NBAF Final Environmental Impact Statement - Chapter 2 · NBAF Final Environmental Impact Statement ... operations and support existing research programs but ... accordance with good

NBAF Final Environmental Impact Statement

December 2008 2-1

NBAF DEIS Executive Sum

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2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION AND ACTION ALTERNATIVES This chapter describes the No Action Alternative, the Proposed Action, and the six site alternatives. The No Action Alternative is described in Section 2.1, and the characteristics of the Proposed Action—the siting, construction, and operation of the NBAF—that may have impacts on the affected environment are described in Section 2.2. Section 2.3 describes the process used to identify the reasonable site alternatives evaluated in the EIS. Section 2.4 describes the alternatives considered but eliminated from detailed study. Section 2.5 provides a summary comparison of the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed construction and operation of the NBAF. Section 2.6 discusses the Preferred Alternative. 2.1 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE Under the No Action Alternative, the NBAF would not be constructed. The work currently being conducted at Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC), which performs much of the research on Foreign Animal Disease (FADs) and zoonotic diseases in the United States, would continue, and BSL-4 research would continue to be performed outside of the U.S. If the No Action Alternative is selected, PIADC would continue operations and support existing research programs but not the expanded mission requirements associated with the NBAF. In other words, the No Action Alternative would not meet the purpose and need for the Proposed Action. 2.2 PROPOSED ACTION: REQUIREMENTS TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE THE NBAF The NBAF Conceptual Design and Feasibility Study (NDP 2007a) described the programmatic, technical, and non-site-specific requirements for the NBAF to determine the feasibility of the project and to prepare a preliminary conceptual design. Based on that document and other sources as noted, a description of the construction and operation of the NBAF has been developed for the purposes of analyzing the potential environmental impacts associated with those activities. 2.2.1 Construction Requirements

The study emphasized that the NBAF should be located on a site of no less than 30 acres to include a main laboratory building, a current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) laboratory (needed for small-scale vaccine and reagent production), a central receiving facility, a guard house, and a central utility plant (CUP). The approximate area needed for the NBAF is between 500,000 and 520,000 square feet. The approximate percentage of the facility by component is provided in Table 2.2.1-1.

Table 2.2.1-1 — NBAF Space Requirements Space Percent of Total Area

Office/Administration 6.9 BSL-2a 6.0 BSL-3b 73.8 BSL-4 10.9 cGMP 2.4 aBSL-2 includes laboratory and support areas. bBSL-3 includes laboratory, 3Ag, and training and support areas.

The number and size of research laboratories were determined in part by the magnitude of the research that was to be conducted in the facility. Animal species, FAD and zoonotic agents, and transmission modes of each agent were important considerations in developing many of the design requirements and safety features of the NBAF and are presented in Table 2.2.1-2. Based on 70% utilization of the design maximum, projected research demands resulted in a facility design that could house approximately 200 to 300 animals at any given time, including cattle, swine, and sheep.


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Table 2.2.1-2 — FAD and Zoonotic Agents Characteristics

Agent BMBL/APHIS Classification

Species Mode of Transmission Laboratory Animal

Foot and Mouth Disease virus BSL-3E BSL-3Ag

Cattle, sheep, swine, goats, deer, and other cloven-hoofed animals

Aerosol, contact

Classical swine fever virus BSL-3E BSL-3Ag Swine Oral, contact

Vesicular stomatitis viruses BSL-3E BSL-3Ag Horses, swine, cattle Biting flies, oral

Rift Valley fever virus BSL-3E BSL-3Ag Sheep, goats, cattle,

camels; humans Mosquitoes, aerosol; zoonotic

Nipah virus BSL-4 BSL-4 Swine; humans Oral, aerosol; zoonotic

Hendra virus BSL-4 BSL-4 Horses, flying foxes; humans

Oral, aerosol; zoonotic

African swine fever virus BSL-3E BSL-3Ag Swine Ticks

The NBAF would consist of two laboratory facilities and two outbuildings. One of the two laboratory buildings would be the primary research building containing the BSL-2, BSL-3E, BSL-3Ag, and BSL-4 laboratories with their associated support spaces. The other laboratory building would be a cGMP laboratory located adjacent to the primary research laboratory. Other outbuildings supporting the overall operation of the NBAF would include:

• Entry Guard House—Controls site access. • Central Receiving Facility—Controls all deliveries to the site for transfer to the laboratory facilities;

all external vehicle deliveries would be transferred to the NBAF internal vehicles for delivery. • Parking—General surface parking for staff and visitors.

An interagency technical working group of experts and researchers from DHS, USDA, and DHHS determined that the program missions of biodefense and agro-defense required the following research capacities within the proposed laboratory facilities:

• Nine BSL-3Ag and two BSL-4 modules to conduct three BSL-3Ag and two BSL-4 agro-countermeasure research and development programs simultaneously.

• Supporting core laboratory pathology and analytical chemistry modules that would include electron microscopic and other imaging capabilities, a gamma irradiator to inactivate samples for shipment outside of biocontainment, and two BSL-2 laboratories to perform molecular experiments that do not require biocontainment facilities.

• Supporting laboratory modules to include insectary spaces necessary to support the research. The BSL-2 insectary is for the combined functions of breeding, rearing, manipulating, and holding/incubating of arthropod vectors used in the research programs. Other insectary research spaces within BSL-3E and BSL-3Ag would be used for holding infected live insects or arthropods and for virus transmission studies to and from both infected and non-infected large animals and small animals.

• A module to train veterinarians to recognize and diagnose FADs, which is one of the primary missions of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The proposed facility needs to have a modern infrastructure to accomplish this mission, including a distance learning capability. The training module would operate independently of the research operations but within the containment


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confines, permitting the courses to operate anytime during the year and allow separate security requirements and practices of the research facility.

• A cGMP module is needed for small-scale vaccine and reagent production. For large-scale manufacturing an industry partner would be needed. The cGMP module would allow for production and testing of two vaccine candidates at any given time. Modular components (BSL-2) would include a viral production room, a vaccine sterile assembly and fill room, a vaccine lyophilization area, and a diagnostic reagent production room.

In addition to the components described, infrastructure improvements would be required depending on where the site would be located. These improvements would include new power substations; new or higher capacity water, sewer, and natural gas lines; sanitary sewer upgrades; or new access roads or service lanes. 2.2.1.1 Biosafety Design

According to the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) (CDC and NIH 2007), “the fundamental principles of biosafety are containment and risk assessment. The fundamentals of containment include the microbiological practices, safety equipment, and facility safeguards that protect laboratory workers, the environment, and the public from exposure to infectious microorganisms that are handled and stored in the laboratory. Risk assessment is the process that enables the appropriate selection of microbiological practices, safety equipment, and facility safeguards that can prevent laboratory-associated infections (LAI).” The proposed NBAF would provide state-of-the-art operating procedures and biocontainment features to minimize the potential for LAIs and accidental release from the research laboratories (see Appendix B for a review of biocontainment laboratory safety). One of the primary design goals central to the flexibility of the proposed main laboratory building was the “hotel concept.” This concept was used to evaluate and determine the number of laboratories and animal rooms required to run the NBAF in a safe, cost-effective, and efficient manner. This hotel concept assumes that all rooms are designed and shared on an equal basis and that each room provides the primary biocontainment requirements to ensure isolation between each other. Primary biocontainment measures for the proposed NBAF would include, but are not limited to, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration for air exhaust and air intake systems, biosafety cabinets (BSCs), pressurized biosafety suits, and decontamination stations. Safety and biocontainment protocols would be addressed in facility-specific standard operating procedures (SOPs) that would be developed according to USDA guidelines prior to commissioning and operation of the NBAF. Another primary design goal was to provide an adequate level of redundant safety and biocontainment that would be integrated into every component of the building. All laboratory areas, animal areas, support areas, backup computer servers, and engineering systems would have 100% back-up and redundancy such as:

• Each critical zone would be designed as a sealed “box-within-a-box” with airlocks at all points of access.

• The hardened structural systems would mitigate progressive collapse to help withstand seismic and or other external threats.

• The electrical systems would have dual feeds and would be designed with fully integrated battery and diesel-electric power back-up systems for redundancy within each system. A power outage or component breakdown would instantly transfer function to a back-up system.

• BSL-3Ag and BSL-4 laboratories would have two HEPA filters installed in series.

• Heating and ventilation systems would be fully contained with each zone, have seamless access to back-up power, and have redundant components built into every critical system.


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• Concentric-ring security zones would ensure that nothing enters or exits the building without passing multiple points of physical and electronic screening.

The facility functions serving our national security concerns would have multiple layers of security designed into every primary use and engineering support systems. This level of safety, redundancy, and security would help to provide instant and automatic safeguards to the staff and the community it serves to support the overarching design goal of providing a safe work environment. 2.2.1.2 Construction Schedule and Activities

Construction of the proposed NBAF would start in early 2010 and take approximately 4 years to complete. The project would provide approximately 700 construction-related jobs per year. A detailed description of construction activities would be prepared once a site has been selected. However, the effects of construction activities on the various resources have been considered in this DEIS based on assumptions derived from the NBAF Conceptual Design and Feasibility Study and other sources. The details of those assumptions are presented in Chapter 3 for each site alternative. In all likelihood, the construction manager at risk or construction manager as constructor (CMc) methodology would be employed for construction operations. This is a proven process where the CMc functions as a collaborative member of the project team and would be responsible for providing expertise during the design process by checking estimates and performing constructability reviews. All work would be performed in accordance with good management practices and in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. All work would be planned and managed to ensure that standard worker safety goals are met. Construction of the proposed NBAF would be performed using approved construction industry methods. During site preparation and construction, noise levels would be consistent with standard office building construction activities. Vehicles (such as dump trucks) and heavy machinery (such as bulldozers, dump trucks, cranes, and cement mixer trucks) would be used onsite during the construction phase. These vehicles would operate primarily during daylight hours. If needed, temporary task lighting would be used. Engineering best management practices (BMPs) would be implemented at the building site as part of a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) executed under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System construction permit. These BMPs may include the use of hay bales, plywood, or synthetic sedimentation fences with appropriate supports installed to contain excavated soil and surface water discharge during construction of the proposed NBAF. During construction, good housekeeping practices would be followed. Construction materials would include inert building materials such as concrete, glass, masonry, wood, insulation, plastics, sheetrock, and metal beams and piping. These materials would be stored neatly within designated staging areas. Construction would also require the use of some chemicals such as paints, solvents, fertilizers, oil, grease, fuel, and welding gases. These chemicals would be stored in protected areas. During construction, the manufacturer’s recommendations for proper use and disposal would be followed for chemicals and materials. Whenever possible, all of a product would be used before disposing of the container. Equipment maintenance and repair would be conducted in designated areas to control oil, grease, and fuel spills. In addition, fuel storage and dispensing during construction would occur in a designated staging area at the construction site. Wastes generated by site preparation and construction activities are expected to be predominately non-hazardous. After construction of the facility, site soil and rock removed during construction would be returned and used as landscaping to the degree that it is practicable. Landscaping would use native trees, shrubs, and groundcover. Sustainable building practices would be employed where safety allows.


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2.2.2 Operation of the Proposed NBAF

The proposed NBAF would be either a government owned–government operated (GOGO) or government owned–contractor operated (GOCO) facility. A GOCO partnership allows each partner to perform duties for which it is uniquely suited: the government establishes mission areas and the private sector implements the missions using best business practices. The GOCO model has been replicated many times over the past 50 years, primarily by the Department of Energy and its predecessor agencies. In the United States, GOCO arrangements are used to manage laboratories, manufacturing and production plants, and numerous repositories. Sandia National Laboratories, originally managed by AT&T, has been managed by Lockheed Martin since 1993. In addition, the DHS National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC) currently under construction at Fort Detrick, which will have BSL-2, BSL-3, and BSL-4 laboratories, will be operated as a GOCO facility. A program management plan (PMP) has been prepared to insure DHS management and supervision of activities at the NBACC. If it is decided that the NBAF would be GOCO, a PMP would be prepared for the facility. When the Preferred Alternative is selected and the Record of Decision (ROD) is signed, DHS would develop site-specific SOPs for the NBAF. These SOPs would be modified as necessary for the specific requirements of the proposed NBAF at the selected site. The following sections present an overview of staffing, protocols for laboratory research and sample transportation, and a description of operations at the NBAF. In addition, site-specific protocols would be developed, in coordination with local emergency response agencies that would address all potential local emergencies including those that could occur at the NBAF. DHS would have site-specific standard operating procedures and response plans in place prior to the initiation of research activities at the proposed the NBAF. Prior to conducting research with highly infectious agents, a laboratory facility and staff undergo many pre-operational testing and training activities. One of the first pre-operational test and training events to occur is the commissioning of a laboratory. The commissioning process for building construction projects is a quality control process to document, test, and verify that building systems meet the facility owner’s functional, operational, and performance requirements. This process is essential in the construction of today’s biocontainment laboratories due to the requirements for life safety and reliable environmental control and monitoring. To take full advantage of the commissioning process, the research and maintenance staff would actively participate with the commissioning team to learn how the variety of engineering systems and controls maintain the integrity of the biocontainment laboratory. The research and maintenance staff would draw upon this information to establish the SOPs for each staffing group. Once the construction of the facility and commissioning is complete, the maintenance staff would establish the operations and maintenance SOPs based on the data compiled from the construction documents, commissioning process, regulatory agencies, and their own experience with simulated system failure scenarios. These scenarios would occur during the commissioning process to help prepare the maintenance and research staff to respond in a timely and effective manner should the failure occur during normal operation of the facility. One example of biocontainment laboratory operation and maintenance procedures that would be required is daily inspections of essential containment and life support systems that must be completed and documented before laboratory work is initiated to ensure that the laboratory is operating according to established parameters. Preparation of the operation and maintenance SOPs with the appropriate training typically occurs over a 3- to 6-month period after construction is completed. Practical and effective protocols for emergency situations must be established. These protocols must include plans for medical emergencies, facility malfunctions, fires, animals escaping within the laboratory, and other potential emergencies. Training in emergency response procedures must be provided to emergency response personnel and other responsible staff according to institutional policies. Many of the training and testing requirements are to maintain certification and licensure to operate a laboratory, which generally take up to a year beyond the construction phase to complete. The BMBL is the primary guidance source to ensure a safe and effective testing and training program for successful state-of-the-art biocontainment laboratory facilities.


