Public Involvement

The Navy has been training in the Southern California (SOCAL) Range Complex for national defense purposes for over 70 years. In line with range complex-wide management practices, the Navy is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) to comprehensively evaluate the effects on the environment of current and future training activities within the range complex. The Special Use Airspace that currently exists is not proposed to increase.

Public Involvement Process

A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS/OEIS for current and proposed training and test activities (the Proposed Action) in the SOCAL Range Complex was published on December 21, 2006, initiating a 45-day public and agency scoping period that ended on February 8, 2007. During the scoping period, scoping meetings were held at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro on January 29, 2007; at the Oceanside Civic Center Library in Oceanside on January 30, 2007; and at the Coronado Public Library in Coronado on January 31, 2007. Agency and public comments on the Navy's Proposed Action that were made during the scoping period were addressed in preparing the Draft EIS/OEIS.

The Draft EIS/OEIS was published on April 4, 2008, initiating a 45-day public and agency comment period that closed on May 19, 2008. During the public comment period, public hearings on the Draft EIS/OEIS were held at the Oceanside Civic Center Library in Oceanside on April 29, 2008; at the Coronado Community Center in Coronado on April 30, 2008; and at the Long Beach Public Library in Long Beach on May 1, 2008.

The Navy is preparing responses to all comments received during the public and agency comment period. The Draft EIS/OEIS will be revised as appropriate, based on the comments received. The Final EIS/OEIS, to be published in late 2008, will include all public and agency comments received on the Draft EIS/OEIS during the 45-day comment period, and the Navy's responses to each comment. The Notice of Availability of the Final EIS/OEIS will initiate a 30-day waiting period, after which the Navy will issue a Record of Decision.