The U.S. Navy is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, to evaluate potential environmental effects associated with modernization of the Fallon Range Training Complex.
The Fallon Range Training Complex is the Navy’s premier aviation training complex located in the high desert of northern Nevada east of Fallon.
The Navy proposes to modernize the Fallon Range Training Complex, which would include land range expansion through additional land withdrawal and land acquisition, airspace modifications, and public land withdrawal renewal. The modernization is required because advances in warfare technology have outpaced the size and configuration of the ranges, hindering the Navy from fully sustaining realistic aviation and ground training.
The Navy’s proposed action includes renewal of the existing 202,859-acre public land withdrawal that expires on Nov. 5, 2021; the withdraw and reserve for military use of approximately 604,789 acres of additional public land; acquisition of approximately 65,160 acres of non-federal land; expansion of associated Special Use Airspace, as well as reconfiguration of existing airspace; and modification of range infrastructure to support modernization. The aviation and ground training to be conducted in the modernized Fallon Range Training Complex would be of the same general types and at the same tempos analyzed in Alternative 2 of the Final EIS for Military Readiness Activities at Fallon Range Training Complex, Nevada (completed in December 2015).
The Bureau of Land Management, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service will participate as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS.
As part of the environmental evaluation, and in accordance with federal regulations, the Navy is seeking public input to identify community concerns, potential viable alternatives, and environmental issues for analysis in the EIS. Open house information sessions will be held at the following locations:
Monday, Oct. 3, 3-7 p.m., Fallon Convention Center, 100 Campus Way.
Tuesday, Oct. 4, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Pershing County Community Center, 820 6th Street, Lovelock.
Tuesday, Oct. 4, 5-7 p.m., Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center, 1301 Valley Road, Reno.
Wednesday, Oct. 5, 5-7 p.m., Emma Nevada Town Hall, 135 Court Street, Austin, NV 89310.
Thursday, Oct. 6,, 5-7 p.m., Eureka Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room, 431 McCoy Street, Eureka, NV 89316.
Friday, Oct. 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Hawthorne Convention Center, 950 E Street, Hawthorne, NV 89415.
Friday, Oct. 7, 5-7 p.m., Gabbs School Gymnasium, 511 E Avenue, Gabbs, NV 89409.
Each of the seven information sessions will begin with a brief presentation about the project, followed by an open house with information stations staffed by Navy and cooperating agency representatives.
Comments pertaining to the U.S. Navy’s proposed action and/or environmental issues should be sent to: Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest; Attention: Code EV21.AK; 1220 Pacific Highway; Building 1, 5th Floor; San Diego, CA 92132, or submitted online at www.FRTCModernization.com.
Additional information is also available at www.FRTCModernization.com. All written comments must be postmarked or received online by Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, to be considered in the Draft EIS.