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The use of hazardous biological agents or toxins that are regarded as select agents under Possession, Use, and Transfer of Select Agents and Toxins; Interim Final Rule (9 CFR 121) is regulated by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is responsible for the management of the Select Agent Program. Research protocols involving the use of select agents require registration of the NBAF and inspection of its laboratories by the CDC or APHIS. CDC or APHIS would inspect the laboratories at least once over a 3-year period. This inspection is not required prior to approval of the application. 2.2.2.1 Operating Staff

Once operational, the proposed NBAF would employ approximately 250 to 350 people. In addition to the scientific and administrative staff of the laboratory, the proposed NBAF would employ technicians, veterinary staff, building engineers, and security personnel. All laboratory staff would receive thorough pre-operational training, as well as ongoing training, in the handling of hazardous infectious agents, understanding biocontainment functions of standard and special practices for each biosafety level, and understanding biocontainment equipment and laboratory characteristics. Laboratory staff would be supervised by trained and experienced scientists. The NBAF safety and biosafety staff would review and approve of proposed protocols and SOPs for the laboratory prior to use. Laboratory staff working in the proposed NBAF would use the standards and procedures recommended for all institutions engaged in biological research. 2.2.2.2 Waste and Materials Management

The solid and liquid wastes generated in the BSL-2, BSL-3, BSL-3E, BSL-3Ag, and BSL-4 laboratories would be considered biohazardous and treated by sterilization, chemical disinfection, and/or incineration. The efficiency in sterilizing and disinfecting waste would be verified by the use of heat and biological indicators. Materials and equipment that require removal from biocontainment areas also would be decontaminated prior to removal. Decontamination is required for any substance exposed to a BSL-3E, BSL-3Ag, or BSL-4 agent. For a decontamination system to be effective, it must conform to the following design criteria:

• Ease of transport and loading into treatment equipment • Worker protection and reduction of biohazard aerosol generation • Decontamination based on proven consistent technologies • Validated and repeatable • Volume reduction for final disposal • Compliant with local, state, and federal environmental requirements • Cost-effective (capital and operating) • Technical degree of automation to achieve effective labor savings • Maintenance friendly

Liquid Biowaste Treatment System. A dedicated biowaste gathering and treatment system would be provided for BSL-3, BSL-3E, BSL-3Ag, and BSL-4 functions. Each of the laboratories and associated procedure rooms, animal rooms, and storage/centrifuge rooms are provided with a biological liquid waste collection and treatment system. All liquid waste would be treated through a batch sterilization process. The biowaste system would employ gravity drainage to the liquid effluent decontamination system using double-wall piping required in areas outside of containable space and which cannot be readily inspected. The effluent decontamination system tanks would be housed in a dedicated space located below the functional floor area served in a “biocontainable” service space. Carcass Disposal System. A dedicated carcass disposal system would be utilized for BSL-3Ag and BSL-4 areas. The USDA ARS 242.1 Facilities Design Standards contains a requirement to provide for incineration of animal carcasses infected with BSL-3Ag agents and BSL-4 agents or to have an alternative solution


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presented for consideration based on a comparative analysis. Incinerators are being phased out due to permitting and maintenance issues, and replacement technologies are currently being investigated. Incineration is still, however, considered the most effective method for disposal of infected carcasses at many universities and research establishments. BSL3-Ag is unique to agriculture because of the necessity to protect the environment from an economic, high risk pathogen in a situation where studies are conducted employing large agricultural animals or other similar situations in which the facility barriers now serve as primary containment. Pathological incinerators, or other approved means, must be provided for the safe disposal of the large carcasses of infected animals. Redundancy and the use of multiple technologies need to be considered and evaluated. The latest biocontainment facilities included multiple disposal methods as a safety feature to ensure a proven method of disposal is available at all times. Sterilization is only part of the challenge in managing carcass disposal. Emissions and by-products generated from carcass sterilization must also be managed as part of the waste stream processes. Because of the emissions and by-products generated and the limited ability to attain permits to construct incinerators, DHS is evaluating various disposal systems that are described in more detail in Section 3.13. Conventional solid waste would be generated during construction as well as during operation of the NBAF and would be appropriate for disposal at a municipal waste facility. Section 3.13 provides a more detailed description of the types of solid wastes generated by the NBAF and potential disposal methodologies. 2.2.2.3 Sample Transportation

Regulations on transportation of biological agents are aimed at ensuring that the public and the workers in the transportation chain are protected from exposure to any agent that might be in the package. Protection is achieved through 1) the requirements for rigorous packaging that will withstand rough handling and contain all liquid material within the package without leakage to the outside, 2) appropriate labeling of the package with the biohazard symbol and other labels to alert the workers in the transportation chain to the hazardous contents of the package, 3) documentation of the hazardous contents of the package should such information be necessary in an emergency situation, and 4) training of workers in the transportation chain to familiarize them with the hazardous contents so as to be able to respond to emergency situations. Regulations that apply to transportation of samples include U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) 49 CFR Parts 171-178, Hazardous Materials Regulations, Public Health Service 42 CFR Part 72, Interstate Transportation of Etiologic Agents. Samples transported to the NBAF would be provided by commercial suppliers, research collaborators, or other parties seeking sample identification. Samples may contain either previously identified or unidentified microorganisms or strains. As a requirement of transport, in accordance with federal regulations, the package originator must identify the contents and provide the required shipping documentation detailing the package contents to the transporter and receiver. Thus, the receiver would know what level of protection to apply (e.g., Biological Safety Cabinets [BSC], Personal Protective Equipment, and medical treatments). At a minimum, incoming packages to the NBAF would be opened in a Class II BSC. Section 3.11.9, Traffic and Transportation, addresses sample transportation to and from the proposed NBAF, and Appendix E to the Health and Safety Section, describes the potential consequences of transportation-related release of pathogens. Samples would be shipped to the NBAF by commercial package delivery services in accordance with International Air Transport Association packing instructions. All samples would be packaged and shipped in accordance with USDOT and CDC requirements for transporting potentially biohazardous samples. All shipped packages would be received at the NBAF central delivery warehouse before delivery to the NBAF. Strict chain-of-custody procedures for samples would be followed. After the package is transported to the NBAF, the package would then be logged into the NBAF inventory. The external packaging material would be inspected, removed, and disposed of according to the NBAF waste handling procedures. The interior packing with the intact sample would be placed safely and securely in the appropriate BSL laboratory under a


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chain-of-custody procedure until the authorized researcher was ready to process the samples. Unpacking of the primary container would be done only in a BSC. The samples would be stored for preservation within a locked freezer or refrigerator, according to the requirements dictated by the nature of the sample. Inventories of all samples and cultures would be maintained in accordance with CDC standard practices and requirements. Samples containing select agents would be handled in accordance with USDA and CDC select agent rules. Select agents would be accepted only if a responsible official is notified in advance of shipment and after the CDC/APHIS Form 2 has been completed in accordance with regulations, registration is verified, and the requesting responsible official has been notified in advance of the shipment. Proper transfer documentation is approved prior to shipment by the sending and receiving institutions, as well as the by CDC and/or APHIS. Upon arrival, the NBAF personnel would notify the responsible investigator or designee of the shipment arrival per select agent transfer procedures dictated by APHIS and/or by CDC. Any select-agent-certified NBAF personnel may accept the sample. The sample would be logged in by the NBAF personnel and in accordance with the NBAF receiving procedures. Samples shipped from the NBAF would follow a similar procedure for receiving samples. The documentation would be approved by the receiving institution, the NBAF, and APHIS and/or CDC prior to sending the select agent. For select agents, an authorized employee would be onsite at the NBAF to inspect and close the package in the presence of the sender. The packaging and appropriate documentation (i.e., Institutional Biosafety Committee [IBC] select agents’ checklist, CDC/APHIS Form 2, and permits) must conform to USDOT and CDC requirements for transport of biological materials. The sender would remain with the package until the USDOT-approved commercial carrier arrived to take possession. 2.2.2.4 Chemicals Storage and Use

The proposed NBAF would house the laboratory chemicals necessary to conduct the planned research, training, and diagnostic activities; maintain the equipment; care for animals; and clean the facilities and equipment. The chemicals would range from floor cleaners, which are often skin irritants, to hazardous laboratory chemicals. The types of chemicals that would pose physical hazards are flammable or combustible liquids, peroxides, oxidizers, and pyrophorics. Those chemicals that would pose health hazards are corrosives/irritants, flammables, sensitizers, toxics, teratogens, and carcinogens. If NBAF operations permit, chemicals would be stored using a HAZMAT Pharmacy concept. This provides centralized logistics for hazardous materials, reduces quantities needed on hand, and minimizes risks of incidents. All laboratory personnel would be adequately trained in the proper use, storage, and disposal of these chemicals. Chemical handling and storage would be conducted according to all appropriate guidelines and protocols. 2.2.2.5 Pollution and Spill Prevention

A site-specific Pollution Prevention Plan would be developed for the NBAF and would include specific procedures for spill prevention and cleanup. The specific procedures address prevention elements such as proper storage, operating procedures, inspection, and training to prevent or lessen the possibility of spills, as well as biocontainment features such as biocontainment walls in storage facilities. The NBAF would develop a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures Plan (SPCC) addressing the protection of surface water and a SWPPP. The SPCC addresses operating procedures to prevent spills, control measures to contain spills, and countermeasures to contain, cleanup, and mitigate the effects of a spill reaching a water body. The specific requirements for a SWPPP vary from state to state and would include measures to prevent pollutants from reaching water bodies due to stormwater runoff. These plans would be reviewed and revised as necessary.


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2.2.2.6 Research Protocols

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). The use of any biological agent requires the review and approval of the IBC of USDA/APHIS. IBC membership, responsibilities, and roles are defined in the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules (NIH 2002). The focus of the IBC is adherence to well-established biological safety practices that protect the researchers and the surrounding community. The IBC is vested with the authority to approve the use of a biological agent, deny approval, or take action to stop work. Possession of and any work involving select agents, whether they are BSL-3 or BSL-4 agents, requires registration of the facility by APHIS and/or the CDC. The registration process includes identity of the agent(s), the location of use and storage of the agent(s), and a detailed description of laboratory containment provisions and security measures. IBC approval of SOPs is required, and the laboratories would be inspected by the CDC at least once over a given 3-year period. The IBC is comprised of committee members with overlapping and interdisciplinary expertise, including microbiologists, infectious disease specialists, safety experts, and community representatives. Notifications for Use of Biological Agents received by the IBC are critically reviewed by experts focusing on the safe use of the biological agent(s) at the appropriate biosafety level. APHIS Animal Research Policy and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The APHIS Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) reviews all protocols and proposals for research, testing, and education that involve the use of vertebrate animals to be certain that care and use of animals is in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act as amended (7 USC, 2131-2156), Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Institute for Laboratory Animal Research 1996), guidelines of the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC), and state and local regulations. The IACUC is comprised of at least five members with mandatory membership of a doctor of veterinary medicine with training or experience in laboratory animal science and medicine and who has program authority and responsibility for activities involving animals at the NBAF. The IACUC may approve, require proposal modifications, or withhold approval of all research and testing protocols related to the care and use of vertebrate animals. In approving protocols, the IACUC ensures that

• Animal pain, distress, and functional or sensory impairment are minimized. • All survival surgery is performed using aseptic procedures. • Adequate veterinary care is planned for and provided. • The type and number of animals are appropriate and necessary as an essential part of the protocol. • Anesthetics, analgesics, tranquilizers, and euthanasia procedures are used appropriately when

necessary. The NBAF animal facilities are subject to inspections and site visits from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USDA, and AAALAC. AAALAC is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science through a voluntary accreditation program. Inspections can include review of IACUC protocols, minutes of all IACUC meetings, all animal use, and care records. Access to animal housing facilities and laboratories is required for inspectors. 2.2.3 Decommissioning of the Proposed NBAF

Once the proposed NBAF has reached its life expectancy, DHS could choose to decommission the facility and transition the property for future use according to current agreements. Development of standards for biosafety laboratories and associated equipment has focused on the construction and operation of new or existing facilities. Standard laboratory procedures and decontamination protocols would be performed according to the BMBL to ensure worker safety and to ensure health and safety of the general public. It is anticipated that site-specific protocols and a decontamination and decommissioning plan would be developed


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for this action, should it occur. The plan would address such factors as decontamination methodologies; disposition of used equipment and re-use, disposal, or salvaging site materials; and post-decontamination monitoring. 2.3 SITE ALTERNATIVES DHS investigated a number of options to meet the mission requirements of HSPD-9. In Fiscal Year 2006, Congress appropriated money for site selection and other pre-construction activities for the NBAF. DHS developed a site selection process because Congress did not designate a specific site upon which to build and construct the NBAF. This section describes that process and the results of the investigations that led to the development of and selection of reasonable alternatives to achieve the purpose and need of the NBAF and, accordingly, such reasonable alternatives are considered for examination in this DEIS. 2.3.1 Alternative Site Selection Process

DHS issued a Public Notice Soliciting Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for potential sites for the NBAF in the Federal Business Opportunities on January 17, 2006, and the Federal Register on January 19, 2006. DHS received 29 EOIs by the March 31, 2006, due date in the Public Notices Soliciting EOIs. DHS conducted an initial evaluation of the 29 EOIs, using the four evaluation criteria set forth in the Public Notice Soliciting EOIs. These evaluation criteria were developed by an interagency working group to ensure that NBAF would meet the purpose and need of the project and the interdependent needs of DHS and USDA to adequately protect the nation against biological threats to animal agriculture. The four evaluation criteria were: • Proximity to Research Capabilities • Proximity to Workforce • Acquisition/Construction/Operations • Community Acceptance

DHS developed and implemented a rigorous process for the first round evaluation of the 29 EOIs received against DHS’s evaluation criteria and associated sub-criteria. Three committees comprised of federal employees evaluated the EOIs, assessing their strengths, weaknesses, and deficiencies against the four evaluation criteria and associated sub-criteria. A Steering Committee, also comprised of federal employees, made recommendations to the DHS Selection Authority, who selected those sites that had sufficient qualifications with regard to the evaluation criteria (and would, therefore, be further considered in a second round of evaluations) and eliminated some sites from further consideration due to weaknesses and/or deficiencies with respect to the following: • Lack of proximity to existing BSL-3 or BSL-4 research programs that could be linked to NBAF

mission requirements.

• Difficulty in demonstrating ability to attract world-class researchers and scientists or skilled technical workforce with necessary experience.

• Insufficient infrastructure, utilities, or other siting difficulties.

• Insufficient community support for siting of NBAF.

After DHS’s first round evaluation of the 29 EOIs, 18 potential sites from 12 consortia remained under consideration for the proposed NBAF in a second round of the site selection process. The DHS selection authority requested that the consortia proposing the 18 remaining sites provide additional information, limited to the originally published evaluation criteria in DHS’s Public Notice soliciting EOIs. In December 2006, DHS sent Additional Information Requests to the consortia proposing the 18 remaining sites and communicated its preference for certain evaluation criteria that would be considered by the federal employee evaluation committee in the second round of DHS’s site selection process.


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The DHS preferences were that: • The proposed site is within a comprehensive research community that has existing research programs

in areas related to NBAF mission requirements;

• The proposed site has proximity to skilled research and technical staff with expertise in operations conducted at biological and agricultural research facilities and training programs for such expertise;

• Title to at least a 30-acre site would be deeded at no or minimal cost to the U.S. government and all NBAF construction (BSL-3 and BSL-4 laboratories) could occur at the 30-acre site;

• In-kind contributions (e.g., support to the NEPA process, deeded land, new utilities, roads, chilled and steamed water) would be donated by proposing consortia;

• The proposed site is environmentally suitable; and

• The proposing consortia could demonstrate that local and national stakeholder community members’ support, or at least do not oppose, locating the NBAF at the proposed site.

Upon receipt of this additional information from the consortia, a federal team consisting of USDA and DHS employees conducted site visits to all the remaining sites. The intent of the site visits was to 1) verify the information provided and representations made in the EOI submissions and additional information submitted and 2) enable evaluation committee representatives to view any observable physical conditions and constraints at the proposed site and, if applicable, view the site’s utilities and infrastructure. Based on federal employee evaluation team’s analysis of the additional information and observations on the site visits, the evaluation team recommended to the DHS Selection Authority the sites that should advance for further evaluation. The DHS Selection Authority determined that five sites met the evaluation criteria and DHS preferences and would, therefore, be advanced as reasonable alternatives to be studied in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Figure 2.3.1-1 below is an illustration of the previously described steps in the site selection process.

Figure 2.3.1-1 — Site Selection Process

Although not part of the competitive site selection process, Plum Island was determined to be a reasonable site to advance for study in the EIS, making a total of six sites for consideration. The four reasons for including Plum Island as a reasonable alternative were:

1. Plum Island (currently owned by DHS) appears to meet the NEPA requirement that the proposing Federal agency evaluate the range of all “reasonable alternatives” to a proposed action, where reasonable alternatives are defined as those that are “practical or feasible from the technical and economic standpoint and using common sense, rather than simply desirable from the standpoint of the applicant”;

2. Plum Island currently performs much of the existing research and houses the existing workforce assessing potential threats to animals from foreign animal diseases and zoonotic diseases;

3. Plum Island currently fulfills a portion of the goals and mission identified for the NBAF and meets some of the NBAF criteria, including having a skilled workforce in a BSL-3 environment; and


December 2008 2-12


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4. Plum Island could reasonably be internally evaluated throughout the EIS process, given that DHS already owns Plum Island and did not believe it appropriate to respond to its own Request for Expressions of Interest.

The six site alternatives published in the Federal Register on July 31, 2007, for the NBAF EIS process are shown in Table 2.3.1-1.

