SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 3 ⎯ Affected EnvironmentHazardous WastesFRA is registered with the USEPA as a “Large Quantity Generator” of hazardous waste, per RCRA(42 U.S.C. 6901). Hazardous wastes at FRA are associated with equipment maintenance (e.g., vehicles,boats, and aircraft) and facilities operation. Hazardous materials include petroleum-contaminatedabsorbent pads, batteries, light ballasts, mercury-containing light bulbs, non-recyclable oils and fuels,compressed gas, non-recyclable hydraulic fluid, LBP, paint, paint thinners and solvents, photodevelopingchemicals, sandblast residue, solvents and degreasers, thermostats with mercury ampoules,and non-recyclable transmission fluid. The wastes are temporarily stored in drums at satelliteaccumulation points located around post. Satellite accumulation points are located where wastes aregenerated on a continual basis. Other locations or facilities that do not generate wastes are subject toon-call collection of hazardous wastes.Currently, Building 45–125 on FRA serves as the centralized hazardous waste collection site. Allhazardous wastes that are collected on post are brought to this facility to be processed for off-postdisposal. During 2001, FRA generated 4,959,080 pounds of hazardous waste. This amount was artificiallyhigh because of off-site disposal of PCB-contaminated soil. On average, hazardous waste generatedat FRA is less than 100,000 pounds per year.Biomedical WasteA small amount of biomedical or infectious waste would be generated and temporarily stored at themedical and dental facilities on FRA. The Army follows the AR-200–1 guidelines for the handing,use, and disposal of medical and dental supplies and wastes.3.2.8.2 Donnelly Training AreaBecause of the lack of a cantonment area, housing, and potential waste-generating facilities, DTAuses and generates fewer hazardous materials or wastes compared to FRA. The hazardous materialsand wastes on training lands at DTA include ammunition, live-fire, unexploded ordnance, and leadcontamination on small arms ranges. In addition, the maintenance facilities at Beales, Bolio Lake, andTexas Range have storage tanks for the POLs used at distributed at these facilities. Pesticides andherbicides have been used around the maintenance facilities and on the small arm ranges.DTA contains both high hazard and dedicated impact areas. Impact areas are posted with warningsigns indicating the potential risks of unexploded ordnance on the impact area. Warning signs havebeen posted on all probable approaches to restricted areas on DTA.3.2.9 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES3.2.9.1 Fort RichardsonVegetation Community DescriptionsAn ecological survey of FRA conducted by Jorgensen et al. (2002) indicates that the 61,972-acre postis covered by forest (55.3 percent), scrublands (23.7 percent), barren lands (5.5 percent), human disturbedlands (13.1 percent), bog and wetland (1.6 percent), meadow (0.7 percent), and water(0.5 percent).Forests in the FRA area closely resemble the boreal forest of interior Alaska, but some tree speciestypically found in the coastal spruce/hemlock forest also occur. The distribution of forest types atFRA is heavily influenced by elevation, which ranges from sea level to more than 5,000 feet in lessFebruary 2008 3–121 2/25th SBCT Final EIS