[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 176 (Friday, September 11, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48716-48717]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24424]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Availability and Public Hearings for the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Disposal and Reuse of Naval 
Air Station, Barbers Point (NASBP), HI

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Announcement of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy (Navy) and its cooperating agency, 
the Federal Aviation Administration, has prepared and filed with the 
Environmental Protection Agency the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for Disposal and Reuse of Naval Air Station, Barbers 
Point, HI (NASBP). Two public hearings will be held for the purpose of 
receiving oral and written comments on the DEIS. Federal, state and 
local agencies, and interested individuals are invited to be present or 
represented at the meetings.

DATES: Hearing dates are:
1. October 5, 1998, 7:00 p.m., Kapolei, HI
2. October 7, 1998, 7:00 p.m., Honolulu, HI

ADDRESSES: Hearing locations are:

1. Kapolei--James Campbell Building, Laulima Room, 1001 Kamokila 
Boulevard, Kapolei, HI
2. Honolulu--Washington Intermediate School, 1663 South King Street, 
Honolulu, HI

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Fred Minato (Code 231PM), (808) 
471-9338.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Council on Environmental 
Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) that implement the 
procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
the Department of the Navy (Navy) and its cooperating agency, the 
Federal Aviation Administration, has prepared and filed with the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency the DEIS for Disposal and Reuse of 
NASBP. This notice announces the availability of the DEIS and the dates 
and locations of the public hearings.
    The proposed action is the disposal of surplus Navy property for 
subsequent reuse and redevelopment, in accordance with the 1990 Defense 
Base Closure and Realignment Act, and the 1993 Base Closure and 
Realignment Commission recommendations. NASBP will be closed on July 2, 
1999. Of the 3,722 acres (1,507 hectares) of land at NASBP, Navy is 
retaining about 1,130 acres (457.7 hectares) and approximately 492 
acres (199 hectares) are being transferred to other federal agencies. 
The remaining 2,100 acres (850 hectares) of base closure property have 
been declared surplus and are the focus of this DEIS.
    The DEIS evaluates four reuse alternatives, each emphasizing 
various types of development, e.g., residential, light industrial, 
recreational, and commercial. Three of the alternatives include a 
general aviation reliever airport. A fifth alternative, No Action, 
assumes the existing airport would not be used and, along with other 
surplus land (land not being retained by Navy or other federal 
agencies), would be retained by Navy in caretaker status. The plan 
approved by the Barbers Point Naval Air Station Redevelopment 
Commission, the State and Navy's preferred alternative, includes the 
following major elements: general aviation reliever airport for 
Honolulu International Airport, large areas for park and recreational 
uses, and areas for commercial/private recreation, light industrial, 
residential, and homeless providers. No decision on the proposed action 
will be made until the NEPA process has been completed.
    The DEIS analyzes potential environmental impacts to land use and 
airspace, visual resources, socioeconomics, cultural resources, traffic 
and circulation, air quality, noise, biological resources, water 
resources, utilities and services, public health and safety, and 
hazardous materials and waste. No significant environmental impacts are 
anticipated from the proposed action with the exception of infrequent 
and severe traffic conditions resulting from major events at special 
attractions (e.g., motor sports raceway complex) which may occur 
several times a year. Other potentially significant, but mitigable, 
environmental impacts include impacts to biological resources, cultural 
resources, and public safety.
    A Notice of Intent to prepare the EIS was published in the Federal 
Register on March 26, 1997 and two public scoping meetings were held on 
April 16 and April 17, 1997. A Notice of Availability of the DEIS was 
published in the Federal Register on August 28, 1998.
    The DEIS has been distributed to affected Federal, state, and local 
agencies, and interested parties. In addition, copies of the DEIS are 
available for review at Ewa Beach Public and School Library, and Hawaii 
State Main Library.
    Two public hearings will be held to inform the public of the DEIS 
findings and to solicit and receive oral and written comments. The 
first hearing will be held at 7:00 p.m. on October 5, 1998, at the 
James Campbell Building, Laulima Room, 1001 Kamokila Boulevard, 
Kapolei. The second hearing will be held in the cafeteria of Washington 
Intermediate School, 1663 South King Street, Honolulu, at 7:00 p.m. on 
October 7, 1998. Federal, state, and local agencies, and interested 
individuals are invited to be present at the hearings. Oral comments 
will be heard and transcribed by a court recorder; written comments are 
also requested to ensure accuracy of the record. All comments, both 
oral and written, will become part of the official record. In the 
interest of available time, each speaker will be asked to limit oral 
comments to three minutes. Longer comments should be summarized at the 
public hearing and submitted in writing either at the hearing or mailed 
to Mr. Fred Minato (Code 231FM), Pacific Division, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 96860-7300, facsimile (808) 
474-5909. Written

[[Page 48717]]

comments are requested not later than October 12, 1998.

    Dated: September 8, 1998.
Ralph W. Corey,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-24424 Filed 9-10-98; 8:45 am]
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