[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 24 (Friday, February 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 5777]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2857]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Pope Air Force Base Runway Extension

    The United States Air Force is issuing this notice to advise the 
public of its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
assessing the potential environmental impacts of extending the runway 
at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. The present runway is too short 
to accommodate fully loaded, fully fueled C-5, C-17, and C-141 
aircraft. An extended runway will accommodate fully loaded and fueled 
planes and increase the efficiency of Pope's operations. The Air 
Mobility Command (AMC) proposes lengthening the runway in order to 
support Pope's strategic airlift mission better. Four alternatives are 
being considered--extending the northeast end, extending the southwest 
end, extending both ends, and leaving the runway as is (``no action''). 
All alternatives but the ``no action'' alternative involve extending 
the runway and adjacent taxiways, constructing a satellite fire station 
and various air navigation structures, rerouting of various utilities, 
and obtaining additional property for an end of runway clear zone and 
to mitigate potentially impacted wetlands.
    The Air Force will hold a public scoping meeting, in compliance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act, to request public 
involvement to identify environmental concerns that need to be 
addressed in the EIS. The schedule for the scoping meeting follows:

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                  Date                                Location                              Time
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25 February 1999........................  Spring Lake Town Hall Assembly   7:00-10:00 p.m.
                                           Room, 300 Ruth St., Spring
                                           Lake, NC 28390.
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    This meeting is the first step in soliciting public and government 
agency comments on the proposed action. Comments provided at this 
meeting and throughout the scoping process should focus on the nature 
and scope of the environmental issues and other concerns that need to 
be assessed in the EIS. During the meeting the Air Force will describe 
the proposed action and alternatives, define the process involved in 
preparing an EIS, and outline the opportunities for public involvement 
in the process. AMC will evaluate any reasonable alternatives 
identified during the scoping process and address them in the Draft 
EIS. The Draft EIS will be made available to the public and comments on 
it will be addressed during a public hearing. The information presented 
in the Draft EIS along with public comments will be included in the 
Final EIS. The Final EIS together with economic and technical data will 
be considered in making a final decision regarding the proposed runway 
extension. The final decision will then be documented in a Record of 
Decision that will be made public by the Air Force. To assure the Air 
Force will have sufficient time to fully consider public inputs on the 
proposed action and alternatives, written comments should be mailed no 
later than March 11, 1999.
    Please direct written comments or requests for further information 
concerning the Pope AFB Runway Extension EIS to: Mr. Jonathan D. 
Farthing, HQ AFCEE/ECA, 3207 North Road, Brooks AFB, TX 78235-5363, 
(210) 536-4203.
Carolyn A. Lunsford,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-2857 Filed 2-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-05-U