Table 2.3.1-1 — Six Site Alternatives Location Site Name

Athens, Georgia South Milledge Avenue Site Manhattan, Kansas Manhattan Campus Site Flora, Mississippi Flora Industrial Park Site Plum Island, New York Plum Island Site Butner, North Carolina Umstead Research Farm Site San Antonio, Texas Texas Research Park Site

Additionally, the “No Action” Alternative is defined as leaving PIADC open and performing at its current mission capability with construction of previously planned improvements, but without the construction of NBAF, and utilizing international laboratories when available for BLS-4 research. 2.3.2 South Milledge Avenue Site; Athens, Georgia

The South Milledge Avenue Site is located west of the South Milledge Avenue and Whitehall Road intersection in Clarke County, Georgia (Figure 2.3.2.-1). The site is part of the University of Georgia Whitehall Farm and is located near the University of Georgia Livestock Instructional Area. The site is a 67-acre tract of land consisting of open pastureland and wooded land and is utilized by the University of Georgia Equestrian Team. The topography is rolling terrain, which slopes towards the southwest. The site has been undeveloped land since at least 1936 and is currently zoned government use. The preliminary site design is shown in Figure 2.3.2-2. 2.3.3 Manhattan Campus Site; Manhattan, Kansas

The Manhattan Campus Site is on the campus of Kansas State University (KSU) immediately adjacent to the Biosecurity Research Institute (Figure 2.3.3-1). The site location consists of approximately 48.4 acres southeast of the intersection of Kimball Avenue and Denison Avenue. The site has been used for animal research since the 1970s. The site includes several structures, including five research buildings, a residential structure, and a storage building for recycling materials. The preliminary site design is shown in Figure 2.3.3-2. The site has been part of KSU since at least the 1920s and is utilized for various agricultural purposes since the 1970s. The site is currently zoned as University District and was annexed to the City of Manhattan in 1994. The 48.4-acre site could be expanded to 70 acres. 2.3.4 Flora Industrial Park Site; Flora, Mississippi

The Flora Industrial Park Site is located in Madison County, Mississippi, and is owned by the Madison County Economic Development Authority (Figure 2.3.4-1). Flora Industrial Park is a mixed-use commercial park 45 miles from the Jackson-Evers International Airport. Additional land is available surrounding the site for support facilities. The site is located on the east side of U.S. Highway 49, north and east of the intersection with North 1st Street. The Flora Industrial Park Site is approximately 150 acres of idle pasture land with two small ponds and a few scattered wooded areas. An overhead power transmission line is present through the south-central and west-central portions of the site. The site is currently zoned limited industrial. The preliminary site design is shown in Figure 2.3.4-2. Based on historical information, it appears that the site has been cultivated and pasture land previously occupied by two small tenant houses and one hay barn


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(Terracon 2007b). Adjoining properties appear to have been predominantly agricultural and rural residential until construction of the southwest-adjoining Primos Manufacturing Company in the early 2000s. 2.3.5 Plum Island Site; Plum Island, New York

Plum Island is an 840-acre island located about 12 miles southwest of New London, Connecticut, and 1.5 miles from the northeast tip of Long Island, New York (i.e., Orient Point). The island is technically located in the Village of Greenport, Town of Southold, Suffolk County, New York. However, the island has limited association with the town and is currently the responsibility of the U.S. government. Although PIADC does not meet the project purpose and need identified in Chapter 1, construction of a completely new facility on Plum Island would be a suitable alternative. The Plum Island Site consists of approximately 24 acres of land located directly to the east of the existing PIADC, which is on the western shore of Plum Island (Figure 2.3.5-1). Although one of the requirements listed in the original EOI stated that a minimum of 30 acres would be required, the Plum Island Site would not require the full 30 acres. Existing facilities associated with PIADC would be available for use with the NBAF and would reduce the amount of space required. The 24-acre site has no existing structures. Dense underbrush with gravel roads are found within the southwestern and northeastern portions. The southeastern portion of the island has previously been used for sand mining and is generally void of vegetation. The northwestern portion of the island has minor vegetation. A potable water line bisects the site from east to west, and an underground electric service borders the site on the north side. Based on a review of the historical information, the Plum Island Site was formerly utilized as a dumping area for miscellaneous non-infectious wastes associated with PIADC, but the site has since been remediated. The preliminary site design is shown in Figure 2.3.5-2. 2.3.6 Umstead Research Farm Site; Butner, North Carolina

The Umstead Research Farm Site in Butner, North Carolina (Figure 2.3.6-1), is located north of the terminus of Dillon Drive along the northern property boundary of the C.A. Dillon Youth Development Center in Butner. The site is a 249-acre tract of pasture, grassland, and wooded land. The site is currently owned and operated by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Research Farms Division. Umstead Research Farm and is zoned as institutional. The preliminary site design is shown in Figure 2.3.6-2. The site area was operated from early 1942 to June 1943 as part of Camp Butner, a training facility for light infantry and artillery during World War II. Other operations included ammunition storage, a redeployment center, and a general and convalescent hospital. The site has been undeveloped wooded land since at least 1940, except for one cemetery. The site has historically been maintained as undeveloped wooded land; however, in the fall of 2001, the site and surrounding area was partially logged. 2.3.7 Texas Research Park Site; San Antonio, Texas

The Texas Research Park Site in San Antonio, Texas, extends over the Bexar County line into a portion of Medina County (Figure 2.3.7-1). The 100.1-acre site is located west of Lambda Drive, south of the proposed extension of Omicron Drive, and is currently vacant, undeveloped land covered in dense vegetation comprised of trees, shrubs, and tall prairie grasses. The site appears to have consisted of vacant, undeveloped ranch land before 1938 to the present. The site has no zoning category because it is outside the San Antonio city limits. The preliminary site design is shown in Figure 2.3.7-2. The entire Texas Research Park property is a 1,000-acre industrial district 4 miles outside the San Antonio city limits.


December 2008 2-14


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Figure 2.3.2-1 — South Milledge Avenue Site Location


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Figure 2.3.2-2 — South Milledge Avenue Site Conceptual Design


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Figure 2.3.3-1 — Manhattan Campus Site Location


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Figure 2.3.3-2 — Manhattan Campus Site Conceptual Design


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Figure 2.3.4-1 — Flora Industrial Park Site Location


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Figure 2.3.4-2 — Flora Industrial Park Site Conceptual Design


December 2008 2-20


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Figure 2.3.5-1 — Plum Island Site Location


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Figure 2.3.5-2 — Plum Island Site Conceptual Design


December 2008 2-22


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Figure 2.3.6-1 — Umstead Research Farm Site Location


December 2008 2-23


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Figure 2.3.6-2 — Umstead Research Farm Site Conceptual Design


December 2008 2-24


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Figure 2.3.7-1 — Texas Research Park Site Location


December 2008 2-25


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Figure 2.3.7-2 — Texas Research Park Site Conceptual Design


December 2008 2-26


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2.4 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM DETAILED STUDY During the preliminary stages of the NEPA process, DHS considered other potential alternatives and suggestions by the public during the scoping process. The following alternatives were considered but were determined not to be reasonable alternatives for evaluation in the EIS. 2.4.1 Upgrading PIADC

The current PIADC does not meet the purpose and need as described in Chapter 1. PIADC does not have the required BSL-4 laboratory space, and the existing infrastructure is inadequate to support a BSL-4 facility. Upgrading and expanding the current PIADC to meet the NBAF requirements was initially considered for evaluation. A number of factors caused this alternative to be eliminated from further consideration: refurbishing the existing facilities and obsolete infrastructure to allow PIADC to meet the current mission would be more costly than building a new facility (NBAF) on Plum Island, so the cost of upgrading PIADC to meet the NBAF mission would be even greater; PIADC does not have the substantial amount of new research space that would be required, including space for a BSL-4 facility, which does not currently exist at PIADC. In addition, for the existing facility to be refurbished, current research activities might have to be suspended for extensive periods. These temporary shutdown periods would be counterproductive to the current PIADC mission and to the security of the United States. Therefore, PIADC does not meet the purpose and need of the Proposed Action. In light of these considerations, and because building a new facility at Plum Island was already one of the site alternatives being considered, continued evaluation of this alternative was eliminated. 2.4.2 Using Existing Laboratory Facilities

No existing U.S. facility could meet the mission needs determined by DHS and USDA. Although a number of BSL-3 and BSL-4 facilities are located in the United States, they do not have the capacity to conduct the research required to satisfy the NBAF mission needs. Similar facilities in Winnipeg, Canada, and Geelong, Australia, do not have the capacity to address the outbreak scenarios in the United States in a timely manner and could not guarantee their availability to meet U.S. research requirements. 2.4.3 Other Locations

As described in Section 2.2, other potential locations to construct the NBAF were considered during the site selection process but were eliminated based on evaluation by the selection committee. It was suggested during the scoping process that the NBAF be constructed in a remote location such as an island distant from populated areas or in a location that would be inhospitable (e.g., desert or arctic habitat) to escaped animal hosts/vectors; however, the evaluation criteria called for proximity to research programs that could be linked to the NBAF mission and proximity to a technical workforce (Section 2.2). The Plum Island Site is an isolated location as was suggested while still meeting the requirements listed in the EOI. It was also suggested that the NBAF could be constructed beneath a mountain; however, the cost and feasibility of such a construction project would be prohibitive. 2.5 SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND COSTS This section provides a brief summary of the alternative site evaluation process and presents a comparison of the effects of the alternatives on the various resources in a tabular format. The comparison also includes other site-specific information that may be of interest to the decision makers and general public. A Site Cost Analysis was prepared to determine the full costs of constructing the NBAF at the six alternative sites. The projected site specific costs included the following four major categories:


December 2008 2-27


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• Construction Estimate—This includes the construction budget, moveable scientific equipment budget, escalation, contingency, and fees.

• Systems Maintenance—This includes all maintenance related costs, both material and or contract costs, to support the NBAF.

• Utility Costs—This includes the anticipated utility consumption based on this preliminary program. These costs factor in each specific site’s climate.

• Salaries—This includes all salaries related to the personnel that would be working within the NBAF compound.

2.5.1 Summary of Environmental Impacts by Resource

Table 2.5.1-1 presents the projected cost estimates for the site alternatives. Table 2.5.1-2 presents a summary comparison of potential environmental impacts. A more detailed analysis is provided in Chapter 3. Environmental effects categories were applied to each resource for each site alternative and the No Action Alternative to provide a subjective comparison of the alternatives. Table 2.5.1-3 provides a description of the effect categories used for comparison in Table 2.5.1-4. 2.5.2 Mitigation Measures

Adverse effects to resources were minimized or eliminated through the site selection process and placement of the proposed NBAF within the boundaries of each site alternative. There would be little or no direct effects to wetlands, water resources, natural biotic communities, protected species, or cultural and archaeological resources with the Proposed Action. Management of stormwater runoff during both construction and operation of the NBAF and measures to eliminate or minimize the potential effects of spills or releases from the NBAF would mitigate potential secondary effects to resources. Section 3.15 provides a more detailed description of specific mitigation measures for the Proposed Action.


December 2008 2-28

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

1 —

Pre

limin

ary

Cos

ts o

f the

NB

AF

Alte

rnat

ives

Cos

t Cat

egor

y So

uth

Mill

edge

A

venu

e Si

te

(dol

lars

)

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Site

(d

olla

rs)

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

(d

olla

rs)

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Site

(d

olla

rs)

Plum

Isla

nd S

ite

(dol

lars

)

Texa

s Res

earc

h Pa

rk S

ite

(dol

lars

)

Con

stru

ctio

n Es

timat

e 52

5,84

6,42

9 56

3,00

9,93

4 49

7,99

8,47

5 52

3,71

1,81

1 75

2,47

4,89

7 50

1,73

4,26

0

Mai

nten

ance

a 10

,145

,744

10

,359

,339

9,

611,

758

10,1

45,7

44

14,0

97,2

44

9,61

1,75

8

Util

ities

a 7,

566,

180

6,75

8,87

0 7,

849,

037

8,80

9,37

5 9,

055,

160

7,23

1,14

8

Sala

riesa

29,3

43,9

93

27,4

08,8

70

27,4

08,8

70

29,1

15,8

97

30,9

75,2

49

31,8

11,4

04

a Th

e m

aint

enan

ce, u

tility

, and

sala

ry c

osts

repr

esen

t an

aver

age

annu

al c

ost t

aken

from

the

estim

ates

of t

hese

cos

ts o

ver t

he in

itial

8 y

ears

as p

roje

cted

in th

e si

te c

ost a

naly

sis.

T

able

2.5

.1-2

— C

ompa

riso

n of

Env

iron

men

tal E

ffec

ts

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Land

Use

and

Vis

ual R

esou

rces

(Sec

tion

3.2)

N

o A

ctio

n N

o ef

fect

s to

land

use

or v

isua

l res

ourc

es w

ould

occ

ur.

Sout

h M

illed

ge

Ave

nue

Site

La

nd u

se w

ould

be

cons

iste

nt w

ith th

e lo

cal z

onin

g cl

assi

ficat

ion,

alth

ough

the

Cla

rke

Cou

nty

Com

preh

ensi

ve P

lan

may

requ

ire a

n am

endm

ent t

o al

low

the

NB

AF

to b

e co

nstru

cted

with

in a

rura

l lan

d us

e de

sign

atio

n. C

onve

rsio

n of

app

roxi

mat

ely

30 a

cres

of o

pen

land

to th

e N

BA

F w

ould

occ

ur.

No

othe

r lan

d us

e ef

fect

s are

exp

ecte

d. T

he si

te is

less

than

hal

f a m

ile fr

om th

e O

cone

e C

ount

y bo

rder

. The

nea

rby

porti

on o

f Oco

nee

Cou

nty

is

rura

l and

agr

icul

tura

l lan

d sl

ated

for c

ontin

uing

rura

l res

iden

tial u

se. C

onst

ruct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

prop

osed

NB

AF

wou

ld n

ot a

ffec

t Oco

nee

Cou

nty’

s abi

lity

to re

gula

te g

row

th a

nd d

evel

opm

ent a

ccor

ding

to it

s com

preh

ensi

ve p

lan.

V

isua

l eff

ects

wou

ld o

ccur

dur

ing

cons

truct

ion

activ

ities

but

wou

ld b

e te

mpo

rary

. Lon

g-te

rm v

isua

l eff

ects

due

to o

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

oc

cur.

The

NB

AF

wou

ld b

e si

mila

r in

siz

e to

a 4

00-b

ed h

ospi

tal

or 1

,600

stu

dent

hig

h sc

hool

and

wou

ld b

e a

notic

eabl

e la

ndsc

ape

feat

ure,

pa

rticu

larly

to v

isito

rs a

nd s

taff

at t

he n

earb

y bo

tani

cal g

arde

n. L

ands

capi

ng a

nd a

ppro

pria

te a

rchi

tect

ural

des

ign

feat

ures

wou

ld r

educ

e th

e vi

sual

ef

fect

s. Se

curit

y re

quire

men

ts w

ould

requ

ire c

ontin

uous

out

door

nig

httim

e lig

htin

g. U

se o

f shi

elde

d fix

ture

s an

d th

e m

inim

um in

tens

ity o

f lig

htin

g th

at a

re n

eces

sary

to p

rovi

de a

dequ

ate

secu

rity

coul

d m

itiga

te th

e ef

fect

s. M

anha

ttan

Cam

pus S

ite

Land

use

wou

ld b

e co

nsis

tent

with

loca

l lan

d us

e an

d zo

ning

cla

ssifi

catio

ns. C

onve

rsio

n of

app

roxi

mat

ely

30 a

cres

of o

pen

land

to th

e N

BA

F w

ould

oc

cur.

No

othe

r lan

d us

e ef

fect

s are

exp

ecte

d.

Vis

ual e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur d

urin

g co

nstru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es b

ut w

ould

be

tem

pora

ry. L

ong-

term

vis

ual e

ffec

ts d

ue to

ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld

occu

r. Th

e N

BA

F w

ould

be

sim

ilar i

n si

ze to

a 4

00-b

ed h

ospi

tal o

r 1,6

00 s

tude

nt h

igh

scho

ol a

nd w

ould

be

a no

ticea

ble

land

scap

e fe

atur

e to

nea

rby

cam

pus

resi

dent

ial c

omm

uniti

es. L

ands

capi

ng a

nd a

ppro

pria

te a

rchi

tect

ural

des

ign

feat

ures

wou

ld r

educ

e th

e vi

sual

eff

ects

. Sec

urity

req

uire

men

ts

wou

ld r

equi

re c

ontin

uous

out

door

nig

httim

e lig

htin

g. U

se o

f sh

ield

ed f

ixtu

res

and

the

min

imum

inte

nsity

of

light

ing

that

are

nec

essa

ry to

pro

vide

ad

equa

te se

curit

y co

uld

miti

gate

the

effe

cts.


December 2008 2-29

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

Land

use

wou

ld b

e co

nsis

tent

with

loca

l lan

d us

e an

d zo

ning

cla

ssifi

catio

ns. C

onve

rsio

n of

app

roxi

mat

ely

30 a

cres

of o

pen

land

to th

e N

BA

F w

ould

occ

ur.

No

othe

r lan

d us

e ef

fect

s are

exp

ecte

d.

Vis

ual

effe

cts

wou

ld o

ccur

dur

ing

cons

truct

ion

activ

ities

but

wou

ld b

e te

mpo

rary

. Due

to

the

rura

l na

ture

of

the

site

, lon

g-te

rm v

isua

l ef

fect

s du

e to

op

erat

ion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

occ

ur. T

he N

BA

F w

ould

be

sim

ilar

in s

ize

to a

400

-bed

hos

pita

l or

1,60

0 st

uden

t hig

h sc

hool

and

wou

ld b

e a

notic

eabl

e la

ndsc

ape

feat

ure.

