Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Continental United States Interceptor Site (CIS), 41539 [2014-16629]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 136 (Wednesday, July 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 41539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16629]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the Continental United States Interceptor Site (CIS)

AGENCY: Missile Defense Agency, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announces its intention to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural 
Provisions of NEPA. As required by the 2013 National Defense 
Authorization Act, the MDA has selected possible additional locations 
in the United States that would be best suited for future deployment of 
an interceptor capable of protecting the homeland against threats from 
nations, such as North Korea and Iran. The MDA is preparing this EIS to 
evaluate the potential environmental impacts that could result from the 
future deployment of the Continental United States Interceptor Site 
(CIS). The existing Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) provides 
protection of the United States from a limited ballistic missile 
attack, and the Department of Defense has not made a decision to deploy 
or construct the CIS.

DATES: The MDA invites public comments on the scope of the CIS EIS 
during a 60-day public scoping period beginning with publication of 
this notice in the Federal Register. Comments will be accepted on or 
before September 15, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Written comments, statements, and/or concerns regarding the 
scope of the EIS or requests to be added to the EIS distribution list 
should be addressed to MDA CIS EIS and sent by email to 
MDA.CIS.EIS@BV.COM, by facsimile 913-458-1091, or by U.S. Postal 
Service to: Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp Attn: MDACIS EIS, 6601 
College Boulevard, Overland Park, KS 66211-1504. Electronic or 
facsimile comments are preferred. If sending comments by U.S. Postal 
Service, please do not submit duplicate electronic or facsimile 
comments. All comments, including names and addresses, will be 
submitted to the administrative record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rick Lehner, MDA Public Affairs, 
at 571-231-8210, or by email: mda.info@mda.mil">mda.info@mda.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 40 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) 1501.6, an invitation for cooperating agency status 
has been extended to the U.S. Department of the Army and Navy and 
National Guard for consultation, review, and comment on the EIS. Other 
cooperating agencies may be identified during the scoping process.
    If deployed, the CIS would be an extension of the existing Ground-
based Midcourse Defense (GMD) element of the BMDS. Under the current 
proposed action, the deployment of the CIS would be as a contiguous 
Missile Defense Complex, similar to that found at Fort Greely, Alaska 
and would consist of an initial deployment of 20 Ground-based 
Interceptors (GBIs) with the ability to expand upward to 60 GBIs. The 
GBIs would not be fired from their deployment site except in the 
Nation's defense and no test firing would be conducted at the CIS. The 
overall system architecture and baseline requirements for a notional 
CIS include, but are not limited to, the GBI fields, Command Launch 
Equipment, In-Flight Interceptor Communication System Data Terminals, 
GMD Communication Network, supporting facilities, such as lodging and 
dining, recreation, warehouse and bulk storage, vehicle storage and 
maintenance, fire station, hazardous materials/waste storage, and roads 
and parking where necessary.
    Alternatives to be analyzed include the No-Action Alternative and 
sites at the Combined Training Center Fort Custer--Michigan Army 
National Guard, Augusta, MI; Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training 
Center--Ohio Army National Guard, Portage and Trumbull Counties, OH; 
Fort Drum Army Base, Fort Drum, NY; and the Center for Security Forces 
Detachment Kittery Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Facility 
(SERE East), Redington Township, ME. At each site, impacts will be 
assessed for the following resource categories--air quality, air space, 
biological, cultural, geology and soils, hazardous materials and 
hazardous waste management, health and safety, land use, noise, 
socioeconomics, transportation, utilities, water quality, wetlands, 
visual and aesthetic, environmental justice, and subsistence.
    The MDA encourages all interested members of the public, as well as 
federal, state, and local agencies to participate in the scoping 
process for the preparation of this EIS. The scoping process assists in 
determining the scope of issues to be addressed and helps identify 
significant environmental issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS.
    Scoping meetings will be held in the local communities of Ravenna, 
OH; Galesburg and Battle Creek, MI; Carthage, NY; and Rangeley and 
Farmington, ME, during July through September 2014. Notification of the 
meeting locations, dates, and times will be published and announced in 
local news media prior to public scoping meetings.

    Dated: July 10, 2014.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2014-16629 Filed 7-15-14; 8:45 am]
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