Virginia Capes Range Complex Final Environmental Impact Statement

VACAPES Range Complex FEIS/OEISChapter 3 Affected Environment andEnvironmental Consequences3.1 – Bathymetry and SedimentsTABLE 3.1-2 (Continued)TRAINING MATERIALS IN VACAPES TRAINING AREASTraining Areas and Number of Training Items No Action Alternative 1 Alternative 2W-386 (9,765 square nautical miles)Number of items expended annually 528,226 582,210 582,210Number of items annually per square nautical mile 54 60 6020-year aggregate density per square nautical mile 1,080 1,200 1,200W-386 (Air-E, F, I, J) (4,683 square nautical miles)Number of items expended annually 26 26 26Number of items annually per square nautical mile 0.006 0.006 0.00620-year aggregate density per square nautical mile 0.120 0.120 0.120W-386 (Air-D, G, H, K) (3,307 square nautical miles)Number of items expended annually 30 33 33Number of items annually per square nautical mile 0.010 0.011 0.01120-year aggregate density per square nautical mile 0.200 0.220 0.220W-386 (Air-K) (592 square nautical miles)Number of items expended annually 6,477 10,284 9,960Number of items annually per square nautical mile 11 17.4 16.820-year aggregate density per square nautical mile 220 348 336W-386 (5C/5D) (464 square nautical miles)Number of items expended annually 511 511 511Number of items annually per square nautical mile 1.1 1.1 0.720-year aggregate density per square nautical mile 22 22 22W-386 (7C/7D and 8C/8D) (720 square nautical miles)Number of items expended annually 511 511 511Number of items annually per square nautical mile 0.7 0.7 0.720-year aggregate density per square nautical mile 14 14 143.1.3.3 Alternative 2 (Preferred Alternative)Explosions in the WaterAs shown in Table 3.1-2, Alternative 2 would result in 1,088 explosions in the water each year fromtraining in the VACAPES Study Area. Explosives would range from 0.002-lb NEW charges that areassociated with the cable cutters of the MK-103 mine sweeping system to 415.8-lb NEW charges in theMK-83 bombs that would be used in bombing exercises.As shown in Table 2.2-7, Alternative 2 would eliminate the use of MK-84 bombs (944.8 lbs NEW), MK-82 bombs (192.2-lbs NEW), and MK-20 bombs (109.7-lbs NEW), and would substantially reduce thenumbers of MK-83 bombs (415.8-lbs NEW) used in bombing exercises. However, these changes wouldnot have any effect on bathymetry or sediments compared to the No Action Alternative. This wouldresult because all detonations of large, high-explosives bombs would continue to occur near the surfaceover deep water where they would not damage the ocean floor or disturb deep sediments; this absence ofdamage would not change with reductions in the numbers and sizes of explosions.3-11 March 2009