Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the B-21 Beddown Main Operating Base 2 (Mob 2)/Main Operating Base 3 (Mob 3) at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas or Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, 18128-18129 [2023-06175]

Download as PDF 18128 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 58 / Monday, March 27, 2023 / Notices The Commission believes requiring such information in large trader reports would be costly for respondents to implement and receiving such information in periodic reports would not have any practical use for the Commission in conducting effective market surveillance. Burden Statement: The respondent burden for this collection is estimated to be 0.25 hour per response, on average. These estimates include the time to locate the information related to the exemptions and to file necessary exemption paperwork. There are approximately 72,644 responses annually, thus the estimated total annual burden on respondents is 18,512 hours. Respondents/Affected Entities: Large Traders, Clearing Members, Contract Markets, and other entities affected by Commission regulations 16.00 and 17.00 as well as part 21. Estimated Number of Respondents: 350. Estimated Average Burden Hours per Respondent: 52.9. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 18,152. Frequency of Collection: Periodically. There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection. (Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) Dated: March 22, 2023. Robert Sidman, Deputy Secretary of the Commission. [FR Doc. 2023–06247 Filed 3–24–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6351–01–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Air Force Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the B–21 Beddown Main Operating Base 2 (Mob 2)/Main Operating Base 3 (Mob 3) at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas or Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri Department of the Air Force, Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice of intent. AGENCY: The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is issuing this Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the beddown of the B–21 Main Operating Base 2 (MOB 2)/Main Operating Base 3 (MOB 3) at Dyess Air Force Base (AFB), Texas or Whiteman AFB, Missouri. The EIS will evaluate the potential impacts of the ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:19 Mar 24, 2023 Jkt 259001 DAF’s beddown proposal associated with infrastructure construction, demolition, renovations, additional personnel, and changes in aircraft operations at Dyess AFB and Whiteman AFB, including associated airspace. The B–21 will eventually replace existing B– 1 and B–2 bomber aircraft. DATES: A public scoping period of 45 days will take place starting from the date of this NOI publication in the Federal Register. This scoping period will be conducted in compliance with NEPA and section 106 consultation pursuant to Code of Federal Regulations title 36, section 800.2(d). Please provide substantive comments which identify potential alternatives (in accordance with 40 CFR 1502.14(a) and 32 CFR 989.8), information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action. Comments will be accepted at any time during the environmental impact analysis process; however, to ensure DAF has sufficient time to consider public scoping comments during preparation of the Draft EIS, please submit comments within the 45-day scoping period. Scoping comments should be submitted to the website or the address listed below by May 8, 2023. The Draft EIS is anticipated in Fall 2023 and the Final EIS is anticipated in Summer 2024. The Record of Decision would be approved and signed no earlier than 30 days after the Final EIS. The DAF intends to hold scoping meetings from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. CST in the following communities on the following dates: 1. Virtual—Tuesday, April 11, 2023, via Zoom. Visit www.B21EIS.com for registration and meeting links. To listen only, dial in by phone at 888– 788–0099, Webinar ID: 813 5934 9395, Passcode: 570587 2. Virtual—Thursday, April 13, 2023, via Zoom. Visit www.B21EIS.com for registration and meeting links. To listen only, dial in by phone at 888– 788–0099, Webinar ID: 813 5934 9395, Passcode: 570587 3. Whiteman AFB—Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at the University of Central Missouri, 108 W. South St., Warrensburg, MO 4. Whiteman AFB—Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the Knob Noster High School, 504 South Washington Ave., Knob Noster, MO 5. Dyess AFB—Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at the Abilene Convention Center, 1100 N 6th St., Abilene, TX 6. Dyess AFB—Thursday, April 27, 2023, at the Tye Community Center, 103 Scott St., Tye, TX ADDRESSES: Additional information