SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 3 ⎯ Affected Environmentsis includes those Army-administered lands that would be affected by permanent stationing and trainingof the 2/25 th SBCT (Figure 3–1). This information is provided in this section to serve as baselinedata for the analyses and comparison of the alternatives discussed in Chapter 5.3.1.3.1 Wildfire Management DirectionWildland fire management on Army-controlled Oahu lands is conducted in accordance with the BiologicalOpinions, the Sikes Act, and AR 200-1. The Integrated Wildland Fire Management Plan(IWFMP) for all Hawaiian Army-administered lands was developed to establish specific guidance,procedures, and protocols for managing wildfires on Army training lands (USARHAW and 25th ID[L] 2006). Impacts of implementing the IWFMP were analyzed in a Programmatic EnvironmentalAssessment (PEA), and therefore its scope is more generic and broad. NEPA analyses such as thisEIS are intended to be tiered under the IWFMP PEA to address site-specific conditions that requireanalyses that are more detailed. The IWFMP is the primary guidance document with respect to environmentalconditions and fire effects in Hawaii, fire prevention, fire suppression, post-fire actions,and fire management areas. Impacts of project activities would all occur in locations covered by theIWFMP, and the existing conditions and management strategies are summarized below. Fire preventionincludes planning, managing fuels, using prescribed fire, planning water resources, and conductingfirefighter training. The actions below are components of the IWFMP and provide the overallframework to address wildfire management.Planning. Planning activities would include procedures, purchases, and budgeting to improve theArmy’s prevention of and response to wildfires. Procedures include, but are not limited to, implementingthe National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS), fire reporting procedures, and keepingrecords on the maintenance of vegetation modifications and wildfire occurrences. Budgeting and purchasesinclude additional funding to hire more firefighters and purchase firefighting equipment.Fuel Management. Fuel management activities include fire access road and fuel management corridorconstruction, expansion, and/or maintenance; and fuels management including prescribed burning,construction of dip ponds, and firefighting actions. Fire access road and fuel management corridorexpansion, construction, and/or maintenance are slated in one form or another for all Army trainingareas except KTA and SBER. Existing roads are sufficient for fire management purposes at KTAand SBER, as they are found throughout the installations and are well maintained, and would be usedto implement fuel modification projects.Fuels Modification. Fuels modification is defined as removing and/or modifying an area of flammablevegetation, thereby managing the fire hazard by changing the vegetation type. The goal is tomaintain a fuel condition that makes fires easier to control. Mechanical treatments, chemical treatments,biological treatments, and prescribed burns would be implemented as part of the IWFMP.Dip Ponds. One of the most important resources for firefighters is an ample water supply. Dip pondsare plastic-lined, earthen ponds that serve as a water storage resource that would be available for aerialfire bucket operations, thereby enhancing firefighting capabilities.Firefighting Actions. Firefighting actions may take place at any time and at any installation. This includeshelicopter bucket drops of freshwater, retardant, foam, and in emergencies, saltwater. Firefightingactivities may also involve cutting fire lines by hand or by bulldozer, burnout operations, andincreased traffic in the form of firefighters on foot and in vehicles as well as in the air. Because firefightingis considered an emergency operation, it is exempted from NEPA under 32 CFR part 651.11.All reasonable efforts will be made to protect natural and cultural resources from unnecessary harmduring firefighting operations.February 2008 3–29 2/25th SBCT Final EIS