[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 141 (Friday, July 25, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35289-35290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-14020]
[[Page 35289]]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Enhanced Integrated Air and Missile Defense System on
Guam
AGENCY: Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Notice of availability (NOA).
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SUMMARY: The MDA, as the lead agency, has prepared a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Enhanced Integrated Air
and Missile Defense (EIAMD) System on Guam. The United States (U.S.)
Army (USA), U.S. Navy (USN), U.S. Air Force (USAF), and the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) are cooperating agencies in the
development of the Final EIS. The Final EIS includes an analysis of the
potential environmental impacts that may result from the Proposed
Action to construct, deploy, and operate and maintain the EIAMD system
to defend Guam against advanced missile threats. The Final EIS was
prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and
in accordance with MDA, USA, USN, USAF, and FAA's implementing
procedures. The procedures followed in the development of the Final EIS
also supports compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act of
1966 and its implementing regulations.
DATES: The MDA and USA will not issue a final decision on the proposed
action until 30 days after the date that the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (USEPA)-issued NOA is published in the Federal
Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Mark Wright, MDA Public Affairs,
at 571-231-8212, or by email: mda.info@mda.mil">mda.info@mda.mil. For more information,
including a downloadable copy of the Final EIS, visit the MDA website:
https://www.mda.mil/system/eiamd.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS was
published in the Federal Register on May 5, 2023, which provided
information about the public scoping period, how to submit public
scoping comments, and the close of the public scoping period on June
27, 2023. A Notice of Scoping Comment Period Extension was published in
the Federal Register on June 9, 2023, announcing the extension of the
comment period to August 11, 2023, in response to ongoing Typhoon
Mawar-related recovery efforts. The notice also stated that open house
public scoping meetings would be rescheduled. A second Notice of
Scoping Comment Period Extension was published in the Federal Register
on July 21, 2023, announcing another extension of the comment period to
August 18, 2023, and the rescheduled open house public scoping meetings
dates. MDA published a Draft EIS NOA (89 FR 85523) in the Federal
Register on October 28, 2024, and USEPA published a Draft EIS NOA (89
FR 85200) in the Federal Register on October 25, 2024, which provided
notice that the Draft EIS (EISX-007-20-MDA-1725955966) was available
for public review and comment from October 25, 2024, to January 8,
2025.
The MDA held two Draft EIS public meetings on November 14, 2024,
and November 15, 2024, to inform the public and stakeholders about the
Proposed Action and the findings of the EIS, answer questions, and
solicit comments on the Draft EIS and the project's potential to affect
historic properties.
The public was able to submit comments via an electronic comment
form on the project website, via email, in person at the public
meetings (written or oral via a court reporter), or via U.S. postal
mail. The MDA received 72 comments during the Draft EIS public review
and comment period. Comments on the Draft EIS were considered,
incorporated, and responded to as appropriate into the Final EIS.
Comments resulted in the addition of clarifying text and updated
information.
Within the context of homeland defense, Guam is a key strategic
location for sustaining and maintaining U.S. capabilities, deterring
adversaries, responding to crises, and maintaining a free and open
Indo-Pacific. As a U.S. territory, an attack on Guam would be
considered a direct attack on the U.S. and would be met with an
appropriate response. Currently U.S. forces are capable of defending
Guam against today's regional ballistic missile threats. However,
regional missile threats to Guam continue to increase and advance
technologically. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command identified a requirement for
a 360-degree EIAMD system on Guam as soon as possible to address the
rapid evolution of adversary missile threats.
In the Final EIS, MDA, in coordination with cooperating agencies,
evaluated the potential environmental impacts associated with the
Proposed Action as well as a No Action Alternative. The Proposed Action
is to construct, deploy, and operate and maintain a comprehensive,
persistent, 360-degree EIAMD system to defend the people,
infrastructure, and territory of Guam against the rapidly evolving
threats of advanced cruise, ballistic, and hypersonic missile attacks
from regional adversaries. The proposed system includes a combination
of components from MDA, USA, and USN that would be integrated for air
and missile defense. These components include missile defense radars,
sensors, missile launchers and missile interceptors, and command and
control systems.
The MDA and USA need to strategically locate and integrate the
various system components at multiple sites around Guam. The MDA and
USA identified 16 proposed sites to operate and maintain the EIAMD
system on DoD properties on Guam. A limited number of the proposed
sites would require real estate actions on non-DoD properties for
access, or where safety zone arcs encroach on non-DoD properties. If
the decision is made to proceed with the Proposed Action, site
preparation and construction would span approximately 10 years
beginning in 2025. The EIAMD operational capability would be phased in
as each site completes construction, testing, and final system checks
of the installed components. Following final construction, testing, and
final system-wide checks, the EIAMD system would become fully
operational.
The MDA and cooperating agencies analyzed the potential direct and
indirect impacts the Proposed Action may have on airspace management,
health and safety, cultural resources, terrestrial biological
resources, socioeconomics, protection of children, land use and
recreation, transportation, visual quality, utilities, air quality,
greenhouse gases, noise, water, and geology and soils. Mitigation
measures that could avoid, minimize, or mitigate potential
environmental impacts of the Proposed Action are also proposed in the
Final EIS.
The MDA invites all interested members of the public, as well as
Federal and territorial agencies, to view the Final EIS. The Final EIS
is available on the MDA public website at www.mda.mil/system/eiamd and
at the following public libraries: (1) University of Guam Robert F.
Kennedy Memorial Library, UOG Station, Mangilao, Guam 96913; (2) Nieves
M. Flores Memorial Library, 254 Martyr St., Agana, Guam 96910.
The Missile Defense Agency's National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) Implementing Procedures, Para. 4.(c) (August 8, 2014) (79 FR
46410) allow for the publication of notices in the Federal Register for
draft and final NEPA documents. These procedures outline how the
Missile Defense Agency complies with the National Environmental Policy
Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).
[[Page 35290]]
Dated: July 22, 2025.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2025-14020 Filed 7-24-25; 8:45 am]
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