[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 3, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39489-39490]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16326]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Public Meetings for the Naval Air Station Key West 
Airfield Operations Draft Environmental Impact Statement

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 of 1969 and regulations implemented by the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations parts 
1500-1508), the Department of the Navy (DoN) has prepared and filed 
with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) evaluating the potential environmental effects 
associated with supporting and conducting continued airfield operations 
at Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West. Specifically, the Draft EIS 
addresses the environmental effects of maintaining current/baseline 
training operations, supporting airfield operations by new types of 
aircraft, and modifying airfield operations as necessary in support of 
the Fleet Response Training Plan.
    With the filing of the Draft EIS, the DoN is initiating a 45-day 
public comment period beginning on June 29, 2012 and ending on August 
13, 2012. During this period, the DoN will conduct two public meetings 
to receive oral and written comments on the Draft EIS. This notice 
announces the dates and locations of the public meetings and provides 
supplementary information about the environmental planning effort.
    Dates and Addresses: Public information and comment meetings will 
be held in Key West, Florida between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the following 
dates and at the following locations:
    1. Wednesday, August 1, 2012, Doubletree Grand Key Resort 
Conference Room, 3990 South Roosevelt Boulevard, Key West, Florida 
33040.
    2. Thursday, August 2, 2012, Tennessee Williams Theater at Florida 
Keys Community College, 5901 College Road, Key West (Stock Island), 
Florida.
    Federal, state, and local agencies and officials, and interested 
groups and individuals, are encouraged to provide comments in person at 
the public meetings or in writing anytime during the public comment 
period. At the public meetings, attendees will be able to submit 
comments orally or in writing. Equal weight will be given to oral and 
written statements. Comments may also be submitted via the U.S. Postal 
Service to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, NAS Key West 
Air Operations EIS Project Manager, P.O. Box 30, Building 903, NAS 
Jacksonville, FL 32212 or electronically via the project Web site 
(http://www.keywesteis.com). All statements, oral or written, submitted 
during the public review period will become part of the public record 
on the Draft EIS and will be responded to in the Final EIS. All written 
comments must be post marked or received (online) by August 13, 2012, 
to ensure they become part of the official record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naval Facilities Engineering Command 
Southeast, NAS Key West Air Operations EIS Project Manager, P.O. Box 
30, Building 903, NAS Jacksonville, FL 32212.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Intent to prepare this Draft EIS 
was published in the Federal Register on May 12, 2010 (75 FR 26739). 
The DoN's proposed action is to support and conduct aircraft training 
operations and capabilities at NAS Key West by maintaining current/
baseline training operations, supporting airfield operations by 
introducing new types of aircraft, and modifying airfield operations as 
necessary in support of the Fleet Response Training Plan. The purpose 
of the proposed action is to sustain fleet training at and associated 
with NAS Key West airfield for Navy tactical aviation and for use by 
other Department of Defense and federal agencies. The proposed action 
is needed in order to maintain the level of readiness mandated in Title 
10 United States Code Part 5062.
    The Draft EIS evaluates the potential environmental effects of the 
No Action Alternative and three action alternatives. Under the No 
Action Alternative, annual airfield operations would continue to occur 
at a level similar to present (approximately 47,500 annual operations); 
support of existing capabilities would continue; no new aircraft would 
be introduced; and, no facilities would be altered to support next 
generation aircraft training operations. Under Alternative 1, annual 
airfield operations would continue at a level similar to present 
(approximately 47,500 annual operations), plus legacy aircraft would 
gradually transition to next generation aircraft and existing 
facilities would be altered to meet requirements for next generation 
aircraft. Alternative 2 would be the same as Alternative 1, plus 
provide the flexibility to accommodate additional carrier air wing 
Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) training at NAS Key West when 
primary carrier air wing training locations around the United States 
are unavailable. Additional carrier air wing FCLP operations would vary 
annually based on availability of the primary training locations, but 
could total up to 4,500 additional operations (2,250 patterns). Total 
annual airfield operations under Alternative 2 could equal 
approximately 52,000 operations. Alternative 3 would be the same as 
Alternative 2, plus provide operational capacity and flexibility to 
effectively meet DoN training requirements under the Fleet Response 
Training Plan with an approximate ten percent increase in other annual 
airfield operations. Total annual airfield operations under this 
alternative could equal approximately 57,000 operations. A preferred 
alternative has not been selected or identified by the DoN. The DoN 
seeks comment from the public or interested parties regarding selection 
of a preferred alternative.
    Environmental resource topics evaluated in the Draft EIS include 
noise,

[[Page 39490]]

air quality, safety, land use, transportation, infrastructure, 
socioeconomics (including environmental justice and protection of 
children), cultural resources, geology, topography, and soils, water 
resources, biological resources, and hazardous materials, hazardous 
waste, toxic substances, and contaminated sites.
    The Draft EIS was distributed to Federal, state, and local 
agencies, elected officials, and other interested individuals and 
organizations. Copies of the Draft EIS are available for public review 
at the following libraries:
    1. Key West Public Library, 700 Fleming Street, Key West, Florida 
33040.
    2. Florida Keys Community College Library, 5901 College Road, 
Building A (2nd Floor), Key West, Florida 33040.
    Copies of the Draft EIS are available for electronic viewing or 
download at http://www.keywesteis.com. A paper copy of the Executive 
Summary or a single compact disc of the Draft EIS will be made 
available upon written request by contacting: Naval Facilities 
Engineering Command Southeast, NAS Key West Air Operations EIS Project 
Manager, P.O. Box 30, Bldg 903, NAS Jacksonville, Florida 32212.

    Dated: June 26, 2012.
L.R. Almand,
Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Alternate Federal Register 
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-16326 Filed 7-2-12; 8:45 am]
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