on the B–21 MOB 2/MOB 3 Beddown EIS PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 environmental impact analysis process can be found on the project website at www.B21EIS.com. The project website can also be used to submit comments. Comments-by-mail regarding the proposal should be sent to Leidos, ATTN: B–21 EIS, 12304 Morganton Hwy #572, Morganton, GA 30560. Inquiries regarding the proposal should be directed to Dyess AFB Public Affairs, ATTN: B–21 EIS, 7 Lancer Loop, Suite 136, Dyess AFB, TX 79607; (325) 696– 4820; 7bwpa@us.af.mil; or Whiteman AFB Public Affairs, ATTN: B–21 EIS, 509 Spirit Blvd., Bldg. 509, Suite 116, Whiteman AFB, MO 65305; (660) 687– 5727; 509bw.public.affairs@us.af.mil. For printed material requests, the standard U.S. Postal Service shipping timeline will apply. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The beddown of the B–21 will take place through a series of beddowns at three Main Operating Bases (MOBs), referred to as MOB 1, MOB 2, and MOB 3. The candidate MOB locations were determined through the DAF’s Strategic Basing Process (Air Force Instruction [AFI] 10–503, Strategic Basing), which identified Dyess AFB in Texas, Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota, and Whiteman AFB in Missouri as potential installations to beddown the B–21 Raider. The B–21 will operate under the direction of the Air Force Global Strike Command. The purpose of the Proposed Action is to implement the goals of the National Defense Strategy by modernizing the United States bomber fleet capabilities. The B–21 Raider is being developed to carry conventional payloads and to support the nuclear triad by providing a visible and flexible nuclear deterrent capability that will assure allies and partners through the United States’ commitment to international treaties. MOB 2 will support training of crewmembers and personnel in the operation and maintenance of the B–21 aircraft in an appropriate geographic location that can provide sufficient airfield, facilities, infrastructure, and airspace to support the B–21 training and operations. In 2021, the DAF completed the B–21 MOB 1 Beddown at Dyess, AFB Texas or Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota EIS (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘MOB 1 EIS’’). On June 3, 2021, the DAF signed a Record of Decision (ROD) for the MOB 1 EIS and selected Ellsworth AFB as the MOB 1 location. Because the DAF chose Ellsworth AFB for MOB 1, the EIS for MOB 2/MOB 3 will evaluate potential environmental consequences associated with the remaining two alternative bases: Dyess AFB or Whiteman AFB. E:\FR\FM\27MRN1.SGM 27MRN1 ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 58 / Monday, March 27, 2023 / Notices The proposed beddown would include B–21 Operations Squadrons, Weapons Instructor Course (WIC), and Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) Squadron, as well as a Weapons Generation Facility (WGF). Potential impacts of these four components (i.e., Operations Squadrons, WIC, OT&E, and WGF) will be analyzed for both alternative locations, Dyess AFB and Whiteman AFB. The EIS will analyze Dyess AFB and Whiteman AFB as basing alternatives for the Proposed Action, as well as a No Action Alternative. The basing alternatives were developed to minimize mission impact, maximize facility reuse, minimize cost, and reduce overhead, as well as leverage the strengths of each base to optimize the B–21 beddown strategy. At Dyess AFB, proposed activities include an estimated 4.2 million square feet (SF) of construction, 600,000 SF of renovation, and 300,000 SF of demolition. Proposed airspace for B–21 operations out of Dyess AFB include special use airspace (SUA) units over areas in Texas and New Mexico. At Whiteman AFB, proposed activities include an estimated 600,000 SF of construction, 1.7 million SF of renovation, and 85,000 SF of demolition. Proposed airspace for B–21 operations out of Whiteman AFB include SUA units over areas in Missouri and Kansas. The potential impacts of the alternatives and the No Action Alternative that the EIS may examine include impacts to land use, airspace, safety, noise, hazardous materials and solid waste, physical resources (including earth and water resources), air quality, transportation, cultural resources, biological resources, socioeconomics, and environmental justice. The DAF is preparing this EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969; 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 1500 through 1508 (85 FR 43359, July 16, 2020, as amended by 87 FR 23453, April 20, 2022), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA; and the DAF’s Environmental Impact Analysis Process (EIAP) as codified in 32 CFR part 989. Since the B–21 basing action is a series of beddowns, once a base is selected for MOB 2, the remaining base would subsequently become the MOB 