[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 162 (Wednesday, August 23, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57443-57444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18107]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent To Prepare An Environmental Impact Statement for 
Expansion of Childcare Servicing the Area North of the Eglin Test and 
Training Complex, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

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

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) 
assessing the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts 
associated with the Department of the Army (DoA) constructing and 
operating a new childcare center on Camp Bull Simons, Eglin Air Force 
Base (AFB), Florida; and the Department of the Air Force (DAF) 
constructing and operating one or more additional childcare centers in 
the area north of the Eglin Test and Training Complex (ETTC), Eglin 
AFB, Florida. DoA is a tenant of Eglin AFB on Camp Bull Simons. The 
purpose of the Proposed Action is to provide childcare capacity to 
support the needs of the DoA personnel assigned to Camp Bull Simons as 
well as DAF personnel living north of the ETTC. The Proposed Action is 
needed to address the current childcare deficiencies and hardships 
experienced by DoA and DAF military families residing north of the 
ETTC. The distance to the existing child development centers (CDCs) on 
Eglin Main and Hurlburt Field is too great to support these military 
families where they live and work. The DoA is proposing to provide 
childcare at a location to be determined on Camp Bull Simons. DAF is 
proposing to provide childcare at one or more of four alternative 
locations to include State Road (SR) 85 and Rattlesnake Bluff Road, 
Crestview West, Crestview Central, and Crestview East. None of the 
alternative locations are currently under the ownership or control of 
the federal government.

DATES: A public scoping period will take place starting from the date 
of this NOI publication in the Federal Register and will last for 30 
days. This scoping period will be conducted in compliance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic 
Preservation Act pursuant to Code of Federal Regulations title 36, 
section 800.2(d), which will also fulfill the section 106 requirements 
for public notification. 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 to 
[email protected] within the scoping period. The 
Draft EIS is anticipated in Winter 2024, which will include a public 
hearing held in the city of Crestview as part of the 45-day comment 
period. The Final EIS is anticipated in Summer 2024. The Record of 
Decision would be approved and signed no earlier than 30 days after the 
Final EIS.

ADDRESSES: The Eglin public website (https://www.eglin.af.mil/About-Us/Eglin-Documents/) provides information on the EIS and the scoping 
process (e.g., environmental documents, maps/figures, project details, 
etc.) as well as a downloadable comment form to complete and return 
either electronically or by mail. Scoping comments may also be 
submitted to Ms. Ilka Cole, 96th Test Wing Public Affairs, 101 West D 
Avenue, Room 238, Eglin AFB, FL 32542 or by email to 
[email protected]. 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 about 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: Ms. Ilka Cole, 96th Test Wing Public 
Affairs, 101 West D Avenue, Room 238, Eglin AFB, FL 32542; Telephone: 
(850) 882-2936; or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DAF proposes to construct one or more CDCs, 
each of which could accommodate up to 305 children, The CDC on Camp 
Bull Simons is expected to accommodate 232 children who cannot be 
accommodated by current facilities. The new facilities would measure up 
to 37,600 square feet (SF) plus an additional 75,000 SF parking lot and 
access roads. Each new facility would require a minimum of 14 acres to 
accommodate antiterrorism/force protection standoff measures. Six 
alternatives, including a no action alternative, have been identified 
by the 96th Civil Engineer Group and the 7th Special Forces Group as 
potential sites for a permanent CDC facility:
    1. No Action--A CDC would not be constructed within the areas north 
of the ETTC. This alternative services as a benchmark against which the 
other alternatives can be compared.
    2. Alternative 1, Camp Bull Simons--Construct a new CDC on Camp 
Bull Simons in the northern portion of the ETTC.
    3. Alternative 2, SR 85 and Rattlesnake Bluff Road--Construct a new 
CDC in the northern portion of the ETTC near the intersection of SR 85 
and Rattlesnake Bluff Road. As part of this alternative, the DAF would 
need to construct a traffic overpass.
    4. Alternative 3, Crestview West--Under this alternative, the DAF 
would acquire approximately 14.1 acres of commercially available real 
estate property between Whitehurst Lane and Point Center Road within 
the city of Crestview to construct a CDC.
    5. Alternative 4, Crestview Central--Under this alternative, the 
DAF would acquire approximately 38.5 acres of commercially available 
real estate property located on Retta Lane within the city of Crestview 
to construct a CDC.
    6. Alternative 5, Crestview East--Under this alternative, the DAF 
would acquire approximately 30 acres of commercially available real 
estate property located on Retta Lane and adjacent to Raspberry Road 
within the city of Crestview to construct a CDC.
    Resource areas being analyzed for impacts in the EIS include air 
quality, water resources, geological resources, cultural resources, 
biological resources, land use, noise, infrastructure, hazardous 
materials and wastes, socioeconomics, environmental justice, and 
safety. The DAF will consult with appropriate regulatory agencies and 
federally-recognized Native American Tribes to determine the potential 
for significant impacts. Consultation will be incorporated into the 
preparation of the EIS and will possibly 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. A federal Coastal Zone Management Act determination will be 
conducted and coordinated with the Florida State Clearinghouse to 
determine consistency of the action with the Florida Coastal Management 
Program. Specific environmental permits will be identified as part of 
the Clearinghouse review. At a minimum, the DAF anticipates permits 
associated with the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act will be required. 
An Environmental Resource Permit will also be required

[[Page 57444]]

from the state of Florida for any potential wetland impacts and/or 
stormwater drainage modifications.
    Lead and Cooperating Agency Status: The DAF is the lead federal 
agency for this EIS action. Both the U.S. Army and the city of 
Crestview are participating in the DAF EIS process as cooperating 
agencies.
    Scoping and Agency Coordination: To define the full range of issues 
to be evaluated in the EIS effectively, the DAF will determine the 
scope of the analysis by soliciting comments from interested local, 
state, and federal elected officials and agencies, federally recognized 
Native American Tribes, as well as interested members of the public and 
others.
    Implementation of the Proposed Action to expand childcare services 
in the area north of the ETTC at Eglin AFB, FL would potentially impact 
wetlands and/or floodplains and would therefore be subject to Executive 
Order (E.O.) 11990, ``Protection of Wetlands,'' and E.O. 11988, 
``Floodplain Management.'' Regulatory agencies with special expertise 
in wetlands and floodplains, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
will be contacted and asked to comment. Consistent with E.O. 11988 and 
E.O. 11990, this NOI initiates early public review of the alternatives 
and invites public comments and identification of other potential 
alternatives. Implementation of the Proposed Action also has the 
potential to impact historic properties. Consultation with the 
appropriate State Historic Preservation Officer and federally-
recognized Native American Tribes will occur as part of this process. 
The completion of consultations and any required cultural resources 
fieldwork will comply with section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act, and this compliance will assist with the development 
and selection of alternatives by assessing ways to avoid, minimize, or 
mitigate any adverse effects to historic properties. The documents 
produced during the section 106 process will be included in the NEPA 
document, as an appendix. Concurrent with the publication of this NOI, 
public scoping notices will be announced locally inviting the public to 
identify and submit comments on potential alternatives, information, 
and analyses relevant to the Proposed Action as part of the EIS 
process.

Tommy W. Lee,
Acting Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-18107 Filed 8-22-23; 8:45 am]
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