Notice2022-08030
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement Addressing the KC-46A Main Operating Base #6 (MOB 6) Beddown at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida or Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington
Primary source
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Published
April 14, 2022
Issuing agencies
Defense DepartmentAir Force Department
Abstract
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 social, economic, and environmental impacts associated with the KC-46A Main Operating Base #6 (MOB 6) Beddown. The DAF is proposing to beddown KC-46A tanker aircraft, personnel, and associated infrastructure in support of the MOB 6 mission at MacDill Air Force Base (AFB), Florida, or, as an alternative, Fairchild AFB in Washington State.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 72 (Thursday, April 14, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 72 (Thursday, April 14, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22195-22196]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-08030]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Air Force
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
Addressing the KC-46A Main Operating Base #6 (MOB 6) Beddown at MacDill
Air Force Base, Florida or Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington
AGENCY: Department of the Air Force, Department of Defense.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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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 social, economic, and environmental impacts
associated with the KC-46A Main Operating Base #6 (MOB 6) Beddown. The
DAF is proposing to beddown KC-46A tanker aircraft, personnel, and
associated infrastructure in support of the MOB 6 mission at MacDill
Air Force Base (AFB), Florida, or, as an alternative, Fairchild AFB in
Washington State.
DATES: A public scoping period of 30 days will take place starting from
the date of this NOI publication in the Federal Register.
Identification of potential alternatives, information, and analyses
relevant to the proposed action are requested and will be accepted at
any time during the EIS process. To ensure DAF has sufficient time to
consider public input in the preparation of the Draft EIS, scoping
comments should be submitted in writing to the website or the address
listed below within the 30-day scoping period. The Draft EIS is
anticipated in Winter 2022/2023 and the Final EIS is anticipated in
Fall 2023. The Record of Decision would be approved and signed 30 days
after the Final EIS.
ADDRESSES: Scoping comments may be submitted to Helen Kellogg, AFCEC/
[[Page 22196]]
CZN; Attn: KC-46A MOB 6 EIS; 2261 Hughes Ave., Suite 155; JBSA
Lackland, TX 78236-9853 or Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#773f121b1219593c121b1b1810105946370204591611591a1e1b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2f674a434a4101644a4343404848011e6f5a5c014e4901424643">[email protected]</span></a>. The
project website (<a href="http://www.kc46amob6eis.com">www.kc46amob6eis.com</a>) provides information on the EIS
and the scoping process, and can be used to submit scoping comments
online. EIS inquiries and requests for digital or print copies of
scoping materials are available upon request at the email or mailing
address provided. For printed material requests, the standard U.S.
Postal Service shipping timeline will apply. Members of the public who
want to receive future mailings informing them on the availability of
the Draft and Final EIS are encouraged to submit a comment that
includes their name and email or postal mailing address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Helen Kellogg, AFCEC/CZN; Attn: KC-46A
MOB 6 EIS; 2261 Hughes Ave., Suite 155; JBSA Lackland, TX 78236-9853;
Telephone: 210-925-7843; or Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5e163b323b3070153b3232313939706f1e2b2d703f3870333732"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c78fa2aba2a9e98ca2ababa8a0a0e9f687b2b4e9a6a1e9aaaeab">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MOB 6 mission includes the beddown of 24
KC-46A aircraft in two squadrons of 12 at MacDill AFB in Florida under
the Proposed Action or, as an alternative, at Fairchild AFB in
Washington State. The KC-46A aircraft would recapitalize the aging KC-
135 tanker fleet and would continue supporting the mission of providing
worldwide refueling, cargo, and aeromedical evacuation support.
The purpose of the Proposed Action is to recapitalize aging tanker
aircraft currently utilized by DAF with the KC-46A model to better
address future mission requirements, offer expanded capability, and
provide life-cycle cost savings in comparison to continued operation of
existing KC-135 Stratotanker. The Proposed Action is needed because the
KC-46A will provide capabilities currently lacking in the existing
tanker fleet, resulting in a fully capable, combat operational tanker
force to accomplish aerial refueling and related worldwide missions.
Resource areas being analyzed for impacts under the Proposed Action
include: Noise, biological resources, cultural resources,
socioeconomics, soils and geology, water resources, infrastructure and
transportation, land use, hazardous materials and wastes, health and
safety, air quality, and environmental justice and other sensitive
receptors. Potential impacts under the Proposed Action at MacDill AFB
or the Fairchild AFB alternative are anticipated to be less than
significant or mitigatable to less than significant. Permits may be
required for the Proposed Action at MacDill AFB, Florida or at
Fairchild AFB, Washington. If so, the DAF will get all appropriate
permits. In addition, the DAF will comply with the substantive
requirements of the Florida Coastal Management Program. The DAF will
also consult with appropriate resource agencies and Native American
tribes to determine the potential for significant impacts. Consultation
will be incorporated into the preparation of the EIS and will include,
but not be limited to, consultation under Section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act and consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act.
Scoping and Agency Coordination: To effectively define the full
range of issues to be evaluated in the EIS, DAF will determine the
scope of the analysis by soliciting comments from interested local,
state, and federal elected officials and agencies, Tribes, as well as,
interested members of the public and others. Implementation of the KC-
46A MOB 6 mission at MacDill AFB would 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,'' state and federal regulatory
agencies with special expertise in wetlands and floodplains, such as
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida State
Floodplain Management Office will be contacted and asked to comment.
Consistent with E.O. 11988 and E.O. 11990, this Notice of Intent
initiates early public review of the Proposed Action and alternatives
and invites public comments and identification of potential
alternatives.
Concurrent with the publication of this notice of intent, public
scoping notices will be announced locally. In accordance with DAF
guidance, in-person public scoping meetings will not be held. Public
scoping will instead be accomplished remotely, in accordance with the
2020 version of 40 CFR part 1506.6, via the project website at
<a href="http://www.kc46amob6eis.com">www.kc46amob6eis.com</a>. The project website provides posters, a
presentation, an informational fact sheet, downloadable comment forms
to fill out and return by mail, and the capability for the public to
submit scoping comments online. Scoping materials are also available at
the following libraries: MacDill AFB Library (8102 Condor Street,
Tampa, FL 3362), Port Tampa City Public Library (4902 W Commerce St,
Tampa, FL 33616), Fairchild AFB Library (2 W Castle Street, Fairchild
AFB, WA 99011), and Spokane Public Library (906 W Main Ave., Spokane,
WA 99201).
Adriane Paris,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-08030 Filed 4-13-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-10-P
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