F-22 Plus-Up Environmental Assessment Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska

• Main Authors: Austin, John K, Birch, Wesley D, FitzGerald, Cay, Godden, Ellen, Gomez, Catrina D, Gordon, Heather, Jimenez, Joseph A, Laughlin, Claudia, Regotti, Kristi, LaSalle, Deborah L
• Other Authors: SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INC MCLEAN VA
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Attack and Fighter Aircraft; Logistics; Military Facilities and Supplies; Environmental Health and Safety; *ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT; *FIGHTER AIRCRAFT; *MILITARY FACILITIES; AIR QUALITY; AIR SPACE; CULTURAL RESOURCES; HAZARDOUS MATERIALS; LAND USE; NOISE; RECREATION; SAFETY; TRANSPORTATION; WASTE MANAGEMENT; FONSI(FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT); JBER(JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON); ALTERNATIVES; AIRSPACE MANAGEMENT; AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL; BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES; SOCIOECONOMICS; ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE; Anchorage; Beluga; Beluga*; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA611131; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA611131

This EA has been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The analysis focused on the following environmental resources: airspace management and air traffic control, noise, safety, air quality hazardous materials and waste management, biological resources, cultural resources, land use, socioeconomics, and environmental justice. Airspace management would not be impacted by the additional six primary F-22 aircraft. Additional portions of the Knik Arm, the Port of Anchorage, and land west of the Knik Arm would experience noise levels of 65 decibels (dB) Day-Night Average Sound Level (Ldn) or greater, but this change is not projected to significantly impact any human or natural resources, including threatened or endangered species. On February 22, 2011, the National Marine Fisheries Service evaluated the potential consequences and issued a finding of may affect but not likely to adversely affect Cook Inlet beluga whales. There would be no construction required. Hence, there would be no construction noise, no construction air emissions and no impacts to JBER cultural resources. Any hazardous materials associated with aircraft would be handled in the existing specialized F-22 maintenance facility and controlled to protect air and water resources. An increase of 103 base positions (less than one percent of base employment) is not expected to substantially affect commute times and would result in no measurable effect upon the regional economy. No on- or off-base residences are exposed to noise levels greater than 80 dB Ldn. Workers on JBER are protected against possible noise impacts by adherence to DoD noise management guidelines. The 65 dB Ldn noise contours would not extend off base over residential areas. Disadvantaged populations would not be disproportionately affected by the proposed plus-up, and there would be no health or safety impacts to children.