[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7410-7411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3260]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Public Hearing of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the West Coast Basing of the MV-22

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section (102)(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (NEPA), and regulations implemented by the 
Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), Department 
of Navy (DoN) NEPA regulations (32 CFR Part 775), and U.S. Marine Corps 
(USMC) NEPA directives (Marine Corps Order P5090.2A, change 1), DON and 
USMC have prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).
    The USMC is initiating the public period and has scheduled three 
public comment meetings. Federal, state and local agencies and 
interested parties are encouraged to provide comments in person at any 
of the public comment meetings or anytime during the public comment 
period. The USMC and DON will address these comments in the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

DATES: The DEIS public review period will begin February 15, 2009 and 
end on March 30, 2009, and public comment meetings will be held from 5 
p.m. to 9 p.m. on the dates indicated below, at the following 
locations:
    (1) March 24, 2009, Scripps Miramar Ranch Branch Library, 10301 
Scripps Lake Drive, San Diego, CA.
    (2) March 25, 2009, Vista Del Mar Middle School 1130 Avienda 
Talega, San Clemente, CA.
    (3) March 26, 2009, Gilla Rid High School, 7151 E 24th St., Yuma, 
AZ.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the DEIS is available at the project Web site, 
http://www.mv22eiswest.net, and at the physical locations identified at 
the end of this notice. Comments on the DEIS can be submitted via the 
project Web site, or submitted in writing to: Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command Southwest, Attn: Homebasing EIS Project Manager, 
1220 Pacific Highway, San Diego, California 92132-5190. Comments must 
be postmarked by March 30, 2009 to be considered in this environmental 
review process.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Homebasing EIS Project Manager, 
Central Integrated Product Team at telephone: 619-532-4742, by fax: 
619-532-4160 or write to Naval Facilities Engineering Command 
Southwest, Attn: Homebasing EIS Project Manager, 1220 Pacific Highway, 
San Diego, California 92132-5190.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Action

    The proposed action would base up to ten MV-22 squadrons (120 
aircraft) on the West Coast and would replace nine helicopter squadrons 
(114 aircraft) currently authorized for basing on the West Coast. More 
specifically, the proposed action includes (1) basing up to eight MV-22 
squadrons for employment by the Third Marine Aircraft Wing (3D MAW) to 
provide medium lift capability to I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF); 
(2) basing up to two 4th MAW MV-22 squadrons to provide a West Coast 
reserve component medium lift capability; (3) construction and/or 
renovation of airfield facilities necessary to accommodate and maintain 
the MV-22 squadrons; and (4) conducting MV-22 readiness and training 
operations and special exercise operations to attain and maintain 
proficiency in the operational employment of the MV-22. The nine 
helicopter squadrons to be replaced are currently authorized for basing 
at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, MCAS Camp Pendleton, and 
Edwards Air Force Base.

Purpose and Need

    The purpose of the proposed action is to determine the basing 
location(s) for MV-22 squadrons that would provide medium lift 
capability to support I MEF and meet West Coast requirements for 
reserve component medium lift capability, and provide for efficient 
training through ready access to ranges, training areas and airspace. 
The MV-22 is the replacement for the current fleet of less-capable, 
1960s-era CH-46 medium lift helicopters. The need for the proposed 
action is to base the USMC's new medium lift aircraft where it can best 
support the I MEF and 4th MAW missions, while making use of existing 
facilities to the greatest extent practicable and preventing impacts to 
combat capability and mission readiness during the transition to meet 
current and future operational requirements of the USMC. Replacement of 
CH-46E helicopters with MV-22 aircraft will modernize the USMC medium 
lift fleet and improve the operational capabilities of the 3D and 4th 
MAW squadrons.
    The proposed MV-22 squadrons would be co-located at a single 
installation (full basing) or would be split between a maximum of two 
aviation facilities. Evaluations were made of the maximum and minimum 
number of squadron options at each air station (e.g., maximum partial 
basing of eight squadrons and minimum partial basing of two squadrons). 
These include the following five alternatives.
     The preferred alternative--partial basing at MCAS Miramar 
(eight squadrons) and MCAS Camp Pendleton (two squadrons).
     Full basing at MCAS Miramar (ten squadrons).
     Partial basing at MCAS Miramar (eight squadrons) and MCAS 
Yuma (two squadrons).
     Partial basing at MCAS Miramar (two squadrons) and MCAS 
Yuma (eight squadrons).
     Partial basing at MCAS Yuma (eight squadrons) and MCAS 
Camp Pendleton (two squadrons).
    Under all basing alternatives, MCAS Miramar would lose four 
existing

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squadrons of CH-46Es and MCAS Camp Pendleton would lose three existing 
squadrons of CH-46Es, along with associated military personnel. 
Operations at Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Pendleton, the Bob Stump 
Training Range Complex, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), 
and various Military Training Routes (MTRs) are included as part of 
each basing alternative. A sixth alternative, No Action, assumes no 
aircraft would be replaced, aircraft operations would continue at the 
current level, and no construction/demolition or personnel changes 
related to basing the MV-22 aircraft on the West Coast would occur.
    Potential impacts were evaluated in the DEIS under all alternatives 
for the following resources: Airfields and airspace; land use; 
socioeconomics; community facilities and services; ground traffic and 
transportation; air quality; noise; infrastructure and utilities; 
cultural resources; hazardous materials management; topography, geology 
and soils; water resources; biological resources; aesthetics and visual 
resources; safety and environmental health; and environmental justice.
    The preferred alternative would result in an increase of 48 
aircraft and 746 personnel at MCAS Miramar and a reduction of 18 
aircraft and 257 personnel at MCAS Camp Pendleton. New support 
facilities at MCAS Miramar include three new hangar modules, parking 
apron, four new fueling pits, and five new wash racks. New support 
facilities at MCAS Camp Pendleton include a new hangar module, 
modifications to an existing hangar, new wash rack, and new parking 
apron.
    Significant and unavoidable impacts that cannot be mitigated under 
the preferred alternative include traffic impacts from increased 
personnel at MCAS Miramar and land use impacts from noise compatibility 
issues at MCAS Miramar. Potentially significant but mitigable impacts 
associated with the preferred alternative include seismicity issues 
associated with construction at both air stations; cultural resources 
issues at MCAS Camp Pendleton, MCB Camp Pendleton, and the Bob Stump 
Training Range Complex; and biological resources issues regarding loss 
of sensitive plant communities, and rare, and federally listed 
threatened or endangered species from construction at both air 
stations.
    Other alternatives have similar types and levels of impacts, with 
the most extensive significant and unavoidable impacts occurring from 
the MCAS Miramar Full Basing Alternative (Alternative 1) related to the 
loss of a large area supporting vernal pool habitat and associated 
federally listed species.
    Copies of the DEIS can be found on the project Web site, http://www.mv22eiswest.net or at the following locations:
    (1) San Diego County Public Library Fallbrook Branch 124 S. Mission 
Road Fallbrook, CA 92028, telephone: 760-728-2373,
    (2) San Diego Public Library Mira Mesa Branch 8405 New Salem Street 
San Diego, CA 92126, telephone: 858-538-8165,
    (3) Yuma County Library Heritage Branch (Main Library) 350 Third 
Avenue Yuma, AZ 85364 telephone: 928-782-1871.

    Dated: February 10, 2009.
A. M. Vallandingham,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, 
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-3260 Filed 2-13-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P