[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 162 (Monday, August 23, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51814-51815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19198]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent (NOI) To Prepare Environmental Impact 
Statement(EIS) for F-35 Force Development Evaluation and Weapons 
SchoolPermanent Beddown at Nellis AFB, NV

AGENCY: Air Combat Command, United States Air Force.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act(NEPA) of 
1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental 
Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of 
NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and AirForce policy and procedures (32 
CFR part 989), the Air Force is issuing this notice to advise the 
public of its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
to assess the potential environmental impacts of stationing F-35 
tactical fighter aircraft at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB), Nevada.
    A total of 36 F-35 aircraft would be permanently based at Nellis 
AFB in support of the Force Development Evaluation (FDE) mission and 
the United States Air Force Weapons School (USAFWS). The FDE mission is 
to test and evaluate state-of-the-art weapons systems and develop 
leading-edge tactics to improve the future combat capability of Air 
Force aerospace forces. The USAFWS mission

[[Page 51815]]

is to teach graduate-level instructor courses, which provide advanced 
training in weapons and tactics employment to officers of the combat 
air forces. The beddown would occur in phases between the years 2009 
and 2028. The proposed action would also include facility construction 
on Nellis AFB to be accomplished over a 3-year period, beginning in 
fiscal year 2007. The AirForce will consider all environmental issues 
supporting the beddown, however, the Air Force has currently identified 
air quality and noise as issues requiring detailed analysis.
    The Air Force will host a series of scoping meetings to receive 
public input on alternatives, concerns, and issues to be addressed in 
the EIS. The schedule and locations of the scoping meetings are as 
follows:

Monday, September 13, 2004...  Carson City Plaza Hotel, 801 S. Carson
                                Street.
Tuesday, September 14, 2004..  Alamo,Lincoln County Annex, 100 South
                                First West Street.
Wednesday, September 15, 2004  Pioche,Pioche Town Hall,Hinman and Main
                                Streets.
Thursday, September 16, 2004.  Pahrump Bob Ruud Community Center, 150 N.
                                Highway 160--Room B.
Friday, September 17, 2004...  Las Vegas,Hollywood Recreation Center
                                1650, S. Hollywood.
 

    The Air Force will accept comments at any time during the 
environmental analysis process. However, to ensure the Air Force has 
sufficient time to consider public input in the preparation of the 
Draft EIS, comments should be submitted to the address below by October 
1, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sheryl Parker, HQ ACC/CEVP, 129 
Andrews St., Suite 102, Langley AFB, VA 23665-2769, (757-764-9334).

Pamela Fitzgerald,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-19198 Filed 8-20-04; 8:45 am]
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