Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to Construct a Second Runway at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport, Killeen, TX, 63450-63451 [E8-25425]

Download as PDF 63450 [FR Doc. E8–25306 Filed 10–23–08; 8:45 am] ACTION: Notice. BILLING CODE 5001–06–C DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES Department of the Army Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to Construct a Second Runway at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport, Killeen, TX AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD. VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:48 Oct 23, 2008 Jkt 217001 SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), and Department of the Army (DoA) Implementing regulations (32 CFR part 651 Environmental Analysis of Army Actions; Final Rule), the DoA is issuing this notice to advise the public of its intent to prepare an Environmental PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts on a proposal to construct a second runway at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport (Airport) at Killeen, TX. Initial assessment indicates that the preparation of an EIS is warranted because the proposed action would involve construction of facilities that would have a significant effect on habitat for the federally listed blackcapped vireo and golden cheeked warbler. The City of Killeen initiated the proposed project, thus is the project’s proponent. Because the proposed E:\FR\FM\24OCN1.SGM 24OCN1 EN24OC08.004</GPH> Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 207 / Friday, October 24, 2008 / Notices jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 207 / Friday, October 24, 2008 / Notices project will be located on Fort Hood Military Reservation, or Federal land, the Department of the Army is the lead agency. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John MacFarlane, Environmental Research Group, LLC, P.O. Box 11544, Fort Worth, TX 76110, 817–923–6455, 817– 923–6456 (fax), https://www.envrg.com. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Fort Hood Military Reservation occupies 214,778 acres in central Texas in Bell and Coryell Counties. It is 58 miles north of Austin, TX, and 39 miles southwest of Waco, TX, and lies adjacent to the City of Killeen, TX. The installation has three cantonment areas (designated Main Cantonment Area, West Fort Hood, and North Fort Hood) on 8,604 acres, two instrumented airfields on 2,915 acres, and maneuver and live-fire training areas on 197,603 acres. In 1999, Fort Hood and the City of Killeen (City) completed negotiations for a joint-use agreement that allowed the City to lease property southeast of Robert Gray Army Airfield and allow civilian access to Fort Hood’s 10,000 ft runway. The resulting Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport began commercial operations on August 2, 2004. It is a small, regional/commercial joint-use airport also known by its military designation as Robert Gray Army Airfield. The airport is within the boundaries of the Fort Hood Military Reservation and is located a few miles southwest of the City of Killeen. The joint-use airport operates with a single runway. The EIS will analyze the impacts of all practicable alternatives, including the No Action Alternative. Impacts analyzed in the EIS will include a wide range of environmental resource areas including, but not limited to, air quality, traffic, noise, water resources, biological resources, cultural resources, socioeconomics, utilities, land use, solid and hazardous materials/waste, and cumulative environmental effects. Additional resources, conditions, and alternatives may be identified as a result of the scoping process initiated by this NOI. Opportunities for public participation will be announced in the local news media, on the City’s Web site at https:// www.ci.killeen.tx.us, and on Fort Hood’s Web site https:// www.dpw.hood.army.mil, click on ‘‘Public Notices’’ link. The City will host public scoping meetings in the vicinity of the proposed project. Previously identified alternatives will be displayed at those meetings, while public input may determine other VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:48 Oct 23, 2008 Jkt 217001 alternatives. The exact dates, times, and location(s) of public scoping meetings will be announced through the local news media, including, but not limited to local newspapers. Oral and written comments presented at the public scoping meetings, as well as written comments received by the City during this scoping period and throughout the environmental impact analysis process, will be considered in the preparation of the EIS. Following completion of a Draft EIS (DEIS), the public will have an additional opportunity for review and comment. Comments from the public will be considered before any decision is made regarding implementing the proposed action at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport. Steven G. Burrow, Chief, Environmental Programs, Directorate of Public Works. [FR Doc. E8–25425 Filed 10–23–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3710–08–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Navy Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Disposal and Reuse of Naval Air Station (NAS) Brunswick, ME, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings Department of the Navy, DoD. Notice. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500–1508), the Department of the Navy (DON) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental consequences of the disposal and reuse of NAS Brunswick, Maine, per Public Law 101–510, the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990, as amended in 2005 (BRAC Law). Potential impacts associated with reuse of NAS Brunswick, including changes in aviation, housing, school system, traffic patterns, and environmental remediation will be evaluated and will contribute to the alternatives considered. DATES: The DON will conduct public scoping meetings in Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine, to receive comments on the environmental concerns that should be addressed in the EIS. Public scoping open houses will be as follows: 1. Open House: Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 4 p.m.–8 p.m., PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 63451 Brunswick Junior High School, Gymnasium, 65 Columbia Avenue, Brunswick, Maine. 2. Open House: Thursday, November 13, 2008, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Brunswick Municipal Meeting Facility (Old High School), 44 McKeen Street, Brunswick, Maine. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, BRAC Program Management Office Northeast, 4911 Broad Street, Building 679, Philadelphia, PA 19112– 1303, telephone: 215–897–4900, fax: 215–897–4902, e-mail: david.drozd@navy.mil. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission was established by Public Law 101–510, the BRAC Law, to recommend military installations for realignment and closure. Recommendations of the 2005 BRAC Commission were included in a report presented to the President on September 8, 2005. The President approved and forwarded this report to Congress on September 16, 2005, which became effective as public law on November 9, 2005, and must be implemented in accordance with the requirements of the BRAC Law. The BRAC Law exempts the decisionmaking process of the Commission from the provisions of NEPA. The Law also relieves the DoD from the NEPA requirements to consider the need for closing, realigning, or transferring functions, and from looking at alternative installations to close or realign. The DON is preparing environmental impact analyses during the process of relocating functions from military installations being closed or realigned to other military installations after the receiving installations have been selected, but before the functions are relocated. The analyses will consider direct and indirect environmental and socioeconomic impacts of these actions and cumulative impacts of other reasonably foreseeable actions affecting the receiving installations. The BRAC recommendation for closure of NAS Brunswick is as follows: Close NAS Brunswick, Maine; relocate its aircraft along with dedicated personnel, equipment, and support to NAS Jacksonville, Florida; and consolidate the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department with the Fleet Readiness Center Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida. NAS Brunswick is a 3,162-acre air installation located in Brunswick, Maine. Outlying facilities that are part of the BRAC recommendation include the Topsham Annex, McKeen Street E:\FR\FM\24OCN1.SGM 24OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 207 (Friday, October 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63450-63451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25425]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to 
Construct a Second Runway at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport, 
Killeen, TX

