[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6420-6421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-2975]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Notice of Availability of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense 
Extended Test Range Draft Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Missile Defense Agency/Federal Aviation Administration, 
Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Ground-Based 
Midcourse Defense (GMD) Extended Test Range Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS), that analyzes the potential for environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed action of the establishment of an extended 
test range capability providing more realistic operational flight 
testing. The current capability includes missile launch sites and array 
of sensors and other test equipment located at the Ronald Reagan 
Ballistic Missile Test Site (RTS) at Kwajalein Atoll, the Pacific 
Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in Hawaii, and Vandenberg Air Force Base 
(AFB) in California.
    The proposed action and alternatives examined in the DEIS include 
development of the capability for single and dual launches of 
interceptor and target missiles at the Kodiak Launch Complex (KLC) 
Alaska, RTS, and/or Vandenberg AFB, with intercepts over the Pacific 
Ocean. Development of these capabilities would entail construction of 
two interceptor launchers, one additional target launch pad and 
construction/alteration of launch support facilities at KLC; target pad 
modifications at RTS; modification of support facilities at Vandenberg 
AFB; construction of In-Flight Interceptor Communication System (IFICS) 
Data Terminals and military and commercial satellite communications in 
the mid-Pacific and at KLC or Vandenberg AFB; additional range 
instrumentation (tracking and range safety radars) in the vicinity of 
sites; and use of either existing Battle Management Command and Control 
(BMC2) facilities at Reagan Test Site, or new BMC2 facilities that may 
be developed at Forth Greely, Alaska and/or Shriever AFB, or Cheyenne 
Mountain Complex, Colorado, in the validation of the GMD operational 
concept effort.
    Additionally, the proposed action and alternatives include the 
construction and operation of a Sea-Based Test X-Band Radar (SBX) that 
would operate in the Pacific broad ocean area and would be home-based 
in either Alaska, California, Washington, or Hawaii.
    Public Hearings: In order to facilitate public review and comment 
on the DEIS, public hearings have been scheduled at the following 
cities:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
              City                       Date              Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oxnard, CA......................  February 24, 2003.  Oxnard Public
                                                       Library.
Kodiak, AK......................  February 24, 2003.  Kodiak High
                                                       School.
Lompoc, CA......................  February 25, 2003.  Lompoc City
                                                       Council Chambers.
Anchorage, AK...................  February 25, 2003.  Egan Convention
                                                       Center.
Valdez, AK......................  February 26, 2003.  Valdez Convention
                                                       Center.
Everett, WA.....................  February 27, 2003.  Everett Holiday
                                                       Inn.
Honolulu, HI....................  March 6, 2003.....  Disabled American
                                                       Veterans Hall,
                                                       Keehi Lagoon
                                                       Park.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Detailed information on location and times for each of the public 
hearing will be published in local and regional newspapers two weeks in 
advance, and public service announcements will be provided to radio and 
television stations. MDA, GMD, and U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense 
Command personnel will attend all sessions to present information on 
the DEIS, to receive comments, and to answer questions.
    Copies of the document will be made available at the following 
public libraries:
    [sbull] Anchorage Municipal Library, 3600 Denali St., Anchorage, AK 
99503
    [sbull] Everett Library, 2702 Hoyt Ave, Everett, WA 98201
    [sbull] Kodiak City Library, 319 Lower Mill Bay Rd, Kodiak, AK 
99615
    [sbull] Lompoc Public Library, 501 E North Ave, Lompoc, CA 93436
    [sbull] Mountain View Branch Library, 150 S Bragaw St, Anchorage, 
AK 99508
    [sbull] Oxnard Public Library, 251 S A St., Oxnard, CA 93030
    [sbull] Valdez City Library, 212 Fairbanks, Valdez, AK 99686
    [sbull] Hawaii State Library, Hawaii Documents Center, 478 South 
King St., Honolulu, HI 96813
    [sbull] University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hamilton Library, 2550 The 
Mall, Honolulu, HI 96822

DATES: Public comments are invited and must be postmarked by March 24, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the document or to provide comments 
on the DEIS should be addressed to: U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense 
Command, ATTN: SMDC-EN-V (Mrs. Julia Hudson-Elliott), 106 Wynn Drive, 
Huntsville, AL 35805, by e-mail at

[[Page 6421]]

[email protected], or by phone at 1-800-823-8823.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on the MDA 
GMD program, please call Mr. Rick Lahner at (703) 697-8997.

    Dated: February 3, 2003.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 03-2975 Filed 2-6-03; 8:45 am]
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