[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 140 (Friday, July 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41430-41431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-11594]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent (NOI) To Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for a Proposed Aircraft Conversion for the 
Massachusetts National Guard at Westfield-Barnes Airport, Westfield, MA

AGENCY: Department of the Air Force, National Guard Bureau, DOD.

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 Air Force policy and 
procedures (32 CFR part 989), the National Guard Bureau is issuing this 
notice to advise the public of its intent to prepare an EIS to assess 
the potential environmental impacts that could result from an aircraft 
conversion and implementation of the proposed construction and 
demolition program for the Massachusetts National Guard at Westfield-
Barnes Airport in Westfield, Massachusetts. Additionally, the Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA), Westfield-Barnes Airport, and the 
Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission (MAC) join the National Guard 
Bureau as cooperating agencies. The proposal consists of an aircraft 
conversion from 15 A-10 primary assigned aircraft (PAA) and 2 backup 
aircraft inventory (BAI) to 18 F-15 PAA and 2 BAI aircraft. This 
conversion is a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 
Commission Final and Approved Recommendations. In association with the 
aircraft conversion, the current close air support mission associated 
with the A-10 aircraft would change to an air superiority/air 
sovereignty alert mission associated with the F-15 aircraft. As part of 
the aircraft conversion and mission change, the 104th Fighter Wing (104 
FW) would have an increase of 139 full-time and 111 part-time 
authorized personnel; and the Army National Guard would have in 
increase of 25 full-time and 274 part-time. To accommodate these 
changes, the Massachusetts National Guard proposes to implement several 
construction projects at their installation at Westfield-Barnes 
Airport, as well as to correct several existing facility deficiencies 
through modifications to existing facilities and construction of 
several new facilities. In addition to the proposed action, the no-
action

[[Page 41431]]

alternative will be analyzed in the EIS. The National Guard Bureau will 
conduct a scoping meeting to solicit public input concerning the 
proposal. The scoping process will help identify issues to be addressed 
in the environmental analysis. In addition to the comments received at 
the scoping meetings, written comments on the scope of the EIS will be 
accepted by the National Guard Bureau at the address below through 
September 1, 2006. The National Guard Bureau will accept relevant 
comments at any time during the environmental analysis process.

DATES: Notices will be posted and published in the Springfield Union 
News, The Sunday Republican, Westfield Evening News, and Daily 
Hampshire Gazette. The scoping meetings will be held at Westfield North 
Middle School, 350 Southampton Road, Westfield, Massachusetts, August 
15, from 6-9 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct any written comments or 
requests for information to Captain Matthew Mutti, 104th FW/PA, and 175 
Falcon Drive, Westfield, MA 01085-1482l (413) 568-9151 ext.1800; 
[email protected].

Bao-Ahn Trinh,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E6-11594 Filed 7-20-06; 8:45 am]
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