Chapter 3 Affected Environment
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CHAPTER 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 3.1 INTRODUCTION . 3-1 3.2 AIR QUALITY . 3-7 3.3 GEOLOGY RESOURCES . 3-17 3.4 SOIL RESOURCES . 3-23 3.5 SURFACE WATER . 3-29 3.6 GROUNDWATER . 3-41 3.7 WETLANDS . 3-47 3.8 VEGETATION . 3-53 3.9 WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES . 3-65 3.10 THREATENED OR ENDANGERED SPECIES AND SPECIES OF CONCERN . 3-91 3.11 FIRE MANAGEMENT . 3-97 3.12 CULTURAL RESOURCES . 3-105 3.13 SOCIOECONOMICS . 3-117 3.14 PUBLIC ACCESS AND RECREATION . 3-139 3.15 SUBSISTENCE . 3-149 3.16 NOISE . 3-159 3.17 HUMAN HEALTH AND SAFETY . 3-165 3.18 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE . 3-177 3.19 INFRASTRUCTURE . 3-183 Transformation Environmental Impact Statement Final U.S. Army Alaska CHAPTER 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 3.1 INTRODUCTION 3.1.1 Organization This section of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) provides description of the existing conditions at Fort Wainwright (including the Main Post, and the Tanana Flats and Yukon Training Areas), Donnelly Training Area (including nearby training areas at Gerstle River and Black Rapids), and Fort Richardson (Figure 3.1.a). The conditions at each post are described within subsections of each environmental category. 3-1 Transformation Environmental Impact Statement Final U.S. Army Alaska Section Category Page Number 3.2 Air Quality 3-7 3.3 Geology Resources 3-17 3.4 Soil Resources (Issue D, Maneuver Impacts) 3-23 3.5 Surface Water 3-29 3.6 Groundwater 3-41 3.7 Wetlands (Issue C, Wildlife and Habitat; Issue D, 3-47 Maneuver Impacts) 3.8 Vegetation 3-53 3.9 Wildlife and Fisheries (Issue C, Wildlife and Habitat) 3-65 3.10 Threatened or Endangered Species and Species of 3-91 Concern 3.11 Fire Management (Issue E, Fire Management) 3-97 3.12 Cultural Resources (Issue F, Cultural Resources) 3-105 3.13 Socioeconomics 3-117 3.14 Public Access and Recreation (Issue A, Access; Issue 3-139 C, Wildlife and Habitat) 3.15 Subsistence 3-149 3.16 Noise 3-159 3.17 Human Health and Safety (Issue B, Traffi c) 3-165 3.18 Environmental Justice 3-177 3.19 Infrastructure 3-183 3.1.2 Description of USARAK Lands A majority of the lands currently used by USARAK are on long-term withdrawal from the public domain and were originally assigned to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Residual responsibility for USARAK withdrawn lands remains with the BLM, which retains interest in the stewardship of the transferred parcel, even though the land is under the Department of Defense’s long-term management. Withdrawal documents and executive orders indicate that lands are not available for disposal. This includes state or Native selection, sales under the Federal Land Planning and Management Act or the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, or exchanges. 3.1.2.1 Fort Wainwright Fort Wainwright (FWA) is located in central Alaska, north of the Alaska Range in the Tanana River Valley. The installation lies 120 miles south of the Arctic Circle near Fairbanks and encompasses approximately 928,000 acres. Main Post consists of 13,700 acres, Tanana Flats Training Area (TFTA) is over 655,000 acres, and the Yukon Training Area (YTA) totals 247,952 acres (Figure 3.1.a). Main Post is situated on a fl at alluvial plain. It is bordered on the west by the city of Fairbanks and on the other three sides by open space that is owned by the state of Alaska. TFTA is located 3-2 Transformation Environmental Impact Statement Final U.S. Army Alaska south of Main Post. Its north and east boundaries are formed by the Tanana River, while the Wood River borders the western edge. YTA is located 16 miles east-southeast of Fairbanks, and the post is bounded by the Chena River on the north and Salcha River to the south. Eielson Air Force Base is located on YTA’s west border. 3.1.2.2 Donnelly Training Area Donnelly Training Area (DTA) is located approximately 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks and lies within the Tanana River Valley (Figure 3.1.a). DTA encompasses approximately 631,000 acres. The Main Post consists of 7,000 acres (after the transfer of lands to the Missile Defense System), DTA West is 531,000 acres, and DTA East is 93,000 acres (USARAK 2002e). The Little Delta River borders the west boundary of DTA West, and the Delta River and portions of its fl oodplains form the eastern border. The southern border follows a straight diagonal line from MacArthur Mountain to the Delta River, approximately 26 miles from the intersection of the Alaska and Richardson highways. To the north, the boundary follows a diagonal line from the Little Delta River to the Main Post. The Delta River