[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 17371]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08199]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement for Tinian Divert Infrastructure Improvements, Commonwealth 
of the Mariana Islands

AGENCY: Department of the Air Force, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The United States Air Force (USAF) is issuing this notice to 
advise the public of the intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement (SEIS) for the proposed Tinian Divert Infrastructure 
Improvements. The SEIS will assess the potential environmental 
consequences of the construction of a fuel pipeline and associated 
support facilities, and improvements to existing roadways, on the 
island of Tinian in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands 
(CNMI).

DATES: USAF invites the public, stakeholders, and other interested 
parties to attend an open house public scoping meeting from 5 p.m. to 8 
p.m. on Thursday, May 17, 2018 at the Tinian Elementary School 
cafeteria. A Chamorro/Carolinian interpreter will be available at the 
meeting and can assist with translation of meeting materials and 
written comments.

ADDRESSES: The project website www.PACAFDivertMarianasEIS.com provides 
more information on the SEIS and can be used to submit scoping 
comments. Scoping comments may also be submitted to Ms. Melissa 
Markell, (210) 925-2728, AFCEC/CZN; Attn: Tinian Divert SEIS; 2261 
Hughes Ave, Suite 155; JBSA Lackland, TX 78236-9853, 
[email protected]. Comments will be accepted at any time during 
the environmental impact analysis process. However, to ensure the USAF 
has sufficient time to consider public input in the preparation of the 
Draft SEIS, scoping comments should be submitted in English to the 
website or the address listed above by May 27, 2018.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USAF intends to prepare an SEIS to 
address changes made since the September 2016 completion of the Final 
EIS for Divert Activities and Exercises and the signature of the Record 
of Decision (ROD), signed December 7, 2016, announcing the USAF 
decision to select the Modified Tinian Alternative (Final EIS, Section 
2.7, page 2-52) and specifically the North Option (Final EIS, Section 
2.5.2, page 2-28), as a future Divert location.
    After the ROD was signed in December 2016, the USAF conducted 
further evaluation of the fuel requirement and associated 
infrastructure, including the feasibility of different alternatives 
that were not considered in the original EIS. The USAF now proposes to 
construct a fuel pipeline to transport fuel from the seaport to the 
airport, and associated infrastructure at the seaport, rather than 
using fuel trucks for fuel transfer. In addition, recent reconnaissance 
surveys of the routes proposed for Divert-related vehicles, and 
coordination with Tinian leadership, indicate the existing surface road 
network is inadequate to support heavy vehicle traffic required for 
Divert activities, and is in need of improvements. Therefore, the USAF 
also proposes to improve certain existing roads between the seaport and 
airport that would be used to support Divert-related projects.
    Scoping and Agency Coordination: To effectively define the full 
range of issues to be evaluated in the SEIS, the USAF 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. A scoping meeting will be held on 
Tinian and the scheduled date, time, and location for the scoping 
meeting will also be published in local media a minimum of 15 days 
prior to the scoping meeting. The USAF also welcomes comments under 
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (36 Code of 
Federal Regulations 800) regarding the identification of or effects on 
historic properties.
    If you have comments or would like to become a consulting party in 
the Section 106 process, please visit the project website or contact 
Ms. Melissa Markell, AFCEC/CZN at the address above.

Henry Williams,
Acting Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-08199 Filed 4-18-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-05-P