F-22 Plus-Up Environmental Assessment - Joint Base Elmendorf ...

4.7.3 No Action
F-22 Plus-Up Environmental Assessment
4.0 Environmental Consequences
Under the No Action Alternative, existing military flight training would continue, and cultural
resources would continue to be managed in compliance with federal law and Air Force
regulations.
4.8 Land Use, Transportation, and Recreation
Land uses are established on JBER and on the periphery of JBER. The Municipality of
Anchorage is south and west of the base, waters of the Knik Arm of the Cook Inlet are located
west and north of the base and private and state lands are to the east and south east. In most
areas, off-base land use is not affected by activities at JBER. As described in Chapter 2.0, the key
elements of the proposal are flight activities and personnel changes. Established and
recognized noise models have been applied to estimate the off-base and on-base noise
conditions. These models are described in Appendix D. For the land use and transportation
resources, consequences are associated with increases in noise due to an increase in sorties.
Potential effects to land use plans, land use patterns and circulation due to personnel increases
are considered.
4.8.1 Base Environmental Consequences
Under the Proposed Action, the total geographic area exposed to 65 dB L dn or more is presented
on Figure 4.2-2 and quantified in Table 4.2-1. The off-base area consists of an additional 6.6
acres over the Port of Anchorage, 410.7 acres over water of the Knik Arm, and 0.2 acre of land
west of the Knik Arm. Some areas on base would also experience higher noise levels. These
changes in the noise environment would not result in changes to land management, land use, or
land ownership, nor would there be any changes to the safety zones.
The DoD and FAA adopted the concept of land use compatibility as an accepted measure of
aircraft noise effect. USEPA has reaffirmed these concepts (see Appendix D). The FAA has
guidelines that establish the best means for determining noise impact in airport communities.
Industrial land uses, such as ports, are compatible within the 65 dB L dn noise contours.
The JBER-Elmendorf noise abatement program precludes flight operations between 10 p.m. and
7 a.m., except for national emergency or infrequent large scale exercises. This program reduces
the potential for noise impacts upon land uses and helps define the 65 dB L dn contours.
Although the additional F-22 operations would produce an increase in noise exposure within
the base boundaries and over compatible land uses, that increase should not result in changes to
land use or land ownership.
A less than one percent increase in on-base employment is likely to slightly increase vehicle
trips in the long term. The negligible increase in traffic is not likely to substantially affect
commute times.
Recreational activities on JBER are extensive and seasonally variable. On-base recreation
reflects the off-base recreation available to residents of Anchorage and neighboring
Page 4-18