Lan

dsca

ping

and

app

ropr

iate

arc

hite

ctur

al d

esig

n fe

atur

es w

ould

red

uce

the

visu

al e

ffec

ts.

Secu

rity

requ

irem

ents

wou

ld r

equi

re

cont

inuo

us o

utdo

or n

ight

time

light

ing.

Use

of s

hiel

ded

fixtu

res a

nd th

e m

inim

um in

tens

ity o

f lig

htin

g th

at a

re n

eces

sary

to p

rovi

de a

dequ

ate

secu

rity

coul

d m

itiga

te th

e ef

fect

s. Pl

um

Isla

nd S

ite La

nd u

se w

ould

be

cons

iste

nt w

ith lo

cal l

and

use.

Con

vers

ion

of a

ppro

xim

atel

y 24

acr

es o

f ope

n la

nd to

the

NB

AF

wou

ld o

ccur

. No

othe

r lan

d us

e ef

fect

s ar

e ex

pect

ed.

Vis

ual e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur d

urin

g co

nstru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es b

ut w

ould

be

tem

pora

ry. L

ong-

term

vis

ual e

ffect

s due

to o

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

occ

ur. T

he

NB

AF

wou

ld b

e si

mila

r in

siz

e to

a 4

00-b

ed h

ospi

tal

or 1

,600

stu

dent

hig

h sc

hool

but

wou

ld n

ot b

e a

high

ly n

otic

eabl

e la

ndsc

ape

feat

ure

due

to t

he

adja

cent

PIA

DC

and

the

isol

ated

nat

ure

of th

e si

te. L

ands

capi

ng a

nd a

ppro

pria

te a

rchi

tect

ural

des

ign

feat

ures

wou

ld r

educ

e th

e vi

sual

eff

ects

. Sec

urity

re

quire

men

ts w

ould

req

uire

con

tinuo

us o

utdo

or n

ight

time

light

ing.

Use

of

shie

lded

fix

ture

s an

d th

e m

inim

um in

tens

ity o

f lig

htin

g th

at a

re n

eces

sary

to

prov

ide

adeq

uate

secu

rity

coul

d m

itiga

te th

e ef

fect

s. U

mst

ead

Res

earc

h Fa

rm S

ite

Land

use

wou

ld b

e co

nsis

tent

with

loca

l lan

d us

e an

d zo

ning

cla

ssifi

catio

ns. C

onve

rsio

n of

app

roxi

mat

ely

30 a

cres

of o

pen

land

to th

e N

BA

F w

ould

occ

ur.

No

othe

r lan

d us

e ef

fect

s are

exp

ecte

d.

Vis

ual

effe

cts

wou

ld o

ccur

dur

ing

cons

truct

ion

activ

ities

but

wou

ld b

e te

mpo

rary

. Due

to

the

rura

l na

ture

of

the

site

, lon

g-te

rm v

isua

l ef

fect

s du

e to

op

erat

ion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

occ

ur. T

he N

BA

F w

ould

be

sim

ilar

in s

ize

to a

400

-bed

hos

pita

l or

1,60

0 st

uden

t hig

h sc

hool

and

wou

ld b

e a

notic

eabl

e la

ndsc

ape

feat

ure.

Lan

dsca

ping

and

app

ropr

iate

arc

hite

ctur

al d

esig

n fe

atur

es w

ould

red

uce

the

visu

al e

ffec

ts.

Secu

rity

requ

irem

ents

wou

ld r

equi

re

cont

inuo

us o

utdo

or n

ight

time

light

ing.

Use

of s

hiel

ded

fixtu

res a

nd th

e m

inim

um in

tens

ity o

f lig

htin

g th

at a

re n

eces

sary

to p

rovi

de a

dequ

ate

secu

rity

coul

d m

itiga

te th

e ef

fect

s. Te

xas

Res

earc

h Pa

rk S

ite

Land

use

wou

ld b

e co

nsis

tent

with

loca

l lan

d us

e an

d zo

ning

cla

ssifi

catio

ns. C

onve

rsio

n of

app

roxi

mat

ely

30 a

cres

of o

pen

land

to th

e N

BA

F w

ould

occ

ur.

No

othe

r lan

d us

e ef

fect

s are

exp

ecte

d.

Vis

ual e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur d

urin

g co

nstru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es b

ut w

ould

be

tem

pora

ry. L

ong-

term

vis

ual e

ffect

s due

to o

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

occ

ur. T

he

NB

AF

wou

ld b

e si

mila

r in

siz

e to

a 4

00-b

ed h

ospi

tal

or 1

,600

stu

dent

hig

h sc

hool

and

wou

ld b

e a

notic

eabl

e la

ndsc

ape

feat

ure.

Lan

dsca

ping

and

ap

prop

riate

arc

hite

ctur

al d

esig

n fe

atur

es w

ould

redu

ce th

e vi

sual

eff

ects

. Sec

urity

requ

irem

ents

wou

ld re

quire

con

tinuo

us o

utdo

or n

ight

time

light

ing.

Use

of

shie

lded

fixt

ures

and

the

min

imum

inte

nsity

of l

ight

ing

that

are

nec

essa

ry to

pro

vide

ade

quat

e se

curit

y co

uld

miti

gate

the

effe

cts.

Infr

astru

ctur

e (S

ectio

n 3.

3)

No

Act

ion

No

effe

cts

to in

fras

truct

ure

wou

ld o

ccur

oth

er th

an w

ith p

revi

ousl

y au

thor

ized

impr

ovem

ents

. Inf

rast

ruct

ure

impr

ovem

ents

wou

ld c

ontin

ue a

t PIA

DC

to

mee

t ex

istin

g m

issi

on r

equi

rem

ents

. W

aste

wat

er d

econ

tam

inat

ion,

chi

lled

wat

er,

and

elec

trica

l di

strib

utio

n w

ill b

e im

prov

ed w

ith t

he a

utho

rized

re

nova

tions

.


December 2008 2-30

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Sout

h M

illed

ge

Ave

nue

Site

Pota

ble

Wat

er. O

pera

tion

wou

ld re

sult

in u

se o

f 43,

000,

000

gpy

of p

otab

le w

ater

but

can

be

met

by

curr

ent a

vaila

ble

capa

city

. Wou

ld re

quire

1.3

mile

s of

tw

o ne

w 1

2” w

ater

line

s. El

ectri

city

. Ope

ratio

ns w

ould

req

uire

12.

8 M

W f

rom

exi

stin

g G

eorg

ia P

ower

cap

acity

. C

onne

ctio

n to

tw

o ex

istin

g su

bsta

tions

wou

ld b

e re

quire

d an

d w

ould

incl

ude

<3 m

iles o

f new

line

per

subs

tatio

n.

Fuel

s an

d N

atur

al G

as. O

pera

tion

wou

ld re

quire

1,1

06,3

00 c

cf o

f nat

ural

gas

per

yea

r. It

wou

ld re

quire

2,9

00 fe

et o

f new

4”

line.

Fue

l oil

wou

ld b

e us

ed

whe

n na

tura

l gas

is n

ot a

vaila

ble.

Sa

nita

ry S

ewer

. Ope

ratio

n w

ould

resu

lt in

an

estim

ated

26,

500,

000

gpy

of w

aste

wat

er, b

ut th

e N

BA

F w

ould

be

desi

gned

and

ope

rate

d to

pre

vent

adv

erse

ef

fect

s to

the

AC

C M

iddl

e O

cone

e W

WTP

cap

abili

ties.

App

roxi

mat

ely

1.0

mile

of n

ew se

wag

e lin

e w

ill b

e re

quire

d.

Stea

m a

nd C

hille

d W

ater

. Ste

am re

quire

men

ts w

ould

be

met

by

on-s

ite b

oile

rs. C

hille

d w

ater

requ

irem

ents

wou

ld b

e m

et b

y on

-site

chi

llers

.

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Si

te

Pota

ble

Wat

er. O

pera

tion

wou

ld re

sult

in u

se o

f 37,

750,

000

gpy

of p

otab

le w

ater

but

can

be

met

by

curr

ently

ava

ilabl

e ca

paci

ty a

nd w

ater

line

s.

Elec

trici

ty. O

pera

tions

wou

ld re

quire

13.

1 M

W fr

om e

xist

ing

Wes

tar E

nerg

y’s

capa

city

of 3

,082

MW

. Con

nect

ion

to a

n ex

istin

g su

bsta

tion

and

1 m

ile o

f ne

w li

ne w

ould

be

requ

ired.

Fu

els a

nd N

atur

al G

as. O

pera

tion

wou

ld re

quire

1,4

10,0

00 c

cf o

f nat

ural

gas

per

yea

r. Fu

el o

il w

ould

be

used

whe

n na

tura

l gas

is n

ot a

vaila

ble.

Sa

nita

ry S

ewer

. Ope

ratio

n w

ould

resu

lt in

an

estim

ated

25,

000,

000

gpy

of w

aste

wat

er, a

nd c

apac

ity w

ould

be

met

by

a ne

w W

WTP

bei

ng d

esig

ned

by th

e C

ity o

f Man

hatta

n.

Stea

m a

nd C

hille

d W

ater

. Ste

am re

quire

men

ts w

ould

be

met

by

on-s

ite b

oile

rs. C

hille

d w

ater

requ

irem

ents

wou

ld b

e m

et b

y on

-site

chi

llers

.

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

Pota

ble

Wat

er. O

pera

tion

wou

ld re

sult

in u

se o

f 48,

150,

000

gpy

of p

otab

le w

ater

but

can

be

met

by

curr

ently

ava

ilabl

e ca

paci

ty a

nd w

ater

line

s.

Elec

trici

ty. O

pera

tions

wou

ld r

equi

re 1

3.1

MW

fro

m e

xist

ing

Ente

rgy

Mis

siss

ippi

, Inc

.’s c

apac

ity. A

new

pla

nned

sub

stat

ion

to p

rovi

de s

ervi

ce to

the

regi

on in

clud

ing

the

NB

AF

will

mee

t the

pow

er re

quire

men

ts b

ut n

ot th

e re

dund

ancy

spec

ifica

tions

for N

BA

F. A

n ad

ditio

nal s

ubst

atio

n w

ill b

e re

quire

d.

Fuel

s an

d N

atur

al G

as. O

pera

tion

wou

ld re

quire

1,0

72,4

00 c

cf o

f nat

ural

gas

per

yea

r. A

new

11

mile

, 6-in

ch p

ipel

ine

will

be

requ

ired.

Fue

l oil

wou

ld b

e us

ed w

hen

natu

ral g

as is

not

ava

ilabl

e.

Sani

tary

Sew

er. O

pera

tion

wou

ld r

esul

t in

an e

stim

ated

28,

250,

000

gpy

of w

aste

wat

er a

nd c

apac

ity w

ould

be

met

by

the

Flor

a W

WTP

. App

roxi

mat

ely

1,60

0 fe

et o

f new

sew

er li

ne w

ould

be

requ

ired.

St

eam

and

Chi

lled

Wat

er. S

team

requ

irem

ents

wou

ld b

e m

et b

y on

-site

boi

lers

. Chi

lled

wat

er re

quire

men

ts w

ould

be

met

by

on-s

ite c

hille

rs.

Plum

Is

land

Site

Pota

ble

Wat

er.

Ope

ratio

n w

ould

res

ult

in u

se o

f 36

,500

,000

gpy

of

pota

ble

wat

er b

ut c

an b

e m

et w

ith n

ew g

roun

dwat

er w

ells

and

tw

o (2

) ne

w

200,

000

gallo

n w

ater

tow

ers.

Elec

trici

ty. O

pera

tions

wou

ld re

quire

12.

8 M

W fr

om e

xist

ing

LIPA

cap

acity

. Con

nect

ion

to a

n ex

istin

g su

bsta

tion

on th

e N

Y m

ainl

and

wou

ld re

quire

two

new

subm

arin

e po

wer

line

s to

Plum

Isla

nd.

Fuel

s and

Nat

ural

Gas

. Fue

l oil

wou

ld b

e th

e pr

imar

y fu

el so

urce

. The

NB

AF

wou

ld u

se 1

,600

,000

gpy

. Sa

nita

ry S

ewer

. Ope

ratio

n w

ould

resu

lt in

an

estim

ated

23,

000,

000

gpy

of w

aste

wat

er, a

nd c

apac

ity w

ould

be

not b

e m

et b

y cu

rren

t WW

TP c

apab

ilitie

s. A

new

WW

TP o

r mod

ifica

tions

to th

e ex

istin

g W

WTP

wou

ld b

e re

quire

d.

Stea

m a

nd C

hille

d W

ater

. Ste

am re

quire

men

ts w

ould

be

met

by

on-s

ite b

oile

rs. C

hille

d w

ater

requ

irem

ents

wou

ld b

e m

et b

y on

-site

chi

llers

.


December 2008 2-31

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Site

Pota

ble

Wat

er. O

pera

tion

wou

ld re

sult

in u

se o

f 39,

500,

000

gpy

of p

otab

le w

ater

but

can

be

met

by

curr

ently

ava

ilabl

e ca

paci

ty. W

ould

requ

ire 5

,000

feet

of

new

8”

wat

er li

ne.

Elec

trici

ty. O

pera

tions

wou

ld r

equi

re 1

2.8

MW

fro

m e

xist

ing

Duk

e En

ergy

cap

acity

of

9,83

2 M

W. C

onne

ctio

ns to

two

(2)

exis

ting

subs

tatio

ns i

n th

e B

utne

r are

a w

ould

be

requ

ired

and

wou

ld in

clud

e a to

tal o

f 6 m

iles o

f new

line

. Fu

els

and

Nat

ural

Gas

. Ope

ratio

n w

ould

requ

ire 1

,193

,900

ccf

of n

atur

al g

as p

er y

ear a

nd w

ould

requ

ire 4

,475

feet

of n

ew 6

-inch

pip

elin

e. F

uel o

il w

ould

be

use

d w

hen

natu

ral g

as is

not

ava

ilabl

e.

Sani

tary

Sew

er. O

pera

tion

wou

ld re

sult

in a

n es

timat

ed 2

5,25

0,00

0 gp

y of

was

tew

ater

, but

the

NB

AF

wou

ld b

e de

sign

ed a

nd o

pera

ted

to p

reve

nt a

dver

se

effe

cts t

o th

e SG

WA

SA S

ewag

e Tr

eatm

ent F

acili

ty c

apab

ilitie

s. A

ppro

xim

atel

y 6,

500

feet

of n

ew se

wer

line

wou

ld b

e re

quire

d.

Stea

m a

nd C

hille

d W

ater

. Ste

am re

quire

men

ts w

ould

be

met

by

on-s

ite b

oile

rs. C

hille

d w

ater

requ

irem

ents

wou

ld b

e m

et b

y on

-site

chi

llers

.

Texa

s R

esea

rch

Park

Site

Pota

ble

Wat

er. O

pera

tion

wou

ld re

sult

in u

se o

f 51,

750,

000

gpy

of p

otab

le w

ater

but

can

be

met

by

curr

ently

ava

ilabl

e ca

paci

ty a

nd w

ater

line

s.

Elec

trici

ty. O

pera

tions

wou

ld re

quire

12.

8 M

W fr

om e

xist

ing

CPS

Ene

rgy’

s ca

paci

ty o

f 5,4

68 M

W. C

onne

ctio

n to

two

exis

ting

subs

tatio

ns a

nd <

0.5

mile

s of

new

line

per

subs

tatio

n w

ould

be

requ

ired.

Fu

els

and

Nat

ural

Gas

. Ope

ratio

n w

ould

requ

ire 1

,002

,300

ccf

of n

atur

al g

as p

er y

ear.

App

roxi

mat

ely

2,55

0 fe

et o

f new

6-in

ch h

igh

pres

sure

dis

tribu

tion

line

will

be

requ

ired.

Fue

l oil

wou

ld b

e us

ed w

hen

natu

ral g

as is

not

ava

ilabl

e.

Sani

tary

Sew

er. O

pera

tion

wou

ld re

sult

in a

n es

timat

ed 2

9,25

0,00

0 gp

y of

was

tew

ater

and

cap

acity

wou

ld b

e m

et b

y th

e SA

WS

Med

io C

reek

WR

C. N

ew

sani

tary

sew

er li

nes w

ould

not

be

requ

ired.

St

eam

and

Chi

lled

Wat

er. S

team

requ

irem

ents

wou

ld b

e m

et b

y on

-site

boi

lers

. Chi

lled

wat

er re

quire

men

ts w

ould

be

met

by

on-s

ite c

hille

rs.

