[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 207 (Tuesday, October 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 57282]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-28720]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Draft Legislative Environmental 
Impact Statement for the McGregor Range Military Land Withdrawal 
Renewal at Fort Bliss, Texas and New Mexico

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This announces the availability of the Draft Legislative 
Environmental Impact Statement (DLEIS) which assesses the potential 
environmental impact of the proposed renewal of the McGregor Range 
military land withdrawal.
    The alternatives considered in the DLEIS are (1) the current 
boundaries of McGregor Range would remain the same; (2) the Tularosa 
Basin and Otero Mesa portions of McGregor Range would be withdrawn for 
continued military use; (3) the Tularosa Basin portion of McGregor 
Range would be withdrawn for continued military use; (4) the Tularosa 
Basin portion of McGregor Range south of New Mexico Highway 506 would 
be withdrawn for continued military use; (5) the no-action alternative 
was also considered in the DLEIS; (6) Congress could designate the 
Otero Mesa and Sacramento Mountain foothills as a National Conservation 
Area and Culp Canyon as a wilderness area on lands returned to the 
public domain under Alternatives 3, 4, and 5.

DATES: Comments should be received no later than February 5, 1999, to 
ensure due consideration.

ADDRESSES: To obtain copies of the DLEIS, contact Ms. Irene Reed, 
Office of the Program Manager, McGregor Renewal, ATTN: ATZC-CSA, Fort 
Bliss, TX 79916.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr. Andrew Vliet, Program Manager, ATTN: ATZC-CSA, Ft. Bliss, TX 79916. 
Dr. Vliet may be contacted at (915) 568-6708 or toll-free at (888) 248-
8329. For copies of the DLEIS, contact Ms. Irene Reed at (915) 568-6708 
or toll free at (888) 248-8329.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The analysis discusses potential impacts of 
varying degree under each alternative in the areas of land use, 
biological resources (including federally listed threatened and 
endangered species), cultural resources, geology, and soils, 
transportation, utilities, socioeconomics, hazardous materials and 
items of special concern, and regional cumulative effects on water 
resources. However, these impacts are not expected to differ 
significantly from the current conditions for each of these resources 
as they exist now.
    Public meetings for the purpose of receiving comments on the DLEIS 
will be held in Alamogordo and Las Cruces, New Mexico and in El Paso, 
Texas. Additional details will follow in the media and through mailings 
to persons and organization on the McGregor Range Land Withdrawal 
Renewal mailing list. Public comments received on the DLEIS will be 
considered and addressed in the Final LEIS and considered by the Army 
in its recommendation to Congress.

    Dated: October 20, 1998.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health), OASA (I, L&E).
[FR Doc. 98-28720 Filed 10-26-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M