[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 17, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2608-2609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00714]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
T-7A Recapitalization at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas

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 T-7A Recapitalization at Laughlin Air Force Base (AFB), 
Texas. The EIS will analyze the potential impacts from introduction of 
T-7A aircraft and flight operations at Laughlin AFB and associated 
airspace; introduction of nighttime (between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.) flight 
operations; changes to the number of personnel and dependents in the 
Laughlin AFB region; and construction and upgrade of operations, 
support, and maintenance facilities.

DATES: A public scoping period of 30 days will take place starting from 
the date of publication of this NOI in the Federal Register. Comments 
will be accepted at any time during the environmental impact analysis 
process; however, to ensure DAF has sufficient time to consider public 
scoping comments during preparation of the Draft EIS, please submit 
comments within the 30-day scoping period. The Draft EIS is anticipated 
in late 2023. The Final EIS and a decision on which alternative to 
implement is expected in early 2024.
    DAF invites the public, stakeholders, and other interested parties 
to attend a remote public scoping meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on 8 
February 2023. A link to the remote public scoping meeting and 
telephone call-in number will be provided on the project website 
(https://laughlin.t-7anepadocuments.com/) at least 15 days before the 
meeting. Participants of the remote public scoping meeting will be 
instructed on how they may provide comments.

ADDRESSES: For EIS inquiries or requests for printed or digital copies 
of scoping materials please contact Mr. Nolan Swick by phone: (210) 
925-3392. The project website (https://laughlin.t-7anepadocuments.com/) 
provides additional information on the EIS and can be used to submit 
scoping comments. Scoping comments may also be submitted via email to 
[email protected] or via postal mail to Mr. Nolan Swick, AFCEC/CZN; 
Attn: Laughlin AFB T-7A Recapitalization EIS; Headquarters AETC Public 
Affairs; 100 H East Street, Suite 4; Randolph AFB, TX 78150. Please 
submit inquiries or requests for printed or digital copies of the 
scoping materials via the email or postal address above. For printed 
material requests, the standard U.S. Postal Service shipping timeline 
will apply. Please consider the environment before requesting printed 
material.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DAF intends to prepare an EIS that will 
evaluate the potential impacts from its proposal to recapitalize the T-
38C Talon flight training program at Laughlin AFB with T-7A Red Hawk 
aircraft. The proposal supports the Secretary of the Air Force's 
strategic basing decisions to recapitalize existing T-38C pilot 
training installations, and Laughlin AFB would be the third 
installation to be environmentally analyzed for possible 
recapitalization. The purpose of this proposal is to continue the T-7A 
recapitalization program to prepare pilots to operate more 
technologically advanced modern aircraft. Recapitalization is needed 
because the current training practices with the older T-38C aircraft do 
not adequately prepare pilots for the technological advancements of 
fourth and fifth generation aircraft.

[[Page 2609]]

    Recapitalization entails introduction of T-7A aircraft and flight 
operations at Laughlin AFB to replace all T-38C aircraft assigned to 
the installation; introduction of nighttime (between 10 p.m. and 7 
a.m.) flight operations; changes to the number of personnel and 
dependents in the Laughlin AFB region; and construction and upgrade of 
support and maintenance facilities. DAF is considering three 
alternatives to the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative. For 
Alternative 1, Laughlin AFB would receive 63 T-7A aircraft and perform 
sufficient operations for sustaining pilot training while 
simultaneously phasing out the T-38C aircraft and phasing in the T-7A 
aircraft. Alternative 2 also would result in 63 T-7A aircraft being 
delivered to Laughlin AFB; however, T-7A operations would be performed 
at an intensity approximately 25 percent greater than Alternative 1 to 
cover a potential scenario in which DAF requires a surge or increase in 
pilot training operations above the current plan. For Alternative 3, 
Laughlin AFB would receive 79 T-7A aircraft to cover a potential 
scenario in which another military installation is unable to accept 
delivery of all their T-7A aircraft and some of those aircraft need to 
be permanently reassigned to Laughlin AFB. T-7A operations for 
Alternative 3 would be performed at an intensity identical to 
Alternative 2. The No Action Alternative would not implement T-7A 
recapitalization at Laughlin AFB.
    DAF anticipates potential for the following notable environmental 
impacts from the Proposed Action: 1. Increased air emissions, 
particularly nitrogen oxides. 2. Increased noise from aircraft 
operations because the T-7A is inherently louder than the T-38C and the 
addition of nighttime operations may be bothersome to some residents. 
Increased noise could have a disproportionate impact on certain 
populations and impact off-installation land use compatibility. 3. 
Increased potential for bird/wildlife aircraft strike hazards. The EIS 
will model air emissions, noise levels, and the number of sleep and 
school disturbance events and compare to current conditions. 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. Additional analysis will be provided in the Draft 
EIS.
    Scoping and Agency Coordination: To effectively define the full 
range of issues to be evaluated in the EIS, DAF is soliciting comments 
from interested local, state, and federal elected officials and 
agencies, Tribes, as well as interested members of the public and 
others. Comments are requested on potential alternatives and impacts, 
and identification of any relevant information, studies, or analyses of 
any kind concerning impacts affecting the quality of the human 
environment. Concurrent with the publication of this NOI, public 
scoping notices will be announced locally.
    In accordance with DAF guidance, in-person public scoping meetings 
will not be held. Public scoping is being accomplished virtually. A 
remote public scoping meeting will be held via the project website at 
https://laughlin.t-7anepadocuments.com/. The scheduled date, time, and 
access information for the remote public scoping meeting will also be 
published in local media a minimum of 15 days prior to the meeting. The 
project website provides the remote public scoping meeting posters, 
presentation, an informational brochure, other meeting materials, and 
the capability for the public to provide public scoping comments. 
Scoping materials are also available in print at the Val Verde County 
Library at 300 Spring Street, Del Rio, Texas.
    DAF 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 Mr. 
Nolan Swick, AFCEC/CZN at the address above.

Tommy W. Lee,
Acting Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-00714 Filed 1-13-23; 8:45 am]
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