SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 5 – Environmental ConsequencesNoise levels are not expected to noticeably change at SBMR in comparison to the 2/25 th ID (L), butexisting noise levels are already at significant thresholds. Noise from ordnance use at SBMR wouldcontinue to be a significant impact.Air quality and water resource impacts, primarily from training activities, would be significant. Theimplementation of several administrative mitigation measures would reduce those impacts to less thansignificant. The addition of UAV and airborne mission training would increase the demands onairspace resources. Mitigation is expected to reduce impacts to less than significant.Impacts to land use, socioeconomics, and hazardous materials would be largely mitigable to less thansignificant. Traffic, energy, and facilities would all experience less than significant impacts at allaffected areas.Impacts to VECsSoil Erosion. Range construction project are expected to cause direct, short-term, localized soilerosion impacts when ground surfaces are disturbed. Potential increases in soil erosion caused byrange construction would be temporary because construction of the structures and other featuresassociated with the ranges would create bare land only periodically.The degree of ground disturbance typically caused by munitions for IBCT training is similar to thatcaused by training that already occurs. The primary cause of soil erosion is wind erosion of disturbedsoils at maneuver training areas. This creates air quality impacts and soil loss. Though the amount ofmaneuver training would increase by 26 percent, it would be performed over a larger area. With theadded maneuver acreage at the Keamuku Parcel and the SRAA, maneuver training would occur overa larger area, thereby reducing localized impacts.The Army continually funds and implements land management practices and procedures described inthe ITAM annual work plan to reduce erosion and other soil and geologic impacts. Currently, thesemeasures include implementing a TRI program, implementing an ITAM program, implementing anSRA program, developing and enforcing range regulations, implementing an Erosion and SedimentControl Management Plan. BMPs and mitigation measures listed in the 2004 FEIS and installationinstitutional programs would be implemented. These mitigations and programs would minimize soilloss to a less than significant level.Water Resources. During construction, surface water quality may be affected by stormwater runoffcoming into contact with disturbed soil or with contaminants from accidental spills. The resultingstormwater runoff could carry sediments or contaminants to adjacent waterways. Wildland fires cangenerate chemical contaminants, and loss of vegetation can increase the potential for soil erosion andsediment loading to streams. Implementing Phase II Stormwater Management Regulations of theClean Water Act, the ITAM program, and IWFMP would reduce nonpoint source contamination ofsurface water to less than significant.Maneuver training activities would cause soil erosion that is likely to increase suspended sediment inadjacent streams. Implementing the ITAM program would reduce water quality impacts fromsediment loading to less than significant.If unmitigated, impacts to water resources from range construction and training would be significant.With the implementation of regulatory and administrative mitigation measures listed in the 2004FEIS, as well as institutional programs such as ITAM and Erosion and Sediment ControlManagement Plans, impacts to water resources would be reduced to less than significant.February 2008 5-125 2/25th SBCT Final EIS