3 beddown location. DAF anticipates potential noise impacts to be similar to, or less than, those currently experienced at Dyess AFB and Whiteman AFB, including associated airspace. Potential permits that may be required include, but are not limited to, section VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:19 Mar 24, 2023 Jkt 259001 404 of the Clean Water Act, General Construction, Floodplain Development, and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. Additionally, the DAF will coordinate with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, as well as SHPO and federally recognized tribes regarding section 106 consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act and will utilize the scoping process to partially fulfill consultation requirements. Scoping and Agency Coordination: The scoping process will be used to involve the public early in the planning and development of the EIS and help identify issues to be addressed in the environmental analysis. To effectively define the full range of issues and concerns to be evaluated in the EIS, the DAF is soliciting scoping comments from interested local, state, and federal agencies (including, but not limited to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and interested members of the public. The proposed action at Dyess AFB and Whiteman AFB is subject to the Clean Water Act, sections 401, 404 and 404(b)(1) guidelines and have the potential to be located in a floodplain and/or wetland. Consistent with the requirements and objectives of Executive Order (E.O.) 11990, ‘‘Protection of Wetlands’’, and E.O. 11988, ‘‘Floodplain Management’’, as amended by E.O. 13690, ‘‘Establishing a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard and a Process for Further Soliciting and Considering Stakeholder Input,’’ state and federal regulatory agencies with special expertise in wetlands and floodplains will be contacted to request comment. Consistent with E.O. 11988, E.O. 13690, and E.O. 11990, this NOI initiates early public review of the proposed actions and alternatives, which have the potential to be located in a floodplain and/or wetland. The DAF will hold scoping meetings to inform the public and solicit comments and concerns about the proposal. Scheduled dates, and times for each meeting, as well as registration information for virtual meetings, will be available on the project website (www.B21EIS.com) and published in the local media a minimum of fifteen (15) days prior to each meeting. Tommy W. Lee, Acting Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. 2023–06175 Filed 3–24–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001–10–P PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 18129 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces; Notice of Federal Advisory Committee Meeting General Counsel of the Department of Defense, Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Notice of Federal Advisory Committee meeting. AGENCY: The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces (DAC–IPAD) will take place. DATES: Thursday, March 30, 2023— Open to the public from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. EST. ADDRESSES: This public meeting will be held virtually. To receive meeting access, please submit your name, affiliation/organization, telephone number, and email contact information to the Committee at: whs.pentagon.em.mbx.dacipad@ mail.mil. SUMMARY: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dwight Sullivan, 703–695–1055 (Voice), 703–693–3903 (Facsimile), dwight.h.sullivan.civ@mail.mil (Email). Mailing address is DAC–IPAD, One Liberty Center, 875 N. Randolph Street, Suite 150, Arlington, Virginia 22203. Website: https://dacipad.whs.mil/. The most up-to-date changes to the meeting agenda can be found on the website. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Due to circumstances beyond the control of the Designated Federal Officer (DFO), the Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces was unable to provide public notification required by 41 CFR 102– 3.150(a) concerning its March 30, 2023 meeting. Accordingly, the Advisory Committee Management Officer for the Department of Defense, pursuant to 41 CFR 102–3.150(b), waives the 15calendar day notification requirement. This meeting is being held under the provisions of chapter 10 of title 5 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) (formerly the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (5 U.S.C., app.)), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 CFR 102–3.140 and 102–3.150. Purpose of the Meeting: In section 546 of the National Defense Authorization E:\FR\FM\27MRN1.SGM 27MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 58 (Monday, March 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18128-18129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-06175]