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural 
Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and Department of the Army 
(DoA) Implementing regulations (32 CFR part 651 Environmental Analysis 
of Army Actions; Final Rule), the DoA is issuing this notice to advise 
the public of its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts on a proposal to 
construct a second runway at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport 
(Airport) at Killeen, TX. Initial assessment indicates that the 
preparation of an EIS is warranted because the proposed action would 
involve construction of facilities that would have a significant effect 
on habitat for the federally listed black-capped vireo and golden 
cheeked warbler. The City of Killeen initiated the proposed project, 
thus is the project's proponent. Because the proposed

[[Page 63451]]

project will be located on Fort Hood Military Reservation, or Federal 
land, the Department of the Army is the lead agency.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John MacFarlane, Environmental 
Research Group, LLC, P.O. Box 11544, Fort Worth, TX 76110, 817-923-
6455, 817-923-6456 (fax), https://www.envrg.com.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Fort Hood Military Reservation occupies 
214,778 acres in central Texas in Bell and Coryell Counties. It is 58 
miles north of Austin, TX, and 39 miles southwest of Waco, TX, and lies 
adjacent to the City of Killeen, TX. The installation has three 
cantonment areas (designated Main Cantonment Area, West Fort Hood, and 
North Fort Hood) on 8,604 acres, two instrumented airfields on 2,915 
acres, and maneuver and live-fire training areas on 197,603 acres.
    In 1999, Fort Hood and the City of Killeen (City) completed 
negotiations for a joint-use agreement that allowed the City to lease 
property southeast of Robert Gray Army Airfield and allow civilian 
access to Fort Hood's 10,000 ft runway. The resulting Killeen-Fort Hood 
Regional Airport began commercial operations on August 2, 2004. It is a 
small, regional/commercial joint-use airport also known by its military 
designation as Robert Gray Army Airfield. The airport is within the 
boundaries of the Fort Hood Military Reservation and is located a few 
miles southwest of the City of Killeen. The joint-use airport operates 
with a single runway.
    The EIS will analyze the impacts of all practicable alternatives, 
including the No Action Alternative. Impacts analyzed in the EIS will 
include a wide range of environmental resource areas including, but not 
limited to, air quality, traffic, noise, water resources, biological 
resources, cultural resources, socioeconomics, utilities, land use, 
solid and hazardous materials/waste, and cumulative environmental 
effects. Additional resources, conditions, and alternatives may be 
identified as a result of the scoping process initiated by this NOI.
    Opportunities for public participation will be announced in the 
local news media, on the City's Web site at https://
www.ci.killeen.tx.us, and on Fort Hood's Web site https://
www.dpw.hood.army.mil, click on ``Public Notices'' link. The City will 
host public scoping meetings in the vicinity of the proposed project. 
Previously identified alternatives will be displayed at those meetings, 
while public input may determine other alternatives. The exact dates, 
times, and location(s) of public scoping meetings will be announced 
through the local news media, including, but not limited to local 
newspapers. Oral and written comments presented at the public scoping 
meetings, as well as written comments received by the City during this 
scoping period and throughout the environmental impact analysis 
process, will be considered in the preparation of the EIS. Following 
completion of a Draft EIS (DEIS), the public will have an additional 
opportunity for review and comment. Comments from the public will be 
considered before any decision is made regarding implementing the 
proposed action at the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport.

Steven G. Burrow,
Chief, Environmental Programs, Directorate of Public Works.
[FR Doc. E8-25425 Filed 10-23-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-P
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