Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Modernization and Expansion of Townsend Bombing Range, Georgia, 51527-51528 [2012-20872]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 165 / Friday, August 24, 2012 / Notices Chairperson and ensure they are provided to members of the United States Air Force Scientific Advisory Board before the meeting that is the subject of this notice. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The United States Air Force Scientific Advisory Board Executive Director and Designated Federal Officer, Lt. Col. Matthew E. Zuber, 240–612–5503, United States Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, 1500 West Perimeter Road, Ste. #3300, Joint Base Andrews, MD 20762, matthew.zuber@pentagon.af.mil. Henry Williams Jr., Acting Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. 2012–20841 Filed 8–23–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001–10–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Widening of the Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte Channel, Jackson County, MS Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: On April 6, 2011, the Jackson County Port Authority (JCPA) submitted a joint application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Mobile District, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) for authorization to impact wetlands and other waters of the United States associated with the proposed widening of the Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte Channel (the proposed project). The proposed project is located in the Pascagoula Lower Sound/Bayou Casotte, Pascagoula, Jackson County, Mississippi (Latitude 30.365° North, Longitude 88.556° West). The Corps prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed project and to promote informed decision-making by appropriate agencies; the DEIS was released April 13, 2012. The Corps is now publishing a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed project. The proposed project is the dredging of approximately 38,200 feet (7.2 miles) of the existing Pascagoula Lower Sound/ erowe on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:22 Aug 23, 2012 Jkt 226001 Bayou Casotte Channel segment to widen the channel from the Federally authorized width of 350 feet and depth of ¥42 feet mean lower low water (MLLW) (with 2 feet of allowable overdepth and 2 feet of advanced maintenance) to a width of 450 feet, parallel to the existing channel centerline and to the existing Federally authorized depth of ¥42 feet MLLW. The proposed project would include the placement of approximately 3.4 million cubic yards of dredged material resulting from the channel modification. DATES: The Corps invites the public to comment on the Final EIS during the public comment period, which ends September 25, 2012. The Corps will consider all comments postmarked or received during the public comment period in preparing the Record of Decision and will consider late comments to the extent practicable. Additional information on how to submit comments is included below. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Written and emailed comments to the Corps will be received until September 25, 2012. Correspondence concerning this Notice should refer to Public Notice Number SAM–2011–00389–PAH and should be directed to the U.S. Army Engineer District, RD–C–M Attention: Mr. Philip Hegji, Post Office Box 2288, Mobile, Alabama 36628–0001, via email at philip.a.hegji@usace.army.mil or by phone at (251) 690–3222. We encourage any additional comments from interested public, agencies and local officials. For additional information about our Regulatory Program, please visit our Web site at www.sam.usace.army.mil/rd/reg/. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The JCPA requested a Department of the Army permit pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, including a Section 404(b)(1) analysis to help ensure compliance. The Corps is the lead Federal agency for the preparation of this FEIS in compliance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the President’s Council on Environmental Quality regulations for implementing NEPA. The National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Coast Guard are cooperating agencies for the preparation of the EIS. Dated: August 15, 2012. Craig J. Litteken, Chief, Regulatory Division. [FR Doc. 2012–20942 Filed 8–23–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3720–58–P PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 51527 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Navy Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Modernization and Expansion of Townsend Bombing Range, Georgia Department of the Navy, DoD. Notice. AGENCY: ACTION: The Department of the Navy (DoN) is extending the public comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed Modernization and Expansion of Townsend Bombing Range (TBR), Georgia (GA) until September 27, 2012. A Notice of Availability (NOA) and a Notice of Public Meetings (NOPMs) for the Draft EIS were published in the Federal Register on Friday, July 13, 2012 (Federal Register/Vol. 77, No. 135, Pages 41385–41387 (NOPMs) and Page 41403 (NOA)). Those notices announced the initial public comment period, including public meetings that took place on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 and Thursday, August 9, 2012, and provided additional information on the background and scope of the Draft EIS. The initial public comment period requested the submission of all comments on the Draft EIS to the DoN by August 27, 2012. The DoN is extending the public comment period until September 27, 2012. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Capt. Cochran, 596 Geiger Blvd. MCAS Beaufort, SC 29904 at 843–228– 6123. