[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 17, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7861-7862]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3720]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement To 
Convert Two F-15 Formal Training Units to F-22 Units at Tyndall Air 
Force Base, Florida

    The United States Congress has determined the need exists to phase 
the older F-15 aircraft out of the primary air superiority role. The F-
22 ``Raptor'' has been chosen as the replacement aircraft to fulfill 
future combat air superiority requirements. Therefore, the United 
States Air Force (USAF) is announcing its intent to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the potential 
environmental impacts of converting two of the three existing formal 
training units (FTUs) at Tyndall Air Force Base (AFB), Florida from F-
15s to F-22s. This action will be known as the F-22 Conversion EIS.
    Tyndall AFB currently supports training for the majority of USAF F-
15 air-to-air pilots. It currently supports 87 aircraft, three FTUs, 
and 4,600 support personnel. In addition, it supports 1,625 additional 
personnel assigned to 29 associated units.
    The USAF proposes conversion over a 5-year period starting in 2003. 
During this period, the total number of aircraft will increase from 78 
to 105 at the peak (in 2008). From 2008 through 2012, the number of F-
15s will be reduced to a single squadron of 28 aircraft. The total 
number of F-22s will remain constant after 2008 with 60 in two 
squadrons. This proposed action includes training of student pilots, 
instructor fighter pilots, and ground crews. It will also provide for 
construction, modification and/or use of operational and training 
facilities (academic facility, simulator, etc.), base operating support 
(housing, commissary, etc.), logistics support (maintenance facilities, 
supply, transportation), and the necessary military airspace to conduct 
the required training.
    Because of the increased maneuvering capabilities of the F-22 over 
the F-15, additional military airspace is needed for pilot training. 
Currently, Tyndall AFB's most frequently used military airspace is over 
water approximately 50 miles southeast of the base near St. George 
Island. This area is called Warning Area-470, or simply W-470. A 
nonregulatory Warning Area (W) is airspace of defined dimensions 
designated over international waters that contains activity which may 
be hazardous to nonparticipating aircraft. The purpose of such warning 
areas is to warn nonparticipating pilots of the potential danger.
    W-470 starts 3 nautical miles (nm) from land and extends south into 
the Gulf of Mexico approximately 100 nm. Less frequently, Tyndall AFB 
aircraft use the airspace called W-151 which lies over the Gulf of 
Mexico south of Eglin AFB that is approximately 100 nm out. Tyndall AFB 
aircraft also use over 3,000 square miles of over-land military 
airspace for subsonic air-to-air training. The areas to the north, 
east, and southeast of the base are called the Tyndall Military 
Operating Areas (MOAs).
    For supersonic training, the USAF proposes to maximize the use of 
W-470, to increase the frequency of use of W-151, and to add W-168 for 
unrestricted training. The W-168 airspace lies south and east of W-470, 
nearly 140 nm from St. George Island. It extends offshore from 
approximately Tampa to Ft. Meyers. For large-scale exercises and as an 
overflow training area, the USAF proposes use of the areas known as the 
Eglin Water Test Areas (EWTAs), which is airspace located further out 
in the Gulf, below W-151 and W-470.
    The alternatives being considered include the mix of military 
airspace used for training and alternative locations for siting new 
facilities. Alternative airspace use includes: (1) Using the same 
airspace used by the F-15s (Tyndall overland areas, W-470, and W-151 on 
a limited basis), including recharting of the over water airspace to 
accommodate the larger area needed for the F-22s; (2) using the same 
airspace used by the F-15s, with regular use of W-168, increased use of 
W-151, and limited use of the EWTAs and W-155; and (3) using the same 
airspace used by the F-15s, with increased use

[[Page 7862]]

of W-151 and W-155. W-155 airspace lies over the Gulf of Mexico south 
of Pensacola, Florida, which extends for about 75 nm. All locations for 
the construction of new facilities will be on Tyndall AFB.
    The USAF is planning a series of public scoping meetings on the 
following dates and times at the indicated locations:
    1. Apalachicola--Community Center, No. 1 Battery Park, March 9, 
1999, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
    2. Marianna--Chipola Junior College, Public Service Building, 4487 
Long House Court, March 10, 1999, 7:30 p.m. Central Standard Time.
    3. Tallahassee--Florida State University, Moore Auditorium in the 
Oglesby Student Union Building, March 11, 1999, 7 p.m. Eastern Standard 
Time.
    4. Panama City--Gulf Coast Community College, Gardner Seminar Room, 
March 12, 1999, 7:30 p.m. Central Standard Time.
    The purpose of these meetings is to solicit comments relevant to 
the scope of issues to be considered in the EIS and to identify 
significant environmental issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS 
from government agencies, private organizations, and the public. 
Questions or clarifications concerning the proposal, or any other 
information, will be answered as they relate to the scope of the effort 
anticipated. The Air Force will consider all reasonable alternatives 
offered.
    The scoping meetings will provide opportunities for clarification 
of the proposal. Written comments and questions submitted at the 
meeting or any time during the formal scoping period will be considered 
in their entirety and will carry the same weight as oral comments.
    To ensure the USAF has sufficient time to consider public input in 
the preparation of the Draft EIS, comments should be submitted to the 
address below by March 15, 1999. For further information concerning the 
preparation of the F-22 Conversion EIS, or to provide written comments, 
please contact: Mr. Herman Bell, Tyndall Air Force Base, Public Affairs 
Office, 325 FW/PA, 445 Suwannee Road, Suite 129, Tyndall AFB, Florida 
32403.
Carolyn A. Lunsford,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-3720 Filed 2-16-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-01-P