Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Training and Exercises at Airfields in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Issuing agencies

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 effects associated with conducting aircraft training and exercises at airfields in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), including Saipan International Airport, Tinian International Airport, Tinian North Field, and Rota International Airport. DAF is the lead agency for the CNMI Airfields Training and Exercises (CATE) EIS and intends to invite the Federal Aviation Administration and Commonwealth Ports Authority to be cooperating agencies. DAF will consult with, and obtain the comments of, federal agencies that have jurisdiction by law or special expertise related to the environmental analysis.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 207 (Wednesday, October 28, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 28, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 67824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21969]



[[Page 67824]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
Training and Exercises at Airfields in the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands

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 effects 
associated with conducting aircraft training and exercises at airfields 
in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), including 
Saipan International Airport, Tinian International Airport, Tinian 
North Field, and Rota International Airport. DAF is the lead agency for 
the CNMI Airfields Training and Exercises (CATE) EIS and intends to 
invite the Federal Aviation Administration and Commonwealth Ports 
Authority to be cooperating agencies. DAF will consult with, and obtain 
the comments of, federal agencies that have jurisdiction by law or 
special expertise related to the environmental analysis.

DATES: A public scoping period of 30 days will take place starting from 
the date of this NOI publication in the Federal Register. DAF requests 
comments on alternatives, impacts, relevant information, studies, or 
analyses with respect to the Proposed Action. Comments should be 
submitted in writing to the website or address listed in the ADDRESSES 
section and will be accepted at any time during the EIS process; 
however, to ensure the DAF has sufficient time to consider public 
input, please submit within the 30-day scoping period. The Draft EIS is 
anticipated in Fall 2027 and the Final EIS is anticipated in Summer 
2028.
    DAF invites the public, stakeholders, and other interested parties 
to attend the public scoping meetings to be held on the following dates 
and times.

<bullet> November 18, 2026, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., ChST, Saipan
<bullet> November 19, 2026, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., ChST--, Tinian
<bullet> November 21, 2026, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., ChST, Rota

    Information that will be provided at the public scoping meetings is 
available on the project website (<a href="http://www.CATEEIS.com">www.CATEEIS.com</a>). Attendees of the 
public scoping meetings will have the opportunity to submit written 
comments.

ADDRESSES: The Saipan meeting will be held at Pacific Islands Club, San 
Antonio, Saipan. The Tinian meeting will be held at Tinian Western 
Lodge, Marpo Heights, Tinian. The Rota meeting will be held at the Rota 
Mayor's Office, Tatachok, Rota with potential alternate locations for 
Rota being the Courthouse or Round House. Addresses for the in-person 
public scoping meetings listed in the DATES section will be published 
in local newspaper and on the project website a minimum of 15 days 
prior to the meetings. Written scoping comments can be submitted at an 
in-person scoping meeting or via the project website <a href="http://www.CATEEIS.com">www.CATEEIS.com</a>. 
Scoping comments may also be submitted by email to 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#de8e9f9d9f98f0909b8e9ff09d9f8a9b9b978d9eabadf0bfb8f0b3b7b2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6f3f2e2c2e2941212a3f2e412c2e3b2a2a263c2f1a1c410e0941020603">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, or by mail to AFIMSC Det 2/CEV, ATTN: 
CATE EIS, 25 E ST STE C-310, JBPHH, HI 96853.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For inquiries regarding accommodations 
under the Americans with Disabilities Act or questions regarding the 
Proposed Action, scoping, and EIS development please contact Shawn 
Williams at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8bdbcac8cacda5c5cedbcaa5c8cadfcecec2d8cbfef8a5eaeda5e6e2e7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7b2b3a383a3d55353e2b3a55383a2f3e3e32283b0e08551a1d55161217">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> or by phone at 1 (808) 789-
7446.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Proposed Action is to 
conduct aircraft training and exercises at operable airfields in the 
CNMI to enhance DAF operational readiness and resiliency by conducting 
distributed operations across multiple locations within a single U.S. 
territory. The Proposed Action would enable DAF to test and employ 
tailorable force packages; exercise movement, sustainment, logistics, 
and command-and-control functions across multiple locations to 
replicate the complexity of distributed operations in contingency 
environments; and strengthen interoperability with Joint, allied, and 
partner forces within the Mariana Islands region. The Proposed Action 
is needed to improve DAF's ability to conduct distributed operations 
across multiple locations in a compressed U.S. geographic area in 
support of the Agile Combat Employment concept and to maintain 
operational readiness and responsiveness in the Indo-Pacific. DAF 
requires opportunities to train and exercise personnel, aircraft, and 
equipment across multiple locations in the CNMI to develop the skills, 
procedures, and relationships necessary to rapidly maneuver, sustain, 
and employ forces in a dynamic operational environment. The proposal is 
based on DAF requirements but could also support training and exercises 
involving other Department of Defense services, allies, or partner 
nations.
    The EIS will assess the potential environmental consequences of the 
Proposed Action, which includes conducting small, medium, and large 
training and exercise events at CNMI airfields, consisting of up to 
1,200 fixed-wing and 320 rotary-wing operations (e.g., takeoffs and 
landings) per airfield annually. Training and exercise events would be 
supported by up to 550,000 gallons of fuel per airfield, including fuel 
receipt, storage and distribution; up to 1,000 personnel per airfield; 
temporary installation of expeditionary infrastructure and utilities; 
munitions handling including chaff and flare; support services; and 
associated pre-and post- training and exercise activities. The Proposed 
Action does not include construction, creation or modification of 
airspace, or an increase or change in munitions expenditures beyond 
those analyzed in previous NEPA documentation. The EIS will also 
consider Alternative 1 to the Proposed Action, which consists of 
conducting aircraft operations at an intensity 20 percent greater than 
the Proposed Action (i.e., up to 1,400 fixed-wing operations and up to 
384 rotary-wing operations per airfield annually), and the No Action 
Alternative.
    DAF will pursue all required permits, licenses, and other 
authorizations for the project including, but not limited to 
consultations under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, Section 
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, coastal zone consistency 
under the Coastal Zone Management Act, and Clean Air Act compliance.

(Authority: 42 United States Code 4321, et seq., and Department of 
War and Department of Air Force National Environmental Policy Act 
Implementing Procedures.)

Crystle C. Poge,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2026-21969 Filed 10-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3911-44-P


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