Final FONSI and EA for hot cargo pad on Kirtland AFB - Kirtland Air ...

<strong>Final</strong> <strong>EA</strong> Addressing Construction, Operation, <strong>and</strong> Maintenance of a Hot Cargo Pad
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
This Environmental Assessment (<strong>EA</strong>) has been prepared <strong>for</strong> the 377th Air Base Wing (377 ABW) at
Kirtl<strong>and</strong> Air Force Base (AFB), New Mexico, to identify <strong>and</strong> assess the potential environmental impacts
associated with constructing, operating, <strong>and</strong> maintaining a new <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> at Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB.
Purpose <strong>and</strong> Need
The purpose of the Proposed Action is to construct, operate, <strong>and</strong> maintain a new <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong>, as well as
related components such as a taxiway, security measures, <strong>and</strong> lighting, at Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB to ensure reliable
support <strong>and</strong> backup <strong>for</strong> the existing <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> (Pad 5).
Pad 5 is the only <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> at Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB with a sufficient surrounding clear zone to accommodate <strong>hot</strong>
<strong>cargo</strong> (i.e., weapons, ammunition, explosives, <strong>and</strong> other hazardous <strong>cargo</strong>). However, Pad 5 <strong>and</strong> its
taxiway are in poor condition due to cracking, spalling, <strong>and</strong> failing of the <strong>pad</strong>’s Portl<strong>and</strong> cement concrete
caused by alkali-silica reactivity (ASR), <strong>and</strong> disintegration of the taxiway’s asphalt due to age. The
deficient condition of Pad 5 <strong>and</strong> its taxiway have the potential to jeopardize aircraft safety, <strong>and</strong> delay or
abort critical <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> missions due to <strong>for</strong>eign object damage (FOD) <strong>and</strong> aircraft tire-cut potential. In
addition, the existing lighting at Pad 5 is not sufficient <strong>and</strong> further jeopardizes aircraft safety. During the
past 5 years, approximately $1 million has been spent on repairs to the <strong>pad</strong> <strong>and</strong> taxiway, but a stable state
of repair is difficult due to its continual use <strong>and</strong> repairs are ongoing. Hot <strong>cargo</strong> is continuously flown in
<strong>and</strong> out of Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB; there<strong>for</strong>e, a <strong>pad</strong> capable of h<strong>and</strong>ling <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> must be mission-ready at all
times. The need <strong>for</strong> the Proposed Action is to increase the reliability, safety, <strong>and</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> capacity of the
available <strong>pad</strong>s able to accommodate <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> to ensure that this critical mission can be fulfilled.
Description of Proposed Action <strong>and</strong> Alternatives
Proposed Action. The 377 ABW proposes to construct, operate, <strong>and</strong> maintain a <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> at Kirtl<strong>and</strong>
AFB in the northwestern portion of Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB, adjacent to the existing <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> (Pad 5). The
proposed <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> would be a 4.2-acre semi-circular <strong>pad</strong> consisting of 18-inch-thick Portl<strong>and</strong> cement
concrete with additives to reduce the effects of ASR. A new 6-inch-thick asphalt taxiway would be
constructed from the existing taxiway to the proposed <strong>pad</strong>, <strong>and</strong> the existing deteriorating taxiway <strong>for</strong>
Pad 5 would be demolished <strong>and</strong> replaced. Other components of the Proposed Action would include
construction of anti-terrorism <strong>for</strong>ce protection measures (i.e., anti-ram barriers <strong>and</strong> defensive fighting
positions [DFPs]), new lighting, <strong>and</strong> personnel shelters. Existing anti-ram barriers (i.e., cabling) around
Pad 5 would be relocated <strong>and</strong> new cabling would be added to enclose the existing <strong>and</strong> proposed <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong>
<strong>pad</strong>s <strong>and</strong> their taxiways. DFPs would be constructed around the proposed <strong>pad</strong> to provide additional
security. One personnel shelter would be constructed at the southern end of the proposed <strong>pad</strong> to provide
protection from the elements <strong>for</strong> personnel. The light poles at Pad 5 would be demolished <strong>and</strong> new mast
light poles would be constructed at both Pad 5 <strong>and</strong> the proposed new <strong>pad</strong>.
The proposed <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> would be used <strong>for</strong> loading <strong>and</strong> unloading weapons, ammunition, explosives,
<strong>and</strong> other hazardous <strong>cargo</strong> of Hazard Classification 1.1 from various aircraft, including C-130, C-17, <strong>and</strong>
possibly F-16. The proposed <strong>pad</strong> would be used in conjunction with Pad 5 to ensure the critical <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong>
missions continue unimpeded; each <strong>pad</strong> would act as contingency if the other <strong>pad</strong> is unavailable. The
type <strong>and</strong> quantity of current <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> operations at the <strong>pad</strong>s would not change <strong>and</strong> there would be no
increase in the quantity of aircraft utilizing the <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong>s. Activities that would occur at the
Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB, NM January 2011
ES-1