Air

Qua

lity

(Sec

tion

3.4)

No

Act

ion

No

effe

cts t

o ai

r qua

lity

wou

ld o

ccur

. Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

ass

ocia

ted

with

aut

horiz

ed in

fras

truct

ure

impr

ovem

ents

.

Sout

h M

illed

ge

Ave

nue

Site

Air

qual

ity e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

NB

AF.

Air

emis

sion

s fr

om c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

wou

ld in

clud

e co

nstru

ctio

n tra

ffic

an

d eq

uipm

ent.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

air

emis

sion

s fr

om b

oile

rs, e

mer

genc

y ge

nera

tors

, and

tra

ffic

fro

m e

mpl

oyee

s an

d de

liver

ies.

Add

ition

al a

ir em

issi

ons

wou

ld o

ccur

fro

m c

arca

ss a

nd p

atho

logi

c w

aste

tre

atm

ent

and

may

inc

lude

inc

iner

atio

n, a

lkal

ine

hydr

olys

is,

or r

ende

ring.

Pr

elim

inar

y as

sess

men

ts b

ased

on

cons

erva

tive

estim

ates

of a

ir em

issi

ons

indi

cate

that

ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in a

n ex

ceed

ance

of p

artic

ulat

e em

issi

ons,

alth

ough

fina

l des

ign

and

oper

atio

ns w

ould

be

adju

sted

to m

eet a

ll ai

r per

mit

requ

irem

ents

. Add

ition

al m

odel

ing

wou

ld b

e co

nduc

ted

once

the

final

dis

posa

l met

hodo

logy

has

bee

n se

lect

ed.

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Si

te

Air

qual

ity e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

NB

AF.

Air

emis

sion

s fr

om c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

wou

ld in

clud

e co

nstru

ctio

n tra

ffic

an

d eq

uipm

ent.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

air

emis

sion

s fr

om b

oile

rs, e

mer

genc

y ge

nera

tors

, and

tra

ffic

fro

m e

mpl

oyee

s an

d de

liver

ies.

Add

ition

al a

ir em

issi

ons

wou

ld o

ccur

fro

m c

arca

ss a

nd p

atho

logi

c w

aste

tre

atm

ent

and

may

inc

lude

inc

iner

atio

n, a

lkal

ine

hydr

olys

is,

or r

ende

ring.

Pr

elim

inar

y as

sess

men

ts b

ased

on

cons

erva

tive

estim

ates

of a

ir em

issi

ons

indi

cate

that

ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in a

n ex

ceed

ance

of p

artic

ulat

e em

issi

ons,

alth

ough

fina

l des

ign

and

oper

atio

ns w

ould

be

adju

sted

to m

eet a

ll ai

r per

mit

requ

irem

ents

. Add

ition

al m

odel

ing

wou

ld b

e co

nduc

ted

once

the

final

dis

posa

l met

hodo

logy

has

bee

n se

lect

ed.


December 2008 2-32

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

Air

qual

ity e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

NB

AF.

Air

emis

sion

s fr

om c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

wou

ld in

clud

e co

nstru

ctio

n tra

ffic

an

d eq

uipm

ent.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

air

emis

sion

s fr

om b

oile

rs, e

mer

genc

y ge

nera

tors

, and

tra

ffic

fro

m e

mpl

oyee

s an

d de

liver

ies.

Add

ition

al a

ir em

issi

ons

wou

ld o

ccur

fro

m c

arca

ss a

nd p

atho

logi

c w

aste

tre

atm

ent

and

may

inc

lude

inc

iner

atio

n, a

lkal

ine

hydr

olys

is,

or r

ende

ring.

Pr

elim

inar

y as

sess

men

ts b

ased

on

cons

erva

tive

estim

ates

of a

ir em

issi

ons

indi

cate

that

ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in a

n ex

ceed

ance

of p

artic

ulat

e em

issi

ons,

alth

ough

fina

l des

ign

and

oper

atio

ns w

ould

be

adju

sted

to m

eet a

ll ai

r per

mit

requ

irem

ents

. Add

ition

al m

odel

ing

wou

ld b

e co

nduc

ted

once

the

final

dis

posa

l met

hodo

logy

has

bee

n se

lect

ed.

Plum

Is

land

Site

Air

qual

ity e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

NB

AF.

Air

emis

sion

s fr

om c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

wou

ld in

clud

e co

nstru

ctio

n tra

ffic

an

d eq

uipm

ent.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

air

emis

sion

s fr

om b

oile

rs, e

mer

genc

y ge

nera

tors

, and

tra

ffic

fro

m e

mpl

oyee

s an

d de

liver

ies.

Add

ition

al a

ir em

issi

ons

wou

ld o

ccur

fro

m c

arca

ss a

nd p

atho

logi

c w

aste

tre

atm

ent

and

may

inc

lude

inc

iner

atio

n, a

lkal

ine

hydr

olys

is,

or r

ende

ring.

Pr

elim

inar

y as

sess

men

ts b

ased

on

cons

erva

tive

estim

ates

of a

ir em

issi

ons

indi

cate

that

ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in a

n ex

ceed

ance

of p

artic

ulat

e em

issi

ons,

alth

ough

fina

l des

ign

and

oper

atio

ns w

ould

be

adju

sted

to m

eet a

ll ai

r per

mit

requ

irem

ents

. Add

ition

al m

odel

ing

wou

ld b

e co

nduc

ted

once

the

final

dis

posa

l met

hodo

logy

has

bee

n se

lect

ed. I

n ad

ditio

n, s

ince

Suf

folk

Cou

nty

is a

non

-atta

inm

ent a

rea

for

ozon

e an

d PM

2.5 a

n ai

r co

nfor

mity

ana

lysi

s w

ould

be

requ

ired

prio

r to

final

aut

horiz

atio

n.

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Site

Air

qual

ity e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

NB

AF.

Air

emis

sion

s fr

om c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

wou

ld in

clud

e co

nstru

ctio

n tra

ffic

an

d eq

uipm

ent.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

air

emis

sion

s fr

om b

oile

rs, e

mer

genc

y ge

nera

tors

, and

tra

ffic

fro

m e

mpl

oyee

s an

d de

liver

ies.

Add

ition

al a

ir em

issi

ons

wou

ld o

ccur

fro

m c

arca

ss a

nd p

atho

logi

c w

aste

tre

atm

ent

and

may

inc

lude

inc

iner

atio

n, a

lkal

ine

hydr

olys

is,

or r

ende

ring.

Pr

elim

inar

y as

sess

men

ts b

ased

on

cons

erva

tive

estim

ates

of a

ir em

issi

ons

indi

cate

that

ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in a

n ex

ceed

ance

of p

artic

ulat

e em

issi

ons,

alth

ough

fina

l des

ign

and

oper

atio

ns w

ould

be

adju

sted

to m

eet a

ll ai

r per

mit

requ

irem

ents

. Add

ition

al m

odel

ing

wou

ld b

e co

nduc

ted

once

the

final

dis

posa

l met

hodo

logy

has

bee

n se

lect

ed.

Texa

s R

esea

rch

Park

Site

Air

qual

ity e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

NB

AF.

Air

emis

sion

s fr

om c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

wou

ld in

clud

e co

nstru

ctio

n tra

ffic

an

d eq

uipm

ent.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

air

emis

sion

s fr

om b

oile

rs, e

mer

genc

y ge

nera

tors

, and

tra

ffic

fro

m e

mpl

oyee

s an

d de

liver

ies.

Add

ition

al a

ir em

issi

ons

wou

ld o

ccur

fro

m c

arca

ss a

nd p

atho

logi

c w

aste

tre

atm

ent

and

may

inc

lude

inc

iner

atio

n, a

lkal

ine

hydr

olys

is,

or r

ende

ring.

Pr

elim

inar

y as

sess

men

ts b

ased

on

cons

erva

tive

estim

ates

of a

ir em

issi

ons

indi

cate

that

ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in a

n ex

ceed

ance

of p

artic

ulat

e em

issi

ons,

alth

ough

fina

l des

ign

and

oper

atio

ns w

ould

be

adju

sted

to m

eet a

ll ai

r per

mit

requ

irem

ents

. Add

ition

al m

odel

ing

wou

ld b

e co

nduc

ted

once

the

final

dis

posa

l met

hodo

logy

has

bee

n se

lect

ed.

Noi

se (S

ectio

n 3.

5)

No

Act

ion

No

effe

cts

to n

oise

wou

ld o

ccur

. Tem

pora

ry in

crea

ses

in n

oise

leve

ls d

ue to

con

stru

ctio

n eq

uipm

ent w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

ass

ocia

ted

with

aut

horiz

ed in

fras

truct

ure

impr

ovem

ents

.

Sout

h M

illed

ge

Ave

nue

Site

Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts to

noi

se le

vels

may

be

expe

rienc

ed b

y th

e bo

tani

cal g

arde

n an

d re

side

nts

due

to c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

incl

udin

g co

nstru

ctio

n-re

late

d tra

ffic

. If b

last

ing

is re

quire

d du

ring

cons

truct

ion,

add

ition

al n

oise

eff

ects

wou

ld o

ccur

but

wou

ld b

e te

mpo

rary

in n

atur

e.St

eps

will

be

take

n to

min

imiz

e th

e bl

ast n

umbe

r(s)

, int

ensi

ty, a

nd d

urat

ion.

A b

last

ing

plan

wou

ld b

e de

velo

ped

impl

emen

ting

blas

ting

mea

sure

s su

ch a

s m

inim

izin

g ex

plos

ive

wei

ghts

, st

emm

ing

dept

hs a

nd m

ater

ial,

and

dela

y co

nfig

urat

ions

all

to m

itiga

te p

oten

tial n

oise

leve

ls. O

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

res

ult i

n m

inor

incr

ease

s in

no

ise

leve

ls f

rom

em

ploy

ee t

raffi

c an

d he

atin

g an

d co

olin

g fa

cilit

ies.

How

ever

, ope

ratio

n of

the

em

erge

ncy

gene

rato

rs w

ould

res

ult

in s

pora

dic

nois

e in

crea

ses d

urin

g te

stin

g.


December 2008 2-33

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Si

te

Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts to

noi

se le

vels

may

be

expe

rienc

ed b

y ne

arby

inst

itutio

ns d

ue to

con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es in

clud

ing

cons

truct

ion-

rela

ted

traff

ic. I

f bla

stin

g is

requ

ired

durin

g co

nstru

ctio

n, a

dditi

onal

noi

se e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur b

ut w

ould

be

tem

pora

ry in

nat

ure.

Ste

ps w

ill b

e ta

ken

to m

inim

ize

the

blas

t num

ber(

s),

inte

nsity

, and

dur

atio

n. A

bla

stin

g pl

an w

ould

be

deve

lope

d im

plem

entin

g bl

astin

g m

easu

res

such

as

min

imiz

ing

expl

osiv

e w

eigh

ts, s

tem

min

g de

pths

and

m

ater

ial,

and

dela

y co

nfig

urat

ions

all

to m

itiga

te p

oten

tial n

oise

leve

ls. H

owev

er, g

iven

the

high

ly d

evel

oped

sur

roun

ding

are

a, th

e in

crea

se in

noi

se le

vels

w

ould

not

be

very

not

icea

ble.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

min

or i

ncre

ases

in

nois

e le

vels

fro

m e

mpl

oyee

tra

ffic

and

hea

ting

and

cool

ing

faci

litie

s. H

owev

er, o

pera

tion

of th

e em

erge

ncy

gene

rato

rs w

ould

resu

lt in

spor

adic

noi

se in

crea

ses d

urin

g te

stin

g.

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts to

noi

se le

vels

may

be

expe

rienc

ed b

y ne

arby

inst

itutio

ns a

nd re

side

nts d

ue to

con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es in

clud

ing

cons

truct

ion-

rela

ted

traff

ic. I

f bla

stin

g is

requ

ired

durin

g co

nstru

ctio

n, a

dditi

onal

noi

se e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur b

ut w

ould

be

tem

pora

ry in

nat

ure.

Ste

ps w

ill b

e ta

ken

to m

inim

ize

the

blas

t num

ber(

s), i

nten

sity

, and

dur

atio

n. A

bla

stin

g pl

an w

ould

be

deve

lope

d im

plem

entin

g bl

astin

g m

easu

res s

uch

as m

inim

izin

g ex

plos

ive

wei

ghts

, st

emm

ing

dept

hs a

nd m

ater

ial,

and

dela

y co

nfig

urat

ions

all

to m

itiga

te p

oten

tial n

oise

leve

ls.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in m

inor

incr

ease

s in

noi

se le

vels

from

em

ploy

ee tr

affic

and

hea

ting

and

cool

ing

faci

litie

s. H

owev

er, o

pera

tion

of th

e em

erge

ncy

gene

rato

rs w

ould

resu

lt in

spor

adic

noi

se in

crea

ses d

urin

g te

stin

g.

Plum

Is

land

Site

Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts to

noi

se le

vels

may

be

expe

rienc

ed b

y ne

arby

PIA

DC

em

ploy

ees d

ue to

con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es in

clud

ing

cons

truct

ion-

rela

ted

traff

ic. I

f bl

astin

g is

requ

ired

durin

g co

nstru

ctio

n, a

dditi

onal

noi

se e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur b

ut w

ould

be

tem

pora

ry in

nat

ure.

Ste

ps w

ill b

e ta

ken

to m

inim

ize

the

blas

t nu

mbe

r(s)

, int

ensi

ty, a

nd d

urat

ion.

A b

last

ing

plan

wou

ld b

e de

velo

ped

impl

emen

ting

blas

ting

mea

sure

s suc

h as

min

imiz

ing

expl

osiv

e w

eigh

ts, s

tem

min

g de

pths

and

mat

eria

l, an

d de

lay

conf

igur

atio

ns a

ll to

miti

gate

pot

entia

l noi

se le

vels

. O

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

resu

lt in

min

or in

crea

ses

in n

oise

leve

ls fr

om h

eatin

g an

d co

olin

g fa

cilit

ies.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

emer

genc

y ge

nera

tors

wou

ld

resu

lt in

spor

adic

noi

se in

crea

ses d

urin

g te

stin

g, b

ut th

ese

alre

ady

occu

r with

the

exis

ting

PIA

DC

em

erge

ncy

gene

rato

rs.

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Site

Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts to

noi

se le

vels

may

be

expe

rienc

ed b

y ne

arby

inst

itutio

ns a

nd re

side

nts d

ue to

con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es in

clud

ing

cons

truct

ion-

rela

ted

traff

ic. I

f bla

stin

g is

requ

ired

durin

g co

nstru

ctio

n, a

dditi

onal

noi

se e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur b

ut w

ould

be

tem

pora

ry in

nat

ure.

Ste

ps w

ill b

e ta

ken

to m

inim

ize

the

blas

t num

ber(

s), i

nten

sity

, and

dur

atio

n. A

bla

stin

g pl

an w

ould

be

deve

lope

d im

plem

entin

g bl

astin

g m

easu

res s

uch

as m

inim

izin

g ex

plos

ive

wei

ghts

, st

emm

ing

dept

hs a

nd m

ater

ial,

and

dela

y co

nfig

urat

ions

all

to m

itiga

te p

oten

tial n

oise

leve

ls.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in m

inor

incr

ease

s in

noi

se le

vels

from

em

ploy

ee tr

affic

and

hea

ting

and

cool

ing

faci

litie

s. H

owev

er, o

pera

tion

of th

e em

erge

ncy

gene

rato

rs w

ould

resu

lt in

spor

adic

noi

se in

crea

ses d

urin

g te

stin

g.

Texa

s R

esea

rch

Park

Site

Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts to

noi

se le

vels

may

be

expe

rienc

ed b

y ne

arby

inst

itutio

ns a

nd re

side

nts d

ue to

con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es in

clud

ing

cons

truct

ion-

rela

ted

traff

ic. I

f bla

stin

g is

requ

ired

durin

g co

nstru

ctio

n, a

dditi

onal

noi

se e

ffec

ts w

ould

occ

ur b

ut w

ould

be

tem

pora

ry in

nat

ure.

Ste

ps w

ill b

e ta

ken

to m

inim

ize

the

blas

t num

ber(

s), i

nten

sity

, and

dur

atio

n. A

bla

stin

g pl

an w

ould

be

deve

lope

d im

plem

entin

g bl

astin

g m

easu

res s

uch

as m

inim

izin

g ex

plos

ive

wei

ghts

, st

emm

ing

dept

hs a

nd m

ater

ial,

and

dela

y co

nfig

urat

ions

all

to m

itiga

te p

oten

tial n

oise

leve

ls.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in m

inor

incr

ease

s in

nois

e le

vels

from

em

ploy

ee tr

affic

and

hea

ting

and

cool

ing

faci

litie

s. H

owev

er, o

pera

tion

of th

e em

erge

ncy

gene

rato

rs w

ould

resu

lt in

spor

adic

noi

se in

crea

ses d

urin

g te

stin

g.

