Environmental Assessment for the Construction of Facilities in Support of the U.S. Army Alaska's Range Improvements at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska

• Other Authors: FIGHTER WING (354TH) EIELSON AFB AK
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: Civil Engineering; Radio Communications; *AIR FORCE FACILITIES; *CONSTRUCTION; *RANGES(FACILITIES); *ROADS; *TRANSMISSION LINES; ACCESS; ALASKA; ARCTIC REGIONS; ARMY; BRIGADE LEVEL ORGANIZATIONS; COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT; ELECTRIC POWER; ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT; GRAVEL; MULTIPURPOSE; POWER; TRAINING; TRANSMITTERS; EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE(ALASKA); Arctic; Eielson; Handle The; Yukon; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA609820; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA609820

Introduction. The U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK) is proposing to construct new and upgrade existing range facilities in support of the establishment of the new Stryker Brigade that will be assigned to Ft. Wainwright, Alaska. Some of these range facilities will require the construction of infrastructure, including an access road and power line, on Eielson Air Force Base (Eielson) property. Description of the Proposed Action. USARAK is proposing to construct a 1,790-foot-long gravel road that would extend from Transmitter Road to the boundary of Eielson's property and the Yukon Training Area (YTA). The YTA is an Army range that is located behind Eielson and provides Ft. Wainwright personnel with training facilities. The gravel access road would follow an existing winter trail that has been used in past years by USARAK personnel and vehicles to access their winter camp located in the range. In addition to the access road, USARAK will construct a power and communication line that would extend from its takeoff poirtt on the Eielson power grid at Manchu Road and French Creek Drive to the newly proposed Multipurpose Training Range (MPTR) sited near the Army's Winter Camp. Alternatives to the Proposed Action. One alternative to the proposed action was identified. This alternative would use existing roads, Transmitter Road to Arctic A venue, Arctic A venue to Manchu Road, and Manchu Road to the YTA. This route would require the use of existing roads through a portion of base housing. A bridge where Manchu Road crosses French Creek would have to be rebuilt to adequately handle the projected level of traffic.