Throughout the EIS process, the public will be notified of opportunities for public involvement. Public involvement will enable interested individuals and stakeholders to participate, express concerns, and have those concerns considered as part of the evaluation and decision-making process. The goals for public involvement are to advocate for and support a mutual exchange of information between the Navy and interested stakeholders.
There will be several avenues for public involvement throughout the project, including the project website, mailing lists, and various public meetings.
CURRENTLY PUBLIC INVOLVEMNT IS AVAILABLE THROUGH PARTICIPATION DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS. SEE DETAILS BELOW AND ON THE EVENTS PAGE.
Project Website
This project website will be an ongoing source of information. Draft versions of the EIS, as well as any additional reports and documents, will be placed on these pages for public review. Public meeting announcements will also be posted on this website.
Newspaper Notification
Local newspapers will be used to advertisement of public meetings and the availability of draft documents for review. Two local newspapers in the vicinity of each of the installations under consideration for homebasing or detachment of the P-8A MMA have been identified and will be used for advertisement. Public scoping meetings were announced in local newspapers several days prior to the meetings. The draft EIS has been completed, and a Notice of Announcement (NOA) and Notice of Public Hearing (NOPH) will be published in the local newspapers once two weeks prior, once a week prior, and again three days consecutively the week of the public hearing scheduled for that location. The combined notice includes: Navy Point of Contact (POC) information, a list of information repositories where the draft EIS can be viewed, a request for public comments including the avenues by which public comments can be submitted, and notice of the dates/times and locations of public hearings.
Mailing/Distribution Lists
A mailing list of interested and potentially affected individuals, groups, and agencies has been assembled and will be updated, as additional parties are identified or express interest in the EIS. The mailing list includes elected officials, government and regulatory agencies, Tribal groups, community and environmental non-governmental organizations, private parties, and other interested stakeholders. The mailing list is a key tool for ensuring interested and potentially affected parties receive appropriate and timely notice of EIS activities. This webpage provides a mechanism for registering contact information for inclusion on the mailing list (See Comments Page).
Public Scoping Meetings
Public scoping meetings, held in an open house format, were conducted at the beginning of the project to provide interested individuals and stakeholders with project information, and to provide the opportunity for written comments on issues of public concern that should be addressed in the EIS. One public scoping meeting was held in each of the five locations under consideration as receiver sites, with the exception of Hawaii. Scoping meetings for Hickam Air Force Base and Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay were combined due to their close geographical location. The public scoping meetings were held during the months of January and February 2007. Detailed information on each of the public scoping meetings is provided below:
Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Public Scoping Meeting Thursday, January 11, 2007
Time: 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Holiday Inn, Orange Park
150 Park Avenue, Orange Park, Florida 32073
Hickam Air Force Base / Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay
Public Scoping Meeting Thursday, January 18, 2007
Time: 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Pacific Beach Hotel
2490 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
Naval Air Station North Island
Public Scoping Meeting Thursday, February 8, 2007
Time: 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location: City of Coronado Library
640 Orange Avenue, Coronado, California 92118
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
Public Scoping Meeting Thursday, February 15, 2007
Time: 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Oak Harbor School District Board Room
3500 S. Oak Harbor Street, Oak Harbor, Washington 98277
Public Hearings on Draft of the EIS
Public hearings will be held on the draft EIS. These hearings will be a combination of an open information session followed by a formal public hearing. The public will be given the opportunity to review information contained in the draft EIS as well as comment on the
draft EIS during the hearing portion of the public meetings. One public hearing will be held in each of the four locations under consideration as receiver sites. Public hearings will be held during the months of March and April 2008. Detailed information on each of the public
hearings is provided below:
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
Public Hearing Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Time: 4:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Oak Harbor School District, ASC Boardroom
350 South Oak Harbor Street, Oak Harbor, Washington 98277
Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay
Public Hearing Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Time: 4:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: J.B. Castle High School
45-386 Kaneohe Bay Drive, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744
Naval Air Station North Island
Public Hearing Thursday, April 3, 2008
Time: 4:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Crown Hall, Early Childhood Development Center
199 Sixth Street, Coronado, California 92118
Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Public Hearing Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Time: 4:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Howard Johnson Inn, Clay/Duval Room
150 Park Avenue, Orange Park, Florida 32073
Public Hearing Fact Sheets and Posters