[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 152 (Friday, August 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42380-42383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21247]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Deparment of the Navy


Record of Decision and General Conformity Determination for the 
Development of Facilities To Support Basing U.S. Pacific Fleet F/A-18E/
F Aircraft on the West Coast of the United States

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice of record of decision.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy, after carefully weighing the 
operational, environmental, and cost implications of basing U.S. 
Pacific Fleet F/A-18E/F aircraft in the western United States, 
announces its deicsion to base those aircraft, and associated military 
and civilian personnel, and family members, at Naval Air Station (NAS) 
Lemoore.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Samuel L. Dennis, Naval Facilities Engineering Field Activity West 
Command (Code 7031), 900 Commodore Drive, San Bruno, CA 94066-5006, 
telephone number (650) 244-3007.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The text of the entire Record of Decision 
(ROD) is provided as follows:
    The Department of the Navy (DON), pursuant to Section 102(c) of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. Section 
4331 et. seq.), and the regulations of the Council on Environmental 
Quality (CEQ) that implement NEPA procedures (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), 
hereby announces its decision to construct facilities to support basing 
of U.S. Pacific Fleet F/A-18E/F aircraft, and associated military and 
civilian personnel, and family members, at NAS Lemoore, California.
    F/A-18E/F aircraft incoroprate major operational improvements that 
enhance strike/fighter capability and replace older outdated aircraft 
models that cannot accommodate new weapons and weapons systems. The F/
A-18E/F aircraft is intended to replace existing strike/fighter 
capacity on the West Coast.
    Basing and operating of 164 F/A-18E/F aircraft will be accomplished 
as set out in the Preferred Alternative described in the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). To support personnel, 
operations, and maintenance associated with the F/A-18E/F homebasing, 
12 construction projects, consisting primarily of additions to existing 
facilities, are required at NAS Lemoore. The homebasing of the F/A-18E/
F aircraft will also increase aircraft operations at NAS Lemoore and 
associated training ranges, particularly the R-2508 complex.
    Implementation of the decision will begin in 1999 with Phase I, the 
introduction of 92 F/A-18E/F strike/fighter aircraft comprising one new 
fleet replacement squadron and four new fleet operational squadrons. 
Phase II of the implementation process, extending to 2010, involves 
replacement of 72 existing F/A-18C/D strike/fighter aircraft based at 
NAS Lemoore with F/A-18E/F strike/fighter aircraft.
    Pursuant to Section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C. 
7476(c)), the DON has determined that the homebasing of F/A-18E/F 
aircraft as NAS Lemoore will conform to the San Joaquin Valley Unified 
Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD) Implementation Plan.

Process

    A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS for the homebasing of up 
to 164 F/A-18E/F aircraft on the West Coast of the United States was 
published in the Federal Register on April 23, 1997. Three public 
scoping meetings were held on April 28, 29 an 30 of 1997, in Lemoore, 
CA; El Centro, CA; and Point Mugu/Camarillo, CA, respectively.
    A Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Draft EIS (DEIS) was 
published in the Federal Register on December 12, 1997. Public hearings 
were held on January 7 and 8, in Lemoore, CA, and El Centro, CA, 
respectively. Approximately 75 individuals, agencies, and organizations 
submitted comments on the DEIS. The FEIS addressed all oral and written 
comments.
    The NOA for the FEIS was published in the Federal Register on June 
5, 1998. Public notices and news releases noting the availability of 
the FEIS and draft Final Clean Air Act (CAA) Conformity Determination 
were published in local and regional newspaper on June 5, 1998. The DON 
received approximately 40 public comments during the 30 day public 
comment period.

