[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 112 (Friday, June 10, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34066-34068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14449]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/
Legislative Environmental Impact Statement for Renewal of the Naval Air 
Weapons Station China Lake Public Land Withdrawal, California and To 
Announce Public Scoping Meetings

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 as implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 
parts 1500-1508), the Department of the Navy (DoN), with the 
cooperation of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), announces its 
intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Legislative 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/LEIS) to evaluate the potential 
environmental effects associated with the continued withdrawal of 
approximately 1.1 million acres of public land in Kern, Inyo, and San 
Bernardino counties, California. This public land withdrawal comprises 
the current North and South ranges at Naval Air Weapons Station China 
Lake (NAWSCL). The proposed land withdrawal extension will allow the 
DoN to continue defense-related research, development, test and 
evaluation (RDT&E) and training missions at NAWSCL, in addition to 
other land uses.
    The California Military Lands Withdrawal and Overflights Act of 
1994 (Pub. L. 103-433, part of the California Desert Protection Act) 
withdrew and reserved the lands known then as the China Lake Naval 
Weapons Center (subsequently renamed NAWSCL) for defense-related 
purposes for a period of 20 years (until October 14, 2014). The Act 
provides that the DoN may seek extension of the withdrawal of such 
lands. As a part of the withdrawal process, the Secretary of the Navy 
is required to publish a draft EIS addressing the effects of continued 
withdrawal and hold public hearings in order to receive public comments 
on the proposal by October 12, 2012. The NAWSCL EIS/LEIS will examine 
current and proposed land uses in support of the DoN's military 
mission. The EIS/LEIS will specifically focus on those military land 
uses granted to the DoN under Public Law 103-433 that include: (1) Use 
as an RDT&E laboratory; (2) use as a range for air warfare weapons and 
weapons systems; (3) use as a high hazard training area for aerial 
gunnery, rocketry, electronic warfare and countermeasures, and tactical 
maneuvering and air support; (4) geothermal leasing and development, 
and related power production activities; and, (5) other defense-related 
purposes. The environmental analysis in the EIS/LEIS will be 
incorporated in an update to the May 2005 NAWSCL Comprehensive Land Use 
Management Plan (CLUMP). The CLUMP facilitates NAWSCL in planning for 
and managing land use and environmental resources on the withdrawn 
public lands in accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976 (FLPMA) (43 U.S.C. 1701). The updated CLUMP will include an 
examination of both military land uses authorized under Public Law 103-
433 and those mission-compatible non-military land uses authorized in 
the 2005 CLUMP.
    Dates and Addresses: The DoN is initiating a 90-day public scoping 
process to identify community interests and specific issues to be 
addressed in the EIS/LEIS. This public scoping process starts with the 
publication of this Notice of Intent. Three public scoping meetings 
will be held to receive oral and/or written comments on issues to be 
addressed in the EIS/LEIS:
    1. Tuesday, July 19, 2011, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Historic USO Building, 
230 West Ridgecrest Boulevard, Ridgecrest, California 93555;
    2. Wednesday, July 20, 2011, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Statham Hall, 138 
Jackson Street, Lone Pine, California 93545; and
    3. Thursday, July 21, 2011, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Trona Community 
Senior Center, 13187 Market Street, Trona, California 93562.
    Additional information concerning meeting times and locations is 
available on the NAWSCL EIS/LEIS Web site at http://www.ChinalakeLEIS.com. Public scoping meeting schedules and locations 
will also be announced in local newspapers.
    Each of the public scoping meetings will consist of an informal, 
open house session with information stations staffed

