In support of the District of Columbia Air National Guard's 113th Wing, the Air Force and the National Guard Bureau (NGB) are proposing to expand, modify and establish air-to-air training airspace areas over northern Virginia and West Virginia. The proposed action would involve airspace only and does not include any project components that would touch or otherwise directly affect the ground or water surface.

The purpose of the proposed modification of the Evers Military Operating Area (MOA) is to provide property-configured and located military airspace, which will provide efficient, realistic mission-oriented training with adequate size, and within reasonably close proximity, to support advanced 21st century air-to-air tactical fighters and evolving training requirements of the DCANG.

Several factors that have driven the proposed action include travel distance and time required to access existing training airspace area, the availability and scheduling of current configuration and vertical limits in order to effectively meet the needs of the evolving missions and technological advancements of the F-16.

Public involvement is of primary importance in complying with NEPA, which requires full and honest disclosure of potential environmental impacts to the public. The Environmental Impact Analysis Process (EIAP) provides multiple opportunities for public involvement. The public has an important role in providing input during this process to help the National Guard Bureau make more informed decisions about implementing this proposal. Your comments and input will help to shape the environmental analyses that will be prepared in the Draft EIS. Although NGB will continue to take comments throughout the entire EIAP, a secondary opportunity for public comment will occur following publication of the Draft EIS; to be complete in the months following the scoping meetings.

Expand the lateral footprint of the Evers MOA as it currently exists from 450 square nautical miles to 3,500 square nautical miles.

-MOA altitudes would be modified as follows:

-Evers MOA North, Center and South over northern Virginia- 11,000- 17,999 MSL.

-Evers Low MOA- 1,000' AGL- 11,000 MSL (overlaying the same East/ West boundary as the current Evers MOA, but with reduced North/ South boundary over Pendleton County. This modification further proposes the creation of the Diesel North, Center and South Air Traffic Control Assigned Area FL180- FL230 MSL (overlaying the same lateral boundaries as the Evers North, Central and South MOA).

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is our national charter for making informed decisions based upon potential environmental consequences. NEPA requires all federal agencies to take a good-faith, hard look at potential environmental consequences of a proposal before making a decision.

No announcements at this time