[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29361-29362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13561]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Availability of the Federal Aviation Administration 
Adoption and Record of Decision of Department of Navy's Final 
Environmental Impact Statement and Final Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement for Land Acquisition and Airspace Establishment To 
Support Large-Scale Marine Air Ground: Task Force Live Fire and 
Maneuver Training, Twentynine Palms

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of record of decision.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its 
decision to adopt the Department of the Navy's (DoN) Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 
(SEIS) for Land Acquisition and Airspace Establishment to Support 
Large-Scale Marine Air Ground Task Force Live-Fire and Maneuver 
Training at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, 
California. In accordance with Section 102 of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (``NEPA''), the Council on 
Environmental Quality's (``CEQ'') regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR 
parts 1500-1508), and other applicable authorities, including the 
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 1050.1F, Environmental 
Impacts: Policies and Procedures, paragraph 8-2, and FAA Order JO 
7400.2K, ``Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters,'' paragraph 32-2-
3, the FAA has conducted an independent review and evaluation of the 
DoN's EIS and SEIS for Land Acquisition and Airspace Establishment to 
Support Large-Scale Marine Air Ground Task Force Live-Fire and Maneuver 
Training at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, 
California dated July 2012 and January 2017 respectively. As a 
cooperating agency with responsibility for approving special use 
airspace under 49 U.S.C. 40103(b)(3)(A), the FAA provided subject 
matter expertise to the DoN during the environmental review process. 
Based on its independent review and evaluation, the FAA has determined 
the EIS and SEIS, including all supporting documentation, as 
incorporated by reference, adequately assesses and discloses the 
environmental impacts for the temporary special use air space, and that 
adoption of the 2012 and 2017 EISs by the FAA is authorized under 40 
CFR 1506.3, Adoption. Accordingly, the FAA adopts the 2012 and 2017 
EISs, and takes full responsibility for the scope and content that 
addresses the proposed temporary changes to Special Use Airspace in the 
vicinity of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine 
Palms.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paula Miller, Airspace Policy and 
Regulations Group, Office of Airspace Services, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; 
telephone: (202) 267-7378.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In July 2012, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy 
Act and its implementing regulations, the DoN released a Final EIS. The 
Final EIS presented the potential environmental consequences of the 
DoN's proposal to establish Special Use Airspace to support Navy 
training activities that involve the use of advanced weapons systems. 
The U.S. Marine Corps is the proponent for the temporary SUA in the 
vicinity of Twentynine Palms, California, and the DoN is the lead 
agency for the preparation of the EIS and SEIS. The DoN issued their 
RODs on 2013 and 2017. As a result of public, agency, and tribal 
comments, and the FAA aeronautical review process; the DoN, FAA, other 
Federal and State agencies, and tribal governments have

[[Page 29362]]

consulted to mitigate concerns while continuing to meet national 
defense training requirements. The FAA is a cooperating agency 
responsible for approving Special Use Airspace as defined in 40 CFR 
1508.5.

Implementation

    The FAA is establishing the following temporary special use 
airspace: Restricted area R-2509 E/W/N, Johnson Valley MOA/ATCAA, 
Sundance High MOA/ATCAA, Sundance West MOA/ATCAA, Bristol Low MOA, 
Bristol ATCAA, CAX Low/High MOA/ATCAA, and Turtle MOA/ATCAA. The Notice 
of Proposed Rulemaking for temporary R-2509 was published in the 
Federal Register (82 FR 11414) on February 23, 2017. The MOAs were 
circularized to the public on February 27, 2017, with Docket No 16-AWP-
24NR. The legal descriptions for the MRIC Airspace established, as 
noted in this notice, will be published in the Federal Register as a 
Final Rule and in the National Flight Data Digest (NFDD) with a June 
22, 2017, effective date. A copy of the FAAROD is available on the FAA 
Web site.

Right of Appeal

    The Adoption and ROD for the establishment of temporary special use 
airspace in the vicinity of the Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, 
California constitutes a final order of the FAA Administrator and is 
subject to exclusive judicial review under 49 U.S.C. 46110 by the U.S. 
Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia or the U.S. 
Circuit Court of Appeals for the circuit in which the person contesting 
the decision resides or has its principal place of business. Any party 
having substantial interest in this order may apply for review of the 
decision by filing a petition for review in the appropriate U.S. Court 
of Appeals no later than 60 days after the order is issued in 
accordance with the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 46110.

    Dated: June 21, 2017.
Sam Shrimpton,
Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2017-13561 Filed 6-27-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P