SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 5 – Environmental ConsequencesAt SBMR, KTA, and PTA, maneuver training would occur in existing maneuver areas as well asthose that have not been previously used for maneuver training. Impacts from trampling and anassociated reduction in vegetative groundcover would result in loss and degradation of habitat forgeneral vegetation, wildlife, and habitat, primarily in areas of nonnative vegetation. Habitats andwildlife would be impacted by removing vegetation, deterring wildlife from foraging, andpromulgating other general degradation effects that would result from elevated human activity, butnot to a significant degree. On all maneuver areas, new or existing, wildlife that does not vacate areasbeing used for maneuver could sustain injuries. Overall, impacts to wildlife and habitats would be lessthan significant. Activity would primarily occur in previously disturbed areas of persistent Armyactivity.Air Quality. Construction of ranges and training infrastructure at SBMR and PTA would temporarilyincrease fugitive emissions from activities at construction sites. Construction contractors wouldcomply with the provisions of Hawaii Administrative Rules, Sec. 11-60.1-33 on Fugitive Dust as partof the requirements of construction contracts. Construction emissions would temporarily increaseemissions of ozone precursors, but at a level too small to have a measurable effect on ozone levels.Consequently, impact from range construction would be significant but mitigable to less thansignificant.The amount of maneuver training would increase slightly with the execution of 49,576 MIMs, a 26percent increase over the historic maneuver training of the 2/25 th ID (L). Maneuver training wouldoccur at SBMR, DMR, KTA, SBER, and PTA. Training at DMR would occur in areas currently usedfor off-road maneuvers. Training would also occur at the Keamuku Parcel and SRAA. Off-roadvehicle activity would reduce or eliminate vegetation cover in affected areas, resulting in increasedsusceptibility to emissions from vehicle travel and wind erosion. PM 10 would be generated by theseactions from the affected areas.With the added maneuver acreage at the Keamuku Parcel and the SRAA, maneuver training wouldoccur over a larger area, thereby reducing localized impacts. The Army’s DuSMMoP and ITAMprogram would substantially mitigate potential wind erosion problems by providing managementtools that would help limit damage to vegetation from off-road vehicle maneuver activity. With thesemeasures, impacts are mitigable to less than significant.Noise. Construction projects at SBMR, PTA, and DMR would temporarily increase human presenceand activity at construction sites. Construction activities would generate average daytime noise levelsof about 55 dBA at the closest noise-sensitive area. Because incremental Ldn contributions fromconstruction activities would be lower than 65 dBA at the nearest noise-sensitive areas (1,950 feetdistant), impacts from construction noise would be less than significant.The impacts from military vehicle noise during maneuver training would be similar to historic levels.Impacts are unlikely because maneuver training would occur within the boundaries of training areaswhere sensitive noise receptors are few. Noise impacts from maneuver training would be a less thansignificant impact.UAV use would increase in the restricted airspace above the training areas. Additionally, morefrequent air traffic associated with airborne training would occur over drop zones. As these aircraftactivities would follow FAA regulations and occur above training ranges, the impacts would be lessthan significant.Noise from ordnance use would not significantly change noise levels experienced on people residingon or working at SBMR. Although the noise levels within the cantonment area at SBMR would notFebruary 2008 5-129 2/25th SBCT Final EIS