20110762 Ver 2_Finding of No Significant Impact_20140924

U.S. Department of the Navy
United States Fleet Forces Command
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT WONSI) FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO
TARGETS AT THE NAVY DARE COUNTY BOMBING RANGE, NORTH CAROLINA
Introduction
Pursuant to Section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended; Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations (40 C.F.R. §§ 1500 -1508) implementing NEPA; U.S.
Department of the Navy (Navy) Regulations (32 CFR § 775); and Office
of the Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Prcgram Manual(OPNAV M-
5090.1); the Navy gives notice that an Environmental Assessment (EA)
and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) have been prepared for
improvements to target areas at the Navy Dare County Bombing Range,
North Carolina.
Purpose and Need
The purpose of the Proposed Action is to enhance the long -term
sustainability of the Navy Dare County Bombing Range and to improve
the quality of training that can be provided. Specifically, the
Proposed Action would allow for more realistic training scenarios,
allow for maintenance operations to be completed more effectively,
enhance range personnel safety, and increase operational range
clearance capabilities. The need for this action is to support and
provide range capabilities for training forces ready to deploy
worldwide.
Description of the Proposed Action
Under the Proposed Action, the Navy would establish a City Target with
hardened roadways, establish a maintenance road and three target areas
for the existing Runway Target, establish turnarounds at the end of
3500 Foot Road, and utilize the Moving Land Target (MLT) on the range.
The City Target would consist of a network or grid of hardened
roadways that would allow for more flexibility in target
configurations, enhancing training scenarios. The placement of
targets adjacent to and on the roadways around the City Target would
simulate city buildings and other structures providing multiple
targets for pilots. These targets would be customizable depending on
the training scenario and could be utilized for ground troops and the
MLT.
A maintenance road would be constructed next to the existing Runway
Target. This maintenance road would extend the entire length of the
target with several target pads extending beyond the maintenance road
to create additional training opportunities for pilots.

MLTs are unmanned half -ton pick -up trucks that operate remotely using
Global Positioning System (GPS) mobile position technology to traverse
a predetermined route. During training exercises, the MLTs would
traverse hardened roadways and target areas within the range. These
trucks may be used to tow a target or may be the targets themselves.
The types of aircraft, flight paths, and munitions utilized in these
training exercises would be the same as those currently used in air -
to- ground training exercises conducted at the Navy Dare County Bombing
Range.
Cul -de- sac -type turnarounds would be constructed at each end of 3500
Foot Road to enhance the operation of the MLT. The cul -de -sacs would
allow the MLT to turn around on 3500 Foot Road for uninterrupted
transit. The turnarounds would also enhance range capability by
providing an alternate helicopter - landing zone.
Annual maintenance at the target areas is required to ensure
sustainability of the Navy Dare County Bombing Range. Prior to
conducting required range maintenance, the Navy completes a range
clearance effort to remove spent munitions and target debris. Once
the range clearance effort is completed, range personnel perform an
evaluation of the targets, target areas, and roadways to determine if
maintenance needs to be performed in order to repair infrastructure or
replace damaged targets. Not all targets, target areas and roadways
are repaired each year. Typical maintenance activities occur for less
than one week annually. Maintenance activities at the range include
grading roadways and fixing potholes created by munitions, repairing
routine wear and tear, and replacing destroyed targets annually or as
needed.
No Action Alternative
In addition to the Proposed Action, the Navy considered a No Action
Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, training and
maintenance would continue to be conducted according to current
practice. Efforts to improve /harden target areas would not be
completed and target areas would continue to be maintained in a manner
consistent with current Navy practice. A City Target would not be
constructed; a maintenance road and target areas for the Runway Target
would not be constructed; turnarounds for the ends of 3500 Foot Road
would not be constructed; and munitions training with the MLTs would
not be conducted.
Alternative Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis
The Navy considered seven additional alternatives to the Proposed
Action. Each of these alternatives were eliminated because they did
not meet the purpose and need for the action or they were not
feasible. Each alternative eliminated is briefly discussed below.
Using Alternate Locations Inside the Navy Dare County Bombing Range:
The Navy considered placing the improved /hardened target areas in
other locations on the Navy Dare County Bombing Range. Placement of
the improved /hardened targets in any other location on the Navy Dare
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County Bombing Range would result in the same impacts as those
associated with the Proposed Action because the habitat and natural
resources are consistent throughout the Navy Dare County Bombing
Range.
Relocating Targets near Hardened Surfaces: The Navy considered
utilizing the existing road closest to the Runway Target as a
maintenance road and repositioning the Runway Target parallel to that
existing road. Repositioning the Runway Target would conflict with
other training targets and relocation of the Runway Target too far
north or south would conflict with the current Surface Danger Zones.
