[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 87 (Friday, May 7, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24599-24600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09701]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Long Range Discrimination Radar Operations at Clear 
Air Force Station, Alaska

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Missile Defense Agency (MDA), as the lead agency, 
announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) located at Clear 
Air Force Station (CAFS), Alaska. The Federal Aviation Administration 
(FAA) and the Department of the Air Force (DAF) are cooperating 
agencies to this Final EIS.

DATES: MDA will not issue a final decision on the proposed action for a 
minimum of 30 days after the date that the United States Environmental 
Protection Agency (USEPA) publishes its Notice of Availability (NOA) in 
the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ryan Keith, MDA Public Affairs, at 
256-450-1599 or by email: lrdr.info@mda.mil">lrdr.info@mda.mil. The Final EIS for the Long 
Range Discrimination Radar Operations at Clear Air Force Station, 
Alaska is available online at the MDA's website at: https://www.mda.mil/system/lrdr.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Defense's NOA (85 FR 
68314) for the Draft EIS was published in the Federal Register on 
October 28, 2020, and the USEPA's NOA (ER-FRL-9053-6) for the Draft EIS 
was published in the Federal Register on October 30, 2020, which 
provided notice that the Draft EIS was available for comment from 
October 30, 2020 to December 21, 2020.
    MDA hosted a telephone public meeting, December 2, 2020, and an 
online open house to share information about the proposed action and 
alternatives and allow the public to provide comments and ask 
questions. Additionally, the public was able to submit comments by 
facsimile, postal mail, or via a project email address. MDA received 
comments on the Draft EIS from ten individuals or organizations, one of 
which commented twice. Commenters requested changes to the proposed 
Restricted Areas, more information about communication methods if 
Restricted Areas are activated at unscheduled times, and mitigation for 
climate change and air quality. Comments on the Draft EIS were 
considered and incorporated as appropriate into the Final EIS. Comments 
resulted in the addition of clarifying text and an update to the 
impacts to airspace based on information presented during the FAA 
Safety Risk Management Panel's analysis. However, these changes did not 
significantly change the alternatives or analysis presented in the EIS.
    Background: In response to the Congressional mandate to deploy the 
LRDR, MDA completed a siting analysis for the LRDR, which selected CAFS 
out of 50 candidate Department of Defense installations in Alaska. In 
June 2016, MDA and DAF prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA), to 
evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated with the 
construction and operation of the LRDR at CAFS. The 2016 EA resulted in 
a Finding of No Significant Impact, and construction of the LRDR began 
in July 2017.
    Since that time, due to emerging threats, MDA proposes to modify 
the LRDR operational requirements and procedures to reflect continuous 
operations. Due to the proposed changes to LRDR operations, airspace 
restrictions at CAFS are necessary to ensure that aircraft would not 
encounter high intensity radiation fields (HIRF) resulting from the 
LRDR operations that exceed FAA's HIRF certification standards for 
aircraft electrical and electronic systems. The proposed airspace 
restrictions include expanding the existing Restricted Area (R-2206) at 
CAFS by adding six new Restricted Areas. The preferred alternative is 
to operate the LRDR continuously under the changed operational concept 
and to implement the associated proposed airspace restrictions as 
described in the Proposed Action analyzed in the Final EIS.
    The EIS also analyzes the No Action Alternative. Under the No 
Action Alternative, the LRDR would be operated in a manner that would

[[Page 24600]]

contain HIRF within existing R-2206 such that no new actions would need 
to be taken to limit aircraft flight. The Final EIS analyzes the 
environmental effects of the Proposed Action and No Action Alternative 
in the following environmental resource areas: Airspace management; air 
quality; biological resources; climate; hazardous materials; solid 
waste and pollution prevention; historical, architectural, 
archaeological, and cultural resources; land use; natural resources and 
energy supply; noise and compatible land use; safety; socioeconomics 
and environmental justice; subsistence; visual effects; and water 
resources. The Final EIS was prepared in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969; the Council on Environmental 
Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA; 
MDA's NEPA Implementing Procedures; DAF Environmental Impact Analysis 
Process; and FAA's NEPA Policies and Procedures.

    Dated: May 4, 2021.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2021-09701 Filed 5-6-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P