SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 5 – Environmental Consequences5.2.5.1 Impacts from Cantonment ConstructionThere is no cantonment construction required in USAG-HI to support the stationing of the 2/25 th .USAG-HI has adequate facilities on hand to support the SBCT and, in fact, was supporting theSBCT’s living, administrative, and vehicle maintenance requirements in 2007 prior to the unit’sdeployment.5.2.5.2 Impacts from Range ConstructionSignificant ImpactsImpact 1: Impacts to cultural resources. Completion of the SBCT transformation would includeconstruction of a BAX at the SBMP and a second BAX at PTA west of the existing 11T trainingrange. Cultural resource surveys for these areas of proposed range construction have identifiedarchaeological sites. No historic buildings or structures or ATIs have been reported.Cultural resource surveys for the areas of proposed surface disturbance for the BAX at SBMRidentified 79 cultural resources within or near the construction footprint (USAG-HI 2006). Additionalsites were also recorded as part of ongoing cultural monitoring of UXO clearance. Avoidance orrelocation was recommended for all but three of the identified cultural resources. Five of the sites,including two of the three for which no further work is recommended, are identified as historicmilitary, ranching, or industrial features. Site protection plans for both the short term protectionduring UXO clearance and construction and long term treatments related to training have beendeveloped or will be developed in consultation with the Native Hawaiian community and otherinterested parties.The proposed BAX on PTA would be partially sited on the existing 11T Range. Cultural resourcessurveys of the proposed project area reported 15 cultural resources within the BAX footprint. Thesesites include lava tubes, excavated pits, an enclosure, a trail, and a historic fence segment. Four ofthese sites have been determined to not be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.Significant impact to these cultural resources is mitigable by avoidance and protection measures.Range construction involves grubbing vegetation, grading site surfaces, excavating subsurface, andmoving heavy construction equipment. All of these activities, particularly excavation, could result indirect damage to or destruction of archaeological resources. Destruction, damage, or restricted accessto previously unknown properties of traditional importance could occur. Mitigation measures wouldminimize impacts to cultural resources; however, any loss of cultural resources is considered asignificant impact.Regulatory and Administrative Mitigation 1: The Army has been working to mitigate adverse effectsto cultural resources by redesigning projects to avoid cultural resources, developing andimplementing cultural resource site protection plans for construction and UXO clearance, monitoringearth disturbing activities, and developing long-term site protection measures. For example, a largeberm has been proposed as a protective measure for the Haleauau Heiau which would prevent impactfrom the practice rounds that would be fired on the SBMR BAX.Less Than Significant ImpactsImpacts to cultural resources. There remains a potential for impact to undocumented sites. Forexample, during UXO clearance activities in July and August 2006, what appear to be four previouslyundiscovered petroglyphs were located during earth removal using bulldozers. These petroglyphFebruary 2008 5-27 2/25th SBCT Final EIS