Environmental Assessment for the Construction of a Snow Disposal Area in Base Housing, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska

• Other Authors: AIR FORCE FIGHTER WING (354TH) EIELSON AFB AK
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: Snow; Ice and Permafrost; Civil Engineering; *AIR FORCE FACILITIES; *DISPOSAL; *SNOW REMOVAL; BUFFERS; CONSTRUCTION; CONTAMINATION; DEBRIS; ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT; FACILITIES; HOUSING(DWELLINGS); MELTING; STORAGE; VEGETATION; WETLANDS; WINTER; EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE(ALASKA); Eielson; Ice; permafrost; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA609121; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA609121

Eielson Air Force Base (Eielson) is proposing to construct a new snow disposal facility on the east side of the base so there will be a convenient place to take snow collected in housing. This will reduce haul distance and improve response times for base snow removal crews. The proposed action will result in the construction of a snow disposal facility near the intersection of French Creek Drive and Moose Lake Drive. This facility would be approximately 9.5 acres in size and provide adequate snow stockpiling for a typical winter snowfall. The facility would have a 50- to 100-foot-wide buffer of natural vegetation at its perimeter to prevent contaminated snowmelt from reaching nearby ponds and lakes. The area is currently wooded and trees would be removed and low areas filled with tree debris. Approximately 0.4 acres of wetlands would be impacted by this project. One action alternative to the proposed action was identified. This alternative would construct a snow dump at an alternative location near the intersection of French Creek Drive and Manchu Drive. This snow disposal facility would have approximately one third less storage capacity compared to the proposed project and result in the loss of 4.6 acres of wetlands.