Officials extend PRTC public comment period Published Dec. 21, 2010 Air Combat Command Public Affairs LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- In response to Montana Congressman Denny Rehberg's request, the U.S. Air Force has extended the public comment period on the draft environmental impact statement, or EIS, for the proposed expansion of the Powder River Training Complex through Jan. 20. The draft EIS analyzes the potential environmental consequences of a proposal to improve airspace for B‐1B Lancer aircrews stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., and B‐52 Stratofortress aircrews stationed at Minot AFB, N.D. The Powder River Training Complex, or PRTC, would bolster Air Force combat readiness training capabilities through modifying existing airspace and establishing new, low-altitude airspace -- 500 feet above ground level up to but not including 18,000 feet above mean sea level, or MSL, and high-altitude air traffic control assigned airspace (18,000-60,000 MSL) -- combinations. The proposed PRTC airspace improvements would enable defensive training with chaff and flare countermeasures during daily training and include an expected 10 days per year of quarterly large force exercises when supersonic flight, with altitude restrictions, could occur. This draft EIS is provided for public comment in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the president's Council on Environmental Quality, NEPA Regulations 40 CFR §1500-1508 and 32 CFR §989, Environmental Impact Analysis Process. Three action alternatives and a no-action alternative were analyzed. The following locations may be affected by one or more of the proposal's alternatives: Montana: Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations and the counties of Big Horn, Carter, Custer, Fallon, Powder River, Rosebud, Treasure and Yellowstone North Dakota: Standing Rock Indian Reservation and Adams, Billings, Bowman, Golden Valley, Grant, Hettinger, Morton, Sious, Slope and Start counties South Dakota: Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Indian Reservations, Butte, Corson, Harding, Lawrence, Meade, Perkins and Ziebeck counties Wyoming: Campbell, Crook, Sheridan and Weston counties The draft EIS is available for review online at www.accplanning.org or in hard copy at the following libraries: Montana: Fallon County, Rosebud County, Henry A. Malley Memorial, Ekalaka Public, Miles City Public, Parmly, Billings and Montana State North Dakota: North Dakota State, Dickinson Area Public, Bowman Regional Public South Dakota: Belle Fourche Public, Deadwood Public, South Dakota State, Grace Balloch Memorial and Rapid City Public Wyoming: Wyoming State, Campbell County Public, Crook County Public, Sheridan County Fulmer Public, Gillette College and Sheridan College Griffith Memorial Written comments received by the Air Force during the public comment period will be considered in the preparation of the final EIS. To ensure written comments are included in the final EIS, submit them to the address below by Jan. 20. Certain information, such as personal addresses and phone numbers, is protected by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 USC Sec. 552a. Media can send written comments to: Ms. Linda DeVine, HQ ACC/A7PS 129 Andrews St., Suite 337 Langley AFB, VA 23665-2769 Fax: 757-764-1975 For general information, call the Ellsworth AFB Public Affairs Office at 605-385-5056.