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Record of Decision for Improved Ordnance Storage for Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, AZ

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: February 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 29)]
[Notices]
[Page 6999-7001]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11fe00-50]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Record of Decision for Improved Ordnance Storage for Marine Corps
Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, AZ

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice of Record of Decision.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy, after carefully weighing the
operational, environmental and cost implications of improving the
ordnance storage at MCAS Yuma, announces its decision to acquire and
develop 1,641 acres of agricultural and residential land south of MCAS
Yuma.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The text of the entire Record of Decision
(ROD) is provided as follows:

Background

    The Department of the Navy, pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 USC Section 4331
et seq.), and the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality
(CEQ) that implement NEPA procedures, (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), hereby
announces its decision to acquire 1,641 acres of land south of MCAS
Yuma, Arizona, for the improvement of ordnance storage and other
support functions. This decision includes the following actions, which
are described in more detail in the Environmental Impact Statement. The
Department of the Navy will construct and operate:
    (1) A Combat Aircraft Loading Area (CALA);
    (2) A new station ordnance area (including ordnance loading and
unloading facilities, ordnance storage magazines, support buildings,
guard shacks, and a security fence);
    (3) A fire station; and
    (4) Compounds for Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS)-371 and
Combat Service Support Detachment (CSSD)-16.
    These improvements will provide safer handling and storage of
ordnance, and less expensive and more efficient ordnance operations.
The proposed action is needed to support existing training and other
ongoing activities at MCAS Yuma. None of the components of the proposed
action are associated with an increase in the number of mission flown
at MCAS Yuma or a change in its mission. The level of flight operations
is not dependent on ordnance storage capacity. MCAS Yuma's ordnance
storage capacity has remained relatively constant over the last several
years. All components of the proposed action have been designed based
on MCAS Yuma's historic ordnance use and operation levels.
    The Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for improved ordnance storage for Marine Corps Air
Station Yuma, Arizona, was published in the Federal Register on
December 17, 1996. Two public scoping meetings were held in January
1997 to allow for public comments.
    The public scoping meetings were attended by a total of 20 persons,
with only one person providing formal testimony; however, that person
made

[[Page 7000]]

no specific comments which addressed the scope of the EIS. An
additional 13 individuals, state, and local agencies submitted comments
via letter, facsimile or electronic mail.
    The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was distributed to
agencies and officials of federal, state and local governments, citizen
groups and organizations, and other interested parties including
landowners within the potential acquisition area, during the week of
January 25-29, 1999.
    The Notice of Availability for the DEIS was published in the
Federal Register on January 29, 1999. The DEIS was subject to public
review during a 60-day public comment period. The Marine Corps also
held two public hearings during the public comment period on February
17 and 23, 1999. The public hearings were held at the Ramada Inn at the
Chilton Conference Center in Yuma, AZ.
    Comments on the DEIS were received by letter, by oral statements
provided during the public hearings, and written statements received by
facsimile. Written and oral statements were received from a total of 21
commentors, including federal, state, regional, and local agencies, and
private individuals. All comments received were reviewed and addressed
in the FEIS.
    The FEIS was distributed to the public on July 21, 1999. The public
review period ended on September 30, 1999. Nineteen comments were
received on the FEIS and were considered before issuing this ROD.