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DoN, as lead agency, has prepared and filed the Draft EIS for the Proposed Modernization and Expansion of TBR, GA in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 United States Code 4321 et seq.) and its implementing regulations (40 Code of Regulations parts 1500–1508). The Draft EIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of acquiring additional property and constructing the necessary infrastructure to allow the use of inert precision-guided munitions (PGMs) at TBR, GA. The purpose of the Proposed Action is to provide an air-to-ground training range capable of providing a wider variety of air-to-ground operations, including the use of PGMs, to meet current training requirements. The Proposed Action is needed to more efficiently meet current training requirements for the United States SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\24AUN1.SGM 24AUN1 51528 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 165 / Friday, August 24, 2012 / Notices erowe on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with Marine Corps aviation assets by significantly increasing air-to-ground training capabilities in the Beaufort, South Carolina Region. The Draft EIS has identified and considered four action alternatives and a No Action alternative. More information of the Draft EIS can be found in the previously published NOA and NOPM (see Federal Register on Friday, July 13, 2012 (Federal Register/Vol. 77, No. 135, Pages 41385– 41387 (NOPMs) and Page 41403 (NOA)). Federal, State, and local agencies, elected officials, and other interested parties and individuals, are invited and encouraged to review and comment on the Draft EIS. Comments on the Draft EIS can be submitted via the project email address (townsendbombingrangeeise@ene.com), project Web site or submitted in writing to: Townsend Bombing Range EIS Project Manager, Post Office Box 180458, Tallahassee, Florida, 32318. All comments must be postmarked or electronically dated on or before September 27, 2012 to be sure they become part of the public record. The Draft EIS has been distributed to various Federal, State, local agencies, and Native American Tribes, as well as other interested parties and individuals. In addition, copies of the Draft EIS are available for public review at the following public libraries: Ida Hilton Public Library, 1105 North Way, Darien, GA, 31305; Long County Public Library, 28 S. Main Street, Ludowici, GA, 31316; and Hog Hammock Public Library, 1023 Hillery Lane, Sapelo Island, GA, 31327. An electronic copy of the Draft EIS is also available for public viewing at https:// www.townsendbombingrangeeis.com. To be considered, all comments on the Draft EIS must be received by September 27, 2012. The DoN will consider and respond to all comments received on the Draft EIS when preparing the Final EIS. The DoN expects to issue the Final EIS in spring 2013, at which time a NOA will be published in the Federal Register and local print media. A Record of Decision is expected in summer 2013. Dated: August 17, 2012. C.K. Chiappetta, Lieutenant Commander, U. S. Navy, Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. 2012–20872 Filed 8–23–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:22 Aug 23, 2012 Jkt 226001 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Navy Notice of Public Hearings for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Outdoor Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Activities, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, VA Department of the Navy, DoD. Notice. AGENCY: ACTION: Pursuant to Section (102)(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 1500– 1508), the Department of the Navy (DoN) has prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental effects of expanding Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division’s (NSWCDD) research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) activities within the Potomac River Test Range (PRTR) complex, Explosives Experimental Area (EEA) Range complex, the Mission Area, and Special-Use Airspace (SUA) located at Naval Support Facility (NSF) Dahlgren, Dahlgren, VA. The DoN will conduct three public hearings to receive oral and written comments on the Draft EIS. Federal, state, and local agencies, elected officials, and other interested individuals and organizations are invited to be present or represented at the public hearings. This notice announces the dates and locations of the public hearings for this Draft EIS. DATES AND ADDRESSES: Public hearings will be held on the following dates and locations: 1. September 11, 2012 at the Newburg Volunteer Rescue Squad and Fire Department, 12245 Rock Point Road, Newburg, MD 20664; 2. September 12, 2012 at the A.T. Johnson Alumni Museum, 18849 Kings Highway, Montross, VA 22520; and 3. September 13, 2012 at the Mary Washington University-Dahlgren Campus, 4224 University Drive, King George, VA 22485. All meetings will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and will begin with a presentation followed by a public comment period. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, 6149 Welsh Road, Suite 203, Dahlgren, VA 22448– SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 5130, Attn: Code C6 (NSWCDD PAO), Fax: 1–540–653–4679, Email: DLGR_NSWC_EIS@NAVY.MIL, Phone: 1–540–653–8154, or Web site: https:// www.navsea.navy.mil/nswc/dahlgren/ EIS/index.aspx. