[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19196-19197]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-7463]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Terminate the Draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Introduction of F/A-18E/F (Super 
Hornet) Aircraft to the East Coast of the United States (Construction 
and Operation of an Outlying Landing Field); To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for Construction and Operation of an 
Outlying Landing Field To Support Carrier Air Wing Aircraft at Naval 
Air Station Oceana and Naval Station Norfolk, VA; and To Announce 
Public Scoping Meetings

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In a Notice of Intent published on June 24, 2005 (70 Federal 
Register [FR] 36566), the Department of the Navy announced its intent 
to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to 
provide additional analysis of the environmental consequences 
associated with the construction and operation of an Outlying Landing 
Field (OLF) needed to support operations of Super Hornet squadrons 
stationed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, Virginia, and Marine Corps 
Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina. The U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) published a Notice of Availability (NOA) of the 
Draft SEIS on February 23, 2007 (72 FR 8155). Pursuant to section 
(102)(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and 
the regulations implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 
CFR Parts 1500-1508), the Navy announces its intent to terminate the 
Draft SEIS for the Introduction of F/A-18E/F (Super Hornet) Aircraft to 
the East Coast of the United States (Construction and Operation of an 
Outlying Landing Field) and prepare an EIS to evaluate potential 
environmental consequences of the construction and operation of an OLF 
at new alternative sites to support Field Carrier Landing Practice 
(FCLP) training requirements for carrier-based fixed-wing aircraft 
stationed at and transient to NAS Oceana and Naval Station (NS) Norfolk 
Chambers Field, Virginia. The five new alternative OLF sites identified 
to date are: (1) Cabin Point Site, located in Surry, Prince George, and 
Sussex counties, Virginia; (2) Dory Site, located in Southampton and 
Sussex counties, Virginia; (3) Mason Site, located in Sussex and 
Southampton counties, Virginia; (4) Sandbanks Site, located in Gates 
and Hertford counties, North Carolina; and (5) Hale's Lake Site, 
located in Camden and Currituck counties, North Carolina. These five 
site alternatives were identified by applying operational, 
environmental and population criteria to a list of 13 new sites 
provided by the State of North Carolina and the Commonwealth of 
Virginia, as well as on the five sites examined in the Draft SEIS.
    Dates and Addresses: The Navy is initiating a scoping process to 
identify community concerns and local issues that will be addressed in 
the EIS. Federal, state, and local elected officials and agencies and 
interested persons are encouraged to provide comments to the Navy to 
identify environmental concerns that should be addressed in the EIS. To 
be most helpful, scoping comments should clearly describe the specific 
issues or topics the EIS should address.
    Public scoping meetings, using an Open House format, will be held 
to receive written comments or concerns that should be addressed in the 
EIS. Public scoping meetings will be as follows:
    1. Currituck County, North Carolina. North Carolina Cooperative 
Extension, Currituck County Center, 120 Community Way, Barco, NC 27917 
on April 28, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.;
    2. Prince George County, Virginia. J.E.J Moore Middle School, 11455 
Prince George Drive, Disputanta, VA 23842 on April 29, 2008, 4 p.m. to 
9 p.m.;
    3. Sussex County, Virginia. Sussex Central High School, 21394 
Sussex Drive, Sussex, VA 23884 on April 30, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.;
    4. Southampton County, Virginia. Southampton High School, 23350 
Southampton Parkway, Courtland, VA 23837 on May 1, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9 
p.m.;
    5. Gates County, North Carolina. Gates County High School, 088 U.S. 
Highway 158 West, Gatesville, NC 27938 on May 2, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9 
p.m.;
    6. Camden County, North Carolina. Camden County High School, 103 
U.S. Highway 158 West, Camden, NC 27921 on May 5, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9 
p.m.; and
    7. Surry County, Virginia. Surry Central High School, 1675 
Hollybush Road, Dendron, VA 23839 on May 7, 2008, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
    The dates, times, and locations of public scoping meetings are also 
available at (http://www.olfeis.com), and will be provided to local and 
regional media serving localities in the vicinity of proposed OLF 
sites.
    Comments can be made in the following ways: (1) Written statements 
submitted to Navy representatives at the public scoping open houses; 
(2) written statements mailed to Commander, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command Atlantic, 6506 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, Virginia 
23508, Attn: Code EV OLF Project Manager; and (3) written statements 
submitted via the Web site at http://www.OLFEIS.com. All written 
comments must be postmarked by June 7, 2008.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Navy proposes to construct an OLF that 
will support the FCLP operations of carrier-based fixed-wing aircraft 
squadrons stationed at and transient to NAS Oceana, Virginia Beach, 
Virginia (F/A-18C Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet squadrons and Fleet 
Replacement Squadrons (FRS)), and NS Norfolk Chambers Field, Norfolk, 
Virginia (E-2C Hawkeye, C-2A Greyhound, and E-2C/C-2A FRS). While NALF 
Fentress will continue providing necessary support for FCLP and other 
training requirements, this landing field alone cannot fully support 
training requirements of home-based and transient aircraft from NAS 
Oceana and NS Norfolk Chambers Field. Training requirements for 
aircraft based at these airfields can exceed NALF Fentress capacity up 
to 63% of the time during summertime when hours of darkness are 
limited. Capacity problems are further exacerbated when operational 
demands require surging additional carrier strike groups. A new OLF is 
required to provide year-round capacity to support FCLP training 
requirements under the Fleet Response Plan, provide operational 
flexibility needed to respond to emergent national defense 
requirements, and FCLP

