Integrated Training Area Management EA and Final FNSI

iological impacts of military training, would have an increasingly adverse impact on soil resources.Additionally, the ITAM program is often utilized as mitigation for other Army projects. Cancellation ofthis program would result in USARAK falling out of NEPA compliance on numerous other projects.The following table presents a summary of qualitative impacts to soil resources resulting from eachalternative. Descriptions of the qualitative terms are provided in Chapter 2, Description of ProposedAction and Alternatives.Table 3.1 Summary of Impacts 1 to Soil Resources.ITAM ActivityAlternative 1 Alternative 2 Alternative 3Short Term Long Term Short Term Long Term Short Term Long TermTRI Beneficial Beneficial Beneficial Beneficial Minor ModerateLRAM Minor Beneficial Minor Beneficial Severe SevereSRA Beneficial Beneficial Beneficial Beneficial Minor ModerateRTLA Beneficial Beneficial Beneficial Beneficial Severe SevereGIS Beneficial Beneficial Beneficial Beneficial Minor Minor1 Short-term impacts are defined as impacts lasting from ten days up to one year, or until soils have stabilized.Cumulative ImpactsPast impacts to soil resources resulted from munitions, maneuvers, stream crossings, construction, anduse of roads and trails. Impacts included permafrost melting and soil erosion, rutting, and compaction(USARAK 2004). In 1994, USARAK began efforts to counteract the cumulative effects of militarytraining by establishing the ITAM program.The greatest impacts to soil resources on installation lands are from military training activities, resultingin similar impacts from past activities described above. Although all current and planned constructionactivities have the potential for minor adverse impacts to soils through disturbance or removal, bestmanagement practices would minimize and mitigate these impacts. Overall, the long-term cumulativeimpacts to soils resulting from ITAM activities under the proposed action would be beneficial.3.2 VEGETATION3.2.1 Affected EnvironmentMost lands used by the U.S. Army in Alaska were relatively undisturbed when they were withdrawn formilitary use in the early 1950s. Little or no data exist on most plant species prior to the last 15 years, andthe effects of military presence on biological diversity are not known. Military activities may haveresulted in localized changes in ecosystems and affected abundance of certain species for short periods,but probably have not affected the overall diversity of species. The greatest losses of habitat areassociated with construction and urbanization of the cantonment areas.USARAK lands are within the polar domain of Bailey’s (1995) ecoregion classification system, which ischaracterized by low temperatures, severe winters, and relatively low precipitation. These lands are alsoclassified within the subarctic division, which is influenced by cold snowy climate. Dominant forests inthe subarctic division are boreal subarctic forests, open lichen woodlands, and taiga.The Sikes Act requires USARAK to prepare and implement Integrated Natural Resources ManagementPlans, which include management of forest resources to protect, maintain, and enhance military trainingenvironments. Maintenance of tree density, ground cover, and forest ecosystem function are critical to the_____________________________________________________________________________________________Environmental AssessmentUnited States Army Alaska, Integrated Training Area Management ProgramManagement Plan 24