SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 5 – Environmental Consequencesthan 5 percent change in light extinction, it would result in impacts to air quality. Current modelingdemonstrates that the PCMS does not contribute to light extinctions greater than 5 percent for anyClass I area; therefore, visibility effects from implementing Alternative C would not exceedestablished standards.Deposition estimates the total amount of acid deposition on an area. For the State of Colorado, theFederal Land Managers have established threshold levels of nitrogen and sulfur deposition. If aproject does not exceed these levels, the effects to air quality are deemed acceptable. PCMSdemonstrated that the deposition rates estimated for nitrogen and sulfur are much lower than theestablished thresholds, and air quality effects to the nearby Class I areas from deposition would notexceed established standards.Table 5-47 lists the types of impacts associated with air quality that would occur under Alternative C.Cantonment and range construction impacts would be short-term and less than significant. Emissionsfrom live-fire training would also be less than significant. Maneuver training at FTC would causesignificant impacts to air quality from increased fugitive dust production. Impacts from trainingrelatedfugitive dust as PCMS are mitigable to less than significant.Table 5-47Summary of Potential Impacts to Air Quality from Alternative CLocationActivity Group Fort Carson PCMSImpacts from Cantonment Construction ☼ N/AImpacts from Range Construction ☼ N/AImpacts from Live-Fire Training ☼ N/AImpacts from Maneuver Training = Significant + = Beneficial Impact = Significant but mitigable to less than significant N/A = Not Applicable☼ = Less than Significant= No Impact5.4.11.1 Impacts from Cantonment ConstructionLess Than Significant ImpactsImpacts from vehicles and construction. Permanent stationing of the 2/25 th SBCT at FTC wouldslightly increase the overall population with the addition of Soldiers, their families, and supportpersonnel. However, no cantonment construction would be required at FTC initially to accommodatethe additional Soldiers, their families, support personnel, and SBCT-specific facilities. Temporarily,Stryker vehicles would be parked in vacant fields within the cantonment area until a future date whenpermanent parking would be developed.Future construction of additional support facilities at FTC associated with the Army’s transformationat FTC could result in effects to air quality because of wind-blown dust created by constructionequipment, exhaust emissions from construction equipment, and the increased number of vehicle tripsby construction workers. Wind-blown dust contributes to PM emissions. Pollutants associated withconstruction equipment exhaust include NO x , PM, CO, and VOCs. Construction-related effects areexpected to be short-term and limited to the duration and area of the construction activities. Regionalemissions of pollutants (other than CO) are well below NAAQS thresholds.February 2008 5-174 2/25th SBCT Final EIS