[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 247 (Monday, December 28, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 68597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-30664]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
Beddown of Training F-35A Aircraft

AGENCY: Air Education and Training and Air National Guard, United 
States Air Force.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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 
establishing training F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft at one 
or more existing Air Force installations within the continental United 
States.
    The proposed basing alternatives are Luke AFB, Arizona; Holloman 
AFB, New Mexico; Eglin AFB, Florida; Air Terminal Air Guard Station, 
Idaho; and Tucson International Airport Air Guard, Arizona. Each 
candidate base is an alternative. The potential environmental impacts 
for each alternative will be analyzed for no action and in six 
increments of 24 primary assigned aircraft.
    The Air Force version of the F-35 JSF, designated F-35A, is a 
conventional take-off, multiple-role fighter with an emphasis on air-
to-ground missions. The aircraft was designed to supplement and 
eventually replace legacy aircraft as well as complement the air-to-air 
mission of the F-22A Raptor. At any of the alternative locations, the 
beddown action would involve personnel changes, facility construction 
and modifications, and aircraft training operations.
    Scoping: In order to effectively define the full range of issues to 
be evaluated in the EIS, the Air Force will determine the scope of the 
EIS (i.e., what will be covered and in what detail) by soliciting 
scoping comments from interested state and federal agencies and 
interested members of the public through the Federal Register and 
various media in the local areas of concern. Scoping comments should be 
submitted to the address below by the date indicated. The Air Force 
will also hold a series of scoping meetings to further solicit input 
regarding the scope of the proposed action and alternatives.

DATES: Scoping meetings will be held in the potentially impacted 
communities. The scheduled dates, times, locations and addresses for 
the meetings will be published in local media a minimum of 15 days 
prior to the scoping meetings. The Air Force intends to hold scoping 
meetings in the following communities: January 25-29, 2010 Carrizozo, 
Alamogordo, Truth or Consequences, Socorro, and Fort Sumner, New 
Mexico; February 8-12, 2010 Marsing, Boise, Meridian, and Bruneau 
Idaho; February 22-26, 2010 El Mirage, Sun City, Gila Bend, Wickenburg, 
and Litchfield Park, Arizona; March 1-5, 2010 Tucson, San Carlos, 
Safford, Bisbee, Arizona.
    Comments will be accepted at any time during the environmental 
impact 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 March 
25, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Martin, HQ AETC/A7PP, 266 F 
Street West, Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4319, telephone 210-652-1962.

Bao-Anh Trinh, YA-3, DAF,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-30664 Filed 12-24-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-05-P