Notice2024-10167
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Pacific Missile Range Facility and Kōke'e Park Geophysical Observatory Real Estate
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Published
May 9, 2024
Issuing agencies
Defense DepartmentNavy DepartmentNational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Abstract
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and regulations implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality, the Department of the Navy (DON) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the DON and NASA announce their intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental effects associated with the continued long-term DoD use of 8,348 acres of State lands on Kauai, Hawaii for operational continuity and sustainment (in support of continued military training, testing, and facility operations) at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), and the continued long-term NASA use of 23 acres of State lands on Kaua[revaps]i, Hawaii in support of continued operations (including measurements of the Earth's rotation and local land motion) at K[omacr]ke[revaps]e Park Geophysical Observatory (KPGO).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 91 (Thursday, May 9, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 91 (Thursday, May 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39607-39608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10167]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
Pacific Missile Range Facility and K[omacr]ke[revaps]e Park Geophysical
Observatory Real Estate
AGENCY: Department of the Navy (DON), Department of Defense (DoD), and
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969 and regulations implemented by the Council on Environmental
Quality, the Department of the Navy (DON) and National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA), the DON and NASA announce their intent to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the
potential environmental effects associated with the continued long-term
DoD use of 8,348 acres of State lands on Kauai, Hawaii for operational
continuity and sustainment (in support of continued military training,
testing, and facility operations) at the Pacific Missile Range Facility
(PMRF), and the continued long-term NASA use of 23 acres of State lands
on Kaua[revaps]i, Hawaii in support of continued operations (including
measurements of the Earth's rotation and local land motion) at
K[omacr]ke[revaps]e Park Geophysical Observatory (KPGO).
DATES: The 40-day public scoping period begins on May 8, 2024, and
extends to June 17, 2024. Comments must be postmarked or submitted
electronically via the project website no later than 11:59 p.m. Hawaii
Standard Time (HST) on June 17, 2024 for consideration in the Draft
EIS.
Public scoping meetings are planned as follows:
<bullet> June 4, 2024, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. HST at Kaua[revaps]i
Veterans Center, 3215 Kaua[revaps]i Veterans Memorial Highway,
L[imacr]hu[revaps]e
<bullet> June 5, 2024, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. HST at Kekaha Neighborhood
Center, 8130 Elepaio Road, Kekaha
<bullet> June 6, 2024, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. HST at Sheraton Coconut
Beach Resort, 650 Aleka Loop, Kapa[revaps]a
The purpose of the scoping period is to provide the public with
information related to the Proposed Action, its purpose and need,
environmental resources to be analyzed in the EIS, the NEPA and HEPA
process, consultation under NHPA, and public involvement opportunities.
The DON and NASA are providing a web-based platform, as well as public
scoping meetings for the public to learn about the Proposed Action and
alternatives and to provide scoping comments. Comments must be
postmarked or submitted electronically via the website no later than
11:59 p.m. HST on June 17, 2024 for consideration in the Draft EIS.
ADDRESSES: The DON and NASA invite all interested parties to submit
scoping comments on the EIS or information regarding historic
properties or Section 106 consulting party interest through the project
website at <a href="http://www.PMRF-<a href="http://KPGO-EIS.com">KPGO-EIS.com</a>">http://www.PMRF-<a href="http://KPGO-EIS.com">KPGO-EIS.com</a></a> or by mail to: Naval Facilities
Engineering Systems Command, Hawaii, Environmental OPHEV2, Attention:
PMRF and KPGO RE EIS Project Manager, Ms. Kerry Wells, 400 Marshall
Road, Building X-11, Pearl Harbor, HI 96860.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
DON: Commander, Navy Region Hawaii, Attn: Mr. Danny Hayes,
Environmental Public Affairs Specialist, by telephone (808-473-0662) or
email (<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1276737c7c6b3c603c706a7a736b7761243c717b645267613c7c73646b3c7f7b7e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1e7a7f707067306c307c66767f677b6d28307d77685e6b6d30707f686730737772">[email protected]</span></a>).
NASA: Shari A. Miller, NASA; EIS Project Manager, by telephone
(757-824-2327) or email (<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3b68535a4952157a15765257575e497b555a485a155c544d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8ad9e2ebf8e3a4cba4c7e3e6e6eff8cae4ebf9eba4ede5fc">[email protected]</span></a>).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
As the proposed action involves State lands, the EIS will be a
joint NEPA, Hawaii Environmental Policy Act (HEPA) (as governed by
Hawaii Revised Statutes [HRS] chapter 343), and Hawaii Administrative
Rules (HAR) section 11-200.1 (implementing HRS chapter 343) document;
therefore, the public scoping processes will run concurrently and will
jointly meet NEPA and HEPA
[[Page 39608]]
requirements. The DON and NASA are initiating a 40-day public scoping
process to receive comments on the scope of the EIS including
identification of potential alternatives and environmental concerns,
information and analyses relevant to the Proposed Action, issues the
public would like to see addressed in the EIS, and the project's
potential to affect historic properties pursuant to section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966. DON's action
proponent for this proposal is Commander, Navy Region Hawaii.
