Pacific Missile Range Facility Enhanced Capabilities To Accommodate Theater Ballistic Missile Defense Tbmd Training Testing And Theater Missile Defense Tmd Testing

This EIS was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Hawaii Revised Statutes, and Executive Order 12114, Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions. Two alternatives-the No-action Alternative and the Proposed Action-were analyzed in this EIS. The No-action Alternative is the continuation of existing range and land-based training and operations; existing research and development test and evaluation; and ongoing base operations and maintenance at PMRF. The Proposed Action, the Preferred Alternative, would result in the continuation of PMRF existing activities and enhancement of the capabilities of PMRF that would allow theater ballistic missile defense (TBMD) testing and training and theater missile defense (TMD) testing. The enhancement would include upgrading existing radar and communications and constructing and operating additional missile launch sites, sensors and instrumentation facilities, and a missile storage magazine. The Proposed Action would also include the revision to an existing restrictive easement for 28 years over State of Hawaii land to allow the U.S. Government to clear a ground hazard area during missile launch activities. The locations where activities would occur are listed in Item d above. This EIS addresses the potential environmental impacts that would result from activities that would occur under the No-action Alternative and Proposed Action. Environmental resource topics evaluated include air quality, airspace, biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, hazardous materials and hazardous waste, health and safety, land use, noise, socioeconomics, transportation, utilities, visual and aesthetics, water resources, the ocean area, and environmental justice. The potential cumulative effects of each of these resources were also evaluated.

This EIS was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Hawaii Revised Statutes, and Executive Order 12114, Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions. Two alternatives-the No-action Alternative and the Proposed Action-were analyzed in this EIS. The No-action Alternative is the continuation of existing range and land-based training and operations; existing research and development test and evaluation; and ongoing base operations and maintenance at PMRF. The Proposed Action, the Preferred Alternative, would result in the continuation of PMRF existing activities and enhancement of the capabilities of PMRF that would allow theater ballistic missile defense (TBMD) testing and training and theater missile defense (TMD) testing. The enhancement would include upgrading existing radar and communications and constructing and operating additional missile launch sites, sensors and instrumentation facilities, and a missile storage magazine. The Proposed Action would also include the revision to an existing restrictive easement for 28 years over State of Hawaii land to allow the U.S. Government to clear a ground hazard area during missile launch activities. The locations where activities would occur are listed in Item d above. This EIS addresses the potential environmental impacts that would result from activities that would occur under the No-action Alternative and Proposed Action. Environmental resource topics evaluated include air quality, airspace, biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, hazardous materials and hazardous waste, health and safety, land use, noise, socioeconomics, transportation, utilities, visual and aesthetics, water resources, the ocean area, and environmental justice. The potential cumulative effects of each of these resources were also evaluated.

The U.S. Navy has prepared this Environmental Assessment/Overseas Environmental Assessment (EA/OEA) to evaluate and disclose the environmental consequences of updating the capabilities of the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Kauai, HI to support future tests of Ballistic Missile Defense intercept technologies. The Proposed Action for this EA/OEA is to further enhance the intercept capabilities of missile defense tests at PMRF. The Proposed Action would support and maintain future Department of Defense (Army, Navy), Missile Defense Agency, and other potential customers' research, development, test, and evaluation activities, and associated range capabilities (including hardware and infrastructure improvements). The Proposed Action would also include testing defensive missile systems such as the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense program, which would adapt the Aegis Standard Missile and AN/SPY-1 Radar for land-based operations. These programs would involve the placement of additional landbased systems at PMRF, including required missile launcher, radar, and support facilities.