Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Sacramento Peak Observatory, Sunspot, New Mexico, 58304 [2018-25088]

Download as PDF 58304 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 223 / Monday, November 19, 2018 / Notices NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Advisory Committee for Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Notice of Meeting In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92– 463, as amended), the National Science Foundation (NSF) announces the following meeting: NAME AND COMMITTEE CODE: Advisory Committee for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) (1115). DATE AND TIME: December 11, 2018: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PLACE: National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Room E2030, Alexandria, VA 22314. TYPE OF MEETING: Open. CONTACT PERSON: KaJuana Mayberry, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314; Telephone: 703–292–8900. PURPOSE OF MEETING: To advise NSF on the impact of its policies, programs and activities on the CISE community. To provide advice to the Assistant Director for CISE on issues related to long-range planning, and to form ad hoc subcommittees and working groups to carry out needed studies and tasks. AGENDA: • NSF and CISE updates • Discussion on NSF and CISE activities in Artificial Intelligence • Discussion on NSF Big Ideas and Convergence Accelerators Dated: November 14, 2018. Crystal Robinson, Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. 2018–25119 Filed 11–16–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555–01–P NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Sacramento Peak Observatory, Sunspot, New Mexico National Science Foundation. Notice of availability. AGENCY: ACTION: The National Science Foundation (NSF) announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Sacramento Peak Observatory, Sunspot, NM. This Final EIS identifies and analyzes the potential environmental consequences of the following alternatives: Alternative 1, Continued Science- and Educationfocused Operations by Interested Parties with Reduced NSF Funding; Alternative 2, Transition to Partial Operations by Interested Parties with Reduced NSF khammond on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:20 Nov 16, 2018 Jkt 247001 Funding (Agency-preferred Alternative); Alternative 3, Mothballing of Facilities; Alternative 4, Demolition and Site Restoration (Secondary AgencyPreferred Alternative); and the No Action Alternative, Continued NSF Investment for Science-focused Operations. It also proposes mitigation measures to minimize the adverse impacts from alternatives that include demolition where such impacts may occur. The National Science Foundation will execute a Record of Decision no sooner than 30 days after the date of publication of the Notice of Availability published in the Federal Register by the Environmental Protection Agency. ADDRESSES: The Final EIS is made available for public inspection online at www.nsf.gov/AST. A copy of the FEIS 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 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Elizabeth Pentecost, Re: Sacramento Peak Observatory, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Room W9152, Alexandria, VA 22314, envcomp-AST-sacpeak@nsf.gov; 703–292–4907. 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. Through a series of academic community-based and portfolio reviews, NSF identified the need to divest several facilities from its portfolio in order to retain the balance of capabilities needed to deliver the best performance on the key science of the present decade and beyond. In 2016, 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 DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00083 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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. The Draft EIS was made available for public review and comment from February 8 through March 26, 2018. The full Draft EIS was also posted on the NSF, Division of Astronomical Sciences website (www.nsf.gov/AST) and hard copies were delivered to local libraries. A public meeting on the Draft EIS was held in Alamogordo, NM on February 28, 2018. During the review period, the NSF received over 30 comments. After considering all comments received, the NSF prepared the Final EIS. There are no substantive changes to the range of alternatives considered. Alternative 2 is identified as the ‘‘Agency-Preferred Alternative’’ and Alternative 4 is identified as the ‘‘Secondary AgencyPreferred Alternative.’’ Dated: November 13, 2018. Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation. [FR Doc. 2018–25088 Filed 11–16–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555–01–P NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Proposal Review Panel for International Science and Engineering; Notice of Meeting In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub., L. 92– 463, as amended), the National Science Foundation (NSF) announces the following meeting: Name and Committee Code: Proposal Review Panel for Office of International Science and Engineering—PIRE: U.S.— East Africa Research and Education Partnership: Cassava Mosaic Disease—A Paradigm for the Evolution of InsectTransmitted Plant Virus Pathosystems— Site Visit. Date and Time: January 28, 2019, 8 a.m.–9 p.m.; January 29, 2019, 9 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. Place: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695. Type of Meeting: Part open. Contact Person: Cassandra Dudka, PIRE Program Manager, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314; Telephone 703/292–7250. Purpose of Meeting: NSF site visit to conduct a review during year 3 of the five-year award period. To conduct an in-depth evaluation of performance, to assess progress towards goals, and to provide recommendations. E:\FR\FM\19NON1.SGM 19NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 223 (Monday, November 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 58304]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25088]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Sacramento 
Peak Observatory, Sunspot, New Mexico

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) announces the 
availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for 
Sacramento Peak Observatory, Sunspot, NM. This Final EIS identifies and 
analyzes the potential environmental consequences of the following 
alternatives: Alternative 1, Continued Science- and Education-focused 
Operations by Interested Parties with Reduced NSF Funding; Alternative 
2, Transition to Partial Operations by Interested Parties with Reduced 
NSF Funding (Agency-preferred Alternative); Alternative 3, Mothballing 
of Facilities; Alternative 4, Demolition and Site Restoration 
(Secondary Agency-Preferred Alternative); and the No Action 
Alternative, Continued NSF Investment for Science[hyphen]focused 
Operations. It also proposes mitigation measures to minimize the 
adverse impacts from alternatives that include demolition where such 
impacts may occur.

DATES: The National Science Foundation will execute a Record of 
Decision no sooner than 30 days after the date of publication of the 
Notice of Availability published in the Federal Register by the 
Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: The Final EIS is made available for public inspection online 
at www.nsf.gov/AST. A copy of the FEIS 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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Elizabeth Pentecost, Re: 
Sacramento Peak Observatory, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Room W9152, 
Alexandria, VA 22314, [email protected]; 703-292-4907.

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.
    Through a series of academic community-based and portfolio reviews, 
NSF identified the need to divest several facilities from its portfolio 
in order to retain the balance of capabilities needed to deliver the 
best performance on the key science of the present decade and beyond. 
In 2016, 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.
    The Draft EIS was made available for public review and comment from 
February 8 through March 26, 2018. The full Draft EIS was also posted 
on the NSF, Division of Astronomical Sciences website (www.nsf.gov/AST) 
and hard copies were delivered to local libraries. A public meeting on 
the Draft EIS was held in Alamogordo, NM on February 28, 2018. During 
the review period, the NSF received over 30 comments. After considering 
all comments received, the NSF prepared the Final EIS. There are no 
substantive changes to the range of alternatives considered. 
Alternative 2 is identified as the ``Agency-Preferred Alternative'' and 
Alternative 4 is identified as the ``Secondary Agency-Preferred 
Alternative.''

    Dated: November 13, 2018.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2018-25088 Filed 11-16-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
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