and its fl oodplain form the west side of DTA East, and Granite Creek forms the eastern border. The northern boundary roughly parallels the Alaska Highway, and the southern boundary lies at the base of the Alaska Range’s foothills. The Main Post is managed with DTA East, and it lies south of Delta Junction. Two outlying land parcels are located near DTA. The Gerstle River Training Area is approximately 20,000 acres and is located about three miles south of the Alaska Highway, and 30 miles southeast of Delta Junction. The rectangular area is oriented northwest to southeast and measures about fi ve miles, north to south, and nine miles, east to west. Black Rapids Training Area is a 2,780-acre site, located approximately 35 miles south of Delta Junction along the east side of the Richardson Highway. 3.1.2.3 Fort Richardson Fort Richardson (FRA) is located in south-central Alaska adjacent to the cities of Anchorage and Eagle River, and Elmendorf Air Force Base (Figure 3.1.a). The Knik Arm of Cook Inlet borders the north side of the post, and Chugach State Park lies to the south and southeast. The town of Eagle River lies along the northeast border; Anchorage and Elmendorf Air Force Base form the western boundary. The western boundary is approximately 11 miles long, from Knik Arm to its terminus beside Anchorage and Chugach State Park. The eastern border is 21 miles, and also runs from Knik Arm to Chugach State Park. FRA is approximately six miles across, from east to west. FRA encompasses 61,376 acres. 3.1.2.4 Climate Regime 3.1.2.4.1 Fort Wainwright FWA and its associated installations have the northern continental climate of the Alaskan Interior, which is characterized by short, moderate summers; long, cold winters; and little precipitation or humidity. Weather is infl uenced by the mountain ranges on three sides, usually forming an effective barrier to the fl ow of warm, moist, maritime air. The surrounding uplands also cause the settling of cold Arctic air into Tanana Valley lowlands. Climate statistics for FWA are listed in Table 3.1.a. 3-3 Transformation Environmental Impact Statement Final U.S. Army Alaska Figure 3.1.a General Locations of Fort Wainwright, Donnelly Training Area, and Fort Richardson. 3-4 Transformation Environmental Impact Statement Final U.S. Army Alaska 3.1.2.4.2 Donnelly Training Area The climatic conditions are similar to FWA due to the Tanana Valley and surrounding uplands and mountains. Climate statistics for DTA are listed in Table 3.1.a. 3.1.2.4.3 Fort Richardson The principal factors affecting the climate of FRA include terrain, latitude, and geographic position relative to large landmasses and water bodies. FRA is located in a transitional zone between the maritime climatic zone to the south and the interior or continental climatic zone to the north (Selkregg 1974). The St. Elias and Chugach Mountains to the south act as a barrier to the maritime infl uence of the northern Pacifi c Ocean; the Alaska Range to the north protects the area from the extreme cold of the arctic air masses of the state’s interior region. Additionally, Cook Inlet creates local temperature infl uences on the Anchorage Lowland. Climate statistics for FRA are listed in Table 3.1.a. Table 3.1.a Mean Average Climate Statistics for USARAK Lands. July January Annual Annual Maximum Wind Maximum Minimum Location Precip. Snowfall Snow Speed Temp. Temp. (in.) (in.) Depth (in.) (mph) (°F) (°F) FRA (Elmendorf 65.1 7.1 15.29 77 13 7.1 Weather Station) FWA (Eielson Weather 71.7 - 17.0 11.54 75 17 5.4 Station) DTA (Big Delta Weather Station) 70 3.1 12 43.8 10 8.2 Source: Western Regional Climate Center 2002. 3-5 Transformation Environmental Impact Statement Final U.S. Army Alaska THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK. 3-6 Transformation Environmental Impact Statement Final U.S. Army Alaska 3.2 AIR QUALITY Topics discussed in this section include: • Ambient air quality concepts • Federal and State of Alaska air quality regulations • Air quality status for each installation This information serves as baseline data for analysis and comparison of the proposed transformation and alternatives discussed in Chapter 4, Environmental Consequences, of this EIS. Additional air quality information is presented in Appendix E. Ambient air quality refers to the atmospheric concentration of specifi c pollutants exhibited in a particular geographic location. The lower the concentrations of pollutants the higher the ambient air quality in that location. Many factors infl uence air quality. Local, regional and global meteorological patterns infl uence the movement and dispersion of air contaminants over time and space. Activity rates and the physical attributes of air emission sources infl uence air quality as well.