SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 5 – Environmental Consequencesweeds 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 environment created throughhuman 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 2002a). As such, impacts from noxious weedsrelated to live-fire training are expected to be less than significant. No live-fire training would occurat PCMS; therefore, impact analysis is Not Applicable. No noxious weed mitigation is necessary forimpacts from live-fire training.Impacts to general wildlife and habitats. Operation of ranges has the potential to displace variouswildlife species. Displacement would be caused by increased human presence in the area, as well asby elevated noise levels. Wildlife species that are more tolerant of human activity may remain in oraround these ranges. Individuals that remain within the impact area and associated surface dangerzones could be directly affected by ordnance or other munitions. Higher training levels at existingranges would increase incidental mortality to wildlife could occur. However, such mortality is notexpected to cause measurable impacts to wildlife populations. Therefore, SBCT training on the newand existing ranges would have a less than significant impact to wildlife and habitats. Measuresdescribed previously under Impacts from Range Construction would further reduce the impacts oflive-fire training.No ImpactsImpacts to Wetlands. A larger number of Soldiers would use existing and newly constructed rangesfor live-fire training. There would be a corresponding increase in the total number of rounds fired aswell as increased vehicular traffic. No direct impacts to wetlands from live-fire training areanticipated at FTC. If future training or construction activities have the potential to affect wetlands,the Army would coordinate with USACE to assess impacts and mitigation for disturbance of wetlandareas. Most direct impacts to wetlands would be avoided, and those that cannot be avoided would bemitigated through the Section 404 process (through complying either with the FTC regional permit orby applying for coverage under a nationwide permit). No live-fire training would occur at PCMS;therefore, wetland impact analysis is Not Applicable.5.4.10.4 Impacts from Maneuver TrainingSignificant Impacts Mitigable To Less Than SignificantImpact 2: Impacts to Threatened and Endangered Species: Maneuver training would occur at bothFTC and PCMS. Except for the differences described above, SBCT training would have similarimpacts as current IBCT training at each location. The restrictions on maneuver training in protectedArkansas darter habitat would continue, and potential sites would continue to be unprotected.Increased maneuver activities may add erosion to Turkey Creek. The buffer zones around greenbackcutthroat trout habitat would be maintained, and increased training activities would not affect thegreenback cutthroat trout. The restriction on training in southern redbelly dace (Phoxinuserythrogaster) habitat would continue, and increased training activities on FTC would not affect thesouthern redbelly dace. An increase in maneuver training activities would likely increase prairie dogburrow damage and direct mortality could increase from increased maneuver training in prairie doghabitat. Effects to prairie dogs from increased training would directly and indirectly affect associatedspecies, including burrowing owl, mountain plover, and bald and golden eagles. Disturbance andFebruary 2008 5-170 2/25th SBCT Final EIS