Notice of Public Meetings for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Basing of MV-22 and H-1 Aircraft in Support of III Marine Expeditionary Force Elements in Hawaii

Pursuant to Section (102)(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, and regulations implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 1500-1508), Department of Navy (DoN) NEPA regulations (32 CFR part 775), and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) NEPA directives (Marine Corps Order P5090.2A, change 2), DoN has prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that evaluates the potential environmental consequences that may result from the basing of Osprey tiltrotor (MV-22) and Cobra and Huey attack and utility (H-1) aircraft in support of III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) elements in Hawaii. The Department of the Army (DoA) is a cooperating agency for this DEIS because the proposed squadrons would train on land currently owned or controlled by the DoA. With the filing of the DEIS, the DoN is initiating a 45-day public comment period and has scheduled five public comment meetings to receive oral and written comments on the DEIS. Federal, state and local agencies and interested parties are encouraged to provide comments in person at any of the public comment meetings, or in writing anytime during the public comment period. This Notice announces the dates and locations of the public meetings and provides supplementary information about the environmental planning effort. Per 36 CFR part 800.8, the DoN is integrating the NEPA and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) public involvement processes. In addition to meeting NEPA public involvement requirements, the public meetings will provide opportunities for NHPA Section 106 input regarding the identification and treatment of historic properties.