[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 51 (Friday, March 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11678-11679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-6429]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Notice of Availability Missile Defense Agency Ground-Based 
Midcourse Defense Validation Of Operational Concept Environmental 
Assessment

AGENCY: Missile Defense Agency

ACTION: Notice of availability

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SUMMARY: The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) (formerly the Ballistic 
Missile Defense Organization) announces the availability of the Ground-
Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Validation of Operational Concept (VOC) 
Environmental Assessment (EA). The EA assesses the potential impacts of 
construction and test activities at GMD VOC test sites. The proposed 
action includes construction and operational testing of six ground-
based interceptor (GBI) silos and support facilities, In-Flight 
Interceptor Communication System Data Terminals (IDTs), and Defense 
Satellite Communication System (DSCS) earth terminals in central 
Alaska; an IDT and DSCS earth terminal at Eareckson Air Station (AS), 
Alaska; construction of a missile transfer facility at Eielson Air 
Force Base (AFB), Alaska; use of the existing COBRA DANE Radar, with 
upgraded hardware and software and interior modifications, at Eareckson 
AS; interior modifications and hardware and software upgrades to the 
Early Warning Radar at Beale AFB, California; and Battle Management, 
Command and Control [BMC2] nodes at one or more of Peterson AFB, 
Cheyenne Mountain Complex and Shriever AFB in Colorado, Eareckson AS, 
Alaska, Beale AFB California, and contractor facilities in Alabama and 
California.
    Fort Greely, Alaska was considered as the preferred alternative for 
the six GBI silos and support facilities and associated BMC3 including 
one IDT, one DSCS earth terminal, a BMC2 execution node and 
installation of terrestrial fiber optic cable. Clear Air Force Station, 
Alaska is being considered as an alternative location to Fort Greely, 
Alaska as the GBI silo and support facilities location.
    The no-action alternative was also considered. Under the no-action 
alternative, MDA would not proceed with construction and testing to 
support validation of the GMD operational concept through ground-based 
testing. Selection of the no-action alternative would not allow the 
operationally realistic testing needed to further develop the GMD 
element of the Midcourse Defense Segment.
    Comments: Public comments on the EA must be received by April 13, 
2002. Written comments or a request for a copy of the EA should be 
directed to: U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, ATTN: Mr. 
David Hasley, SMDC-EN-V, P.O. Box 1500, Huntsville, AL 35807-3801.
    As the proposed action includes multiple locations, some of which 
are under the administrative control of the United States Army and some 
of which are under the administrative control of the United States Air 
Force, the MDA has used both Army Regulation 200-2 and Air Force 
Instruction 32-7061 in preparing the EA and Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FNSI). An unsigned FNSI will be distributed with the final EA. 
The FNSI will be signed after a 30-day public review period, and the 
proposed action could be implemented unless the MDA determines that 
information presented during the 30-day public review period reveals an 
unassessed potential for significant impacts on the environment. 
Interested parties can also review the unsigned FNSI, EA, and 
referenced NMD Deployment EIS on the internet at: www.acq.osd.mil/bmdo/bmdolink/html/newrel.html#envir.ANC or at the following locations:

University of Alaska, Anchorage
Consortium Library
3211 Providence Drive
Anchorage, AK 99508

Alaska Resources Library & Information Services
3150 C Street, Suite 100
Anchorage, AK 99503

Delta Junction Library
2288 Deborah Street
Delta Junction, AK 99737

Anderson School Library
1st Avenue
Anderson, AK 99744

Alaska State Library 344 W. 3rd. Avenue,
Suite 125
Anchorage, AK 99501

Fairbanks North Star Borough
Public Library
Noel Wien Library
1215 Cowles Street
Fairbanks, AK 99701-4313

University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Elmer E. Rasmuson Library
PO Box 756800
Fairbanks, AK 99775-6800

Barbo Branch Library
10321 Live Oak Blvd.
Live Oak, CA 95953


[[Page 11679]]


Beale Air Force Base
Military Library
Marysville, CA 95903

Sutter County Library
750 Forbes Avenue
Yuba City, CA 95991

Yuba City Library
303 2nd Street
Marysville, CA 95901

Yuba College Library
Yuba College
Marysville, CA 95901

Falmouth Public Library Reference Section
123 Katherine Lee Bates Rd
Falmouth, MA 02540

Mashpee Public Library
Steeple Street,
Mashpee Common
Mashpee, MA 02649

Sandwich Public Library
142 Main Street
Sandwich, MA 02563

U.S. Coast Guard Library
Building 502
Otis ANGB, MA 02542

Cape Cod Community College Library
2240 Iyanough Rd.
West Barnstable, MA 02668-1599

Defense Technical Information Center
8725 John J. Kingman Road, Suite 0944
Ft. Belvoir, VA 22060-6218


    Dated: March 12, 2002.
L.M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 02-6429 Filed 3-13-02; 1:41 pm]
BILLING CODE 5001-08-P