Alternatives Considered

    The DON screened nine West Coast Navy and Marine Corps Air 
installations as potential sites for homebasing the F/A-18E/F aircraft. 
This screening process examined installations relative to the following 
operational criteria: (1) Field elevation, (2) training ranges, (3) 
basing at least two F/A-18E/F squadrons at each installation, (4) 
airfield tempo of operations, (5) 24-hour aircraft operations, (6) dual 
runways, and (7) field carrier landing practice. Installations meeting 
the operational screening criteria were NAS Lemoore and Naval Air 
Facility (NAF) El Centro.
    The DON evaluated operational, logistical, and personnel 
requirements, environmental impacts, and life cycle cost of homebasing 
at each of the alternative locations. Based upon this comparative 
analysis, the DON selected NAS Lemoore as its Preferred Alternative. 
NAS Lemoore is also the environmentally preferred alternative.

Environmental Impacts

    Environmental resources involving land use and airspace, visual 
resources, socioeconomics, cultural resources, traffic and circulation, 
air quality, noise, biological resources, hydrological resources, 
utilities and services, public health and safety, and hazardous 
materials and waste were analyzed in the EIS. The DON also considered 
potential cumulative impacts of the proposed action and consistency of 
the proposed action with federal policies addressing environmental 
justice. This Record of Decision focuses on the

[[Page 42381]]

significant impacts that could result from the homebasing of F/A-18E/F 
aircraft at NAS Lemoore.

Air Quality

    There is the potential for significant impacts on air quality due 
to emissions from activities associated with the increased air 
operations associated with the F/A-18E/F aircraft. Direct and indirect 
emissions would exceed the relevant CAA conformity de minimis 
thresholds for ozone and PM10 precursors. A formal CAA conformity 
determination that net emission increases have been addressed as 
required by SJVUAPCD Rule 9110, which incorporates by reference the EPA 
Determination of Conformity for General Federal Actions (40 CFR 
51.860). Maximum conformity-related emission increases to support F/A-
18E/F aircraft equal 340.12 tons per year of reactive organic 
compounds, 304.77 tons per year of nitrogen oxides, and 167.86 tons per 
year of PM10. These conformity-related emissions have been compensated 
by mobile source conformity offsets previously obtained by NAS Lemoore 
as a result of the closure of Castle Air Force Base in 1995 and an 
additional 218.28 tons of reactive organic compound mobile source 
conformity offsets transferred by the Federal Aviation Administration 
(FAA). In the Air Force ROD for the disposal of Castle Air Force Base, 
signed in January 1995, the Air Force transferred to the DON air 
credits so that the DON could achieve conformity for the then proposed 
realignment of Navy aircraft from former NAS Miramar to NAS Lemoore. 
That realignment did not occur, leaving the DON with unused offsets in 
the amount of 100 tons per year of reactive organic compounds, 367.1 
tons per year of nitrogen oxides, and 151.6 tons per year of PM10. The 
remainder of the Air Force credits, 2311.2 tons of reactive organic 
compounds and 642.7 tons of nitrogen oxide were transferred to the FAA 
by the Air Force for their use in satisfying any conformity 
requirements generated by a airport redevelopment proposal for Castle 
Air Force Base. To date the civilian airport redevelopment proposal has 
not required the use of mobile source conformity offsets. The DON 
identified the need for 218.28 tons of reactive organic compounds to 
support the introduction of the F/A-18E/F aircraft. The FAA concurred 
in the request and transferred this amount of reactive organic compound 
mobile source conformity offsets for DON use at NAS Lemoore effective 
July 22, 1998. The remaining pollutant-specific deficiencies and 
surpluses are: a dificienty of 21.84 tons per year for reactive 
compounds; a surplus of 62.33 tons per year for nitrogen oxides; and a 
deficiency of 16.26 tons per year for PM10 (FEIS Appendix E).
    The SJVUAPCD recognizes and supports interpollutant trading for 
purposes of demonstrating CAA conformity. Nitrogen oxides are 
recognized by the SJVUAPCD as both ozone and PM10 precursors. The 
surplus conformity offsets of nitrogen oxide emissions are more than 
sufficient to provide interpollutant offsets that address the reactive 
organic compound and PM10 conformity offset requirements. Consequently 
CAA conformity has been demonstrated (FEIS Appendix E) pursuant to 40 
CFR 51.858(a) (2) and 40 CFR 58.858(a) (5) (iii). Both EPA and SJVUAPCD 
have concurred with DON's conformity determination. No other comments 
were received on the draft Final CAA General Conformity Determination.
    This ROD provides an enforceable mechanism for implementing the 
mobile source conformity offsets consistent with the EPA's general 
conformity rule. NAS Lemoore will follow SJVUAPCD procedures to ensure 
that new, relocated or modified facilities and equipment meet 
applicable rules and regulations (including all state implementation 
plan requirements) prior to facility construction or installation.
    As part of this Record of Decision, I approve the CAA Conformity 
Determination included in FEIS Appendix E.