Using Alternate Locations Outside of the Navy Dare County Bombing
Range Property: The Navy considered utilizing other locations outside
of the Navy Dare County Bombing Range. The closest Navy property
available is located in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Though the Navy
utilizes several locations in the Hampton Roads area for training,
none of the locations would be appropriate for use as a bombing range.
These locations are utilized for take -off and landing training
operations and other flight operations but do not allow for munitions
to be dropped.
The Use of Air Force Targets at the Dare County Bombing Range: The
Navy considered utilizing the targets located on the Air Force -
operated side of the Dare County Bombing Range. The Air Force Range
is heavily utilized and though the Navy does conduct training on that
range occasionally, the Navy is only able to train on the Air Force
range when the range is not being used by the Air Force. As a result,
the Navy is not able to schedule the Air Force range often enough to
meet its training requirements.
The Use of Prefabricated Interlocking Metal Sections (Corrugated
Galvanized Roofing Panels): This alternative would use prefabricated
interlocking metal sections (corrugated galvanized roofing panels) to
cover the soft marshy vegetation as an alternative to hardening target
areas. The Navy has determined the interlocking metal sections are
not feasible to use on target areas where bombs or other munitions may
be utilized because the prefabricated interlocking metal sections
become degraded when munitions strike them making them harder for
pilots to see and making it difficult for personnel to perform
maintenance. Additionally, the interlocking metal sections are
functional for static displays but are not customizable to accommodate
different training scenarios for pilots, and the potential use of the
City Target by ground forces.
Construct a Bridge or Elevated /Pile- Supported Structure over the
Wetlands Instead of a Hardened Surface: This alternative would create
a bridge or elevated /pile - supported structure over the wetlands
instead of filling the wetlands to create a hardened surface. The
structure would be damaged from dropped munitions and would become
impassable and unsafe for range maintenance.
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Utilizing the Long Shoal Naval Ordnance Area Instead of Creating
Target Areas at the Navy Dare County Bombing Range: The Long Shoal
Naval Ordnance Area is an overflow target utilized by Navy and Marine
Corps aircraft when the nearby Navy Dare County Bombing Range is
experiencing heavy use and is used to conduct seamless littoral -to-
land battle scenarios. The target located at the Long Shoal Naval
Ordnance Area is located entirely in the waters of the Pamlico Sound.
It does not offer flexible target configurations or training scenarios
that replicate an urban environment and the MLT would be unable to
traverse the Long Shoal Naval Ordnance Area.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
No significant direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts
would occur from implementing the Proposed Action at the Navy Dare
County Bombing Range. Environmental resources, including geology and
soils, recreation, socioeconomics, transportation, and land use were
omitted from further detailed analysis in the EA because implementing
the Proposed Action would not affect these resources. The potential
environmental impacts from the Proposed Action on air quality, water
resources, biological resources, and historic resources are summarized
in the following paragraphs.
Air Quality: No significant impacts on air quality are expected. Dare
County Bombing Range is located within a designated attainment area
for all National Ambient Air Quality Standard criteria pollutants and
is therefore exempt from the general conformity analysis. Air
emissions, including greenhouse gas emissions, associated with
construction are anticipated to be minor and temporary. Air emissions
associated with the MLTs are expected for the reasonably foreseeable
future since this would be an ongoing activity, but are also expected
to be minor. It is anticipated that any dust emissions associated
with construction would be temporary and would resettle.
Water Resources: No significant impacts on water resources are
expected. The Proposed Action would require filling 4.29 acres of
wetlands, and 0.15 acres of wetlands would be secondarily impacted due
to habitat fragmentation. This proposed fill equates to approximately
0.009 percent of the wetlands in the entire Dare County Bombing Range.
The impact to wetlands would not be anticipated to cause impacts
outside of the Dare County Bombing Range. The Proposed Action would
permanently fill floodplains within the Navy Dare County Bombing
Range; however, impacts to floodplains outside of the Dare County
Bombing Range are not anticipated to occur. Various management and
administrative actions will be utilized to minimize the potential for
a fluid release from the MLTs during training exercises. In the event
a release occurs as a result of an MLT being impacted by a munition,
site - specific spill response plans are in place and would be
implemented to minimize potential environmental consequences.
Impacts to wetlands and floodplains would be mitigated as required by
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Section 404 wetlands permit by
purchasing wetland bank credits at an offsite wetland mitigation bank
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and obtaining a 401 Water Quality Certification from the North
Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Offsite
mitigation would occur within the same watershed as the proposed
impacts. Additionally, a Sediment and Erosion Control Plan will be
implemented and Stormwater permit will be submitted to the appropriate
regulatory agencies for approval prior to the initiation of
construction activities.
Biological Resources: No significant impacts on vegetation, wildlife,
federally protected species, or migratory birds are expected. Minor
impacts to vegetation would occur as a result of the permanent fill of
4.29 acres of wetlands. All impacts to wetlands will be mitigated.
