[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 147 (Monday, July 31, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46696-46697]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19282]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Public Hearings for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/
Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS/OEIS) for the Naval Air 
Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWPNS) Point Mugu Sea Range

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy (Navy) has prepared and filed with 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the DEIS/OEIS for the 
NAWCWPNS Point Mugu Sea Range. Public hearings will be held to provide 
information and receive oral and written comments on the DEIS/OEIS. 
Federal, state, local agencies, and interested individuals are invited 
to be present or represented at the hearings.

DATES: Public hearings will be held on August 14-16, 2000 from 6:00 
p.m.-9:00 p.m. and August 21-22, 2000 from 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: August 14, 2000--Oxnard, California, Ventura Room, Oxnard 
performing Arts & Community Center, 800 Hobson Way; August 15, 2000--
Camarillo, California, Orchid Room, 816 Camarillo Springs Road; August 
16, 2000--Ventura, California, Holiday Inn, 450 East Harbor Boulevard; 
August 21, 2000--Santa Barbara, California, Fess Parker Doubletree 
Hotel, 633 East Cabrillo Boulevard; and August 22, 2000--Santa Monica, 
California, Community Room, Santa Monica Place (shopping mall), 395 
Santa Monica Place.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Gina Smith, Naval Air Warfare 
Center Weapons Division, Facsimile (805) 989-0143. Additional 
information concerning this notice, including hearing dates and 
locations, may be obtained by calling toll-free (888) 217-9045 or by 
accessing the Point Mugu Sea Range EIS/OEIS Home Page at the following 
web address: http://www.nawcwpns.navy.mil/pmeis.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Navy has prepared and filed with the EPA 
the DEIS/OEIS for the NAWCWPNS Point Mugu Sea Range in accordance with 
the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
USC Sections 4321-4345) and its implementing regulations (40 CFR Parts 
1500 to 1508). The DEIS/OEIS also was prepared in accordance with the 
Executive Order 12114 (Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal 
Actions).
    A Notice of Intent for this EIS was published in the Federal 
Register on July 25, 1997 (62 FR 40061). Five public scoping meetings 
were held in Oxnard, California; Camarillo, California; Ventura, 
California; Santa Monica, California; and Santa Barbara, California, 
between August 21 and August 27, 1997.
    The NAWCWPNS Point Mugu Sea Range currently supports test and 
evaluation of sea, land, and air weapons systems, fleet training 
exercises, small-scale amphibious warfare training, and special warfare 
training. The proposed action is to continue these test and training 
activities on the Sea Range. The proposed action would also accommodate 
Theater Missile Defense (TMD) test and training, an increase in the 
current level of both Fleet training exercises and special warfare 
training, and facilities modernization at NAS Point Mugu and San 
Nicolas Island. The TMD test and training would include four distinct 
types of events: (a) Boost phase intercept (up to three events per 
year), (b) upper tier (up to three events per year); (c) lower tier (up 
to three events per year); and (d) nearshore intercept events at San 
Nicolas Island (up to eight events per year). One additional Fleet 
training exercise per year would be accommodated at the Sea Range as 
well as two additional special warfare exercises per year. The 
facilities modernization at NAS Point Mugu would involve the use of two 
existing launch pads to serve as new launch locations. At San Nicolas 
Island, a missile launcher, a vertical launcher, a new range support 
building, and five multiple-purpose instrumentation sites would be 
constructed.
    The DEIS/OEIS addresses the potential effects of the proposed 
action on geology and soils, air quality, noise, water quality, fish 
and sea turtles, marine mammals, terrestrial biology, cultural 
resources, land use, socioeconomics, hazardous and nonhazardous 
materials, and public safety.

[[Page 46697]]

    Alternatives developed and analyzed in the DEIS/OEIS include: the 
Preferred Alternative as described above; the No Action Alternative, in 
which current test and training operations would continue but increased 
testing and training on the Sea Range and associated facilities 
modernization at NAS Point Mugu and San Nicolas Island would not be 
accommodated; and the Minimum Components Alternative. The Minimum 
Components Alternative would continue current test and training 
operations and accommodate eight TMD nearshore intercept events, one 
additional fleet training exercise per year, and construction of five 
multiple-purpose instrumentation sites on San Nicolas Island. The 
proposed action is the preferred alternative because it best meets the 
project's purpose and need.
    The DEIS has been distributed to various Federal, state, local 
agencies, elected officials, special interest groups, and public 
libraries. Complete copies of the document are available for public 
review at the following eight information repositories:

Oxnard Public Library, Reference Desk, 251 South ``A'' Street, Oxnard, 
California
NAS Point Mugu Library, Code 836300E, Building No. 3-10, North Mugu 
Road, Point Mugu, California
Ray D. Prueter Library, 510 Park Avenue, Port Hueneme, California
Camarillo Public Library, 3100 Ponderosa Drive, Camarillo, California
E.P. Foster Library, 651 E. Main Street, Ventura, California
Malibu Library, 23519 West Civic Center Way, Malibu, California
Santa Barbara Public Library, 40 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara, 
California
Santa Monica Public Library, Reference Section, 1343 6th Street, Santa 
Monica, California

The Executive Summary of the DEIS/OEIS may be viewed on the Point Mugu 
Sea Range EIS/OEIS Home Page at the following web address: http://
www.nawcwpns.navy.mil/pmeis.
    The Navy will conduct five public hearings to receive oral and 
written comments concerning the DEIS/OEIS. At each hearing location, 
information poster stations will be available from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 
p.m., followed by the official hearing beginning at 7:00 p.m. and 
ending at 9:00 p.m. Navy representatives will be available at the 
hearings to receive information and comments from agencies and the 
public regarding issues of concern. Federal, state, local agencies, and 
interested parties are invited and urged to be present or represented 
at the hearing. Oral statements will be heard and transcribed by a 
stenographer.
    To assure accuracy of the record, all statements should be 
submitted in writing. All statements, both oral and written, will 
become part of the public record for the DEIS/OEIS. Equal weight will 
be given to both oral and written comments. In the interest of 
available time, each speaker will be asked to limit oral comments to 
four minutes. Each individual may speak only once, and combining 
speaking times will not be permitted. Longer comments should be 
summarized at the public hearings and submitted in writing either at 
the hearings or mailed to Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, 
Point Mugu Sea Range EIS, 521 9th Street, Point Mugu, CA 93042-5001 
(Attn: Ms. Gina Smith, Code 8G0000E, facsimile (805) 989-0143). Written 
comments are requested not later than September 11, 2000.

    Dated: July 26, 2000.
J.L. Roth,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-19282 Filed 7-28-00; 8:45 am]
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