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
The southern <strong>and</strong> western portions of Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB, which represent approximately 80 percent of the
installation’s total l<strong>and</strong> area, are largely dedicated to military training <strong>and</strong> operational facilities. Some
facilities in these areas of Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB include the Star Fire Optical Range, High Energy Research Test
Facility, <strong>and</strong> the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute. S<strong>and</strong>ia National Laboratories also operates <strong>and</strong>
maintains several facilities on the installation <strong>for</strong> research, testing <strong>and</strong> evaluation of various weapons,
communications, <strong>and</strong> energy systems. While most recreational facilities are in the cantonment area, the
golf course is in the southwestern portion of the installation. No outdoor recreation is permitted in the
eastern portion of the installation (KAFB 2007).
Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB has 10 l<strong>and</strong> use designations: Aircraft Operations/Maintenance, Airfield, Administration
<strong>and</strong> Research, Community (includes commercial <strong>and</strong> service functions), Military Family Housing,
Industrial, Medical, Outdoor Recreation, Open Space, <strong>and</strong> Associate-Owned (see Figure 3-1) (KAFB
2002). The installation is a closed base; there<strong>for</strong>e, hunting, trapping, fishing, <strong>and</strong> commercial <strong>for</strong>estry
operations are prohibited (KAFB 2007). In Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB Future L<strong>and</strong> Use Plan, presented in the 2002
Kirtl<strong>and</strong> Air Force Base, New Mexico General Plan, l<strong>and</strong> use zones have been established to guide the
type <strong>and</strong> location of development at the installation. Future l<strong>and</strong> use plans include the following general
l<strong>and</strong> use recommendations:
Exp<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> concentrate Airfield uses along the flightline. Industrial <strong>and</strong> Aircraft
Operations/Maintenance l<strong>and</strong> uses would also be appropriate along or near the flightline.
Concentrate Administration <strong>and</strong> Research l<strong>and</strong> uses in the western portion of the cantonment area
(surrounding the Air Force Research Laboratory campus) <strong>and</strong> in the eastern portion of the
cantonment area (north of S<strong>and</strong>ia National Laboratories <strong>and</strong> DOE).
Concentrate Community l<strong>and</strong> uses in the northeastern portion of the cantonment area, adjacent to
Administration <strong>and</strong> Research l<strong>and</strong> uses, with the intention of creating a mixed use “town site” that
would become the functional <strong>and</strong> symbolic center of the installation.
Privatize existing housing inventory <strong>and</strong> associated improvements with the intention of removing
west side housing areas <strong>and</strong> consolidating military family housing in the eastern portion of the
cantonment area. Consolidation <strong>and</strong> migration of the housing areas could be accompanied by the
consolidation of Community uses.
Implement several transportation-related projects, including establishment of a new arterial
between the western <strong>and</strong> eastern portions of the cantonment area, extension of Eubank Boulevard
onto the installation, <strong>and</strong> construction of a new entry gate on Eubank Boulevard, to improve
circulation (KAFB 2002).
The location of the proposed <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> is in the northwestern portion of the installation in the eastern
portion of the cantonment area, <strong>and</strong> approximately 0.5 miles southeast of the eastern end of Runway 26 of
the Albuquerque International Sunport (see Figure 2-1). The proposed site consists of undeveloped l<strong>and</strong>,
concrete <strong>and</strong> asphalt surfaces (shoulders, roadways, <strong>and</strong> small parking lot) associated with the existing <strong>hot</strong>
<strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong>, <strong>and</strong> a portion of ERP site WP-26, two ab<strong>and</strong>oned sewage lagoons. The location of the
proposed <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> is immediately surrounded by the existing <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> (Pad 5) to the west, ERP
site WP-26 to the east, <strong>and</strong> undeveloped l<strong>and</strong> to the north <strong>and</strong> south. The Airborne Laser Hanger is
approximately 0.3 miles west of the proposed <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong>. The current l<strong>and</strong> use designation of the
proposed <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> is Aircraft Operations/Maintenance <strong>and</strong> Open Space, while the future l<strong>and</strong> use
designation is Aircraft Operations/Maintenance.
Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB, NM January 2011
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