Adoption of the Missile Defense Agency's Final Environmental Impact Statement for Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) Operations, Clear Air Force Station, Alaska (CAFS), and Record of Decision for Federal Aviation Administration Actions To Accommodate Testing and Operation of the LRDR at CAFS Under the Missile Defense Agency's Modified Operational Concept, 47195 [2021-17962]

Agencies

• Federal Aviation Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 160 (Monday, August 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 47195]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17962]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Adoption of the Missile Defense Agency's Final Environmental 
Impact Statement for Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) Operations, 
Clear Air Force Station, Alaska (CAFS), and Record of Decision for 
Federal Aviation Administration Actions To Accommodate Testing and 
Operation of the LRDR at CAFS Under the Missile Defense Agency's 
Modified Operational Concept

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the FAA's Adoption 
of the Missile Defense Agency's Final Environmental Impact Statement 
for Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) Operations, Clear Air Force 
Station, Alaska (CAFS), and Record of Decision for Federal Aviation 
Administration Actions to Accommodate Testing and Operation of the LRDR 
at CAFS under the Missile Defense Agency's Modified Operational Concept 
(``the Adoption/ROD''). The Adoption/ROD documents: (1) The FAA's 
adoption of the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) Operations, 
Clear Air Force Station (CAFS), Alaska; and (2) the FAA's decision to 
establish additional restricted areas to protect aviation from high-
intensity radiated fields (HIRF) generated during the LRDR testing and 
operation, implement temporary flight restrictions (TFR) until the 
restricted areas are in effect, and make changes to federal airways and 
instrument flight procedures to accommodate the new restricted areas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paula Miller, Airspace Policy and 
Regulations Group, Office of Airspace Services, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; 
telephone: (202) 267-7378.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The MDA prepared an EIS to evaluate the potential environmental 
impacts associated with the MDA's proposed modification of operational 
requirements and procedures for the LRDR located at CAFS, Alaska.\1\ 
The change in the LRDR operation procedures would create a hazard in 
areas of the National Airspace System where the HIRF from the LRDR 
operations would exceed FAA certification standards for aircraft 
electrical and electronic systems. The EIS also evaluated the potential 
environmental impacts of the following actions proposed by the FAA to 
address this hazard: (1) Establishment of six additional restricted 
areas in the vicinity of CAFS; (2) implementation of TFRs until the 
restricted areas are in effect; and (3) changes to federal airways and 
instrument flight procedures to accommodate the new restricted areas. 
As a cooperating agency on the EIS, the FAA coordinated closely with 
the MDA and actively participated in the preparation of the EIS. In 
accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies and 
Procedures, and regulations and guidance of the Council on 
Environmental Quality, the FAA conducted an independent evaluation and 
analysis of the EIS and adopted it for the purpose of making a decision 
on its proposed actions. The FAA's adoption and decision are documented 
in the Adoption/ROD.
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    \1\ The Draft EIS and the Final EIS are available on the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency's EIS database at https://cdxnodengn.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-II/public/action/eis/search/search#results and on MDA's website at https://www.mda.mil/system/lrdr (accessed June 30, 2021).
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Notice of Availability

    The Adoption/ROD is available on the FAA's website at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/environmental_issues/media/alaska_eis.pdf and 
upon request by contacting Paula Miller at: Airspace Policy and 
Regulations Group, Office of Airspace Services, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; 
telephone: (202) 267-7378.

Right of Appeal

    The FAA's Adoption/ROD constitutes a final order of the FAA 
Administrator and is subject to exclusive judicial review under 49 
U.S.C. 46110 by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of 
Columbia or the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the circuit in which 
the person contesting the decision resides or has its principal place 
of business. Any party having substantial interest in this order may 
apply for review of the decision by filing a petition for review in the 
appropriate U.S. Court of Appeals no later than 60 days after the order 
is issued in accordance with the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 46110. Any 
party seeking to stay implementation of the Adoption/ROD must file an 
application with the FAA prior to seeking judicial relief as provided 
in Rule 18(a) of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.

    Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on August 17, 2021.
B.G. Chew,
Acting Group Manager, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2021-17962 Filed 8-20-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P