[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 72 (Thursday, April 14, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22195-22196]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-08030]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
Addressing the KC-46A Main Operating Base #6 (MOB 6) Beddown at MacDill 
Air Force Base, Florida or Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is issuing this Notice 
of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to 
assess the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts 
associated with the KC-46A Main Operating Base #6 (MOB 6) Beddown. The 
DAF is proposing to beddown KC-46A tanker aircraft, personnel, and 
associated infrastructure in support of the MOB 6 mission at MacDill 
Air Force Base (AFB), Florida, or, as an alternative, Fairchild AFB in 
Washington State.

DATES: A public scoping period of 30 days will take place starting from 
the date of this NOI publication in the Federal Register. 
Identification of potential alternatives, information, and analyses 
relevant to the proposed action are requested and will be accepted at 
any time during the EIS process. To ensure DAF has sufficient time to 
consider public input in the preparation of the Draft EIS, scoping 
comments should be submitted in writing to the website or the address 
listed below within the 30-day scoping period. The Draft EIS is 
anticipated in Winter 2022/2023 and the Final EIS is anticipated in 
Fall 2023. The Record of Decision would be approved and signed 30 days 
after the Final EIS.

ADDRESSES: Scoping comments may be submitted to Helen Kellogg, AFCEC/

[[Page 22196]]

CZN; Attn: KC-46A MOB 6 EIS; 2261 Hughes Ave., Suite 155; JBSA 
Lackland, TX 78236-9853 or Email: [email protected]. The 
project website (www.kc46amob6eis.com) provides information on the EIS 
and the scoping process, and can be used to submit scoping comments 
online. EIS inquiries and requests for digital or print copies of 
scoping materials are available upon request at the email or mailing 
address provided. For printed material requests, the standard U.S. 
Postal Service shipping timeline will apply. Members of the public who 
want to receive future mailings informing them on the availability of 
the Draft and Final EIS are encouraged to submit a comment that 
includes their name and email or postal mailing address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Helen Kellogg, AFCEC/CZN; Attn: KC-46A 
MOB 6 EIS; 2261 Hughes Ave., Suite 155; JBSA Lackland, TX 78236-9853; 
Telephone: 210-925-7843; or Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MOB 6 mission includes the beddown of 24 
KC-46A aircraft in two squadrons of 12 at MacDill AFB in Florida under 
the Proposed Action or, as an alternative, at Fairchild AFB in 
Washington State. The KC-46A aircraft would recapitalize the aging KC-
135 tanker fleet and would continue supporting the mission of providing 
worldwide refueling, cargo, and aeromedical evacuation support.
    The purpose of the Proposed Action is to recapitalize aging tanker 
aircraft currently utilized by DAF with the KC-46A model to better 
address future mission requirements, offer expanded capability, and 
provide life-cycle cost savings in comparison to continued operation of 
existing KC-135 Stratotanker. The Proposed Action is needed because the 
KC-46A will provide capabilities currently lacking in the existing 
tanker fleet, resulting in a fully capable, combat operational tanker 
force to accomplish aerial refueling and related worldwide missions.
    Resource areas being analyzed for impacts under the Proposed Action 
include: Noise, biological resources, cultural resources, 
socioeconomics, soils and geology, water resources, infrastructure and 
transportation, land use, hazardous materials and wastes, health and 
safety, air quality, and environmental justice and other sensitive 
receptors. Potential impacts under the Proposed Action at MacDill AFB 
or the Fairchild AFB alternative are anticipated to be less than 
significant or mitigatable to less than significant. Permits may be 
required for the Proposed Action at MacDill AFB, Florida or at 
Fairchild AFB, Washington. If so, the DAF will get all appropriate 
permits. In addition, the DAF will comply with the substantive 
requirements of the Florida Coastal Management Program. The DAF will 
also consult with appropriate resource agencies and Native American 
tribes to determine the potential for significant impacts. Consultation 
will be incorporated into the preparation of the EIS and will include, 
but not be limited to, consultation under Section 7 of the Endangered 
Species Act and consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act.
    Scoping and Agency Coordination: To effectively define the full 
range of issues to be evaluated in the EIS, DAF will determine the 
scope of the analysis by soliciting comments from interested local, 
state, and federal elected officials and agencies, Tribes, as well as, 
interested members of the public and others. Implementation of the KC-
46A MOB 6 mission at MacDill AFB would have the potential to be located 
in a floodplain and/or wetland. Consistent with the requirements and 
objectives of Executive Order (E.O.) 11990, ``Protection of Wetlands,'' 
and E.O. 11988, ``Floodplain Management,'' state and federal regulatory 
agencies with special expertise in wetlands and floodplains, such as 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida State 
Floodplain Management Office will be contacted and asked to comment. 
Consistent with E.O. 11988 and E.O. 11990, this Notice of Intent 
initiates early public review of the Proposed Action and alternatives 
and invites public comments and identification of potential 
alternatives.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice of intent, public 
scoping notices will be announced locally. In accordance with DAF 
guidance, in-person public scoping meetings will not be held. Public 
scoping will instead be accomplished remotely, in accordance with the 
2020 version of 40 CFR part 1506.6, via the project website at 
www.kc46amob6eis.com. The project website provides posters, a 
presentation, an informational fact sheet, downloadable comment forms 
to fill out and return by mail, and the capability for the public to 
submit scoping comments online. Scoping materials are also available at 
the following libraries: MacDill AFB Library (8102 Condor Street, 
Tampa, FL 3362), Port Tampa City Public Library (4902 W Commerce St, 
Tampa, FL 33616), Fairchild AFB Library (2 W Castle Street, Fairchild 
AFB, WA 99011), and Spokane Public Library (906 W Main Ave., Spokane, 
WA 99201).

Adriane Paris,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-08030 Filed 4-13-22; 8:45 am]
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