[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 145 (Friday, July 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42838-42839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12085]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(Eis) for the Implementation of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 
2005 Decisions and Related Actions at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), FL

AGENCY: Department of the Air Force, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, as amended (42 United States Code 4321, et seq.), the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing procedural 
provisions of NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) Parts 1500-
1508), and Air Force policy and procedures (32 CFR Part 989), the Air 
Force is issuing this notice to advise the public of its intent to 
prepare an EIS evaluating potential environmental impacts associated 
with implementation of the 2005 BRAC Commission's recommendations and 
related actions for Eglin AFB, FL.
    The 2005 BRAC Commission identified establishment of a Joint Strike 
Fighter (JSF) Integrated Training Center (ITC), relocation of the Army 
7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) [7SFG(A)] from Fort Bragg, North 
Carolina, and creating an Air Integrated Weapons and Armaments 
Research, Development and Acquisition, Test and Evaluation Center by 
relocating the Weapons and Armaments In-Service Engineering Research, 
Development and Acquisition, and Test and Evaluation from Hill AFB, UT 
and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency from Fort Belvoir, VA to Eglin 
AFB. The JSF ITC would be the initial training site for joint Air 
Force, Navy, and Marine Corps JSF training organizations, as well as 
the United Kingdom, which is a full partner in this program. The 
training site would teach aviators and maintenance technicians how to 
properly operate and maintain 107 F-35 aircraft. As part of this 
action, F-35 basing, facility construction and renovation, on-site 
maintenance and use of training airspace are being analyzed. The 7SFG 
(A)'s principal mission includes planning and executing unconventional 
warfare, combating terrorism operations, direct action, special 
reconnaissance, and foreign internal defense. Their realignment to 
Eglin provides multi-service collocation, joint training synergy with 
Air Force Special Operations Command and places 7SFG(A) on training 
lands that match their wartime area of responsibility in Central and 
South America. Approximately 4,600 personnel are associated with the 
bed down of both organizations. When including spouses and children, 
the estimated total of personnel coming to the Eglin AFB area would be 
10,000 people. As part of this action, the Air Force is considering 
various alternatives for facility construction and renovation, land 
range development, equipment storage and operation, and land-based 
training/maneuvering to be analyzed in the EIS. The EIS may also 
include within its scope the potential environmental effects associated 
with socioeconomics, transportation, noise, cultural resources, water 
resources, wetlands, floodplains, air quality, land use, 
infrastructure, and biological resources. The Air Force will conduct 
scoping meetings to solicit public input concerning this proposal.

[[Page 42839]]

The scoping process will help identify issues to be addressed in the 
environmental analysis. The exact dates, times and location(s) will be 
announced through local media. Oral and written comments presented at 
the public meetings, as well as written comments received by the Air 
Force during this scoping period and throughout the EIS process, will 
be considered in the preparation of the EIS and will be made a part of 
the administrative record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct any written comments or 
requests for information to Mr. Michael Spaits, Public Affairs, AAC/EM-
PAV, Eglin AFB, FL 32542-5000 (PH: 850-882-2878; 
[email protected]). Handicap assistance and translation service 
at the public meetings are available in advance through Mr. Spaits.

Bao-Anh Trinh,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
 [FR Doc. E6-12085 Filed 7-27-06; 8:45 am]
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