MARIANA ISLANDS RANGE COMPLEX ... - Guam Legislature

MARIANA ISLAND TRAINING RANGE COMPLEX FEIS/OEIS MAY 2010
Marksmanship. Marksmanship exercises are used to train personnel in the use of all small arms weapons
for the purpose of ship self defense and security. Basic marksmanship activities are strictly controlled and
regulated by specific individual weapon qualification standards. Small arms include but are not limited to
9-mm pistol, 12-gauge shotgun, and 7.62-mm rifles. These exercises have occurred at Orote Point and
Finegayan small arms ranges, and Orote Point known distance (KD) range and are the most common
activity that occurs in the MIRC, with over 570 activities annually.
Small arms firing can produce peak noise levels of 90 to 100 dB at 500 ft (152 m) and 80 to 90 dB at
1,000 ft (305 m) for the most common types of small arms. While the use of these arms can produce
received sound levels up to 90 dBA SEL at 50 ft for each round fired, these sound-generating events are
not continuous, which minimizes their contribution to hourly L eq values or community DNLs. In addition,
these exercises occur in areas that are restricted to general public use and are well away from surrounding
community land use. In addition, propagation of noise from small arms fire is in the direction of the firing
activity, in these cases, away from public land-use, further minimizing their contribution to hourly L eq
values or community DNLs. Potential impacts to non-human sensitive receptors, such as federally listed
species, is expected to be minimal to non-existent as marksmanship activities occur away from known
habitats of sensitive species. These activities do not make large contributions to the community noise
levels of adjacent non-military land and no human sensitive receptors are affected by the sound from such
activities.
MOUT. Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) activities encompass advanced offensive close
quarter battle techniques used on urban terrain conducted by units trained to a higher level than
conventional infantry. Techniques include advanced breaching, selected target engagement, and dynamic
assault techniques using organizational equipment and assets. MOUT is primarily an offensive operation,
where noncombatants are or may be present and collateral damage must be kept to a minimum. MOUT
can consist of more than one type. One example might be a “raid,” in which Army Special Forces or
Navy Sea, Air, and Land Forces (SEALs) use MOUT tactics to seize and secure an objective, accomplish
their mission and withdraw. Another example might be a Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) using
MOUT tactics to seize and secure an objective for the long term. Regardless, of the type, training to
neutralize enemy forces must be accomplished in a built-up area featuring structures, streets, vehicles, and
civilian population. MOUT training involves clearing buildings; room-by-room, stairwell-by-stairwell,
and keeping them clear. It is manpower intensive, requiring close fire and maneuver coordination and
extensive training. Limited, non-live fire, MOUT training is conducted at the OPCQC House, the Navy
Munitions Site Breacher House, Barrigada Housing, and the Andersen South Housing Area. Additionally,
the OPCQC supports “raid” type MOUT training on a limited basis.
About 100 MOUT events occur per year, the majority of which include the firing of blanks or simulated
munitions (known as “simulations”). The most intensive use would occur during TRUEX type exercises,
when up to three Marine Corps companies utilize Anderson South range for up to three weeks, which
currently occurs twice a year. Small arms firing can produce peak noise levels of 90 to 100 dB at 500 ft
(152 m) and 80 to 90 dB at 1,000 ft (305 m) for the most common types of small arms. Most blank
ammunition for small arms has a smaller propellant charge than that used for live ammunition. As a
result, noise from small arms blank ammunition typically generates noise levels about four decibels below
those of live ammunition. A blank produces a noise level of about 96 dBA at a distance of 500 ft (152 m)
and about 90 dBA at a distance of 1,000 ft (305 m). Activities that utilize low numbers of simulations do
not likely contribute to surrounding land-use noise levels, as the infrequency and brief duration of each
event do not influence hourly equivalent noise levels. However, intense activities could contribute to the
surrounding noise levels depending on the location the activities take place. For example, 1,400 blanks
fired within an hour from the same approximate location produce an hourly L eq of about 85 dBA at a
distance of 750 ft (229 m), which would influence community DNLs in that vicinity. These high intensity
AIRBORNE NOISE 3.5-22