[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 164 (Friday, August 25, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40572-40573]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18069]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Special Use Airspace Optimization Project, Holloman Air Force Base, 
New Mexico

AGENCY: Department of the Air Force, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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    The U.S. Air Force is issuing this notice of intent (NOI) (40 CFR 
1508.22) to advise the public of its intent to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the potential environmental 
consequences associated with modifying existing or creating new special 
use airspace (SUA), and relinquishing to the National Airspace System 
(NAS) SUA incompatible for today's Air Force mission. SUA used by 
Holloman Air Force Base (AFB) dates back more than 30 years ago and was 
designed to support different aircraft with significantly different 
mission profiles and performance characteristics than the current 
aircraft (F-16C/D) flown at Holloman AFB. Optimizing Air Force 
controlled SUA would provide the scheduling flexibility necessary to 
conduct multiple, simultaneous training missions needed by the aircrews 
stationed at Holloman AFB, New Mexico to meet the pilot initial 
qualification training requirements. Two action alternatives identified 
as meeting the purpose and need for this proposed action will be 
analyzed in the EIS. Alternative 1 would reconfigure and expand the 
existing Talon Military Operations Area (MOA) and associated Air 
Traffic Control Assigned Airspace (ATCAA). Alternative 2 would modify 
the existing Cato/Smitty MOA/ATCAA and create a new Lobos MOA to the 
west of White Sands Missile Range. Each alternative includes aircraft 
activity down to 500 feet above ground level (AGL), supersonic activity 
at or above 30,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), and the use of defensive 
chaff and flares within certain parameters. The resulting SUA would 
provide adequate volumes of SUA to allow for more efficient and 
simultaneous training activities that currently occur disjointedly 
throughout several airspace areas in New Mexico and return sub-optimal 
airspace to the NAS for use by the public.
    A No Action Alternative will be included in the EIS, whereby 
aircrews at Holloman AFB would continue to utilize existing SUA as it 
is currently configured. Aircrews would continue to be limited to SUA 
that was developed for legacy aircraft more than 30 years ago and does 
not have the optimum volume, proximity to the installation, 
availability, or other attributes to efficiently support the Holloman 
AFB flying mission. The analysis of the No Action Alternative will 
provide a benchmark to enable Air Force decision-makers to compare the 
magnitude of the environmental effects of the proposed action.
    Scoping and Agency Coordination: To effectively define the full 
range of issues and alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS, the Air 
Force will determine the scope of the analysis by soliciting comments 
from interested local, state and federal elected officials and 
agencies, as well as interested members of the public and others. The 
public and interested parties can submit their comments through the 
project Web site www.HollomanAFBAirspaceEIS.com, by mailing comments to 
Holloman Airspace EIS, c/o Cardno, 501 Butler Farm Rd., Suite H, 
Hampton, VA 23666, or by attending one of the public meetings. The Air 
Force will also pursue government-to-government consultations with 
interested Native American tribes and pueblos.
    Public Meeting Dates and Locations: Public scoping meetings will be 
held in Carlsbad, Truth or Consequences and Las Cruces, New Mexico at 
the following dates, times, and locations:

Tuesday, September 12, 2017, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Carlsbad Public 
Library, 101 S. Halagueno Street, Carlsbad, NM 88220.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Truth or 
Consequences Civic Center, Ralph Edwards Auditorium, 400 W. 4th Avenue, 
Truth or Consequences, NM 87901.
Thursday, September 14, 2017, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Hilton Garden 
Inn, 2550 S. Don Roser Dr., Las Cruces, NM 88001.

    Although comments can be submitted to the Air Force any time during 
the EIS process, scoping comments are requested by September 25, 2017 
to ensure full consideration in the draft EIS.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Air Force has preliminarily identified 
two broad alternatives to optimize existing training airspace at 
Holloman AFB. While the alternatives are independent of each other, the 
decision-maker may choose to implement one, both, or none of the 
alternatives based on the analysis provided in the EIS.
    Alternative 1 would evaluate an expansion to the east of Holloman 
AFB of the Talon MOA and associated ATCAA. The Talon MOA is located in 
the vicinity of Carlsbad, New Mexico and covers approximately 1,848 
square nautical miles. Under this alternative, the dimensions of the 
existing MOA/ATCAA would be expanded approximately 1,375 square 
nautical miles generally to the east. The floor of the MOA would be 
raised to 500 feet AGL from the current 300 feet AGL. Training within 
the expanded MOA/ATCAA would include supersonic flight at or above 
30,000 feet and use of chaff and flares above 2,000 feet AGL.
    Alternative 2 would evaluate the area west of Holloman AFB and 
White Sands Missile Range for reconfiguring and expanding the Cato/
Smitty MOA and associated ATCAA and/or creating a new Lobos MOA/ATCAA. 
The Cato/Smitty MOA is located in the vicinity of Truth or 
Consequences, New Mexico and covers approximately 2,680 square nautical 
miles. Under this alternative, the dimensions of the Cato/Smitty MOA 
would be reconfigured and expanded to the southeast. Reconfiguring this 
MOA would result in returning the northern portion of the existing 
Cato/Smitty MOA back to the NAS. The new Lobos MOA/ATCAA would be 
created south of the reconfigured Cato/Smitty MOA and west of White 
Sands Missile Range. The proposed floor of the reconfigured

[[Page 40573]]

Cato/Smitty MOA and the new Lobos MOA would be 500 feet AGL (2,000 feet 
AGL over designated wilderness areas as currently observed). Training 
within the reconfigured and expanded Cato/Smitty and new Lobos MOAs 
would include supersonic flight above 30,000 feet and use of chaff and 
flares above 2,000 feet AGL.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions regarding the proposed 
action, scoping, and EIS development, contact Holloman AFB Public 
Affairs Office, at (575) 572-7383 or at: [email protected].

Henry Williams,
Acting Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-18069 Filed 8-24-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-10-P