Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Meeting for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Sacramento Peak Observatory, Sunspot, New Mexico, 5648 [2018-02488]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 27 / Thursday, February 8, 2018 / Notices
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Dated: February 6, 2018.
Deb Cotter,
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[FR Doc. 2018–02597 Filed 2–6–18; 11:15 am]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Availability and Notice of
Public Meeting for the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS) for the Sacramento Peak
Observatory, Sunspot, New Mexico
National Science Foundation.
Notice of availability and notice
of public meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The National Science
Foundation (NSF) has made available
for public review and comment the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS) for Sacramento Peak
Observatory. This DEIS has been
prepared for the NSF to evaluate the
potential environmental effects of
proposed operational changes due to
funding constraints for the Sacramento
Peak Observatory in Sunspot, New
Mexico. The DEIS was prepared in
compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969. Consultation under Section 106 of
the National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA) is being conducted concurrent
with the NEPA process.
DATES: NSF will accept comments on
the DEIS for 45 days following
publication of this Notice of
Availability. Comments may be
submitted verbally during the public
meeting scheduled for February 28,
2018 (see details in SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION) or in writing. Substantive
comments will be considered in a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).
ADDRESSES: You may submit written
comments by either of the following
methods:
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:18 Feb 07, 2018
Jkt 244001
Email to: envcomp-AST-sacpeak@
nsf.gov, with subject line ‘‘Sacramento
Peak Observatory.’’
Mail to: Elizabeth Pentecost, RE:
Sacramento Peak Observatory, National
Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower
Avenue, Suite W9152, Alexandria, VA
22314.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information regarding the EIS
process or Section 106 consultation,
contact: Elizabeth Pentecost, National
Science Foundation, Division of
Astronomical Sciences, 2415
Eisenhower Avenue, Suite W9152,
Alexandria, VA 22314; Telephone: (703)
292–4907; email: epenteco@nsf.gov.
DEIS Information: The DEIS, as well
as information about the public meeting,
is posted at: www.nsf.gov/AST. A copy
of the DEIS will be available for review
at the following libraries: Michael
Nivison Public Library, 90 Swallow
Place, Cloudcroft, NM 88317,
Alamogordo Public Library, 920 Oregon
Avenue, Alamogordo, NM 88310.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Sacramento Peak Observatory is located
in Sunspot, New Mexico, within the
Lincoln National Forest in the
Sacramento Mountains. Established by
the U.S. Air Force via a memorandum
of agreement with the U.S. Forest
Service in 1950, the facility was
transferred to NSF in 1976. NSF and the
U.S. Forest Service executed a land use
agreement (signed in 1980) to formalize
this transition and the continued use of
the land for the observatory. The
primary research facility in operation at
the Sacramento Peak site is the Richard
B. Dunn Solar Telescope (DST),
currently managed by the National Solar
Observatory (NSO). The DST is a highspatial resolution optical/infrared solar
telescope. In addition to its own
operations, the Sacramento Peak
Observatory supplies water for the
nearby Apache Point Observatory
(APO).
The NSF Directorate for Mathematical
and Physical Sciences, Division of
Astronomical Sciences, through a series
of academic community-based reviews,
has identified the need to divest several
facilities from its portfolio in order to
deliver the best performance on the
emerging and key science technologies
of the present decade and beyond. In
2012, NSF’s Division of Astronomical
Sciences (AST’s) portfolio review
committee, under the category of solar
facilities stated that, ‘‘AST and NSO
should plan for the continued use of the
Dunn Solar Telescope (DST) as a worldclass scientific observatory, supporting
the solar physics community, to within
two years of ATST [now the Daniel K.
PO 00000
Frm 00046
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
Inouye Solar Telescope, DKIST] first
light.’’ DKIST is being constructed in
Hawai’i and is expected to begin
operations in 2020. In 2016, in response
to this recommendation, NSF completed
a feasibility study to inform and define
options for the site’s future disposition
that would involve significantly
decreasing or eliminating NSF funding
of the Sacramento Peak Observatory.
NSF issued a Notice of Intent to prepare
an EIS on July 5, 2016, held scoping
meetings on July 21, 2016, and held a
30-day public comment period that
closed on August 5, 2016.
Alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS
which may be refined through public
input, with preliminary proposed
alternatives that include the following:
• Continued science- and educationfocused operations by interested parties
with reduced NSF-funding.
• Transition to partial operations by
interested parties with reduced NSF
funding.
• Mothballing of facilities
(suspension of operations in a manner
such that operations could resume
efficiently at some future date).
• Demolition and site restoration.
• No-Action Alternative: continued
NSF investment for science-focused
operations.
No final decisions will be made
regarding the proposed changes to
operations at Sacramento Peak
Observatory prior to issuance of a Final
Environmental Impact Statement, and,
subsequently, a Record of Decision for
the Proposed Action.
Public Meeting: A public meeting to
address the DEIS will take place in
Alamogordo, New Mexico with
notification of the time and location
published in the local newspapers, as
follows:
• Public Meeting: February 28, 2018,
at 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., New Mexico
Museum of Space History, 3198 State
Route 2001, Alamogordo, New Mexico
88310, Telephone: (575) 437–2840.