Geo

logy

and

Soi

ls (S

ectio

n 3.

6)

No

Act

ion

No

effe

cts

to g

eolo

gy o

r so

ils w

ould

occ

ur. T

empo

rary

eff

ects

due

to m

inor

soi

l dis

turb

ance

s w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

ass

ocia

ted

with

au

thor

ized

infr

astru

ctur

e im

prov

emen

ts.


December 2008 2-34

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Sout

h M

illed

ge

Ave

nue

Site

Des

ign

spec

ifica

tions

of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld b

e ac

cord

ing

to a

ppro

pria

te s

eism

ic d

esig

n cr

iteria

for

the

reg

ion,

as

wel

l as

for

site

-spe

cific

geo

logi

cal

cond

ition

s.

Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts to

soils

wou

ld o

ccur

due

to e

xcav

atio

n an

d cl

earin

g w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

. BM

Ps d

urin

g co

nstru

ctio

n w

ould

min

imiz

e an

y ad

vers

e ef

fect

s. Po

tent

ial e

ffec

ts to

soi

ls c

ould

occ

ur w

ith o

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F, b

ut a

ppro

pria

te B

MPs

wou

ld e

limin

ate

or m

inim

ize

the

pote

ntia

l for

adv

erse

ef

fect

s. C

oord

inat

ion

with

the

NR

CS

rega

rdin

g Pr

ime

and

Uni

que

Farm

land

s ha

s be

en c

ompl

eted

. Acc

ordi

ng to

the

NR

CS

offic

e in

Ath

ens,

acqu

isiti

on o

r use

of

farm

land

by

a Fe

dera

l age

ncy

for

natio

nal d

efen

se p

urpo

ses

is e

xem

pted

by

sect

ion

1547

(b)

of th

e Fa

rmla

nd P

olic

y Pr

otec

tion

Act

, 7 U

.S.C

. 420

8(b)

. Th

eref

ore,

the

Farm

land

Pol

icy

Prot

ectio

n A

ct d

oes n

ot a

pply

to th

is p

roje

ct. .

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Si

te

Des

ign

spec

ifica

tions

of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld b

e ac

cord

ing

to a

ppro

pria

te s

eism

ic d

esig

n cr

iteria

for

the

reg

ion,

as

wel

l as

for

site

-spe

cific

geo

logi

cal

cond

ition

s.

Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts to

soils

wou

ld o

ccur

due

to e

xcav

atio

n an

d cl

earin

g w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

. BM

Ps d

urin

g co

nstru

ctio

n w

ould

min

imiz

e an

y ad

vers

e ef

fect

s. Po

tent

ial e

ffec

ts to

soi

ls c

ould

occ

ur w

ith o

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F, b

ut a

ppro

pria

te B

MPs

wou

ld e

limin

ate

or m

inim

ize

the

pote

ntia

l for

adv

erse

ef

fect

s. C

oord

inat

ion

with

the

NR

CS

rega

rdin

g Pr

ime

and

Uni

que

Farm

land

s ha

s be

en c

ompl

eted

. A to

tal o

f 10.

2 ac

res

of P

rime

and

Uni

que

Farm

land

s w

ould

be

affe

cted

.

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

Des

ign

spec

ifica

tions

of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld b

e ac

cord

ing

to a

ppro

pria

te s

eism

ic d

esig

n cr

iteria

for

the

reg

ion,

as

wel

l as

for

site

-spe

cific

geo

logi

cal

cond

ition

s.

Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts to

soils

wou

ld o

ccur

due

to e

xcav

atio

n an

d cl

earin

g w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

. BM

Ps d

urin

g co

nstru

ctio

n w

ould

min

imiz

e an

y ad

vers

e ef

fect

s. Po

tent

ial e

ffec

ts to

soi

ls c

ould

occ

ur w

ith o

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F, b

ut a

ppro

pria

te B

MPs

wou

ld e

limin

ate

or m

inim

ize

the

pote

ntia

l for

adv

erse

ef

fect

s. C

oord

inat

ion

with

the

NR

CS

rega

rdin

g Pr

ime

and

Uni

que

Farm

land

s ha

s be

en c

ompl

eted

. A to

tal o

f 35.

1 ac

res

of P

rime

and

Uni

que

Farm

land

s oc

cur o

n th

e Fl

ora

Indu

stria

l Par

k Si

te, b

ut it

is u

nkno

wn

if an

y w

ould

be

affe

cted

.

Plum

Is

land

Site

Des

ign

spec

ifica

tions

of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld b

e ac

cord

ing

to a

ppro

pria

te s

eism

ic d

esig

n cr

iteria

for

the

reg

ion,

as

wel

l as

for

site

-spe

cific

geo

logi

cal

cond

ition

s.

Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts to

soils

wou

ld o

ccur

due

to e

xcav

atio

n an

d cl

earin

g w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

. BM

Ps d

urin

g co

nstru

ctio

n w

ould

min

imiz

e an

y ad

vers

e ef

fect

s. Po

tent

ial e

ffec

ts to

soi

ls c

ould

occ

ur w

ith o

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F, b

ut a

ppro

pria

te B

MPs

wou

ld e

limin

ate

or m

inim

ize

the

pote

ntia

l for

adv

erse

ef

fect

s. C

oord

inat

ion

with

the

NR

CS

rega

rdin

g Pr

ime

and

Uni

que

Farm

land

s ha

s be

en c

ompl

eted

. A to

tal o

f 10.

4 ac

res

of P

rime

and

Uni

que

Farm

land

s w

ould

be

affe

cted

.


December 2008 2-35

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Site

Des

ign

spec

ifica

tions

of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld b

e ac

cord

ing

to a

ppro

pria

te s

eism

ic d

esig

n cr

iteria

for

the

reg

ion,

as

wel

l as

for

site

-spe

cific

geo

logi

cal

cond

ition

s.

Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts to

soils

wou

ld o

ccur

due

to e

xcav

atio

n an

d cl

earin

g w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

. BM

Ps d

urin

g co

nstru

ctio

n w

ould

min

imiz

e an

y ad

vers

e ef

fect

s. Po

tent

ial e

ffec

ts to

soi

ls c

ould

occ

ur w

ith o

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F, b

ut a

ppro

pria

te B

MPs

wou

ld e

limin

ate

or m

inim

ize

the

pote

ntia

l for

adv

erse

ef

fect

s. C

oord

inat

ion

with

the

NR

CS

rega

rdin

g Pr

ime

and

Uni

que

Farm

land

s ha

s be

en c

ompl

eted

. A to

tal o

f 113

.7 a

cres

of P

rime

and

Uni

que

Farm

land

s oc

cur o

n th

e U

mst

ead

Res

earc

h Fa

rm S

ite, b

ut it

is u

nkno

wn

if an

y w

ould

be

affe

cted

.

Texa

s R

esea

rch

Park

Site

Des

ign

spec

ifica

tions

of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld b

e ac

cord

ing

to a

ppro

pria

te s

eism

ic d

esig

n cr

iteria

for

the

reg

ion,

as

wel

l as

for

site

-spe

cific

geo

logi

cal

cond

ition

s.

Tem

pora

ry e

ffec

ts to

soils

wou

ld o

ccur

due

to e

xcav

atio

n an

d cl

earin

g w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

. BM

Ps d

urin

g co

nstru

ctio

n w

ould

min

imiz

e an

y ad

vers

e ef

fect

s. Po

tent

ial e

ffec

ts to

soi

ls c

ould

occ

ur w

ith o

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F, b

ut a

ppro

pria

te B

MPs

wou

ld e

limin

ate

or m

inim

ize

the

pote

ntia

l for

adv

erse

ef

fect

s. C

oord

inat

ion

with

the

NR

CS

rega

rdin

g Pr

ime

and

Uni

que

Farm

land

s ha

s be

en c

ompl

eted

. A to

tal o

f 6

acre

s of

Prim

e an

d U

niqu

e Fa

rmla

nds

wou

ld b

e af

fect

ed.

Wat

er R

esou

rces

(Sec

tion

3.7)

No

Act

ion

No

effe

cts

to w

ater

reso

urce

s w

ould

occ

ur. T

empo

rary

eff

ects

are

not

like

ly to

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

ass

ocia

ted

with

aut

horiz

ed in

fras

truct

ure

impr

ovem

ents

.

Sout

h M

illed

ge

Ave

nue

Site

Pote

ntia

l ef

fect

s to

wat

er r

esou

rces

cou

ld o

ccur

with

con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es.

Run

off

from

the

con

stru

ctio

n si

te h

as t

he p

oten

tial

ente

r su

rfac

e or

gr

ound

wat

er s

ourc

es, b

ut B

MPs

dur

ing

cons

truct

ion

wou

ld m

inim

ize

the

pote

ntia

l fo

r th

is t

o oc

cur.

Sim

ilar

effe

cts

coul

d oc

cur

with

ope

ratio

n of

the

N

BA

F. A

dher

ence

to

stor

mw

ater

pol

lutio

n pr

even

tion

plan

s (S

WPP

P) a

nd s

pill

man

agem

ent

prot

ocol

s w

ould

min

imiz

e th

e po

tent

ial

and

miti

gate

the

ef

fect

s of

a p

oten

tial s

pill.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in u

se o

f 118

,000

gpd

of p

otab

le w

ater

from

sur

face

wat

er s

ourc

es. A

ppro

xim

atel

y 73

,000

gp

d of

trea

ted

sani

tary

was

te w

ould

be

disc

harg

ed fr

om th

e si

te b

ut w

ould

be

requ

ired

to m

eet a

ll di

scha

rge

limits

. No

effe

cts t

o flo

odpl

ains

wou

ld o

ccur

.

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Si

te

Pote

ntia

l ef

fect

s to

wat

er r

esou

rces

cou

ld o

ccur

with

con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es.

Run

off

from

the

con

stru

ctio

n si

te h

as t

he p

oten

tial

ente

r su

rfac

e or

gr

ound

wat

er s

ourc

es, b

ut B

MPs

dur

ing

cons

truct

ion

wou

ld m

inim

ize

the

pote

ntia

l fo

r th

is t

o oc

cur.

Sim

ilar

effe

cts

coul

d oc

cur

with

ope

ratio

n of

the

N

BA

F. A

dher

ence

to S

WPP

P an

d sp

ill m

anag

emen

t pro

toco

ls w

ould

min

imiz

e th

e po

tent

ial a

nd m

itiga

te th

e ef

fect

s of

a p

oten

tial s

pill.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

use

of 1

18,0

00 g

pd o

f po

tabl

e w

ater

fro

m g

roun

dwat

er s

ourc

es. A

ppro

xim

atel

y 68

,000

gpd

of

treat

ed s

anita

ry w

aste

wou

ld b

e di

scha

rged

from

the

site

but

wou

ld b

e re

quire

d to

mee

t all

disc

harg

e lim

its. N

o ef

fect

s to

flood

plai

ns w

ould

occ

ur.

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

Pote

ntia

l ef

fect

s to

wat

er r

esou

rces

cou

ld o

ccur

with

con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es.

Run

off

from

the

con

stru

ctio

n si

te h

as t

he p

oten

tial

ente

r su

rfac

e or

gr

ound

wat

er s

ourc

es, b

ut B

MPs

dur

ing

cons

truct

ion

wou

ld m

inim

ize

the

pote

ntia

l fo

r th

is t

o oc

cur.

Sim

ilar

effe

cts

coul

d oc

cur

with

ope

ratio

n of

the

N

BA

F. A

dher

ence

to S

WPP

P an

d sp

ill m

anag

emen

t pro

toco

ls w

ould

min

imiz

e th

e po

tent

ial a

nd m

itiga

te th

e ef

fect

s of

a p

oten

tial s

pill.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

use

of 1

32,0

00 g

pd o

f po

tabl

e w

ater

fro

m g

roun

dwat

er s

ourc

es. A

ppro

xim

atel

y 77

,000

gpd

of

treat

ed s

anita

ry w

aste

wou

ld b

e di

scha

rged

from

the

site

but

wou

ld b

e re

quire

d to

mee

t all

disc

harg

e lim

its. N

o ef

fect

s to

flood

plai

ns w

ould

occ

ur.


December 2008 2-36

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Plum

Is

land

Site

Pote

ntia

l ef

fect

s to

wat

er r

esou

rces

cou

ld o

ccur

with

con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es.

Run

off

from

the

con

stru

ctio

n si

te h

as t

he p

oten

tial

ente

r su

rfac

e or

gr

ound

wat

er s

ourc

es, b

ut B

MPs

dur

ing

cons

truct

ion

wou

ld m

inim

ize

the

pote

ntia

l fo

r th

is t

o oc

cur.

Sim

ilar

effe

cts

coul

d oc

cur

with

ope

ratio

n of

the

N

BA

F. A

dher

ence

to S

WPP

P an

d sp

ill m

anag

emen

t pro

toco

ls w

ould

min

imiz

e th

e po

tent

ial a

nd m

itiga

te th

e ef

fect

s of

a p

oten

tial s

pill.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

use

of 1

01,0

00 g

pd o

f po

tabl

e w

ater

fro

m g

roun

dwat

er s

ourc

es. A

ppro

xim

atel

y 63

,000

gpd

of

treat

ed s

anita

ry w

aste

wou

ld b

e di

scha

rged

from

the

site

but

wou

ld b

e re

quire

d to

mee

t all

disc

harg

e lim

its. N

o ef

fect

s to

flood

plai

ns w

ould

occ

ur.

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Site

Pote

ntia

l ef

fect

s to

wat

er r

esou

rces

cou

ld o

ccur

with

con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es.

Run

off

from

the

con

stru

ctio

n si

te h

as t

he p

oten

tial

ente

r su

rfac

e or

gr

ound

wat

er s

ourc

es, b

ut B

MPs

dur

ing

cons

truct

ion

wou

ld m

inim

ize

the

pote

ntia

l fo

r th

is t

o oc

cur.

Sim

ilar

effe

cts

coul

d oc

cur

with

ope

ratio

n of

the

N

BA

F. A

dher

ence

to S

WPP

P an

d sp

ill m

anag

emen

t pro

toco

ls w

ould

min

imiz

e th

e po

tent

ial a

nd m

itiga

te th

e ef

fect

s of

a p

oten

tial s

pill.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

use

of 1

10,0

00 g

pd o

f po

tabl

e w

ater

fro

m s

urfa

ce w

ater

sou

rces

. App

roxi

mat

ely

70,0

00 g

pd o

f tre

ated

san

itary

was

te w

ould

be

disc

harg

ed fr

om th

e si

te b

ut w

ould

be

requ

ired

to m

eet a

ll di

scha

rge

limits

. No

effe

cts t

o flo

odpl

ains

wou

ld o

ccur

.

Texa

s R

esea

rch

Park

Site

Pote

ntia

l ef

fect

s to

wat

er r

esou

rces

cou

ld o

ccur

with

con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es.

Run

off

from

the

con

stru

ctio

n si

te h

as t

he p

oten

tial

ente

r su

rfac

e or

gr

ound

wat

er s

ourc

es, b

ut B

MPs

dur

ing

cons

truct

ion

wou

ld m

inim

ize

the

pote

ntia

l fo

r th

is t

o oc

cur.

Sim

ilar

effe

cts

coul

d oc

cur

with

ope

ratio

n of

the

N

BA

F. A

dher

ence

to S

WPP

P an

d sp

ill m

anag

emen

t pro

toco

ls w

ould

min

imiz

e th

e po

tent

ial a

nd m

itiga

te th

e ef

fect

s of

a p

oten

tial s

pill.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

use

of 1

64,0

00 g

pd o

f po

tabl

e w

ater

fro

m g

roun

dwat

er s

ourc

es. A

ppro

xim

atel

y 80

,000

gpd

of

treat

ed s

anita

ry w

aste

wou

ld b

e di

scha

rged

from

the

site

but

wou

ld b

e re

quire

d to

mee

t all

disc

harg

e lim

its. N

o ef

fect

s to

flood

plai

ns w

ould

occ

ur.

Bio

logi

cal R

esou

rces

(Sec

tion

3.8)

No

Act

ion

No

effe

cts

to b

iolo

gica

l re

sour

ces

wou

ld o

ccur

. Te

mpo

rary

effe

cts

are

not

likel

y to

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

ass

ocia

ted

with

aut

horiz

ed

infr

astru

ctur

e im

prov

emen

ts.

