Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and Council on Environmental Quality regulations, the U.S. Pacific Command has prepare the above referenced Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). The proposed plan for Bellows Air Force Station consists of land use changes to provide areas of sufficient size and configuration to meet Marine Corps and other military training requirements, and upgrades of existing military recreation facilities. The FEIS has been distributed to various parties and public libraries; a limited number of single copies are available upon request at the address listed at the end of this notice.

Under the preferred alternative, the 387-acre former communications station at Bellows AFS would provide inland maneuver area for amphibious exercises and land in proximity to Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay for day-to-day small unit training. New activities would include operation of a second helicopter landing zone, tactical crossings of Waimanalo Stream, and the use of air cushioned landing craft for amphibious training.

Bellows AFS has been rejected as a military family housing site because of conflicts with training, significant impacts on the community, inadequate infrastructure, and high construction cost.

Recreation facility projects include a motor pool enclosure, recreation courts, utility upgrades, selected cabin replacements and sentry gate and campground improvements.

Approximately 170 acres are identified as potentially excess to military needs. Release of this land will require relocation of Hawaii Army National Guard and Air Force Security Police facilities to other sites on the station, remediation of contaminated sites as needed, and establishment of open space easements where training noise is likely to exceed residential standards.

The preferred alternative will have no significant adverse environmental impacts that cannot be mitigated. Measures are specified to protect sensitive cultural and natural resources, minimize noise impacts, avoid impact from landing craft, avoid impacts on threatened and endangered species, prevent the release of hazardous substances and wastes, and minimize construction-related impacts.

Point of contact for questions, submittal of comments, and requests for copies of the FEIS: Mr. Gary Kasaoka (Code 231GK), Pacific Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 96860-7300; telephone (808) 471-9338; fax (808) 474-4890.