The DON's purpose for the Proposed Action is to maintain long-term
DoD use of 8,348 acres of State lands (including leaseholds and
easement lands) on Kaua[revaps]i, Hawaii for operational continuity and
sustainment of the military readiness mission. NASA's purpose for the
Proposed Action is to maintain long-term use of 23 acres of State land
on Kaua[revaps]i, Hawaii for continued operations of KPGO. The Proposed
Action is needed because the existing real estate agreements are set to
expire between 2027 and 2030. Preserving the long-term DoD and NASA use
of these State lands is critical for military readiness, continuation
of ongoing military training and testing, and maintaining data
collection efforts of global significance. It also ensures the
continued conservation management by the DON and NASA of natural and
cultural resources on these lands.
For the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), in
addition to its role as the lessor of State lands, the proposed real
estate action presents an opportunity for the agency to secure a
revenue source to support its management of public lands and associated
environmental and conservation programs. Fees from leases and easements
are put into a State fund as required by law.
By ensuring continued DON and NASA operations on Kaua[revaps]i, the
real estate action would also preserve local jobs and income for the
residents of Kaua[revaps]i, financially contribute to the overall
economic well-being of Kaua[revaps]i, and maintain continued
conservation management of natural and cultural resources on State
lands at no cost to the State of Hawaii.
The DON and NASA have identified two preliminary action
alternatives to carry forward for analysis in the EIS, along with the
No Action Alternative.
Alternative 1 (Succeeding Current Real Estate Agreements): The DON
and NASA would apply to DLNR for new long-term real estate agreements
in the same manner and for the same uses as the current leases and
easements.
Alternative 2 (Fee Simple Acquisition of Current Real Estate
Agreements for Leaseholds): The DON and NASA would pursue fee simple
acquisition of 700 acres (684--DON, 16--NASA) of leaseholds, and
otherwise obtain use of the remaining acreage as described in
Alternative 1.
Alternative 3 (No Action Alternative): The DON and NASA would not
seek any real estate agreements for the State lands on Kaua[revaps]i
after expiration of the leases and easements between 2027 to 2030. The
current real estate agreements for 8,348 acres with the DON and 23
acres with NASA would expire. All existing infrastructure would be
removed, or abandoned in place (as determined by the existing real
estate agreements), from the DON and NASA leased and easement lands.
Consistent with Council on Environmental Quality regulations and
HAR section 11-200.1-24(b), the scope of the analysis for the
alternatives in this EIS is proportionate to the potential for
environmental impacts. The following 13 resources have a potential for
impacts and are analyzed in this EIS: archaeological and historic
resources, cultural practices, biological resources, land use,
socioeconomics, environmental justice, water resources, utilities,
public health and safety, air quality and greenhouse gases,
transportation, hazardous materials and wastes, and visual resources.
The EIS will analyze measures that would avoid, minimize, or mitigate
environmental effects. The DON and NASA will conduct coordination,
consultation, and permitting activities required by the NHPA, the
Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, the Coastal Zone
Management Act, Hawaii Revised Statues chapter 183C and HAR chapter 13-
5, HAR chapter 6E, and other laws and regulations determined to be
applicable to the project.
This EIS will satisfy both Federal and State of Hawaii requirements
and provide the necessary analyses to allow the DON, NASA, and DLNR to
consider the environmental effects of the Proposed Action and
alternatives as part of their decision-making. The DON and NASA
encourages Federal, State, and local agencies, and interested persons
to provide comments concerning the alternatives proposed for study and
environmental issues for analysis in the EIS, as well as to identify
specific environmental resources the DON and NASA should consider when
developing the Draft EIS. The DON and NASA will prepare the Draft EIS
and will include analyses of potential effects to the resources the
DON, NASA, and the commenting public have identified. All comments
received during the public scoping period will be considered during EIS
preparation.
Comments must be postmarked or submitted electronically by email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#01686f676e41514c53472c3d6021697364673c" http: KPGO-EIS.com">KPGO-EIS.com</a>">info@PMRF-<a href="http://KPGO-EIS.com">KPGO-EIS.com</a></a>, and/or electronically through the EIS website
at www.PMRF-<a href="http://KPGO-EIS.com">KPGO-EIS.com</a>. Comments must be posted by 11:59 p.m. HST on
June 17, 2024.
After the scoping period, the DON and NASA will develop the Draft
EIS. The DON and NASA intend to release the Draft EIS in summer of
2025, the Final EIS in spring of 2026, with a Record of Decision signed
in late spring of 2026.
Dated: May 6, 2024.
Emily A. Pellegrino,
Program Analyst, Directives and Regulatory Team, National Aeronautics
and Space Administration.
J.E. Koningisor,
Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-10167 Filed 5-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P
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