Sout

h M

illed

ge

Ave

nue

Site

Effe

cts

to b

iolo

gica

l res

ourc

es w

ould

occ

ur fr

om s

ite c

lear

ing

asso

ciat

ed w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

of th

e N

BA

F. A

ppro

xim

atel

y 30

acr

es o

f dis

turb

ed v

eget

atio

n an

d 0.

2 ac

res

of fo

rest

ed u

plan

ds w

ould

be

rem

oved

. Wet

land

s (<

0.5

acre

s) a

nd a

ssoc

iate

d bu

ffer

area

s m

ay b

e ef

fect

ed d

ue to

pro

pose

d ro

ad c

ross

ings

. Th

reat

ened

or e

ndan

gere

d sp

ecie

s, aq

uatic

reso

urce

s, an

d w

ildlif

e w

ould

not

be

dire

ctly

aff

ecte

d by

con

stru

ctio

n or

nor

mal

ope

ratio

ns. I

ndire

ct e

ffec

ts to

w

ildlif

e in

clud

ing

mig

rato

ry b

irds

coul

d oc

cur

from

nig

httim

e se

curit

y lig

htin

g; h

owev

er, t

he e

ffec

ts c

ould

be

miti

gate

d by

dire

ctio

nal a

nd lo

w in

tens

ity

light

ing.

An

acci

dent

al re

leas

e of

pat

hoge

ns fr

om th

e N

BA

F w

ould

adv

erse

ly a

ffect

sele

cted

wild

life

popu

latio

ns. P

oten

tial b

enef

its to

wild

life

wou

ld o

ccur

fr

om re

sear

ch o

n FA

Ds a

t the

NB

AF.

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Si

te

Effe

cts

to b

iolo

gica

l res

ourc

es w

ould

occ

ur fr

om s

ite c

lear

ing

asso

ciat

ed w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

of th

e N

BA

F. A

ppro

xim

atel

y 30

acr

es o

f dis

turb

ed v

eget

atio

n w

ould

be

rem

oved

. Thr

eate

ned

or e

ndan

gere

d sp

ecie

s, w

etla

nds,

aqua

tic re

sour

ces,

and

wild

life

wou

ld n

ot b

e di

rect

ly a

ffect

ed b

y co

nstru

ctio

n or

nor

mal

op

erat

ions

. Ind

irect

eff

ects

to w

ildlif

e in

clud

ing

mig

rato

ry b

irds

coul

d oc

cur

from

nig

httim

e se

curit

y lig

htin

g; h

owev

er, t

he e

ffec

ts c

ould

be

miti

gate

d by

di

rect

iona

l and

low

inte

nsity

ligh

ting.

An

acci

dent

al r

elea

se o

f pat

hoge

ns fr

om th

e N

BA

F w

ould

adv

erse

ly a

ffec

t sel

ecte

d w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

. Pot

entia

l be

nefit

s to

wild

life

wou

ld o

ccur

from

rese

arch

on

FAD

s at t

he N

BA

F.

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

Effe

cts

to b

iolo

gica

l res

ourc

es w

ould

occ

ur fr

om s

ite c

lear

ing

asso

ciat

ed w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

of th

e N

BA

F. A

ppro

xim

atel

y 30

acr

es o

f dis

turb

ed v

eget

atio

n w

ould

be

rem

oved

. Thr

eate

ned

or e

ndan

gere

d sp

ecie

s, w

etla

nds,

aqua

tic re

sour

ces,

and

wild

life

wou

ld n

ot b

e di

rect

ly a

ffect

ed b

y co

nstru

ctio

n or

nor

mal

op

erat

ions

. Ind

irect

eff

ects

to w

ildlif

e in

clud

ing

mig

rato

ry b

irds

coul

d oc

cur

from

nig

httim

e se

curit

y lig

htin

g; h

owev

er, t

he e

ffec

ts c

ould

be

miti

gate

d by

di

rect

iona

l and

low

inte

nsity

ligh

ting.

An

acci

dent

al r

elea

se o

f pat

hoge

ns fr

om th

e N

BA

F w

ould

adv

erse

ly a

ffec

t sel

ecte

d w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

. Pot

entia

l be

nefit

s to

wild

life

wou

ld o

ccur

from

rese

arch

on

FAD

s at t

he N

BA

F.


December 2008 2-37

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Plum

Is

land

Site

Effe

cts

to b

iolo

gica

l res

ourc

es w

ould

occ

ur fr

om s

ite c

lear

ing

asso

ciat

ed w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

of th

e N

BA

F. A

ppro

xim

atel

y 24

acr

es o

f dis

turb

ed v

eget

atio

n w

ould

be

rem

oved

. Thr

eate

ned

or e

ndan

gere

d sp

ecie

s, w

etla

nds,

aqua

tic re

sour

ces,

and

wild

life

wou

ld n

ot b

e di

rect

ly a

ffect

ed b

y co

nstru

ctio

n or

nor

mal

op

erat

ions

. Ind

irect

eff

ects

to w

ildlif

e in

clud

ing

mig

rato

ry b

irds

coul

d oc

cur

from

nig

httim

e se

curit

y lig

htin

g; h

owev

er, t

he e

ffec

ts c

ould

be

miti

gate

d by

di

rect

iona

l and

low

inte

nsity

ligh

ting.

An

acci

dent

al r

elea

se o

f pat

hoge

ns fr

om th

e N

BA

F w

ould

adv

erse

ly a

ffec

t sel

ecte

d w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

. Pot

entia

l be

nefit

s to

wild

life

wou

ld o

ccur

from

rese

arch

on

FAD

s at t

he N

BA

F.

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Site

Effe

cts

to b

iolo

gica

l res

ourc

es w

ould

occ

ur fr

om s

ite c

lear

ing

asso

ciat

ed w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

of th

e N

BA

F. A

ppro

xim

atel

y 30

acr

es o

f dis

turb

ed v

eget

atio

n w

ould

be

rem

oved

. Thr

eate

ned

or e

ndan

gere

d sp

ecie

s, w

etla

nds,

aqua

tic re

sour

ces,

and

wild

life

wou

ld n

ot b

e di

rect

ly a

ffect

ed b

y co

nstru

ctio

n or

nor

mal

op

erat

ions

. Ind

irect

eff

ects

to w

ildlif

e in

clud

ing

mig

rato

ry b

irds

coul

d oc

cur

from

nig

httim

e se

curit

y lig

htin

g; h

owev

er, t

he e

ffec

ts c

ould

be

miti

gate

d by

di

rect

iona

l and

low

inte

nsity

ligh

ting.

An

acci

dent

al r

elea

se o

f pat

hoge

ns fr

om th

e N

BA

F w

ould

adv

erse

ly a

ffec

t sel

ecte

d w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

. Pot

entia

l be

nefit

s to

wild

life

wou

ld o

ccur

from

rese

arch

on

FAD

s at t

he N

BA

F.

Texa

s R

esea

rch

Park

Site

Effe

cts

to b

iolo

gica

l res

ourc

es w

ould

occ

ur fr

om s

ite c

lear

ing

asso

ciat

ed w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

of th

e N

BA

F. A

ppro

xim

atel

y 30

acr

es o

f dis

turb

ed v

eget

atio

n w

ould

be

rem

oved

. Add

ition

al v

eget

atio

n w

ould

be

clea

red

with

inst

alla

tion

of 4

.6 m

iles

of n

ew s

ewer

line

. Thr

eate

ned

or e

ndan

gere

d sp

ecie

s, w

etla

nds,

aqua

tic r

esou

rces

, and

wild

life

wou

ld n

ot b

e di

rect

ly a

ffect

ed b

y co

nstru

ctio

n or

nor

mal

ope

ratio

ns. I

ndire

ct e

ffec

ts to

wild

life

incl

udin

g m

igra

tory

bird

s co

uld

occu

r fr

om n

ight

time

secu

rity

light

ing;

how

ever

, the

eff

ects

cou

ld b

e m

itiga

ted

by d

irect

iona

l and

low

inte

nsity

ligh

ting.

An

acci

dent

al r

elea

se o

f pa

thog

ens

from

the

NB

AF

wou

ld a

dver

sely

aff

ect s

elec

ted

wild

life

popu

latio

ns. P

oten

tial b

enef

its to

wild

life

wou

ld o

ccur

from

res

earc

h on

FA

Ds

at th

e N

BA

F.

Cul

tura

l Res

ourc

es (S

ectio

n 3.

9)

No

Act

ion

No

effe

cts t

o cu

ltura

l res

ourc

es w

ould

occ

ur.

Sout

h M

illed

ge

Ave

nue

Site

Con

sulta

tion

with

the

Geo

rgia

Dep

artm

ent o

f Nat

ural

Res

ourc

es H

isto

ric P

rese

rvat

ion

Div

isio

n ha

s be

en in

itiat

ed p

er S

ectio

n 10

6 of

the

Nat

iona

l His

toric

Pr

eser

vatio

n A

ct b

ut c

an n

ot b

e co

mpl

eted

unt

il th

e fin

al d

esig

n ha

s be

en s

ubm

itted

. No

know

n ef

fect

s to

cul

tura

l res

ourc

es w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

or o

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F. C

onsu

ltatio

n w

ith st

ate

and

fede

rally

reco

gniz

ed N

ativ

e A

mer

ican

Indi

an tr

ibes

has

bee

n in

itiat

ed.

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Si

te

Con

sulta

tion

with

the

Kan

sas

Stat

e H

isto

rical

Soc

iety

has

bee

n in

itiat

ed p

er S

ectio

n 10

6 of

the

Nat

iona

l His

toric

Pre

serv

atio

n A

ct. N

o kn

own

effe

cts

to

cultu

ral r

esou

rces

wou

ld o

ccur

with

con

stru

ctio

n or

ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF.

Con

sulta

tion

with

stat

e an

d fe

dera

lly re

cogn

ized

Nat

ive

Am

eric

an In

dian

trib

es

has b

een

initi

ated

. Fl

ora

Indu

stria

l Pa

rk S

ite

Con

sulta

tion

with

the

Mis

siss

ippi

Dep

artm

ent o

f Arc

hive

s an

d H

isto

ry p

er S

ectio

n 10

6 of

the

Nat

iona

l His

toric

Pre

serv

atio

n A

ct h

as b

een

com

plet

ed. N

o kn

own

effe

cts

to c

ultu

ral

reso

urce

s w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

or o

pera

tion

of t

he N

BA

F. C

onsu

ltatio

n w

ith s

tate

and

fed

eral

ly r

ecog

nize

d N

ativ

e A

mer

ican

Indi

an tr

ibes

has

bee

n in

itiat

ed.

Plum

Is

land

Site

Con

sulta

tion

with

the

New

Yor

k St

ate

Off

ice

of P

arks

, Rec

reat

ion

and

His

toric

Pre

serv

atio

n ha

s be

en in

itiat

ed p

er S

ectio

n 10

6 of

the

Nat

iona

l His

toric

Pr

eser

vatio

n A

ct b

ut i

s no

t ye

t co

mpl

ete.

No

know

n ef

fect

s to

cul

tura

l re

sour

ces

wou

ld o

ccur

with

con

stru

ctio

n or

ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF,

alth

ough

co

ordi

natio

n ha

s not

yet

bee

n co

mpl

eted

. Con

sulta

tion

with

stat

e an

d fe

dera

lly re

cogn

ized

Nat

ive

Am

eric

an In

dian

trib

es h

as b

een

initi

ated

. U

mst

ead

Res

earc

h Fa

rm S

ite

Con

sulta

tion

with

the

Nor

th C

arol

ina

Dep

artm

ent

of C

ultu

ral

Res

ourc

es,

Stat

e H

isto

ric P

rese

rvat

ion

Off

ice

per

Sect

ion

106

of t

he N

atio

nal

His

toric

Pr

eser

vatio

n A

ct h

as b

een

com

plet

ed. N

o kn

own

effe

cts

to c

ultu

ral r

esou

rces

wou

ld o

ccur

with

con

stru

ctio

n or

ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF.

Con

sulta

tion

with

st

ate

and

fede

rally

reco

gniz

ed N

ativ

e A

mer

ican

Indi

an tr

ibes

has

bee

n in

itiat

ed.


December 2008 2-38

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Texa

s R

esea

rch

Park

Site

Con

sulta

tion

with

the

Texa

s H

isto

rical

Com

mis

sion

per

Sec

tion

106

of th

e N

atio

nal H

isto

ric P

rese

rvat

ion

Act

has

bee

n co

mpl

eted

. No

know

n ef

fect

s to

cu

ltura

l res

ourc

es w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

or o

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F. C

onsu

ltatio

n w

ith st

ate

and

fede

rally

reco

gniz

ed N

ativ

e A

mer

ican

Indi

an tr

ibes

ha

s bee

n in

itiat

ed.

Soci

oeco

nom

ics (

Sect

ion

3.10

)

No

Act

ion

No

effe

cts

to e

mpl

oym

ent,

inco

me,

pop

ulat

ion,

hou

sing

, or q

ualit

y of

life

wou

ld o

ccur

. No

disp

ropo

rtion

ate

effe

cts

to lo

w-in

com

e or

min

ority

pop

ulat

ions

w

ould

occ

ur.

Sout

h M

illed

ge

Ave

nue

Site

Con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es w

ould

resu

lt in

1,6

39 te

mpo

rary

jobs

(661

dire

ct jo

bs a

nd 9

78 a

ssoc

iate

d jo

bs) g

ener

atin

g an

est

imat

ed $

150

mill

ion

in la

bor i

ncom

e an

d $1

4.6

mill

ion

in st

ate

and

loca

l tax

es. P

opul

atio

n, h

ousi

ng, a

nd q

ualit

y of

life

wou

ld n

ot b

e af

fect

ed b

y co

nstru

ctio

n.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

250

-350

dire

ct j

obs

and

an e

stim

ated

inc

ome

of $

27 m

illio

n an

nual

ly (

0.8%

inc

reas

e in

Cla

rke

Cou

nty)

. An

estim

ated

$1.

6 m

illio

n in

stat

e an

d lo

cal t

axes

wou

ld b

e ge

nera

ted.

Pop

ulat

ion

grow

th d

ue to

the

NB

AF

wou

ld b

e 4.

9% o

f the

est

imat

ed g

row

th in

the

stud

y ar

ea. T

he e

ffect

of t

he N

BA

F on

the

hous

ing

mar

ket a

nd q

ualit

y of

life

(sch

ools

, law

enf

orce

men

t, fir

e pr

otec

tion,

med

ical

faci

litie

s, re

crea

tion,

and

hea

lth

and

safe

ty) w

ould

be

negl

igib

le. L

aw e

nfor

cem

ent a

nd fi

re p

rote

ctio

n pe

rson

nel w

ould

be

adeq

uate

ly tr

aine

d by

DH

S to

resp

ond

to in

cide

nts

at th

e N

BA

F.

Site

-spe

cific

pro

toco

ls w

ould

be

deve

lope

d in

coo

rdin

atio

n w

ith l

ocal

em

erge

ncy

resp

onse

age

ncie

s th

at w

ould

con

side

r th

e di

vers

ity a

nd d

ensi

ty o

f hu

man

, liv

esto

ck, a

nd w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

resi

ding

with

in th

e lo

cal a

rea.

DH

S w

ould

hav

e si

te-s

peci

fic s

tand

ard

oper

atin

g pr

oced

ures

and

resp

onse

pla

ns

in p

lace

prio

r to

the

initi

atio

n of

rese

arch

act

iviti

es a

t the

pro

pose

d th

e N

BA

F.

The

risk

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rele

ase

of a

pat

hoge

n is

ext

rem

ely

low

(see

Sec

tion

3.14

), bu

t the

eco

nom

ic e

ffect

wou

ld b

e si

gnifi

cant

. The

cat

tle a

nd p

ork

indu

strie

s in

Geo

rgia

and

the

area

aro

und

the

site

are

rela

tivel

y sm

all.

The

prim

ary

econ

omic

effe

ct o

f an

acci

dent

al re

leas

e w

ould

be

the

pote

ntia

l ban

ning

of

U.S

. liv

esto

ck p

rodu

cts r

egar

dles

s of t

he lo

catio

n of

the

acci

dent

al re

leas

e, w

hich

cou

ld re

ach

as h

igh

as $

4.2

billi

on u

ntil

the

U.S

. was

dec

lare

d fo

reig

n an

imal

dis

ease

free

. R

espo

nse

mea

sure

s to

con

tain

and

elim

inat

e th

e th

reat

wou

ld a

lso

grea

tly r

educ

e th

e po

tent

ial

econ

omic

los

s. Th

e po

tent

ial

econ

omic

los

s w

ould

be

sign

ifica

nt d

ue t

o zo

onot

ic d

iseas

es t

hat

can

affe

ct h

uman

as

wel

l as

ani

mal

pop

ulat

ions

. The

war

m c

limat

e an

d aq

uatic

hab

itat

suita

ble

for

arth

ropo

d ve

ctor

s wou

ld in

crea

se th

e lik

elih

ood

that

the

RV

F w

ould

est

ablis

h a

sust

aina

ble

rese

rvoi

r. H

owev

er, t

he ri

sk o

f rel

ease

rem

ains

ver

y sm

all.