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Intent to prepare the NSWCDD Outdoor RDT&E Activities Draft EIS was published in the Federal Register on June 18, 2007 (72 FR 33456–33457). Five public scoping meetings were held on the following dates and locations: 1. July 23, 2007, Shiloh Baptist Church, 13457 Kings Highway, King George, VA 22485; 2. July 24, 2007, Christ Episcopal Church, 37497 Zach Fowler Road, Chaptico, MD 20621; 3. July 25, 2007, La Plata Volunteer Fire Department, 911 Washington Avenue, La Plata, MD 20646; 4. July 30, 2007, Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church, 203 Dennison Street, Colonial Beach, VA 22443; and 5. July 31, 2007, Callao Rescue Squad Hall, 1348 Northumberland Highway, Callao, VA 22435. The proposed action is to expand NSWCDD’s RDT&E capabilities within the PRTR Complex, the EEA Range Complex, Mission Area, and SUA. These RDT&E activities include outdoor operations that require the use of ordnance, high-power electromagnetic (EM) energy, high-energy (HE) lasers, and chemical and biological simulants (non-toxic substances used to mimic dangerous agents). Under the proposed action, the average number of events that could take place annually (with the exception of large-caliber gun firing events) would increase above current baseline levels. To ensure that equipment and materials work effectively, even in less-than-ideal conditions, some activities would take place under conditions in which activities are now rarely/never conducted, such as at dusk, dawn, and night and in adverse weather. The purpose of the proposed action is to enable NSWCDD to meet current and future mission-related warfare and force-protection requirements by providing RDT&E of surface ship combat systems, ordnance, HE lasers and directed-energy systems, force-level warfare, and homeland and force protection. The need for the proposed action is to enable the DoN and other stakeholders to successfully meet current and future national and global defense challenges required under 10 U.S.C. 5062 (2006) by developing a robust capability to carry out assigned RDT&E activities within the PRTR and EEA Range Complexes, E:\FR\FM\24AUN1.SGM 24AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 165 (Friday, August 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51527-51528]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20872]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period for the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Modernization and 
Expansion of Townsend Bombing Range, Georgia

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy (DoN) is extending the public 
comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for 
the Proposed Modernization and Expansion of Townsend Bombing Range 
(TBR), Georgia (GA) until September 27, 2012. A Notice of Availability 
(NOA) and a Notice of Public Meetings (NOPMs) for the Draft EIS were 
published in the Federal Register on Friday, July 13, 2012 (Federal 
Register/Vol. 77, No. 135, Pages 41385-41387 (NOPMs) and Page 41403 
(NOA)). Those notices announced the initial public comment period, 
including public meetings that took place on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 
and Thursday, August 9, 2012, and provided additional information on 
the background and scope of the Draft EIS. The initial public comment 
period requested the submission of all comments on the Draft EIS to the 
DoN by August 27, 2012. The DoN is extending the public comment period 
until September 27, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Capt. Cochran, 596 Geiger 
Blvd. MCAS Beaufort, SC 29904 at 843-228-6123.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DoN, as lead agency, has prepared and 
filed the Draft EIS for the Proposed Modernization and Expansion of 
TBR, GA in accordance with the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 United States Code 4321 et seq.) 
and its implementing regulations (40 Code of Regulations parts 1500-
1508). The Draft EIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of 
acquiring additional property and constructing the necessary 
infrastructure to allow the use of inert precision-guided munitions 
(PGMs) at TBR, GA.
    The purpose of the Proposed Action is to provide an air-to-ground 
training range capable of providing a wider variety of air-to-ground 
operations, including the use of PGMs, to meet current training 
requirements. The Proposed Action is needed to more efficiently meet 
current training requirements for the United States

[[Page 51528]]

Marine Corps aviation assets by significantly increasing air-to-ground 
training capabilities in the Beaufort, South Carolina Region. The Draft 
EIS has identified and considered four action alternatives and a No 
Action alternative.
    More information of the Draft EIS can be found in the previously 
published NOA and NOPM (see Federal Register on Friday, July 13, 2012 
(Federal Register/Vol. 77, No. 135, Pages 41385-41387 (NOPMs) and Page 
41403 (NOA)). Federal, State, and local agencies, elected officials, 
and other interested parties and individuals, are invited and 
encouraged to review and comment on the Draft EIS. Comments on the 
Draft EIS can be submitted via the project email address 
(townsendbombingrangeeise@ene.com), project Web site or submitted in 
writing to: Townsend Bombing Range EIS Project Manager, Post Office Box 
180458, Tallahassee, Florida, 32318. All comments must be postmarked or 
electronically dated on or before September 27, 2012 to be sure they 
become part of the public record.
    The Draft EIS has been distributed to various Federal, State, local 
agencies, and Native American Tribes, as well as other interested 
parties and individuals. In addition, copies of the Draft EIS are 
available for public review at the following public libraries: Ida 
Hilton Public Library, 1105 North Way, Darien, GA, 31305; Long County 
Public Library, 28 S. Main Street, Ludowici, GA, 31316; and Hog Hammock 
Public Library, 1023 Hillery Lane, Sapelo Island, GA, 31327.
    An electronic copy of the Draft EIS is also available for public 
viewing at https://www.townsendbombingrangeeis.com.
    To be considered, all comments on the Draft EIS must be received by 
September 27, 2012. The DoN will consider and respond to all comments 
received on the Draft EIS when preparing the Final EIS. The DoN expects 
to issue the Final EIS in spring 2013, at which time a NOA will be 
published in the Federal Register and local print media. A Record of 
Decision is expected in summer 2013.

    Dated: August 17, 2012.
C.K. Chiappetta,
Lieutenant Commander, U. S. Navy, Office of the Judge Advocate General, 
U.S. Navy, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-20872 Filed 8-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P
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