Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Construction and Operation of a Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) at the Summit of Mauna Kea, HI, 1220 [E7-169]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Department of the Air Force
• Air Force Department

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 10, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 1220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-169]



[[Page 1220]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for Construction and Operation of a Panoramic Survey Telescope 
and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) at the Summit of Mauna Kea, HI

AGENCY: Department of the Air Force, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, as amended (42 United States Code 4321, et. seq.), the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural 
provisions of NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) Parts 1500-
1508), and U.S. Air Force (USAF) policy and procedures (32 CFR part 
989), the USAF is issuing this notice to advise the public of its 
intent to prepare an EIS evaluating potential environmental impacts 
associated with construction and operation of the proposed Panoramic 
Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) by the 
University of Hawaii (UH) Institute for Astronomy (IfA). Public scoping 
meetings will be held to assist in identifying reasonable alternatives, 
their potential impacts and the relative significance of impacts to be 
analyzed in the EIS.
    Pan-STARRS is a USAF-funded, UH IfA research program to discover, 
characterize and track Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), primarily asteroids 
and comets, whose trajectories pass close enough to Earth that they may 
pose a danger of collision. Pan-STARRS could also map the large-scale 
structure of the Universe, searching for astronomical objects that move 
or change such as exploding stars, variable stars, and planets around 
other stars. The Pan-STARRS design involves four individual wide-field 
optical systems, each with a dedicated digital camera. The digital 
cameras would be the largest ever built. Each night Pan-STARRS would 
image one-fifth of the visible sky, allowing it to survey the entire 
visible sky once per week. Exposed images would be downloaded through 
existing data transmission infrastructure to a UH-operated computer 
facility for processing and analysis. The UH IfA intends to publish the 
data generated. Since 2002, the USAF has funded UH IfA's research into 
the technology behind Pan-STARRS, including fabrication of a single 
optical system prototype unit and its installation into an existing 
observatory on Maui. Although the USAF would fund its construction, the 
Pan-STARRS facility would be owned, operated, and maintained by UH IfA 
and used for IfA-directed research.
    The EIS will analyze three alternatives: rebuilding an existing IfA 
observatory for Pan-STARRS use at the preferred site on Mauna Kea on 
the island of Hawaii, constructing a new observatory at an undeveloped 
site on Haleakala on the island of Maui, and the No Action alternative. 
The EIS will be prepared as a joint federal-state document in 
compliance with both NEPA and the State of Hawaii Environmental Impact 
Statements law (Chapter 343, Hawaii Revised Statutes). Biological 
resources of concern to be addressed in the EIS include the rare Wekiu 
bug (Nysius wekiucola) on Mauna Kea and the `ua'u (Hawaiian petrel) on 
Haleakala. Cultural resources of concern include prehistoric or 
historic districts, archeological sites, shrines, trails, cultural 
objects and Traditional Cultural Properties with links to cultural and 
religious practices of Native Hawaiians; possible human remains issues; 
sacred sites; landscapes; and broader variables of aesthetics. The USAF 
intends to use the EIS process and documentation to fulfill its 
National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 consultation 
requirements (36 CFR 800.8).
    The USAF and UH will host public scoping meetings on the Islands of 
Hawaii, Maui and Oahu in late January or early February to solicit 
public participation in this environmental analysis. Exact dates, times 
and location(s) of meetings will be announced through local media. The 
scoping process will help identify the full range of reasonable 
alternatives, potential impacts and key issues to be emphasized in the 
environmental analysis. Recognizing that open communication of issues 
is a critical element of the EIS process, the USAF and UH intend to 
ensure that the scoping experience is meaningful and productive for all 
participants. Accordingly, the project team is putting strong emphasis 
on an EIS process that fosters beneficial dialogue and relationship 
building among all stakeholders, particularly those in the native 
Hawaiian community. Handicap assistance and translation service will be 
made available; please provide requests in advance to the point of 
contact listed below.
    Oral and written comments presented at the public scoping meetings, 
as well as written comments received by the USAF during this scoping 
period and throughout the EIS process, will be considered in the 
preparation of the EIS. To ensure the USAF has sufficient time to 
consider public input in preparation of the Draft EIS, written comments 
should be submitted to the address below by 28 Feb 07. Letters and 
other written or oral comments received may be published in the EIS 
along with the names of the individuals making the comments. (Personal 
home addresses and phone numbers will not be published.) As required by 
law, comments will be addressed in the EIS and made available to the 
public. Private addresses will only be used to develop a mailing list 
of those individuals requesting copies of the EIS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct any written comments or 
requests for information to Mr. Juventino Garcia, Office of Public 
Affairs, AFRL/DEO, 3550 Aberdeen Ave., SE., Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5776 
(Phone: 505-846-4583; e-mail Juventino.Garcia@kirtland.af.mil). 
Handicap assistance and translation service at the public meetings are 
available in advance through Mr. Garcia.

Bao-Anh Trinh,
 DAF Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-169 Filed 1-9-07; 8:45 am]
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