Alternatives Considered

    NEPA and CDQ regulations require the Department of the Navy to
study and evaluate a reasonable range of alternatives for accomplishing
the purpose and need underlying the proposed action. The underlying
purpose for improved ordnance storage at MCAS Yuma is to: (1) Eliminate
the use of safety waivers associated with ordnance handling an storage
at MCAS Yuma; (2) provide an ordnance storage capacity able to
accommodate MCAS Yuma's annual average ordnance requirement; (3)
provide space for the relocation of existing MCAS Yuma facilities; and
(4) meet objectives (1) and (2) without increasing staffing
requirements at MCAS Yuma.
    The EIS process initially identified nine alternatives, including
the No Action alternative. These included five alternatives identified
in the NOI and four alternatives developed as a result of the public
scoping process. Four alternatives were evaluated in detail in the EIS:
the 1,641 Acre Alternative, the 1,069 Acre Alternative, the Barry M.
Goldwater Range (BMGR) Alternative, and the No Action Alternative.
    The 1,641 Acre Alternative involved the acquisition and development
of 1,641 acres of land. This alternative was identified as the
preferred alternative in the EIS. Under this alternative, the
Department of Navy will acquire approximately 1,641 acres of
agricultural and residential land to the south of MCAS Yuma and
construct and operate the following new facilities in that area: a
Combat Aircraft Loading Area (CALA), a new station ordnance area
(including ordnance loading and unloading facilities, ordnance storage
magazines, support buildings, guard shacks, and a security fence), a
fire station, and compounds for MWSS-371 AND CSSD-16.
    The new CALA and station ordnance areas are to be constructed in
the western portion of the acquisition area. Most land in the
acquisition area's central section will be within new Explosive Safety
Quantity Distance (ESQD) arcs and will remain in agricultural
production. Approximately 1,184 acres of agricultural and vacant lands
within the acquisition area will not be cleared for the new military
facilities. This land will be out-leased for continued agricultural
use. A new fire station, MWSS-371 compound, and CSSD-16 compound will
ultimately be located in the eastern third of the acquisition area. The
facilities proposed for the eastern third of the acquisition area were
addressed for the eastern third of the acquisition area were addressed
at a programmatic level in the EIS because specific plans for their
construction have not been developed. Additional evaluation under NEPA
will be required prior to the construction of a new fire station or new
compounds for MWSS-371 or CSSD-16. In the interim, this land will be
made available for agricultural out-lease.
    This is the only alternative that fully meets the Department's
Purpose and Need. The alternative includes significant and unmitigated
socioeconomic impacts because it requires the relocation of residents
living in eleven homes on the land to be acquired.
    The relocation of residents will be accomplished in compliance with
the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition
Policies Act of 1970, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.). Compliance
with this act will ensure displaced residents are relocated to a
decent, safe, and sanitary home. All eligible displaced residents will
be entitled to moving expenses. This program cannot substantially
mitigate the loss of social ties, upheaval, and sense of loss that may
be experienced by the individuals to be relocated. Therefore, while the
economic effects of displacement will be reduced through compliance
with the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Properties Act of 1970,
the significant social impacts are considered unmitigable. No other
significant impacts were identified for the Preferred Alternative.
    The 1,069 Acre Alternative involved the acquisition and development
of 1,069 acres of land to the south of MCAS Yuma. The land required for
this alternative is encompassed entirely within the acquisition area
identified above for the Preferred Alternative. This alternative would
utilize the same CALA and ordnance storage magazines that are described
for the Selected Alternative. However, the 1,069 Acre Alternative would
not provide space for a new fire station or for the relocation of MWSS-
371 and CSSD-16.
    The BMGR Alternative would require the acquisition of 482 acres of
land to the southeast of MCAS Yuma and the construction of a new CALA
and associated structures at that location. Ordnance would be stored in
new magazines constructed off-station at the BMGR in an approximately
4-square-mile (10-square- kilometer) area. Under this alternative,
flat-tailed horned lizards would be significantly affected, and the
transportation of ordnance between the BMGR and MCAS Yuma could result
in adverse safety impacts to residents located along the route between
the two facilities. Additionally, it would not provide space for a new
fire station or for the relocation of MWSS-371 and CSSD-16, and it
would increase staffing requirements at MCAS Yuma.
    The No Action alternative requires no change in existing operations
at MCAS Yuma. Ordnance storage would continue to require a waiver and
the ESQD arc associated with the storage area would continue to extend
off station. Ordnance truck trips would remain at current levels.
    The environmentally preferred alternative is generally one that
avoids or minimizes environmental impacts or results in a net
beneficial environmental effect. In this case, the No Action
Alternative is the environmentally preferred alternative because it
would not require land acquisition and relocation of homeowners and
would not have adverse physical impacts on the environment. The
environmentally preferred alternative was not selected because it would
not have fulfilled the primary and secondary objectives of the proposed
action.

[[Page 7001]]

Environmental Impacts

    There were no significant environmental impacts associated with the
selected alternative. However, the Department of the Navy will initiate
measures, described in the EIS, to mitigate impacts resulting from the
action being taken. With the adoption of the measures identified in the
EIS, the Department of the Navy has exercised all practicable means to
avoid or minimize harm from the alternative selected.

Response to Comments

    The Department of the Navy made the FEIS available to the public
for a a 30-day review period. This review period was extended for an
additional 30 days period. During the review period 19 comments were
received: eight supporting the action and 11 opposed. The governmental
bodies of Yuma City and Yuma County support the selected alternative.
Opposition continues from the property owners and citrus and crop
growers. No new substantive comments were received that were not
previously addressed in the Draft and Final Environmental Impact
Statements.

Conclusion

    On behalf of the Department of the Navy, I have decided to
implement the 1,641 Acre Alternative, as set out in the EIS, to improve
ordnance storage at MCAS Yuma. In making this decision, I considered
the following: existing assets and capabilities at MCAS Yuma; Marine
Corps, Navy, DoD and allied operational and training requirements;
ordnance handling and storage requirements; environmental impacts;
socioeconomic impacts; costs associated with land acquisition and
facility construction, the operation and maintenance of equipment and
aircraft, and training of personnel; and comments received during the
EIS process.
    After carefully weighing all of these factors, I have determined
that the Preferred Alternative, acquiring and developing 1,641 acres of
agricultural and residential land to the south of MCAS Yuma, best meets
the requirements.

    Dated: February 1, 2000.
Duncan Holaday,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Facilities).
[FR Doc. 00-3204 Filed 2-10-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M

 
 

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