SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 5 – Environmental Consequencesand projects, such as training activities and construction, would also impact cultural resources.Activities outside DTA, such as oil and natural gas exploration and extraction, development oftransportation and communication corridors, timber harvesting and mining, and the growth anddevelopment of communities, would cumulatively impact the regional cultural resource base.Past military activities, such as range construction and modification, creation of roads and trails, andmaneuver training on Fort Richardson, have also impacted an unknown number of cultural resources.However, given the low number of prehistoric sites found on Fort Richardson, this impact hasprobably been minor. Unsympathetic uses of the buildings and structures that make up either theunlisted eligible historic district that encompasses part of the Fort Richardson cantonment area, or theNike Site Summit historic property, including modification or demolition of relevant structures,would also have impacted the integrity of the landmark. Similarly, present and future actions wouldhave an impact on archaeological sites, but may also involve modification or destruction of eligiblehistoric buildings and structures. Cultural resources in the region have been and will continue to beimpacted by highway and railroad construction, oil, gas, and mining exploration, and real estatedevelopment outside Fort Richardson. Growth and development of Anchorage and smallercommunities in the region also impact the region's cultural resources.Management of cultural resources on DTA and Fort Richardson under their respective ICRMPs canmitigate the contribution to cumulative impacts by implementation of Alternative B through theidentification, evaluation, and management of cultural resources. The protection of sites that can beavoided and data recovery on those that cannot be avoided would mitigate potential cultural resourceimpacts, but there is a possibility the proposed action would impact known or unknown culturalresources, a cumulative impact that cannot be mitigated to less than significant.5.6.2.5 Land Use and RecreationIndividually, Alternative B would result in less than significant impacts to existing land uses, publicaccess, or recreation. However, continued population growth and development in the region areexpected to create more pressure on existing land use and recreation over time.Past, ongoing, and planned military activities would continue to impact public access and recreationor subsistence activities on USARAK lands. Past military activities have impacted public access forrecreation or subsistence activities because of permanent and temporary closures of some areas ofUSARAK lands. Construction of roads and trails on Army properties has resulted in beneficialimpacts to public access by increasing the amount of Army lands feasibly accessible for recreationalpurposes.Ongoing USARAK activities, including training and range construction and expansion, are expectedto continue to impact public access and recreation activities. Military training requires access closuresto ensure training viability and public safety. Impact areas must remain permanently off-limits topublic access. For live-fire ranges, SDZs are closed for up to 280 days per year, which would be asignificant impact to public access. Because alternate areas on USARAK lands would still beavailable for public access, cumulative impacts would be less than significant.A variety of capital improvement projects is planned or currently underway within the FRAcantonment area. In addition, future range construction and improvement projects are planned onUSARAK lands. Other military activities may also impact land use, public access, and recreationactivities in the area.February 2008 5-261 2/25th SBCT Final EIS