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
Operation of the Proposed Action would not change the noise environment from existing conditions
because, if implemented, the proposed <strong>and</strong> existing <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong>s 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. There<strong>for</strong>e,
operation of the Proposed Action would not result in any impacts on the noise environment.
4.2.2.2 No Action Alternative
Under the No Action Alternative, the Proposed Action would not be implemented, <strong>and</strong> the existing
conditions discussed in Section 3.2.2 would remain unchanged. There<strong>for</strong>e, the ambient noise
environment would not change from existing conditions.
4.3 Visual Resources
4.3.1 Evaluation Criteria
The Proposed Action would result in significant impacts on visual resources if it caused the following:
Adversely influence a national, state, or local park or recreation area
Degrade or diminish a Federal, state, or local scenic resource
Create adverse visual intrusions or visual contrasts affecting the quality of a l<strong>and</strong>scape.
4.3.2 Environmental Consequences
4.3.2.1 Proposed Action
During construction activities, the area of the Proposed Action would have little aesthetic appeal.
Construction equipment, including bulldozers, backhoes, front-end loaders, dump trucks, <strong>and</strong> concrete
mixing trucks, would be visible from the areas adjoining the Proposed Action site. Demolition <strong>and</strong>
construction wastes temporarily stored <strong>for</strong> disposal would be visible in piles <strong>and</strong> in dumpsters at the area
of the Proposed Action, <strong>and</strong> construction wastes would be visible in trucks on <strong>and</strong> off the installation as it
is being transported to l<strong>and</strong>fills. Construction supplies would also be visible during transport to <strong>and</strong>
temporary storage at the project site. Although the construction activities would adversely impact the
installation’s overall aesthetic appeal, the adverse impacts would be temporary (12- to 14-month
duration). Less-than-significant impacts on visual resources would be expected from construction
activities.
Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB would experience adverse effects on its overall visual condition following the
implementation of the Proposed Action. Although the proposed <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> <strong>and</strong> its associated
facilities, l<strong>and</strong>-based vehicles, <strong>and</strong> aircraft would alter the existing visual conditions of Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB, it
would be situated immediately east of Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB’s existing <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> (Pad 5). As such, the
proposed <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong>’s visual appearance would be consistent with the existing aesthetic conditions <strong>for</strong>
this area, <strong>and</strong> visual alteration would be negligible. No additional aircraft <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong>-based vehicles would
be observable at Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB following the construction of the proposed <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong>. The proposed
<strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> <strong>and</strong> Pad 5 would not be used simultaneously, <strong>and</strong> the total volume of <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> traffic at
Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB would remain unchanged. The Proposed Action also includes the installation of lighting at
the proposed <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> <strong>and</strong> improvements to lighting at Pad 5. Lighting at both <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong>s would
be designed to enhance the overall aesthetic condition of the area. The Proposed Action would result in
negligible changes to visual condition of the proposed <strong>hot</strong> <strong>cargo</strong> <strong>pad</strong> site; however, the effects on visual
resources would be less than significant.
Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB, NM January 2011
4-4