[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 2 (Friday, January 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 364-365]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-54]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Public Hearings for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for 
Proposed Military Operational Increases and Implementation of 
Associated Comprehensive Land Use Management and Integrated Natural 
Resources Management Plan, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, China 
Lake, CA

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act, of 1969 and the regulations implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the Department of the 
Navy (Navy) in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on November 15, 2002, to 
evaluate proposed military operational increases and implementation of 
associated Comprehensive Land Use Management (CLUMP) and Integrated 
Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) at Naval Air Weapons Station 
China Lake, CA. A Notice of Intent for this DEIS was published in the 
Federal Register on April 1, 1997, (62 FR 20160). Six public scoping 
meetings were held between May-June 1997. The Navy and BLM will conduct 
five public hearings to receive oral and written comments on the DEIS. 
Federal, state, and local agencies, as well as interested individuals 
are invited to be present or represented at the public hearings. This 
notice announces the dates and locations of the public hearings for 
this DEIS.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: An open information session will precede the 
scheduled public hearing at each of the locations listed below. The 
open information session will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the public 
hearing beginning at 7 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m. Public hearings will 
be held at the following dates and locations:

--Tuesday, January 21, 2003, Kerr McGee Community Center, 100 West 
California Avenue, Ridgecrest, CA.
--Wednesday, January 22, 2003, Inyokern Elementary, 6601 Locust Avenue, 
Inyokern, CA.
--Thursday, January 23, 2003, City of Barstow Council Chamber, 220 East 
Mountain View Street, Suite A, Barstow, CA.
--Tuesday, January 28, 2003, Owens Valley Unified School District, 202 
South Clay Street, Independence, CA.
--Wednesday, January 29, 2003, Trona School, 93600 Trona Road, Trona, 
CA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John O'Gara, Environmental 
Planning and Management Department, Naval Air Weapons Station China 
Lake, China Lake, CA. Telephone (760) 939-3213, facsimile (760) 939-
2980, or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action includes a moderate 
increase of military operations, continuation of current non-military 
activities, and implementation of the CLUMP and INRMP. The preferred 
alternative presented in the DEIS would allow approximately a 25 
percent increase in the type, tempo, and location of military testing 
and evaluation and training operations. There are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with any of the alternatives, 
including the preferred alternative.
    The DEIS has been distributed to various Federal, state, and local

[[Page 365]]

agencies, elected officials, and special interest groups, and is 
available for public review at the following public libraries:
    --Kern County Library, Ridgecrest Branch (Document Display Shelf), 
131 East Las Flores, Ridgecrest, CA.
    --Inyo County Free Library, Independence Branch (Reference 
Section), 168 North Edwards, Independence, CA.
    --San Bernardino Library, Trona Branch, 82805 Mountain View, Trona, 
CA.
    In addition, the DEIS is available for review at the Public Affairs 
Office at Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, Room 1015, 
Building 1, 1 Administration Circle, China Lake, CA. The Executive 
Summary of the DEIS and other information may be viewed at the 
following Internet address: http://www.nawcwpns.navy.mil/[tilde]cllump/
cllump.html.
    The Navy will conduct five public hearings to receive oral and 
written comments concerning the DEIS at each of the locations 
previously listed. At each hearing location, information poster 
stations will be available from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., followed by the 
official hearing beginning at 7 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m. Navy and BLM 
representatives will be available during the information session to 
clarify information related to the DEIS. Federal, state, and local 
agencies, as well as interested parties are invited and urged to be 
present or represented at the hearing. Oral statements will be heard 
and transcribed by a stenographer; however, to ensure the accuracy of 
the record, all statements should be submitted in writing. All 
statements, both oral and written, will become part of the public 
record on the DEIS and will be responded to in the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (FEIS). Equal weight will be given to both oral and 
written statements.
    In the interest of available time and to ensure that all who wish 
to give an oral statement have the opportunity to do so, each speaker's 
comments will be limited to three (3) minutes. If a longer statement is 
to be presented, it should be summarized at the public hearing and the 
full text submitted in writing either at the hearing, or mailed, or 
faxed to: Mr. John O'Gara, Environmental Planning and Management 
Department, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, China Lake, CA. 
Telephone (760) 939-3213, facsimile (760) 939-2980. All written 
comments postmarked by February 21, 2003, will become a part of the 
official public record and will be responded to in the FEIS.

    Dated: December 23, 2002.
R. E. Vincent II,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-54 Filed 1-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P