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

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<strong>Final</strong> <strong>EA</strong> Addressing Construction, Operation, <strong>and</strong> Maintenance of a Hot Cargo Pad United States. As a consequence of the associated U.S. Supreme Court decision, the USEPA <strong>and</strong> USACE, in coordination with the Office of Management <strong>and</strong> Budget <strong>and</strong> the CEQ, developed the Clean Water Act Jurisdiction Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision in Rapanos v. United States <strong>and</strong> Carabell v. United States memor<strong>and</strong>um (USEPA <strong>and</strong> USACE 2007a). The guidance requires a greater level of documentation to support an agency JD <strong>for</strong> a particular water body. As a result of the decision, the agencies now assert jurisdiction over the following categories of water bodies: Traditional Navigable Waters (TNWs); all wetl<strong>and</strong>s adjacent to TNWs; nonnavigable tributaries of TNWs that are relatively permanent (i.e., tributaries that typically flow year-round or have continuous flow at least seasonally); <strong>and</strong> wetl<strong>and</strong>s that directly abut such tributaries. In addition, the agencies assert jurisdiction over every water body that is not a Relatively Permanent Water if that water body is determined (on the basis of a factspecific analysis) to have a significant nexus with a TNW. The classes of water bodies that are subject to CWA jurisdiction, only if such a significant nexus is demonstrated are: nonnavigable tributaries that do not typically flow year-round or have continuous flow at least seasonally; wetl<strong>and</strong>s adjacent to such tributaries; <strong>and</strong> wetl<strong>and</strong>s adjacent to but that do not directly abut a relatively permanent, nonnavigable tributary. A significant nexus exists if the tributary, in combination with all of its adjacent wetl<strong>and</strong>s, has more than a speculative or an insubstantial effect on the chemical, physical, or biological, integrity of a TNW. Principal considerations when evaluating significant nexus include the volume, duration, <strong>and</strong> frequency of the flow of water in the tributary <strong>and</strong> the proximity of the tributary to a TNW, plus the hydrologic, ecologic, <strong>and</strong> other functions per<strong>for</strong>med by the tributary <strong>and</strong> all of its adjacent wetl<strong>and</strong>s. An additional memor<strong>and</strong>um regarding USEPA <strong>and</strong> USACE coordination on JDs under CWA Section 404 in light of the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County <strong>and</strong> Rapanos Supreme Court Decisions was developed <strong>and</strong> signed in response to the Rapanos decision (USEPA <strong>and</strong> USACE 2007b). Headquarters originally required the districts to request concurrence <strong>for</strong> only those JDs where the district was considering asserting jurisdiction over a nonnavigable, intra-state, isolated water or wetl<strong>and</strong>. The agencies now require that all determinations <strong>for</strong> nonnavigable, isolated waters be elevated <strong>for</strong> USACE <strong>and</strong> USEPA Headquarters review prior to the district making a final decision on the JD. 3.7.2 Existing Conditions Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB lies at the intersection of four major North American physiographic <strong>and</strong> biotic provinces: the Great Plains, Great Basin, Rocky Mountains, <strong>and</strong> Chihuahuan Desert. Vegetation <strong>and</strong> wildlife found within Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB are influenced by each of these provinces, the Great Basin being the most dominant. Elevations at Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB range from approximately 5,000 feet in the west to almost 8,000 feet in the Manzanita Mountains, providing a variety of ecosystems. Several canyons (Lurance, Sol se Mete, Bonito, Otero, <strong>and</strong> Madera) are in the eastern portion of the installation; a few smaller canyons occur on Manzano Base portion of the installation. Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB is near three regional natural areas: S<strong>and</strong>ia Mountain Wilderness Area, S<strong>and</strong>ia Foothills Open Space, <strong>and</strong> the Rio Gr<strong>and</strong>e Valley State Park. The S<strong>and</strong>ia Mountain Wilderness Area, encompassing 37,877 acres, is approximately 5 miles north of the eastern portion of the installation. This area is home to many species plants <strong>and</strong> animals <strong>and</strong> is also located on an important raptor migration route (KAFB 2007). 3.7.2.1 Applicable Laws, Regulation, <strong>and</strong> Policies Appendix A contains summaries of the Federal environmental laws, regulations, <strong>and</strong> EOs that might apply to the Proposed Action. The State of New Mexico also has regulations applicable to biological resources. The New Mexico Wildlife Conservation Act of 1974 declared that native wildlife found to be threatened or endangered should be managed to maintain <strong>and</strong>, to the extent possible, enhance their numbers. Responsibility <strong>for</strong> implementing this Act was given to the NMDGF. Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB, NM January 2011 3-22
