SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 5 – Environmental ConsequencesThere would be a cumulative increase in the number of nonnative species because of the AlternativeA and the cumulative projects. Construction and increased use of roads would introduce additionalnonnative species and further spread those that already occur on Oahu and the Island of Hawaii. Thedisturbance caused by construction and demolition and the increased use of improved roads wouldleave the surrounding habitats vulnerable to nonnative species that can thrive in conditions wherenative species cannot. Mitigation and conservation measures associated with the Army’s proposedactions would limit the spread of nonnative species by washing construction and military vehicles andincoming equipment into Oahu and the island of Hawaii. However, the overall cumulative impactfrom the spread of non-native species from other proposed projects in the area could be significant.Alternative A is likely to contribute to cumulative effects to threatened, endangered, and specialstatus species from habitat loss, erosion and runoff, fire, and introduction of non-native species. Thecumulative effect on sensitive species that would result from project-related habitat loss anddegradation would be significant. Development of land throughout the state continues to degradespecial status species, but habitats throughout the state continue to support common and sensitivespecies of plants and wildlife. A spread of invasive plants could cause landscape changes and therebymodify habitats important to sensitive species.The Kawaihae Harbor deepening project would temporarily degrade the quality of the water in theharbor and diminish its value to aquatic species, including protected marine mammals. Soil erosion islikely to have a minor cumulative effect on coral ecosystems and other critical habitat. Thecumulative noise and visual effects on marine wildlife would be minor. The relatively sparsedistribution of marine mammals in the portion of the area that abuts the coastline and the seasonalityof many species in the project area combine to make the probability of substantive effects on marinemammals extremely low and not adverse. This project is not expected to result in a significantcumulative effect on marine wildlife.The cumulative impacts on general habitat and wildlife would be less than significant. Noise levelsare not expected to increase to such a degree that it would be harmful to terrestrial wildlife. Generalvegetation and wildlife would be disturbed by vegetation removal. Habitat within the area is, for themost part, disturbed natural and introduced landscapes. Other projects would have detrimental affectson habitat in their vicinity, and consequently on the species that have been supported by thesehabitats. This project is expected to result in less than significant cumulative impacts on generalwildlife and habitat.5.6.1.10 Air QualityConstruction equipment, motor vehicle traffic, and aircraft flight activity are important sources ofozone precursor emissions. From a cumulative perspective, Alternative A would do little to alteroverall vehicle traffic or air traffic activity on Oahu or Hawaii. The identified cumulative projectsinclude several construction projects that would at least partially overlap the timeframe ofconstruction projects identified for Alternative A. Federal ozone standards have not been exceeded inHawaii during the past decade, despite the cumulative emissions from highway traffic, commercialand military aircraft operations, commercial and industrial facility operations, agricultural operations,and construction projects in both urban and rural areas. Given historical air quality conditions, thecumulative effect of emissions associated with Alternative A, in combination with other constructionprojects and the continuing emissions from highway traffic and other sources, is not expected toviolate any state or federal ozone standards. The cumulative air quality effects on ozone or othersecondary pollutants would be less than significant under Alternative A.February 2008 5-254 2/25th SBCT Final EIS