[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 6960]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3784]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Notice of Public Hearing for the Supplemental Draft Environmental
Impact Statement for Construction and Operation of a Relocatable Over
the Horizon Radar, Puerto Rico
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental
Quality Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico Public Law Number Nine, Section 4(c), the Department of the
Navy, has prepared a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(SDEIS) for the construction and operation of a Relocatable Over the
Horizon Radar (ROTHR) system in Puerto Rico.
The ROTHR, a wide area surveillance high frequency (HF) radar
system, is proposed as an addition to the national and local counter-
narcotic strategy. The ROTHR provides early detection of illegal drug
activity and would complement existing ROTHR systems in Virginia and
Texas by providing coverage of the northern portion of South America.
A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) addressing the
impacts of the proposed ROTHR system was released to the public in July
1995. Public comments received on the DEIS included concerns over the
loss of 100 acres of farmland at a candidate receiver site in Lajas
Valley. Based on these concerns, the Department of the Navy re-
evaluated potential sites for the ROTHR system, and determined that a
shortened receiver array could be installed completely on federal
property at Fort Allen, a US Army installation located about 4 miles
south of the town of Juana Diaz and 10 miles east of Ponce. The SDEIA
includes information previously presented in the DEIS, as well as new
information on anticipated impacts if the receiver were installed at
Fort Allen. The document has also been expanded to address other issues
raised during the DEIS public review process.
The preferred receiver site is now identified as Fort Allen. The
construction area would consist of a 100 acre site. The required buffer
zone would be completely contained within the Fort boundary. The
preferred transmitter site continues to be the Playa Grande site
located on Navy property on the Southwestern coast of Vieques Island.
The Navy has forwarded copies of the document to various federal
and Commonwealth agencies, local municipalities and individuals.
Additionally, the SDEIS is available for review at the following
locations: (1) Town Hall, Municipality of Vieques Island; (2) Public
Library, Municipality of Lajas; (3) Mayor's Office, Lajas; (4)
Environmental Quality Board, Hato Rey; (5) Environmental Quality Board,
Regional Office at the Commercial Center, Ponce; (6) Environmental
Quality Board, Mayaguez Regional Office, Mayaguez; (7) City Hall,
Municipality of Juana Diaz; (8) Public Library, City of Juana Diaz,
Puerto Rico; (9) City Hall, Municipality of Ponce; (10) City Hall,
Municipality of Santa Isabel; (11) City Hall, Municipality of Salinas;
(12) Carnegie Public Library, San Juan.
ADDRESSES: The Department of the Navy will be participating in a public
hearing held by the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board on March
15, 1997 at 10:00 AM at Calle Braschi # 50 in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico.
All comments received at the public hearing, as well as written
comments will be considered in a Final Environmental Impact Statement
prepared by the Navy. All written comments must be postmarked no later
than March 31, 1997 to become part of the official record. Written
comments should be mailed to the address noted below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information concerning this
notice may be obtained by contacting Ms. Linda Blount, (Code 2032LB),
Atlantic Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 1510 Gilbert
Street, Norfolk, VA 23511-2699, telephone (757) 322-4892.
Dated: February 11, 1997.
D.E. Koenig,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-3784 Filed 2-13-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3819-FF-M