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by DoN and BLM representatives. Comments, both written and oral, will 
be collected at each of the three public scoping meetings and on the 
project Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: NAWSCL Land Withdrawal EIS/LEIS 
Project Manager (Attn: Ms. Jo Ellen Anderson), NAVFAC Southwest, 1220 
Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92132-5178, telephone number: 619-532-
2633.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NAWSCL North and South ranges are 
located in the western Mojave Desert, approximately 150 miles northeast 
of Los Angeles, California. These ranges encompass approximately 1.1 
million acres and are located in portions of Inyo, Kern, and San 
Bernardino counties. The DoN has been operating the NAWSCL land ranges 
for nearly 70 years.
    The California Military Lands Withdrawal and Overflights Act of 
1994 authorized the withdrawal of the public lands associated with the 
NAWSCL ranges for a period of 20 years (until October 14, 2014). The 
military land uses specifically allowed under the Act included: (1) Use 
as an RDT&E laboratory; (2) use as a range for air warfare weapons and 
weapons systems; (3) use as a high hazard training area for aerial 
gunnery, rocketry, electronic warfare and countermeasures, and tactical 
maneuvering and air support; (4) use for geothermal leasing and 
development, and related power production activities; and, (5) use for 
other defense-related purposes.
    In May 2005, pursuant to the requirements of Public Law 103-433 and 
FLPMA, NAWSCL completed and endorsed a comprehensive land use 
management plan for the withdrawn public lands. This land use 
management plan is referred to as the NAWSCL CLUMP. In addition to the 
military land uses granted to the DoN in Public Law 103-433, the 2005 
CLUMP authorized the following non-military, but mission-compatible 
land uses, on the ranges: (1) Native American access; (2) education and 
research projects; (3) limited recreation; and (4) limited commercial 
uses, including geothermal leasing and development, and related power 
production activities.
    The military land uses authorized by Public Law 103-433 and the 
non-military uses authorized by the 2005 CLUMP are consistent with the 
mission of NAWSCL, which is to conduct weapons RDT&E for weapon systems 
associated with air warfare, aircraft weapons integration, missiles and 
missile subsystems, and assigned airborne electronic warfare systems 
and related training within a safe, secure, and operationally diverse 
land range test environment. Combat relevant test and evaluation, as 
well as training for operational compatibility, is the primary means to 
ensure readiness and prepare our military to fight and win in combat. 
To be effective in its mission, the NAWSCL ranges must provide 
sufficient land and airspace to conduct test and evaluation at 
distances and scenarios with fidelity to combat uses. Access to a 
variety of conditions (e.g., simulated threats, operational space, 
topographic relief, and safety constraints) and scheduling availability 
are important characteristics that must be preserved and enhanced. The 
DoN's continuing need for RDT&E and training range capability balances 
maximum use of the range with maintaining stewardship responsibilities 
for the lands and their resources.
    In accordance with the Engle Act of 1958 (Pub. L. 85-337) and 
FLPMA, the DoN is required to file an application with BLM requesting 
the Secretary of the Interior process a proposed legislative withdrawal 
and reservation of public land to continue military RDT&E and training 
activities on the NAWSCL ranges. The proposed action would continue the 
existing withdrawal of 1.1 million acres of public land for military 
use. The public land would be withdrawn from all forms of appropriation 
under the public land laws, including surface entry, mining, mineral 
leasing, and the Materials Act of 1947.
    Purpose and Need: Given the primary mission of the NAWSCL land 
ranges, to provide a safe, secure, and highly instrumented volume of 
land and airspace in which to conduct controlled tests, operations and 
training with fidelity to combat uses, the purpose of the proposed 
action is to retain a military range for RDT&E and training activities 
for a period of 25 years. The proposed action will meet the need to 
support the application of current and evolving technology to solve 
theatre-relevant problems for the warfighter and ensure necessary 
training readiness, while ensuring appropriate management of land use 
and environmental resources; revise and implement the installation's 
CLUMP; and, maintain DoN readiness by accommodating current and 
evolving state-of-the-art RDT&E and training requirements at NAWSCL.
    Alternatives: The EIS/LEIS addresses three alternatives, including 
the no action alternative:
    1. Alternative 1 (Withdrawal with Increased Tempo) consists of: (1) 
Congressional renewal of the current land withdrawal of approximately 
1.1 million acres of public land for continued military use; (2) 
revision to and implementation of the NAWSCL CLUMP to reflect current 
and future land uses, both military and non-military; and (3) an 
increase of up to 25% in the tempo of military RDT&E, training 
activities (including ground and air training by DoN special operations 
forces and other Services), and expansion of unmanned aerial and 
surface systems, as well as the expansion of existing and the 
introduction of evolving directed energy weapons development at NAWSCL.
    2. Alternative 2 (Withdrawal with Baseline Tempo) consists of: (1) 
Renewing (through Congressional action) the land withdrawal; (2) 
revising and implementing the NAWSCL CLUMP; and, (3) maintaining 
current levels of RDT&E and training use (type, tempo, location).
    3. Alternative 3 (No Action Alternative) would allow the public 
land withdrawal to expire, with administrative control of the withdrawn 
land returning to the BLM. Withdrawn lands would comprise 92% of all 
NAWSCL lands. Limited RDT&E and training activities at NAWSCL would 
continue on 8% of remaining NAWSCL fee-owned/leased land and within 
managed airspace.
    Environmental Issues and Resources To Be Examined: Environmental 
issues that will be addressed in the EIS/LEIS include, but are not 
limited to, the following: Air quality; biological resources (including 
threatened and endangered species); cultural resources; geology and 
soils; hazardous materials and hazardous waste management; health and 
safety; noise; socioeconomics (including environmental justice); 
transportation; and water resources. Relevant and reasonable measures 
that would avoid or mitigate environmental effects will also be 
analyzed. Additionally, the DoN will undertake any consultations 
required by the Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation 
Act, Clean Water Act, and any other applicable law or regulation.
    Submitting Comments: The DoN encourages interested persons to 
submit comments concerning the proposed extension of the public land 
withdrawal, the alternatives proposed for study, and environmental 
impacts to be analyzed. Federal, state, and local agencies, Native 
Americans and Federally Recognized Tribes, and interested persons are 
encouraged to provide oral and/or written comments to the DoN to 
identify specific environmental issues or topics of

[[Page 34068]]

environmental concern that the DoN should consider. The DoN will 
prepare the draft LEIS incorporating issues identified by the 
commenting public. All comments on the EIS/LEIS, whether provided 
orally or in writing at the scoping meetings, or provided to the DoN 
during the public commenting period, will receive the same 
consideration during EIS/LEIS preparation.
    Written comments on the scope of the EIS/LEIS should be postmarked 
no later than September 8, 2011. Comments may be mailed to NAWSCL Land 
Withdrawal EIS/LEIS Project Manager (Attn: Ms. Jo Ellen Anderson), 
NAVFAC Southwest, 1220 Pacific Highway, San Diego, California 92132-
5178. Comments may also be submitted via the EIS/LEIS Web site located 
at http://www.ChinalakeLEIS.com.

    Dated: June 3, 2011.
D.J. Werner,
Lieutenant Commander, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, 
Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-14449 Filed 6-9-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P