[[Page 19197]]

training consistent with at-sea operating conditions.
    Facilities at the OLF would include an 8,000-foot runway, aircraft 
traffic control tower, and other support buildings. The Navy also 
proposes to establish Class D airspace around the OLF. Property and 
property interests for construction of the facilities, airfield safety 
zones, and projected high-noise zones would need to be acquired through 
purchase, lease, or acquisition of restrictive use or conservation 
easements.
    The EIS will address environmental consequences associated with 
construction of the airfield, associated infrastructure and support 
facilities, and aircraft operations. In addition, the EIS will assess 
socioeconomic consequences associated with acquisition of property and 
property interests for the OLF and any relocation of residences within 
the proposed airfield safety and projected high-noise zones.
    The Navy has worked with the leadership in the State of North 
Carolina and Commonwealth of Virginia to identify a range of reasonable 
site location alternatives for the OLF. For purposes of analysis, an 
estimated 25,000 to 30,000-acre area is being considered for each site 
location alternative. Additional alternative site locations may be 
identified during the scoping process. The five site location 
alternatives identified to date are: (1) Cabin Point Site, located in 
Surry, Prince George, and Sussex counties, Virginia; (2) Dory Site, 
located in Southampton and Sussex counties, Virginia; (3) Mason Site, 
located in Sussex and Southampton counties, Virginia; (4) Sandbanks 
Site, located in Gates and Hertford counties, North Carolina; and (5) 
Hale's Lake Site, located in Camden and Currituck counties, North 
Carolina.
    The Navy has and will continue to work with the leadership from the 
State of North Carolina and the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as 
local communities to explore all possible economic benefits to the 
community to offset the potential impacts from the OLF. During the 
scoping process, the Navy will encourage and solicit input on other 
potential economic benefit proposals.
    The Navy intends to analyze potential environmental consequences of 
the construction and operation of the OLF on the natural environment, 
including, but not limited to, air quality, plant and animal habitats, 
and water resources such as streams and wetlands. It will also evaluate 
potential consequences to the built environment, including land use 
patterns, transportation, housing, and regional economy. Further, the 
Navy will prepare analyses of projected operations on existing airspace 
and of aircraft noise exposure levels on the ambient noise environment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Commander, Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command Atlantic, 6506 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA 
23508, Attn: Code EV OLF Project Manager.

    Dated: April 4, 2008.
T. M. Cruz,
Lieutenant, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register 
Liaison Officer.
 [FR Doc. E8-7463 Filed 4-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P