83 FR 39080 - Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse; Notice and Request for Public Comment on Boardman, Oregon, and NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, Geographic Areas of Concern

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 153 (August 8, 2018)

The Department of Defense (DoD) is publishing this notice to announce that the Boardman, Oregon, and Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland, Geographic Areas of Concern (GAOC) maps are now available for review and to request public comment on the proposed maps. The maps are intended to support outreach efforts by DoD to the energy industry.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39080-39081]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16886]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Docket ID: DOD-2018-OS-0049)


Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting 
Clearinghouse; Notice and Request for Public Comment on Boardman, 
Oregon, and NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, Geographic Areas of Concern

AGENCY: Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, 
Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice and request for public comment on the Boardman, Oregon, 
and NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, Geographic Areas of Concern.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense (DoD) is publishing this notice to 
announce that the Boardman, Oregon, and Naval Air Station (NAS) 
Patuxent River, Maryland, Geographic Areas of Concern (GAOC) maps are 
now available for review and to request public comment on the proposed 
maps. The maps are intended to support outreach efforts by DoD to the 
energy industry.

DATES: The public comment period will end on September 7, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by DOD-2018-OS-0049, to 
the following:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Department of Defense, Office of the Chief 
Management Officer, Directorate for Oversight and Compliance, 
Regulatory and Advisory Committee Division, 4800 Mark Center Drive, 
Mailbox #24, Suite 08D09, Alexandria, VA 22350-1700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven J. Sample, Deputy Director of 
the Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse, 
at 703-571-0076 during normal business hours Monday through Friday, 
from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EDT) or by email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 183a(d)(2)(B) of title 10, United 
States Code, provides that, solely for purposes of informing 
preliminary reviews under section 183a(c)(1) and early outreach efforts 
under section 183a(c)(5), DoD shall identify distinct geographic areas 
selected as proposed locations for projects filed, or for projects that 
are reasonably expected to be filed in the near future, with the 
Secretary of Transportation pursuant to section 44178 of title 49, 
United States Code, where the Secretary of Defense can demonstrate such 
projects could have an adverse impact on military operations and 
readiness, including military training routes, and categorize the risk 
of adverse impact in such areas. Section 183a defines adverse impact on 
military operations and readiness as any impact upon military 
operations and readiness, including flight operations, research, 
development, testing, and evaluation and training, that is demonstrable 
and likely to impair or degrade the ability of the armed forces to 
perform their warfighting missions. The identification of a GAOC does 
not equate to a determination that a project in the GAOC would result 
in an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States. 
It only means that such a project would have an adverse impact and 
requires further review by the Military Aviation and Installation 
Assurance Siting Clearinghouse.
    The Boardman GAOC is identified due to possible effects upon two 
main DoD military missions. The Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility 
at Boardman and its associated airspace are the U.S. Navy's primary 
resource for all airborne electronic attack aircraft air combat 
maneuver training. This training includes low level aircraft 
operations. Tall structures, such as wind turbines and electrical 
transmission lines, constructed under Restricted Airspace (R-5701) and 
Military Training Routes will prevent the U.S. Navy from fulfilling the 
training mission. Secondly, the Fossil common air route surveillance 
radar (CARSR) (a long range radar) in Fossil, Oregon, is a vital 
resource for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). 
NORAD defends Canada and the United States against air threats, and an 
accurate ``air picture'' is essential for NORAD to accomplish its air 
defense mission. Rotating wind turbine blades can appear as unwanted 
false targets (clutter) and desensitize the radar, resulting in 
degraded target acquisition and tracking. Much of the information and 
data used to establish the GAOC for the Fossil CARSR is not available 
for public review due to security concerns.
    The NAS Patuxent River GAOC is identified due to possible effects 
upon two DoD military missions. The missions that could be degraded or 
impaired due to wind turbines are the Advanced Dynamic Aircraft 
Measurement System (ADAMS) and the Digital Airport Surveillance Radar 
(DASR), both located at NAS Patuxent River. ADAMS is a national test 
asset and the Department of Navy's only open-air dynamic radar cross 
section (RCS) measurement facility supporting all military services as 
well as other government agencies. ADAMS is used to make precise 
ground-to-air radar signature measurements during aircraft maneuvers. 
The DASR is used to facilitate critical safety of flight control 
instructions for all DoD and civilian aircraft that operate within the 
confines of the NAS Patuxent River Air Traffic Control (ATC) Area of 
Responsibility (AoR). ATC services require the ability to use radar to 
positively identify targets that enter, work within, and depart the AoR 
to prevent mid-air collision and loss of life. The DASR is also 
utilized by ATC to monitor air traffic that might attempt to illegally 
enter the Washington, DC Flight Restricted Zone, thereby posing a 
significant threat to the national security. Rotating wind turbine 
blades can appear as unwanted false targets (clutter) and desensitize 
the radar, resulting in degraded target acquisition and tracking for 
both the ADAMS and DASR at NAS Patuxent River.
    Comments received by the end of the comment period will be 
considered when making the final findings on the designation of these 
proposed GAOCs. Any comment, if applying to only one

[[Page 39081]]

GAOC, should identify that GAOC as the subject.
    Maps identifying the Boardman and NAS Patuxent River GAOCs can be 
viewed in the docket listed above on Regulations.gov.

    Dated: August 2, 2018.
Shelly E. Finke,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2018-16886 Filed 8-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P