Melrose Air Force Range Expansion Curry Roosevelt Counties

Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, NM, proposes to increase the size of the Melrose Air Force Range in Curry and Roosevelt Counties, New Mexico, from 22,120 to 77,120 acres. This expansion by fee, easement, and lease acquisition will allow an increase in the number of targets and attack headings, thereby alleviating existing training deficiencies. Several alternatives, including the no-action alternative, were investigated. Alternatives involving more use of other, existing ranges were found impractical, mainly due to high existing use levels at those ranges. Alternatives involving construction of a replacement range at another location were not practical due to incompatible airspace-or land-use. The primary public concerns associated with the proposed action are socioeconomic, focusing mainly on loss of mineral and water rights, lands, and tax revenues, and on decreased viability of two small school districts. The primary environmental concerns were over lack of knowledge of (and therefore threat of inadvertent damage to) archaeological/cultural sites. Other concerns raised include damage to vegetation and wildlife resources, and loss of utilities and roads. Keywords: Environmental impact statements.