<strong>Final</strong> <strong>EA</strong> Addressing Construction, Operation, <strong>and</strong> Maintenance of a Hot Cargo Pad 3.7.2.2 Vegetation Four main plant communities are found on Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB: grassl<strong>and</strong> (includes sagebrush steppe <strong>and</strong> juniper woodl<strong>and</strong>s), pinyon-juniper woodl<strong>and</strong>s, ponderosa pine woodl<strong>and</strong>s, <strong>and</strong> riparian/wetl<strong>and</strong>/arroyo (see Table 3-7). Grassl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> pinyon-juniper woodl<strong>and</strong>s are the dominant vegetative communities at Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB. The riparian/wetl<strong>and</strong>/arroyo community is confined to drainages <strong>and</strong> isolated areas inundated by surface water during at least some part of the year. The ponderosa pine woodl<strong>and</strong> community is found along the eastern boundary of the installation (KAFB 2007). Table 3-7. Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB Vegetation Communities Vegetation Community Type Elevation (feet) Grassl<strong>and</strong> (including sagebrush steppe <strong>and</strong> juniper woodl<strong>and</strong>s) 5,200–5,700 Pinyon-Juniper Woodl<strong>and</strong>s 6,300–7,500 Ponderosa Pine Woodl<strong>and</strong>s 7,600–7,988 Riparian/Wetl<strong>and</strong>/Arroyo variable Source: KAFB 2007 Grassl<strong>and</strong> Community. This community is found between elevations of 5,200 <strong>and</strong> 5,700 feet at Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB. The grassl<strong>and</strong> community at Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB was further delineated into two more community types, including sagebrush steppe in the western portion of the installation <strong>and</strong> juniper woodl<strong>and</strong>s in the eastern portion. In the sagebrush steppe the understory is less dense, with cryptogamic crust covering areas of exposed ground. Juniper woodl<strong>and</strong>s are similar to the grassl<strong>and</strong>s to the east except <strong>for</strong> the greater abundance of one seeded juniper. The presence of this shrubby tree creates a savanna-like habitat in an otherwise treeless area. Juniper woodl<strong>and</strong>s are found at a slightly higher elevation then the surrounding grassl<strong>and</strong>. This habitat type provides a transition into pinyon-juniper woodl<strong>and</strong>s (KAFB 2007). Pinyon-Juniper Woodl<strong>and</strong> Community. The pinyon-juniper woodl<strong>and</strong> community ranges in elevation from 6,300 to 7,500 feet. This plant community is composed primarily of Colorado pinyon pine <strong>and</strong> one seeded juniper, with an understory of shrubs <strong>and</strong> grasses (KAFB 2007). Ponderosa Pine Woodl<strong>and</strong> Community. The ponderosa pine woodl<strong>and</strong> community is found in the highest elevations of the eastern portion of the installation. It is typically found between 7,600 to 7,988 feet (KAFB 2007). Riparian/Wetl<strong>and</strong>/Arroyo Community. The riparian/wetl<strong>and</strong>/arroyo community consists of species that have a greater moisture requirement than species common to the other communities on the installation. These plant communities are found along Tijeras Arroyo, Arroyo del Coyote, <strong>and</strong> at the various springs located throughout Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB. Most of the small, scattered wetl<strong>and</strong>s on Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB are in good condition <strong>and</strong> occur in conjunction with other plant communities (KAFB 2007). Turf <strong>and</strong> L<strong>and</strong>scaped Areas. Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB promotes water conservation l<strong>and</strong>scaping by using xeriscape methods combined with native plant materials (KAFB 2007). The Proposed Action site is previously disturbed area that consists of asphalt, compacted gravel ground surface, two small structures, <strong>and</strong> undeveloped l<strong>and</strong> with bare ground or minimal vegetation consisting of annual weeds <strong>and</strong> native grasses (see Figures 3-3, 3-4, <strong>and</strong> 3-5). Vegetation typical of the surrounding grassl<strong>and</strong> community includes broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae), Great Plains yucca (Yucca glauca), Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides), purple three-awn (Artemisia pupurea), black grama Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB, NM January 2011 3-23
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FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FO
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APPENDIX A APPLICABLE LAWS, REGULAT
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Land Use L
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typically calls for</strong
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species. All Federal agencies must
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comment on the alteration, demoliti
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monitoring, detection, and<
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Appendix B Interagency and<
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Native American Tribes Isleta Puebl
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Example IICEP Letter to Native Amer
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B-7
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Comments Received on the Draft Envi
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B-11
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Table B-1. Responses to Comments Re
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APPENDIX C AIR QUALITY SUPPORTING D
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Air Quality Emissions from Proposed
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Combustion Emissions Combustion Emi
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Architectural Coatings No. Reqd. a
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Construction Fugitive Dust Emission
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Grading Schedule Estimate of time r
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