=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the B-21 Beddown Main Operating Base 2 (Mob 2)/Main Operating Base 3 
(Mob 3) at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas or Whiteman Air Force Base, 
Missouri

AGENCY: Department of the Air Force, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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

SUMMARY: The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is issuing this Notice 
of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to 
assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the beddown 
of the B-21 Main Operating Base 2 (MOB 2)/Main Operating Base 3 (MOB 3) 
at Dyess Air Force Base (AFB), Texas or Whiteman AFB, Missouri. The EIS 
will evaluate the potential impacts of the DAF's beddown proposal 
associated with infrastructure construction, demolition, renovations, 
additional personnel, and changes in aircraft operations at Dyess AFB 
and Whiteman AFB, including associated airspace. The B-21 will 
eventually replace existing B-1 and B-2 bomber aircraft.

DATES: A public scoping period of 45 days will take place starting from 
the date of this NOI publication in the Federal Register. This scoping 
period will be conducted in compliance with NEPA and section 106 
consultation pursuant to Code of Federal Regulations title 36, section 
800.2(d). Please provide substantive comments which identify potential 
alternatives (in accordance with 40 CFR 1502.14(a) and 32 CFR 989.8), 
information, and analyses relevant to the proposed action. Comments 
will be accepted at any time during the environmental impact analysis 
process; however, to ensure DAF has sufficient time to consider public 
scoping comments during preparation of the Draft EIS, please submit 
comments within the 45-day scoping period. Scoping comments should be 
submitted to the website or the address listed below by May 8, 2023. 
The Draft EIS is anticipated in Fall 2023 and the Final EIS is 
anticipated in Summer 2024. The Record of Decision would be approved 
and signed no earlier than 30 days after the Final EIS.
    The DAF intends to hold scoping meetings from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 
p.m. CST in the following communities on the following dates:

1. Virtual--Tuesday, April 11, 2023, via Zoom. Visit www.B21EIS.com for 
registration and meeting links. To listen only, dial in by phone at 
888-788-0099, Webinar ID: 813 5934 9395, Passcode: 570587
2. Virtual--Thursday, April 13, 2023, via Zoom. Visit www.B21EIS.com 
for registration and meeting links. To listen only, dial in by phone at 
888-788-0099, Webinar ID: 813 5934 9395, Passcode: 570587
3. Whiteman AFB--Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at the University of Central 
Missouri, 108 W. South St., Warrensburg, MO
4. Whiteman AFB--Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the Knob Noster High 
School, 504 South Washington Ave., Knob Noster, MO
5. Dyess AFB--Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at the Abilene Convention 
Center, 1100 N 6th St., Abilene, TX
6. Dyess AFB--Thursday, April 27, 2023, at the Tye Community Center, 
103 Scott St., Tye, TX

ADDRESSES: Additional information on the B-21 MOB 2/MOB 3 Beddown EIS 
environmental impact analysis process can be found on the project 
website at www.B21EIS.com. The project website can also be used to 
submit comments. Comments-by-mail regarding the proposal should be sent 
to Leidos, ATTN: B-21 EIS, 12304 Morganton Hwy #572, Morganton, GA 
30560. Inquiries regarding the proposal should be directed to Dyess AFB 
Public Affairs, ATTN: B-21 EIS, 7 Lancer Loop, Suite 136, Dyess AFB, TX 
79607; (325) 696-4820; [email protected]; or Whiteman AFB Public Affairs, 
ATTN: B-21 EIS, 509 Spirit Blvd., Bldg. 509, Suite 116, Whiteman AFB, 
MO 65305; (660) 687-5727; [email protected]. For printed 
material requests, the standard U.S. Postal Service shipping timeline 
will apply.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The beddown of the B-21 will take place 
through a series of beddowns at three Main Operating Bases (MOBs), 
referred to as MOB 1, MOB 2, and MOB 3. The candidate MOB locations 
were determined through the DAF's Strategic Basing Process (Air Force 
Instruction [AFI] 10-503, Strategic Basing), which identified Dyess AFB 
in Texas, Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota, and Whiteman AFB in Missouri 
as potential installations to beddown the B-21 Raider. The B-21 will 
operate under the direction of the Air Force Global Strike Command.
    The purpose of the Proposed Action is to implement the goals of the 
National Defense Strategy by modernizing the United States bomber fleet 
capabilities. The B-21 Raider is being developed to carry conventional 
payloads and to support the nuclear triad by providing a visible and 
flexible nuclear deterrent capability that will assure allies and 
partners through the United States' commitment to international 
treaties. MOB 2 will support training of crewmembers and personnel in 
the operation and maintenance of the B-21 aircraft in an appropriate 
geographic location that can provide sufficient airfield, facilities, 
infrastructure, and airspace to support the B-21 training and 
operations.
    In 2021, the DAF completed the B-21 MOB 1 Beddown at Dyess, AFB 
Texas or Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota EIS (hereinafter referred to as 
the ``MOB 1 EIS''). On June 3, 2021, the DAF signed a Record of 
Decision (ROD) for the MOB 1 EIS and selected Ellsworth AFB as the MOB 
1 location. Because the DAF chose Ellsworth AFB for MOB 1, the EIS for 
MOB 2/MOB 3 will evaluate potential environmental consequences 
associated with the remaining two alternative bases: Dyess AFB or 
Whiteman AFB.

