Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Beddown of Training F-35A Aircraft

요약

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and Air Force policy and procedures (32 CFR Part 989), the Air Force is issuing this notice to advise the public of its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts of establishing training F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft at one or more existing Air Force installations within the continental United States. The proposed basing alternatives are Luke AFB, Arizona; Holloman AFB, New Mexico; Eglin AFB, Florida; Air Terminal Air Guard Station, Idaho; and Tucson International Airport Air Guard, Arizona. Each candidate base is an alternative. The potential environmental impacts for each alternative will be analyzed for no action and in six increments of 24 primary assigned aircraft. The Air Force version of the F-35 JSF, designated F-35A, is a conventional take-off, multiple-role fighter with an emphasis on air- to-ground missions. The aircraft was designed to supplement and eventually repla