather; sufficient land and airspace;
diverse terrain; and developed training support facilities. McGregor
Range includes approximately 608,385 acres of withdrawn pubic domain
land in Otero County, New Mexico, containing a complex of facilities,
ranges, and safety areas to support training and test activities of the
U.S. Army and other organizations.
As a result of the Military lands Withdrawal Act of 1986, the Army
and BLM co-manage McGregor Range with military requirements having
priority over non-military uses. This management arrangement is defined
in a Memorandum of Understanding between Fort Bliss and the BLM which
define agency responsibilities related to energy and mineral resources,
wildlife habitat management, grazing, recreation, hunting, visual and
cultural resources, fire management, wilderness study areas and areas
of environmental concern.
The LEIS will consider reasonable alternatives including renewal of
the current public domain land withdrawal for military use. Without
limiting the priority military use, non-military co-use activities
would continue to be managed in part by the BLM. The No Action
(allowing the current withdrawal to expire) alternative required by
NEPA will be evaluated. Other reasonable alternatives will also be
considered.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 9, 1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Please direct written comments concerning the scope of the McGregor
Range, New Mexico, Military Land Withdrawal Renewal LEIS to: Dr. A.
Vliet, Program Manager, McGregor Range Withdrawal, U.S. Army Air
Defense Artillery Center and Fort Bliss, ATTN: ATZC-CSA, PO Box 6020,
Fort Bliss, Texas 79906; telephone (915) 568-6708.
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: Continuance of military and non-military multiple
use of McGregor Range, in particular the area known as Otero Mesa will
be addressed.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public scoping meetings in connection with
this LEIS will be held in three communities: Las Cruces and Alamogordo,
New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas. Meeting times and locations will be
published in local newspapers. These meetings will provide the
opportunity for the public to become aware of the LEIS and for the Army
to gather public input regarding the scope of the study and reasonable
alternatives. Those unable to attend the scheduled scoping meetings may
submit written comments regarding the scope of the LEIS through January
9, 1998, to the address above.
A mailing list has been prepared for public scoping and review
throughout the process of preparation of this LEIS. This list includes
local, state and federal agencies with jurisdiction of other interests
in the project. In addition, the mailing list includes adjacent
property owners, affected municipalities and other interested parties
such as conservation organizations. Anyone wishing to be added to the
mailing list may request to be added by contacting the person
identified below.
Dated: October 24, 1997.
Richard E. Newsome,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and
Occupational Health) OASA (I, L&E).
[FR Doc. 97-28637 Filed 10-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-38-M