[[Page 18129]]

The proposed beddown would include B-21 Operations Squadrons, Weapons 
Instructor Course (WIC), and Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) 
Squadron, as well as a Weapons Generation Facility (WGF). Potential 
impacts of these four components (i.e., Operations Squadrons, WIC, 
OT&E, and WGF) will be analyzed for both alternative locations, Dyess 
AFB and Whiteman AFB.
    The EIS will analyze Dyess AFB and Whiteman AFB as basing 
alternatives for the Proposed Action, as well as a No Action 
Alternative. The basing alternatives were developed to minimize mission 
impact, maximize facility reuse, minimize cost, and reduce overhead, as 
well as leverage the strengths of each base to optimize the B-21 
beddown strategy. At Dyess AFB, proposed activities include an 
estimated 4.2 million square feet (SF) of construction, 600,000 SF of 
renovation, and 300,000 SF of demolition. Proposed airspace for B-21 
operations out of Dyess AFB include special use airspace (SUA) units 
over areas in Texas and New Mexico. At Whiteman AFB, proposed 
activities include an estimated 600,000 SF of construction, 1.7 million 
SF of renovation, and 85,000 SF of demolition. Proposed airspace for B-
21 operations out of Whiteman AFB include SUA units over areas in 
Missouri and Kansas. The potential impacts of the alternatives and the 
No Action Alternative that the EIS may examine include impacts to land 
use, airspace, safety, noise, hazardous materials and solid waste, 
physical resources (including earth and water resources), air quality, 
transportation, cultural resources, biological resources, 
socioeconomics, and environmental justice.
    The DAF is preparing this EIS in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969; 40 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), Parts 1500 through 1508 (85 FR 43359, July 16, 2020, as amended 
by 87 FR 23453, April 20, 2022), the Council on Environmental Quality 
(CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA; and the DAF's Environmental Impact 
Analysis Process (EIAP) as codified in 32 CFR part 989. Since the B-21 
basing action is a series of beddowns, once a base is selected for MOB 
2, the remaining base would subsequently become the MOB 3 beddown 
location.
    DAF anticipates potential noise impacts to be similar to, or less 
than, those currently experienced at Dyess AFB and Whiteman AFB, 
including associated airspace.
    Potential permits that may be required include, but are not limited 
to, section 404 of the Clean Water Act, General Construction, 
Floodplain Development, and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination 
System. Additionally, the DAF will coordinate with U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, as well 
as SHPO and federally recognized tribes regarding section 106 
consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act and will 
utilize the scoping process to partially fulfill consultation 
requirements.
    Scoping and Agency Coordination: The scoping process will be used 
to involve the public early in the planning and development of the EIS 
and help identify issues to be addressed in the environmental analysis. 
To effectively define the full range of issues and concerns to be 
evaluated in the EIS, the DAF is soliciting scoping comments from 
interested local, state, and federal agencies (including, but not 
limited to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, State Historic Preservation 
Offices (SHPO), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and interested 
members of the public.
    The proposed action at Dyess AFB and Whiteman AFB is subject to the 
Clean Water Act, sections 401, 404 and 404(b)(1) guidelines and have 
the potential to be located in a floodplain and/or wetland. Consistent 
with the requirements and objectives of Executive Order (E.O.) 11990, 
``Protection of Wetlands'', and E.O. 11988, ``Floodplain Management'', 
as amended by E.O. 13690, ``Establishing a Federal Flood Risk 
Management Standard and a Process for Further Soliciting and 
Considering Stakeholder Input,'' state and federal regulatory agencies 
with special expertise in wetlands and floodplains will be contacted to 
request comment. Consistent with E.O. 11988, E.O. 13690, and E.O. 
11990, this NOI initiates early public review of the proposed actions 
and alternatives, which have the potential to be located in a 
floodplain and/or wetland.
    The DAF will hold scoping meetings to inform the public and solicit 
comments and concerns about the proposal. Scheduled dates, and times 
for each meeting, as well as registration information for virtual 
meetings, will be available on the project website (www.B21EIS.com) and 
published in the local media a minimum of fifteen (15) days prior to 
each meeting.

Tommy W. Lee,
Acting Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-06175 Filed 3-24-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-10-P
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