SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 5 – Environmental Consequencescantonment are those habituated to human presence, and would not be adversely affected. Impacts togeneral wildlife and habitats in the cantonment areas would be less than significant, and no mitigationis necessary. No cantonment construction would be necessary at PCMS; therefore, impact analysis isNot Applicable.No ImpactsImpacts to Wetlands: Permanent stationing of the 2/25 th SBCT at FTC would not initially requirecantonment construction to accommodate the new population and SBCT-specific facilities. Therefore,no direct impacts to wetlands from cantonment construction on FTC are anticipated. If future trainingor construction activities have the potential to affect wetlands, the Army would coordinate with theUSACE to assess impacts and mitigation for disturbance of wetland areas. Most direct impacts towetlands would be avoided, and those that could not be avoided would be mitigated through theSection 404 process (through either complying with the FTC regional permit or applying for coverageunder a Nationwide Permit). No cantonment construction would be necessary at PCMS; therefore,impact analysis is Not Applicable. No mitigation is necessary for impacts from cantonmentconstruction.5.4.10.2 Impacts from Range ConstructionLess Than Significant ImpactsImpacts to vegetation. Range construction activities on FTC could result in temporary grounddisturbance and permanent loss of native vegetation. Although range construction on FTC wouldresult in physical disturbance of habitat, the construction is likely to occur in areas that are currentlydisturbed, except for the 3 acres associated with the UAC. Areas disturbed during construction wouldbe reclaimed and revegetated with native or other suitable vegetation, as appropriate. Impacts tovegetation from range construction at FTC would be less than significant. No range constructionwould be necessary at PCMS; therefore, impact analysis is Not Applicable.To protect long-term land sustainability on FTC, Alternative C would continue to use the Army’sland and environmental management programs on FTC to provide for sustainable land management.Mitigation measures for impacts to vegetation from range construction would be the same as thosedescribed under Impacts from Cantonment Construction.Introduction and spread of invasive plants and noxious weeds. In general, range construction has thepotential to increase direct and indirect impacts related to the introduction and spread of noxiousweeds on FTC. Impacts to vegetation increase the potential for the introduction and spread of noxiousweeds. Invasive plants have an advantage in becoming established in an environment that is stressedand can often out-compete native species that are not adapted to the novel environment createdthrough human activity.FTC has targeted noxious weeds for priority control by preventing them from populating disturbedareas, controlling infestations to levels compatible with other land management objectives oreliminating the weed species from the area (DECAM 2004d). As such, impacts from noxious weedsrelated to range construction are expected to be less than significant. No range construction would benecessary at PCMS; therefore, impact analysis is Not Applicable. No mitigation is necessary forimpacts from range construction.Impacts to Threatened and Endangered Species. Construction in the ranges would result in temporaryground disturbance, permanent loss of small areas of native and non-native vegetation in theFebruary 2008 5-167 2/25th SBCT Final EIS