Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Enhancement of the Capability of the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, HI To Conduct Missile Defense Testing and Training Activities

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 100 (Friday, May 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28451-28452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13639]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Enhancement of the Capability of the Pacific Missile Range 
Facility, Kauai, HI To Conduct Missile Defense Testing and Training 
Activities

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 as implemented in the Council on Environmental 
Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the Department of the 
Navy announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the enhancement of the capability of the Pacific Missile 
Range Facility (PMRF), Kauai, Hawaii to conduct missile defense testing 
and training activities. Agencies invited to cooperate in the 
preparation of this EIS include the Department of the Army, Department 
of the Air Force, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, Coast Guard, 
Department of the Interior, Department of Energy, Federal Aviation 
Administration, and the State of Hawaii.
    The 42,000-square-mile range, located on the west and north side of 
Kauai and in the adjacent ocean area, is currently operated as a 
missile test and training facility by the Navy. Congress has directed 
the Navy to develop a Theater Ballistic Missile Defense Program (TBMD). 
Implementing the program at PMRF is in accordance with the Senate 
Report 103-321 on the 1995 Defense Appropriations Bill, which 
designated PMRF as ``the primary test range for the completion of Navy 
(TBMD) flight tests.''
    The proposed action is to enhance the capability of PMRF to allow 
testing and training for the Navy's TBMD program and for the overall 
DoD Theater Missile Defense (TMD) program. The no-action alternative is 
the continuation of PMRF's current activities in support of existing 
DoD test and training programs. This EIS will examine environmental 
impacts of developing and operating potential launch sites and tracking 
stations/areas. Areas being considered for the launch and/or 
instrumentation sites include: (1) Kauai and the Hawaiian Islands, (2) 
other Pacific land-based support locations, and (3) ocean areas within 
and outside U.S. territorial waters.
    The distances between PMRF and some of the locations under 
consideration may exceed limitations in current international 
agreements related to distances for target missile flights, but they 
will not exceed distances to the anticipated areas of operations. Any 
testing would comply with current U.S. policy concerning compliance 
with treaties and international agreements.
    In accordance with Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 343, the 
Governor of Hawaii has determined that an EIS is required. Since the 
State and Federal actions and decisions are interconnected, the 
analyses will be documented in a single joint EIS. The decisions to be 
made by the State of Hawaii are: (1) Whether to revise the existing 
restrictive easement with the Navy to extend the easement term from 
January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2030, and (2) Whether to extend and/or 
revise other Navy leases and concur with or grant approvals as may be 
required for Navy use of lands in the Northwestern Hawaiian chain, to 
support the enhancement of PMRF to facilitate development and testing 
of TMD systems.
    The objective of the EIS is to describe and evaluate environmental 
impacts of existing activities at the range (the no-action 
alternative), describe the alternatives for enhancing the range for 
purposes of testing TBMD systems, and evaluate the environmental 
impacts from various enhancement alternatives. Environmental resource 
areas that will be addressed in the EIS include air quality; biological 
resources, including threatened and endangered species; cultural 
resources; geology and soils; hazardous materials and waste; health and 
safety; land use; noise; socioeconomics; transportation, including 
airspace; utilities; visual and aesthetic resources; and water quality.
    The Navy will host four scoping meetings to solicit input on 
significant issues that should be addressed in the EIS. Each scoping 
meeting will provide opportunities for clarification of the EIS and 
alternatives and solicit input from representatives of government 
agencies and interested individuals. The Navy will set up information 
stations at these scoping meetings. Each information station will be 
attended by a Navy representative who will be available to answer 
questions from meeting attendees. Comments will be entered into the 
official record via written comment sheets available at each meeting. 
Written comments will also be accepted via mail or fax. Regardless of 
the commenting method chosen, all comments will receive the same 
attention and consideration during EIS preparation.
    The four public scoping meetings will be held at the following 
times and locations: (1) June 17 from 4:00-8:00 pm at the Waimea 
Neighborhood Center, Waimea, Kauai; (2) June 19 from 4:00-8:00 pm at 
the Kilauea Neighborhood Center, Kilauea, Kauai; (3) June 21 from 1:00-
4:00 pm at the Wilcox Elementary School Cafeteria, Lihue, Kauai; and 
(4) June 23 from 4:00-8:00 pm at the US Army Reserve Center Assembly 
Hall, Room 101, Ft. Schafter Flats, Ft. Schafter, Oahu.

ADDRESSES: Agencies and the public are encouraged to provide written 
comments. To be most helpful, comments should clearly describe specific 
issues or topics that the EIS

[[Page 28452]]

should address. Please mail written comments to: Vida Mossman, Pacific 
Missile Range Facility, P.O. Box 128, Kekaha, Kauai, Hawaii, 96752-
0128, or send by facsimile at (808) 335-4660. Please postmark comments 
by June 23, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information concerning this 
notice may be obtained by contacting Vida Mossman, Pacific Missile 
Range Facility, P.O. Box 128, Kekaha, Kauai, Hawaii, 96752-0128, 
telephone (808) 335-4740.

    Dated: May 20, 1997.
D. E. Koenig,
LCDR, JAG, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-13639 Filed 5-22-97; 8:45 am]
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