[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 105 (Thursday, May 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27054-27055]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13448]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Legislative Environmental Impact
Statement for Nellis Air Force Range (NAFR) Renewal, Nevada
The United States Air Force (Air Force) will prepare a legislative
environmental impact statement (LEIS) to assess the potential
environmental impacts of renewal of the Nellis Air Force Range (NAFR),
Nevada. The LEIS
[[Page 27055]]
will be prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA).
The current land withdrawal and reservation of the NAFR was
established by the Military Lands Withdrawal Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-
606) for the period ending on November 6, 2001. The Act provides that
the Air Force may seek renewal of the NAFR withdrawal, in connection
with which the Secretary of the Air Force will publish a legislative
EIS addressing legislative alternatives and the effects of continued
withdrawal.
The purpose of the proposed NAFR renewal is to retain a military
training and testing range essential to near- and long-term
preparedness of United States air forces. Renewing the land withdrawal
will provide for the continued effective implementation of ongoing
training and testing missions while maintaining the flexibility to
adapt to the training needs of new technologies as they develop. The
performance of air operations in combat is directly related to the
quality and depth of training. NAFR provides a combination of
attributes that serve this training requirement, including the
following: favorable location and flying weather; sufficient land and
airspace; diverse terrain; and developed training support facilities.
A range of alternatives, including the No Action alternative
required by NEPA, will be considered. Three alternatives are described
below.
Proposed Action: Renew Nellis Air Force Range withdrawal
and reservation for an indefinite period of time with Congressional
review every 15 years. The existing land withdrawal and reservation,
consisting of approximately 3.0 million acres, would be reauthorized
for an indefinite period of time. The land would be reserved by
Congress for use by the Air Force for an armament and high-hazard test
area; training for aerial gunnery, rocketry, electronic warfare, and
tactical maneuvering and air support; and other defense-related
purposes. Every 15 years Congress would review the Air Force's
continuing military need for the land, the environmental effects, and
the needs of competing uses for the land and could adjust, if
warranted, the terms and conditions of the withdrawal. Without limiting
the priority use by the Air Force, the land would be managed in part by
the Bureau of Land Management and in part by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. Specifically, the Bureau of Land Management would manage
approximately 2.2 million acres of the NAFR pursuant to the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and other applicable laws. The
remaining 826,000 acres of the NAFR are within the Desert National
Wildlife Refuge and would be managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service
pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Act of 1976.
Alternative A: Renew the existing NAFR land withdrawal and
reservation for 25 years. The existing land withdrawal and reservation,
consisting of approximately 3.0 million acres, would be reauthorized
for a specified term of 25 years, rather than for an indefinite time
with periodic reviews. Otherwise, this alternative is like the Proposed
Action.
No Action Alternative: No renewal of the NAFR land
withdrawal and reservation. The land would not be reserved for use by
the Air Force. The lands within the existing NAFR boundary would be
managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife
Service under existing authorities. The No Action alternative would
result in the fragmentation or cancellation of training missions
accomplished at the NAFR. DOD would prepare appropriate environmental
documentation to obtain Federal Aviation Administration approval to
reclassify the existing restricted airspace to a Military Operation
Area (MOA). This would allow for air-to-air training operations to
continue, but would preclude air-to-ground training missions.
To provide a forum for interested parties to provide comments on
the scope of the LEIS, a series of scoping meetings will be held in six
Nevada communities. In addition, written comments will be accepted
throughout the scoping period. Written comments should be forwarded to
the address below by August 5, 1996. Scoping meetings will be held at
the following times and locations.
1. Indian Springs, NV, June 17, 1996, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
2. Caliente, NV, June 18, 1996, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
3. Las Vegas, NV, June 20, 1996, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
4. Beatty, NV, June 24, 1996, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
5. Tonopah, NV, June 25, 1996, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
6. Reno, NV, June 26, 1996, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Please direct written comments concerning the NAFR Renewal LEIS to:
Colonel Michael F. Fuquy, Nellis Air Force Base, P.O. Box 9919, Las
Vegas, NV 89191-0919.
If you have any questions or require additional information, please
contact Major Jeff Shea at (702) 652-4354.
Patsy J. Conner,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-13448 Filed 5-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3910-01-W
