NORFOLK, Va. –
The Navy has made available the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, which evaluates the potential environmental effects from the replacement of the TH-57 Sea Ranger training helicopters and implementation of the Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS) at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whiting Field, Santa Rosa County, Florida.
The proposed action will modernize the Navy’s rotary-wing and tilt-rotor integrated pilot production training program at Training Air Wing Five located at NAS Whiting Field and its respective helicopter training Navy Outlying Landing Fields, in Florida, by implementing the AHTS. The AHTS involves the replacement of TH-57 Sea Ranger training helicopters, replacement of existing ground based training systems (i.e., simulators), an increase in operational training tempo, changes in operational tactics based on a new curriculum, construction of temporary and permanent supporting facilities, and an increase in personnel.
The Draft EA was made available for public review and comment from June 28 through July 19, 2019. All comments received were considered in preparing the Final EA.
Based on the findings of the Final EA and the public review of the Draft EA, the Navy has determined that this action will have no significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Therefore, preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) has been issued.
The Final EA and FONSI are available at www.nepa.navy.mil/ahts or at one of the following public libraries:
- Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring Street, Pensacola, Florida
- Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Avenue, Pensacola, Florida
- Century Branch Library, 7991 N. Century Boulevard, Century, Florida
- Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 N. Ninth Avenue, Pensacola, Florida
- Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino, Florida
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola, Florida
- Westside Branch Library, 1301 W. Gregory Street, Pensacola, Florida
- Pace Library, 4750 Pace Patriot Boulevard, Pace, Florida
- Milton Library, 5541 Alabama Street, Milton, Florida
- Jay Library, 5259 Booker Lane, Jay, Florida
- Genealogy Center, 6275 Dogwood Drive, Milton, Florida