SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 5 – Environmental Consequences• Harden approaches to fords and ice bridges on anadromous creeks and rivers within trainingareas. Ensure that crossing would occur only at these approaches. Hardened approaches wouldreduce the amount of bank-side erosion and sedimentation occurring at crossing points.• Rehabilitate maneuver trails and areas on a rotational basis to allow the freeze and thaw processto eliminate compaction and reduce the chance of channelized flow. Allowing an undisturbedfreeze/thaw cycle would alleviate compaction on trails and reduce overland flow into nearbywaterways.• Impacts from spills would be addressed effectively through the Spill Prevention Control andCountermeasure Plan and standard procedures, including training personnel in spill preventionand control techniques and requirements.Flood Potential. Personnel and equipment could be affected by floodwaters when training in floodproneareas. The safety of troops and equipment is a priority during training, and training proceduresdirect that troops relocate away from flood-prone areas when conditions are favorable for flooding.5.3.4 Wildfire ManagementTable 5-22 lists the types of impacts associated with wildfire management that would occur underAlternative B. General descriptions of the impacts are also provided. Cantonment and rangeconstruction would not impact wildfire risk. Live-fire training would increase both the number ofSoldiers and the number of rounds fired. This would create a significant wildfire risk. Maneuvertraining at FRA and DTA, particularly small unit training, would increase. Since there is a risk that awildfire could jeopardize human health and safety of the Soldiers or surrounding communities, theArmy has made a conservative determination that although the mitigation will considerably reducewildfire risk, the impacts may not be reduced to a less than significant level. Implementing firemanagement plans written by USARAK and the BLM Alaska Fire Service, and continued fuelmanagement projects will substantially reduce the impact, but not to less than significant.Table 5-22Summary of Potential Impacts from Wildfire from Alternative BLocationActivity Group Fort Richardson Donnelly Training AreaImpacts from Cantonment Construction N/AImpacts from Range Construction N/AImpacts from Live-Fire Training Impacts from Maneuver Training = Significant + = Beneficial Impact = Significant but mitigable to less than significant N/A = Not Applicable☼ = Less than Significant= No Impact5.3.4.1 Impacts from Cantonment ConstructionNo ImpactsPermanent stationing of the 2/25 th SBCT at FRA would slightly increase the overall population withthe addition of Soldiers, their families, and support personnel. Minor cantonment construction of alarger motorpool would be required. Construction would temporarily increase human presence andFebruary 2008 5-83 2/25th SBCT Final EIS