Hazardous Substances

    There is the potential for significant impacts from the exposure of 
flightline personnel at NAS Lemoore to hazardous substances contained 
in aviation fuel. With increased fuel handling to support the 
additional F/A-18E/F aircraft, the risk of exposure to hazardous 
substances will increase. Additionally, increased fuel handling will 
increase the risk of fuel spills. To mitigate these potential impacts, 
plans and programs governing the construction of new fuel storage 
areas, the operation of new fuel storage areas, and fuel handling 
procedures will be amended to implement procedures for reducing 
exposure to hazardous substances associated with increased fuel usage. 
Combined with current efforts to meet regulatory requirements for the 
installation of enhanced monitoring equipment for the existing fuel 
storage areas, the risk of exposure to hazardous substances will be 
reduced to a less than significant level. Additionally, existing Spill 
Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans will be amended to 
account for the increased risk of fuel spills.
    Schools--There is the potential for significant impacts to schools 
because the homebasing of F/A-18E/F aircraft will add between 783 and 
1,283 students to area school districts. Area schools are either near 
or over capacity. An increase in student population will exacerbate 
this situation. School districts may be eligible for federal funding 
which aids local school districts in the education of military 
children. Schools must apply for impact aid and the funds are paid 
directly by the Department of Education. To mitigate these potential 
impacts, the DON will assist affected school districts, to the extent 
practicable, in their pursuit of federal impact aid. Implementation of 
this mitigation measure may reduce the level of impact to one that is 
less than significant. However, full funding of federal impact aid is 
unlikely because of federal funding decreases in recent years.

Traffic

    There is the potential for significant impacts to traffic 
circulation at the signalized intersection of Grangeville Road and 
State Route 41 during the evening peak hour due to increases in 
personnel assigned to NA Lemoore. This impact could be mitigated by 
increasing the signal cycle at the Grangeville Road and State Route 41 
intersection during evening peak hour. With a change in cycle length 
from 80 to 90 seconds, the impact on the intersection would be reduced 
to a less than significant level. As this mitigation measure involves 
local off-base roadways, DON has no authority to implement the measure. 
Implementation is under the control of state and/or local officials.

Noise

    While there will be no significant impacts from noise associated 
with operation of F/A-18E/F aircraft, it is clear from public comments 
throughout the EIS process that the public is concerned with noise 
impacts from aircraft, especially overflight of national parks and 
wilderness areas. In response to these public comments the Navy 
conducted focused noise analyses for four areas of concern: the NAS 
Lemoore airfield and vicinity, the transit routes to the R-2508 
Airspace Complex, the R-2508 Airspace Complex, and the VR-1257 military 
training route (MTR). The focused noise analyses are discussed in FEIS 
Section 4.7.
    Average daily noise levels, expressed as Community Noise Equivalent 
Level (CNEL), will increase by up to 5 dBA at

[[Page 42382]]