The meeting will be transcribed by a
court reporter. Please contact NSF at
least one week in advance of the
meeting if you would like to request
special accommodations (i.e., sign
language interpretation, etc.)
Dated: February 2, 2018.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2018–02488 Filed 2–7–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
E:\FR\FM\08FEN1.SGM
08FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 27 (Thursday, February 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 5648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02488]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Meeting for the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Sacramento Peak
Observatory, Sunspot, New Mexico
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Notice of availability and notice of public meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has made available for
public review and comment the Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS) for Sacramento Peak Observatory. This DEIS has been prepared for
the NSF to evaluate the potential environmental effects of proposed
operational changes due to funding constraints for the Sacramento Peak
Observatory in Sunspot, New Mexico. The DEIS was prepared in compliance
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. Consultation
under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) is
being conducted concurrent with the NEPA process.
DATES: NSF will accept comments on the DEIS for 45 days following
publication of this Notice of Availability. Comments may be submitted
verbally during the public meeting scheduled for February 28, 2018 (see
details in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION) or in writing. Substantive
comments will be considered in a Final Environmental Impact Statement
(FEIS).
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by either of the following
methods:
Email to: [email protected], with subject line
``Sacramento Peak Observatory.''
Mail to: Elizabeth Pentecost, RE: Sacramento Peak Observatory,
National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite W9152,
Alexandria, VA 22314.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the
EIS process or Section 106 consultation, contact: Elizabeth Pentecost,
National Science Foundation, Division of Astronomical Sciences, 2415
Eisenhower Avenue, Suite W9152, Alexandria, VA 22314; Telephone: (703)
292-4907; email: [email protected].
DEIS Information: The DEIS, as well as information about the public
meeting, is posted at: www.nsf.gov/AST. A copy of the DEIS will be
available for review at the following libraries: Michael Nivison Public
Library, 90 Swallow Place, Cloudcroft, NM 88317, Alamogordo Public
Library, 920 Oregon Avenue, Alamogordo, NM 88310.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Sacramento Peak Observatory is located in
Sunspot, New Mexico, within the Lincoln National Forest in the
Sacramento Mountains. Established by the U.S. Air Force via a
memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Forest Service in 1950, the
facility was transferred to NSF in 1976. NSF and the U.S. Forest
Service executed a land use agreement (signed in 1980) to formalize
this transition and the continued use of the land for the observatory.
The primary research facility in operation at the Sacramento Peak site
is the Richard B. Dunn Solar Telescope (DST), currently managed by the
National Solar Observatory (NSO). The DST is a high-spatial resolution
optical/infrared solar telescope. In addition to its own operations,
the Sacramento Peak Observatory supplies water for the nearby Apache
Point Observatory (APO).
The NSF Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences,
Division of Astronomical Sciences, through a series of academic
community-based reviews, has identified the need to divest several
facilities from its portfolio in order to deliver the best performance
on the emerging and key science technologies of the present decade and
beyond. In 2012, NSF's Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST's)
portfolio review committee, under the category of solar facilities
stated that, ``AST and NSO should plan for the continued use of the
Dunn Solar Telescope (DST) as a world-class scientific observatory,
supporting the solar physics community, to within two years of ATST
[now the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, DKIST] first light.'' DKIST
is being constructed in Hawai'i and is expected to begin operations in
2020. In 2016, in response to this recommendation, NSF completed a
feasibility study to inform and define options for the site's future
disposition that would involve significantly decreasing or eliminating
NSF funding of the Sacramento Peak Observatory. NSF issued a Notice of
Intent to prepare an EIS on July 5, 2016, held scoping meetings on July
21, 2016, and held a 30-day public comment period that closed on August
5, 2016.
Alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS which may be refined
through public input, with preliminary proposed alternatives that
include the following:
Continued science- and education-focused operations by
interested parties with reduced NSF-funding.
Transition to partial operations by interested parties
with reduced NSF funding.
Mothballing of facilities (suspension of operations in a
manner such that operations could resume efficiently at some future
date).
Demolition and site restoration.
No-Action Alternative: continued NSF investment for
science-focused operations.
No final decisions will be made regarding the proposed changes to
operations at Sacramento Peak Observatory prior to issuance of a Final
Environmental Impact Statement, and, subsequently, a Record of Decision
for the Proposed Action.
Public Meeting: A public meeting to address the DEIS will take
place in Alamogordo, New Mexico with notification of the time and
location published in the local newspapers, as follows:
Public Meeting: February 28, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. to 8:30
p.m., New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Route 2001,
Alamogordo, New Mexico 88310, Telephone: (575) 437-2840.
The meeting will be transcribed by a court reporter. Please contact
NSF at least one week in advance of the meeting if you would like to
request special accommodations (i.e., sign language interpretation,
etc.)
Dated: February 2, 2018.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2018-02488 Filed 2-7-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