Various management and administrative actions will be utilized to
minimize the potential for a fluid release from the MLTs during
training exercises, and in the event of a release, the fluids would be
contained per the spill response plans in place to minimize potential
environmental consequences. The minimal fill of wetlands associated
with the Proposed Action and the potential for a release of fluids
from MLTs would not have a long -term or significant effect on the
ability of wildlife species to perform normal biological functions.
The Proposed Action would not have a significant impact on wildlife,
including the red wolf, the American alligator and North Carolina
state - listed species, based on the mostly short -term and localized
nature of the proposed activities.
Several federally protected species are present on the Navy Dare
County Bombing Range. These species include the red - cockaded
woodpecker and the bald eagle. The Proposed Action would have no
effect on the Red - cockaded woodpecker. No impacts to bald eagles, as
listed under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, would occur as
a result of the Proposed Action. There will be no significant adverse
effect to any population of migratory bird species as listed under the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 703 -712).
Historic Resources: There will be no significant effect on any
historic resources. No historic buildings or archaeological sites
exist in the project area. In accordance with Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act, the Navy consulted with the North
Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. The North Carolina
Department of Cultural Resources concurred with the Navy's
determination of no effect on historic and archaeological resources on
May 13, 2014.
Coastal Zone Management: The Proposed Action would not affect any
coastal resources or uses. The Navy submitted a Coastal Consistency
Negative Determination under the Coastal Zone Management Act. The
North Carolina Department of Coastal Management did not respond to the
Navy's determination, and as a result, Navy assumed concurrence.
Cumulative Impacts: No significant, direct, indirect, or cumulative
impacts are expected with respect to any of the resources analyzed in
the EA. The analysis of past, present, and reasonably foreseeable
cumulative impacts from the following projects - the Alligator River
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National Wildlife Refuge fire management plan, the Bonner Bridge
replacement, improvements to the target pads and support areas of the
Navy Dare County Bombing Range, replacement of the Navy Shell Road
Bridge at the Dare County Bombing Range and improvements to U.S. 64
for Tyrell and Dare Counties, in combination with the Proposed Action
indicates that the combined impacts would result in minor incremental
cumulative impacts.
Mitigation
The Proposed Action will result in permanently filling 4.29 acres of
wetlands and secondarily impacting 0.15 acres of wetlands, due to
habitat fragmentation, to create new target areas. The Navy will
obtain a permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and a state
certification under Section 401 prior to beginning construction. The
Navy will mitigate wetland impacts via purchase of wetland credits
through a mitigation bank located in the same watershed as the Dare
County Bombing Range.
An approved erosion and sediment control plan and stormwater permit
will be submitted to regulatory agencies for approval prior to the
start of construction. The Navy will implement all appropriate
erosion and sediment control measures for the duration of construction
activities.
The Navy will adhere to all applicable policies described in the 2013
Hazardous Materials Reutilization, Hazardous Waste Minimization
Disposal Guide for handling hazardous materials and preventing spills.
The Navy will implement various management and administrative measures
to reduce the potential of a release of vehicular fluids during
utilization of MLTs. Based on the training scenario being conducted,
these measures could include but are not limited to: utilizing
specific types of inert munitions, modifying attack profiles to reduce
the potential for vehicular damage, utilizing towed trailers as
targets instead of the MLTs themselves, conducting training exercises
in specific areas, and utilizing minimal amounts of fuel and fluids to
complete training events. In the event a MLT is struck by a munition
causing a release of fluids, a site - specific spill response plan is in
place and would be implemented to minimize impacts to the environment.
Public Outreach
The Navy coordinated with various federal and state agencies during
the NEPA process. The Navy submitted the EA for review and comment to
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Air Force, and the State of
North Carolina. Multiple North Carolina state agencies reviewed the
EA via the North Carolina State Environmental Review Clearinghouse and
no substantial comments were received. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and the U.S. Air Force did not submit any substantive
comments during their review period. Additionally, the EA was located
on the NAVFAC Mid - Atlantic Environmental Compliance website to provide
direct access for interested stakeholders to obtain the EA.
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Finding
After a review of the EA, which has been prepared in accordance with
the requirements of NEPA and Navy regulations for implementing NEPA
(32 CFR § 775), the Navy finds that the Proposed Action will not
significantly affect the quality of the human environment. Therefore,
an Environmental Impact Statement will not be prepared. Copies of the
EA, including this FONSI, can be obtained from: Naval Facilities
Engineering Command Atlantic, Code EV22 (Dare County Bombing Range
Project Manager), 6506 Hampton Blvd., Norfolk, Virginia 23508; or by
phone at (757) 322 -4686. A limited number of copies of the EA are
available to fill single copy requests.
$ /-its a
ate J. W. MURPHY
Deputy Chief of Staff
for Fleet Installations
and Environmental Readiness
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