[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 37 (Friday, February 26, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11734-11736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-03449]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Notice To Reopen Public Scoping for the Homeland Defense Radar in 
Hawaii Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Missile Defense Agency, Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announces that it is 
reopening the public scoping period for the Homeland Defense Radar-
Hawaii (HDR-H) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). MDA will use the 
additional public scoping input to support preparation of the EIS in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969.

DATES: MDA invites public comments on the updated scope of the HDR-H 
EIS during the 45-day public scoping period beginning with publication 
of this notice in the Federal Register. Comments will be accepted on or 
before April 12, 2021 to ensure their consideration in the Draft EIS 
analysis.

ADDRESSES: Written comments, statements, and/or concerns regarding the 
scope of the EIS should be addressed to MDA HDR-H EIS and sent by email 
to llc.com">mda.hdrh.eis@kfs-llc.com; by facsimile at 256-713-1617; or by U.S. 
Postal Service to: KFS, LLC, Attn: MDA HDR-H EIS, 303 Williams Ave., 
Suite 116, Huntsville, AL 35801.

[[Page 11735]]

Comments will also be accepted via voicemail by calling 1-888-473-6650. 
All comments, and commenters' names and addresses, will be included in 
the administrative record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Heather Cavaliere, MDA Public 
Affairs at 256-450-1599 or by email to mda.info@mda.mil">mda.info@mda.mil. Additional 
information on the project can be found at MDA's website: www.mda.mil/hdrh.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A notice of intent to prepare the EIS for 
this project was previously published in the Federal Register on June 
1, 2018, 83 FR 25442-25443. The purpose for reopening public scoping is 
to provide opportunity for comment on substantive project changes to 
previously identified HDR-H alternatives on the island of Oahu, in 
addition to a new HDR-H alternative on the island of Kauai. MDA is 
preparing the EIS to evaluate potential environmental impacts that 
could result from construction and operation of the HDR-H (a radar to 
identify, track, and classify long-range ballistic missile threats in 
mid-course flight), an In-Flight Interceptor Communications System Data 
Terminal or IDT (a facility that provides communication between the 
Ground-Based Midcourse Defense fire control system and the interceptor, 
both stationed elsewhere), and associated support facilities and 
infrastructure. The Proposed Action would also include establishment of 
restricted airspace for the HDR-H site. The purpose of the Proposed 
Action is to support the Missile Defense System and enhance homeland 
defense capabilities for Hawaii. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 National 
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requires MDA to develop a plan to 
construct and operate a ``discrimination radar'' or equivalent sensor, 
for a location that will improve homeland missile defense for the 
defense of Hawaii. A ``discrimination radar'' is capable of identifying 
and classifying specific ballistic missile threats. The FY2021 NDAA 
authorizes MDA to continue Homeland Defense Radar--Hawaii (HDR-H) radar 
development and siting efforts. The FY 2021 Appropriation bill provided 
funding to continue these efforts in FY 2021. Therefore, MDA is engaged 
in Advanced Planning studies and preparing an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the siting and development of the HDR-H, should a 
deployment decision be made and is funded. The DoD has not yet made a 
decision on where to deploy the HDR-H and is still in the process of 
evaluating alternative locations.
    During the original public scoping effort, MDA held three public 
scoping meetings on Oahu between June 19 and June 21, 2018. Due to the 
ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency, 
and consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 
guidance regarding large events and mass gatherings, MDA will provide 
an Online Open House website and hold two Telephone Public Meetings in 
place of in-person public scoping meetings. The Open House website has 
been developed to provide the public with HDR-H EIS-related information 
and the ability to comment on the Proposed Action. Access to this 
information can be found on MDA's website at www.mda.mil/hdrh. 
Notification of the public scoping period, Online Open House website, 
and Telephone Public Meetings will be published and announced in local 
news media to encourage public participation and review.
    In accordance with the current 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 
1501.8, the Department of the U.S. Air Force, Department of the U.S. 
Army, Department of the U.S. Navy, and Federal Aviation Administration 
(FAA) have been identified as cooperating agencies in preparing the 
EIS.
    During the 2018 public scoping effort, MDA identified three 
alternative locations on the island of Oahu for the proposed HDR-H 
complex, which would consist of multiple buildings and facilities 
placed within and outside of a restricted fenced area. The overall 
complex would occupy up to approximately 50 acres and require up to 
approximately 100 additional acres for temporary construction laydown 
area and new infrastructure, depending on topographic and environmental 
conditions. Originally, one HDR-H alternative was identified at 
Kuaokala Ridge (KR) on state-owned land adjacent to the U.S. Air Force 
Kaena Point Satellite Tracking Station (KPSTS), while two other 
alternatives were identified at U.S. Army Kahuku Training Area (KTA) on 
DoD property and labeled as KTA Site 1 and Site 2. Since 2018, MDA has 
conducted additional and more intensive siting studies to confirm 
alternative selection, and optimize facility planning and design. As a 
result, in 2020 MDA removed both the KR and KTA Site 2 alternatives 
from further consideration and added a new alternative at the U.S. Navy 
Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) on DoD property on the island of 
Kauai. The EIS analysis will include three alternatives: one on Oahu 
(KTA-1), one on Kauai (PMRF), and a No Action Alternative.
    Because operation of the radar would create a hazard in areas of 
the National Airspace System where high intensity radiated fields 
(HIRF) would exceed FAA certification standards for aircraft electrical 
and electronic systems, MDA would coordinate with FAA to establish a 
Restricted Area within the radar's field-of-view where the flight of 
aircraft would be restricted.
    Operation of the proposed HDR-H radar at the KTA-1 alternative 
would cause radio frequency interference with the U.S. Air Force Solar 
Observatory located at KPSTS. Because of the radio frequency 
interference, selection of the KTA-1 alternative would require the 
existing Solar Observatory mission to be relocated off island to 
another military installation in Hawaii and the existing facilities at 
KPSTS potentially demolished. Alternatives for relocating the Solar 
Observatory are PMRF on Kauai or the Air Force Research Laboratory 
Remote Maui Experiment facility situated on privately-owned lands 
leased to the U.S. Air Force on the island of Maui. Relocation of the 
Solar Observatory would require approximately one to two acres of 
privately-owned land for long-term operations. An additional acre of 
adjacent privately-owned land could be needed as temporary laydown area 
during Solar Observatory facility construction. Under the HDR-H 
alternative at PMRF, should it be selected, the existing Solar 
Observatory on Oahu would not require relocation.
    At each HDR-H alternative location, impacts will be assessed for 
the following resource topics: Airspace management, air quality, 
biological resources, cultural resources, environmental justice, 
geology and soils, hazardous materials and waste management, health and 
safety, infrastructure (utilities), land use, noise and vibration, 
socioeconomics, transportation, visual resources, and water resources.
    This public scoping effort also supports compliance with Section 
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 and its 
implementing regulations at 36 CFR part 800. As such, MDA will be 
conducting consultation with Native Hawaiian Organizations, government 
officials, and other interested parties regarding historic and cultural 
resources under Section 106 of the NHPA as appropriate.
    MDA encourages all interested members of the public, as well as 
federal, state, and local agencies to participate in the public scoping 
process for the preparation of this EIS. The public scoping process 
assists in determining the scope of issues to be

[[Page 11736]]

addressed, other alternatives that should be considered, and helps 
identify significant environmental issues to be analyzed in depth in 
the EIS.

    Dated: February 16, 2021.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2021-03449 Filed 2-25-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P