NAS Lemoore and some areas in the immediate vicinity. Even with this 
increase military family housing, on-base schools, and affected off-
base agricultural lands will not be exposed to incompatible noise 
levels.
    There are two primary flight corridors connecting NAS Lemoore with 
the R-2508 Complex. These corridors are identified by the name assigned 
to the associated R-2508 access points, Kiote and Swoop. Both of these 
corridors overfly western parts of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National 
Parks. Aircraft from NAS Lemoore normally enter the R-2508 Complex via 
one access point and return to NAS Lemoore via the other, thus 
separating aircraft flying in different directions at similar altitude. 
A new access point, Fangg, has been proposed north of the Kiote access 
point and near the northwestern corridor of the R-2508 Complex. This 
proposal is currently under review by FAA. Development of the Fangg 
access point is being coordinated with the National Park Service and 
the R-2508 Central Coordination Facility (CCF). If the new access point 
is approved by the FAA, NAS Lemoore will discontinue use of the Kiote 
access point. Thus, the entry and exit points for the R-2508 Complex 
would be from the northern and southern most access points and away 
from the areas most used by park visitors.
    Analysis of noise from existing NAS Lemoore air traffic along these 
corridors indicates a CNEL level of 50 dBA. The addition of the F/A-
18E/F aircraft would increase the CNEL by about 6 dBA, resulting in 
CNEL levels along the highest ridgelines between 50 and 56 dBA. 
Visitors to national parks and wilderness areas will hear individual 
aircraft, but the noise will be of limited duration and will not 
significantly affect use of the parks or wilderness areas. 
Establishment of the Fangg access point will route aircraft away from 
areas generally used by park visitors. DON will continue to work with 
the National Park Service to address concerns about overflight and 
noise.
    Once the aircraft cross the crest of the Sierra Mountains they 
enter the R-2508 Complex. Aircraft from NAS Lemoore generally operate 
in the northern half of the complex and are required by the range 
manager to maintain flight altitudes of at least 3,000 feet above 
ground level (AGL) when flying over designated noise sensitive areas. 
Phase 1 of the proposed action will increase the number of Navy 
operations in the R-2508 Complex by approximately 7,000 per year, 
resulting in a 19.5 percent increase in total military operations 
within the complex. This would result in a CNEL increase of less than 1 
dBA.
    Implementation of Phase 2 of the proposed action, the replacement 
of existing F/A-18C/D aircraft with F/A-18E/F aircraft, will result in 
a decrease in noise impacts within the R-2508 Complex. This decrease 
would occur because most of the sorties would be conducted by newer F/
A-18E/F aircraft, which produce less noise at higher power settings 
than the existing F/A-18C/D aircraft.
    Aircraft stationed at NAS Lemoore use a number of military training 
routes (MTRs). All but one of these routes avoid significant noise 
sensitive land uses. The VR-1257 low altitude MTR passes over portions 
of Joshua Tree National Park and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. 
Portions of the corridor are flown at altitudes as low as 400 feet AGL. 
As a result of discussions with the National Park Service the Navy 
voluntarily raised the flight altitude for the portion of VR-1257 that 
crosses Joshua Tree National Park. This portion is flown at FAA's 
maximum allowable altitude of 1,500 feet AGL. Current use of the VR-
1257 is relatively low. Only 164 sorties were flown in 1997, of which 
87 were attributed to F/A-18C/D aircraft. An additional 50 sorties per 
year would be added to VR-1257 by F/A-18E/F aircraft. CNEL noise levels 
would increase only by an undetectable 0.5 dBA. With F/A-18E/F aircraft 
using the MTR, CNEL noise levels would be 55 dBA for those portions of 
the route flown at 400 feet AGL, and less than 50 dBA for those 
portions of the corridor flown at or above altitudes of 1,000 AGL. 
Visitors to Joshua Tree National Park and Anza-Borrego Desert State 
Park will hear individual aircraft, but the noise will be of limited 
duration and will not significantly affect use of the parks. DON will 
continue to work with the National Park Service and state park 
officials to address concerns about overflight and noise.

Response to Comments Received Regarding the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement

    The DON received 40 comments on the FEIS from two federal agencies, 
one state agency, three local agencies, and numerous citizens groups 
and individuals. A majority of the comments received on the FEIS dealt 
with noise impacts to national parks, wilderness areas, and State parks 
associated with increased aircraft operations. Generally those that 
commented upon noise impacts to recreational areas simply disagreed 
with the conclusions reached by the FEIS. Substantive comments are 
addressed below.
    Several commentors criticized the discussion of noise impacts for 
not considering the unique nature of solitude in national parks and 
wilderness areas. Federal and state land management agencies generally 
have not adopted noise criteria for open space, natural resource 
management, or recreation lands under their jurisdiction. The National 
Park Service, for example, identifies ``sounds of nature'' and 
``natural quiet'' as resources to be protected, but does not have any 
quantitative criteria for determining when the magnitude or frequency 
of noise events constitutes an adverse impact on these resources. 
Consequently, noise impacts affecting park and wilderness lands were 
assessed using existing annual average day/night noise criteria (CNEL).
    The National Parks and Conservation Association commented that the 
Navy failed to comply with Section 4(f) of the Transportation Act (49 
U.S.C. Section 303(c)) which requires special analysis of actions that 
use parklands. The Navy is not required to undertake such special 
analysis for aircraft operations. Section 1079 of Title 10, U.S. Code, 
expressly excludes military aircraft operations from the application of 
section 4(f) of the Transportation Act.
    The National Parks and Conservation Association has suggested the 
proposal to add a fourth access point to the R-2508 Complex merits the 
issuance of a supplemental EIS. A supplemental EIS is not required for 
every piece of information added to a final EIS as a result of review 
of the draft EIS. By establishing an iterative review and revision 
process for NEPA documents, CEQ regulations clearly contemplate 
modification and expansion of analysis in the final EIS over that 
contained in the draft. The establishment of a new access point is 
adequately discussed in the FEIS. The types of impacts associated with 
the new access point do not differ from those described for the 
existing access points. In fact, because establishment of a new access 
point will move aircraft away from areas normally used by park 
visitors, the overall impact of establishing a new access point is 
positive. A supplemental EIS is not warranted.
    The National Parks and Conservation Association has stated that the 
ongoing Department of Defense/National Park Service study of the 
perception of aircraft noise upon park visitors must be completed prior 
to any decision on the proposed action. The FEIS discusses the noise 
levels associated with the proposed action and their impact upon the 
human environment based upon existing criteria. Should the ongoing

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study develop new criteria for analysis of noise impacts on parks or 
wilderness areas, DON would evaluate that information to determine 
whether supplemental analysis under NEPA was warranted.

Conclusions

    In determining where to homebase the U.S. Pacific Fleet F/A-18E/F 
aircraft on the west coast, I considered the following: assets and 
capabilities of existing Navy and Marine Corps Air Stations; the F/A-
18E/F operational and training requirements; environmental impacts; 
costs associated with construction of facilities, the operation and 
maintenance of aircraft, and training of personnel; and comments 
received during the DEIS and FEIS public involvement periods.
    After carefully weighing all of these factors and analyzing the 
data presented in the Final Environmental Impact Statement, I have 
determined that the Preferred Alternative, homebasing the F/A-18E/F 
aircraft at NAS Lemoore, has the fewest adverse environmental impacts, 
best meets the operational requirements for the F/A-18E/F, and involves 
the minimum additional costs associated with the development of 
facilities to support the F/A-18E/F aircraft and personnel.
    Therefore, on behalf of the Department of the Navy, I have decided 
to implement the proposed action by homebasing 164 F/A-18E/F aircraft 
at NAS Lemoore. In addition to the specific mitigation measures 
identified in this Record of Decision, the Department of Navy will 
continue to review its operational procedures and coordinate with other 
federal, state, and local entities as necessary to determine if any 
additional mitigation measures are feasible and practicable.

    Dated: July 28, 1998.
Duncan Holaday,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, (Installations and Facilities).
[FR Doc. 98-21247 Filed 8-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M