The

site

is lo

cate

d in

a c

ensu

s bl

ock

grou

p co

ntai

ning

hig

her

low

-inco

me

popu

latio

ns t

han

Cla

rke

Cou

nty.

The

re a

re n

o lo

ng-te

rm, h

igh,

adv

erse

, and

di

spro

porti

onat

e ef

fect

s w

hich

wou

ld o

ccur

to

low

-inco

me

or m

inor

ity p

opul

atio

ns.

Vis

ual

effe

cts

and

traff

ic i

ncre

ases

due

to

cons

truct

ion

wou

ld b

e m

inim

ized

with

pro

per s

ite m

anag

emen

t pro

toco

ls. P

oten

tial t

raff

ic e

ffec

ts w

ould

be

min

imiz

ed b

y lim

iting

road

clo

sure

s an

d re

rout

ing

traff

ic. E

cono

mic

be

nefit

s w

ould

pot

entia

lly o

ccur

to p

opul

atio

ns w

ithin

the

area

due

to c

onst

ruct

ion-

rela

ted

jobs

. Sho

uld

a re

leas

e of

cer

tain

vec

tor-

born

e pa

thog

ens

occu

r, im

pact

s su

ch a

s ae

rial s

pray

ing

of in

sect

icid

e(s)

cou

ld d

irect

ly a

ffec

t min

ority

and

low

-inco

me

com

mun

ities

and

oth

er p

opul

atio

ns im

med

iate

ly a

djac

ent t

o th

e si

te.


December 2008 2-39

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Si

te

Con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es w

ould

res

ult i

n 1,

641

tem

pora

ry j

obs

(679

dire

ct jo

bs a

nd 9

62 a

ssoc

iate

d jo

bs)

gene

ratin

g an

est

imat

ed $

138.

2 m

illio

n in

lab

or

inco

me

and

$12.

5 m

illio

n in

stat

e an

d lo

cal t

axes

. Pop

ulat

ion,

hou

sing

, and

qua

lity

of li

fe w

ould

not

be

affe

cted

by

cons

truct

ion.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in 2

50-3

50 d

irect

jobs

and

an

estim

ated

inco

me

of $

26.8

mill

ion

annu

ally

(0.8

% in

crea

se in

the

thre

e-co

unty

regi

on).

An

estim

ated

$1.

5 m

illio

n in

sta

te a

nd lo

cal t

axes

wou

ld b

e ge

nera

ted.

Pop

ulat

ion

grow

th d

ue to

the

NB

AF

wou

ld b

e si

gnifi

cant

bas

ed o

n hi

stor

ic tr

ends

bu

t w

ould

be

smal

l co

mpa

red

to in

crea

ses

expe

cted

with

exp

ansi

ons

at F

ort R

iley.

The

eff

ect o

f th

e N

BA

F on

the

hou

sing

mar

ket

and

qual

ity o

f lif

e (s

choo

ls, l

aw e

nfor

cem

ent,

fire

prot

ectio

n, m

edic

al f

acili

ties,

recr

eatio

n, a

nd h

ealth

and

saf

ety)

wou

ld b

e ne

glig

ible

, alth

ough

the

Fort

Rile

y ex

pans

ion

wou

ld re

quire

som

e in

vest

men

t in

scho

ols,

law

enf

orce

men

t, fir

e pr

otec

tion,

and

med

ical

faci

litie

s. La

w e

nfor

cem

ent a

nd fi

re p

rote

ctio

n pe

rson

nel w

ould

be

ade

quat

ely

train

ed b

y D

HS

to r

espo

nd t

o in

cide

nts

at t

he N

BA

F. S

ite-s

peci

fic p

roto

cols

wou

ld b

e de

velo

ped

in c

oord

inat

ion

with

loca

l em

erge

ncy

resp

onse

age

ncie

s th

at w

ould

con

side

r th

e di

vers

ity a

nd d

ensi

ty o

f hu

man

, liv

esto

ck, a

nd w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

res

idin

g w

ithin

the

loca

l are

a. D

HS

wou

ld

have

site

-spe

cific

stan

dard

ope

ratin

g pr

oced

ures

and

resp

onse

pla

ns in

pla

ce p

rior t

o th

e in

itiat

ion

of re

sear

ch a

ctiv

ities

at t

he p

ropo

sed

the

NB

AF.

The

risk

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rel

ease

of

a pa

thog

en is

ext

rem

ely

low

(se

e Se

ctio

n 3.

14),

but t

he e

cono

mic

effe

ct w

ould

be

sign

ifica

nt. I

n co

mpa

rison

to th

e sc

enar

io u

sed

in th

e K

ansa

s St

ate

Uni

vers

ity s

tudy

that

eva

luat

ed th

e ec

onom

ic e

ffec

ts o

f a fo

ot a

nd m

outh

dis

ease

out

brea

k, th

e ca

ttle

and

pork

indu

strie

s in

sou

thw

este

rn K

ansa

s an

d th

e ar

ea a

roun

d th

e si

te a

re re

lativ

ely

smal

l, re

sulti

ng in

less

pot

entia

l eco

nom

ic lo

ss fr

om a

n ex

trem

e FM

D-r

elat

ed e

vent

than

ha

s be

en p

revi

ousl

y de

scrib

ed. T

he p

rimar

y ec

onom

ic e

ffec

t of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rele

ase

wou

ld b

e th

e po

tent

ial b

anni

ng o

f U.S

. liv

esto

ck p

rodu

cts

rega

rdle

ss

of t

he l

ocat

ion

of t

he a

ccid

enta

l re

leas

e, w

hich

cou

ld r

each

as

high

as

$4.2

bill

ion

until

the

U.S

. w

as d

ecla

red

fore

ign

anim

al d

isea

se f

ree.

Res

pons

e m

easu

res t

o co

ntai

n an

d el

imin

ate

the

thre

at w

ould

als

o gr

eatly

redu

ce th

e po

tent

ial e

cono

mic

loss

. The

pot

entia

l eco

nom

ic lo

ss w

ould

be

sign

ifica

nt d

ue to

zo

onot

ic d

isea

ses t

hat c

an a

ffec

t hum

an a

s w

ell a

s ani

mal

pop

ulat

ions

. The

clim

ate

at th

e si

te w

ould

not

be

hosp

itabl

e to

mos

quito

spec

ies t

o br

eed,

and

the

likel

ihoo

d th

at th

e R

VF

wou

ld e

stab

lish

a su

stai

nabl

e re

serv

oir i

s low

. In

any

case

, the

risk

of r

elea

se re

mai

ns v

ery

smal

l.

The

site

is lo

cate

d in

a c

ensu

s bl

ock

grou

p co

ntai

ning

slig

htly

hig

her m

inor

ity p

opul

atio

ns th

an R

iley

Cou

nty.

The

re a

re n

o lo

ng- te

rm, h

igh,

adv

erse

, and

di

spro

porti

onat

e ef

fect

s w

hich

wou

ld o

ccur

to

low

-inco

me

or m

inor

ity p

opul

atio

ns.

Vis

ual

effe

cts

and

traff

ic i

ncre

ases

due

to

cons

truct

ion

wou

ld b

e m

inim

ized

with

pro

per s

ite m

anag

emen

t pro

toco

ls. P

oten

tial t

raff

ic e

ffec

ts w

ould

be

min

imiz

ed b

y lim

iting

road

clo

sure

s an

d re

rout

ing

traff

ic. E

cono

mic

be

nefit

s w

ould

pot

entia

lly o

ccur

to p

opul

atio

ns w

ithin

the

area

due

to c

onst

ruct

ion-

rela

ted

jobs

. Sho

uld

a re

leas

e of

cer

tain

vec

tor-

born

e pa

thog

ens

occu

r, im

pact

s su

ch a

s ae

rial s

pray

ing

of in

sect

icid

e(s)

cou

ld d

irect

ly a

ffec

t min

ority

and

low

-inco

me

com

mun

ities

and

oth

er p

opul

atio

ns im

med

iate

ly a

djac

ent t

o th

e si

te.


December 2008 2-40

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

Con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es w

ould

res

ult i

n 1,

685

tem

pora

ry j

obs

(686

dire

ct jo

bs a

nd 9

99 a

ssoc

iate

d jo

bs)

gene

ratin

g an

est

imat

ed $

149.

6 m

illio

n in

lab

or

inco

me

and

$14.

4 m

illio

n in

stat

e an

d lo

cal t

axes

. Pop

ulat

ion,

hou

sing

, and

qua

lity

of li

fe w

ould

not

be

affe

cted

by

cons

truct

ion.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in 2

50- 3

50 d

irect

jobs

and

an

estim

ated

inco

me

of $

28.4

mill

ion

annu

ally

(0.3

% o

f lab

or in

com

e in

Mad

ison

Cou

nty)

. A

n es

timat

ed $

1.9

mill

ion

in s

tate

and

loca

l tax

es w

ould

be

gene

rate

d. P

opul

atio

n gr

owth

due

to th

e N

BA

F w

ould

be

a sm

all p

ortio

n of

the

est

imat

ed

grow

th i

n th

e st

udy

area

bas

ed o

n hi

stor

ic t

rend

s. Th

e ef

fect

of

the

NB

AF

on t

he h

ousi

ng m

arke

t an

d qu

ality

of

life

(sch

ools

, law

enf

orce

men

t, fir

e pr

otec

tion,

med

ical

fac

ilitie

s, re

crea

tion,

and

hea

lth a

nd s

afet

y) w

ould

be

min

imal

, alth

ough

som

e in

vest

men

t in

the

se s

ervi

ces

may

be

requ

ired.

Law

en

forc

emen

t and

fire

pro

tect

ion

pers

onne

l w

ould

be

adeq

uate

ly tr

aine

d by

DH

S to

res

pond

to in

cide

nts

at th

e N

BA

F. S

ite-s

peci

fic p

roto

cols

wou

ld b

e de

velo

ped

in c

oord

inat

ion

with

loc

al e

mer

genc

y re

spon

se a

genc

ies

that

wou

ld c

onsi

der

the

dive

rsity

and

den

sity

of

hum

an,

lives

tock

, an

d w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

resi

ding

with

in th

e lo

cal a

rea.

DH

S w

ould

hav

e si

te-s

peci

fic st

anda

rd o

pera

ting

proc

edur

es a

nd re

spon

se p

lans

in p

lace

prio

r to

the

initi

atio

n of

re

sear

ch a

ctiv

ities

at t

he p

ropo

sed

the

NB

AF.

The

risk

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rel

ease

of

a pa

thog

en is

ext

rem

ely

low

(se

e Se

ctio

n 3.

14),

but t

he e

cono

mic

effe

ct w

ould

be

sign

ifica

nt. T

he c

attle

and

por

k in

dust

ries i

n M

issi

ssip

pi a

nd th

e ar

ea a

roun

d th

e si

te a

re re

lativ

ely

smal

l, re

sulti

ng in

less

pot

entia

l eco

nom

ic lo

ss fr

om a

n ex

trem

e FM

D-r

elat

ed e

vent

than

ha

s be

en p

revi

ousl

y de

scrib

ed. T

he p

rimar

y ec

onom

ic e

ffec

t of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rele

ase

wou

ld b

e th

e po

tent

ial b

anni

ng o

f U.S

. liv

esto

ck p

rodu

cts

rega

rdle

ss

of t

he l

ocat

ion

of t

he a

ccid

enta

l re

leas

e, w

hich

cou

ld r

each

as

high

as

$4.2

bill

ion

until

the

U.S

. w

as d

ecla

red

fore

ign

anim

al d

isea

se f

ree.

Res

pons

e m

easu

res t

o co

ntai

n an

d el

imin

ate

the

thre

at w

ould

als

o gr

eatly

redu

ce th

e po

tent

ial e

cono

mic

loss

. The

pot

entia

l eco

nom

ic lo

ss w

ould

be

sign

ifica

nt d

ue to

zo

onot

ic d

isea

ses

that

can

aff

ect h

uman

as

wel

l as

anim

al p

opul

atio

ns. T

he w

arm

clim

ate

and

aqua

tic h

abita

t sui

tabl

e fo

r arth

ropo

d ve

ctor

s w

ould

incr

ease

th

e lik

elih

ood

that

the

RV

F w

ould

est

ablis

h a

sust

aina

ble

rese

rvoi

r. H

owev

er, t

he ri

sk o

f rel

ease

rem

ains

ver

y sm

all.

The

site

is lo

cate

d in

a c

ensu

s bl

ock

grou

p co

ntai

ning

hig

her

low

-inco

me

and

min

ority

pop

ulat

ions

than

Mad

ison

Cou

nty.

The

re a

re n

o lo

ng- te

rm, h

igh,

ad

vers

e, a

nd d

ispr

opor

tiona

te e

ffect

s w

hich

wou

ld o

ccur

to lo

w-in

com

e or

min

ority

pop

ulat

ions

. Vis

ual e

ffec

ts a

nd tr

affic

incr

ease

s du

e to

con

stru

ctio

n w

ould

be

min

imiz

ed w

ith p

rope

r si

te m

anag

emen

t pro

toco

ls. P

oten

tial t

raffi

c ef

fect

s w

ould

be

min

imiz

ed b

y lim

iting

roa

d cl

osur

es a

nd r

erou

ting

traff

ic.

Econ

omic

ben

efits

wou

ld p

oten

tially

occ

ur t

o po

pula

tions

with

in t

he a

rea

due

to c

onst

ruct

ion-

rela

ted

jobs

. Sh

ould

a r

elea

se o

f ce

rtain

vec

tor-

born

e pa

thog

ens

occu

r, im

pact

s su

ch a

s ae

rial

spra

ying

of

inse

ctic

ide(

s) c

ould

dire

ctly

affe

ct m

inor

ity a

nd l

ow-in

com

e co

mm

uniti

es a

nd o

ther

pop

ulat

ions

im

med

iate

ly a

djac

ent t

o th

e si

te.


December 2008 2-41

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Plum

Is

land

Site

Con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es w

ould

res

ult i

n 1,

372

tem

pora

ry j

obs

(528

dire

ct jo

bs a

nd 8

44 a

ssoc

iate

d jo

bs)

gene

ratin

g an

est

imat

ed $

183.

9 m

illio

n in

lab

or

inco

me

and

$24.

7 m

illio

n in

stat

e an

d lo

cal t

axes

. Pop

ulat

ion,

hou

sing

, and

qua

lity

of li

fe w

ould

not

be

affe

cted

by

cons

truct

ion.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in 2

50-3

50 d

irect

jobs

and

an

estim

ated

inco

me

of $

30.8

mill

ion

annu

ally

(0.1

% o

f lab

or in

com

e in

the

thre

e-co

unty

re

gion

). A

n es

timat

ed $

2.7

mill

ion

in s

tate

and

loc

al t

axes

wou

ld b

e ge

nera

ted.

Pop

ulat

ion

grow

th d

ue t

o th

e N

BA

F w

ould

be

a sm

all

porti

on o

f th

e es

timat

ed g

row

th in

the

stud

y ar

ea b

ased

on

hist

oric

tren

ds. T

he e

ffect

of t

he N

BA

F on

the

hous

ing

mar

ket a

nd q

ualit

y of

life

(sch

ools

, law

enf

orce

men

t, fir

e pr

otec

tion,

med

ical

faci

litie

s, re

crea

tion,

and

hea

lth a

nd s

afet

y) w

ould

be

min

imal

, alth

ough

som

e in

vest

men

t in

thes

e se

rvic

es m

ay b

e re

quire

d. L

aw

enfo

rcem

ent a

nd fi

re p

rote

ctio

n pe

rson

nel a

re c

urre

ntly

ade

quat

ely

train

ed b

y D

HS

to r

espo

nd to

inci

dent

s at

the

PIA

DC

, and

add

ition

al tr

aini

ng m

ay b

e re

quire

d fo

r th

e N

BA

F. S

ite-s

peci

fic p

roto

cols

wou

ld b

e de

velo

ped

in c

oord

inat

ion

with

loc

al e

mer

genc

y re

spon

se a

genc

ies

that

wou

ld c

onsi

der

the

dive

rsity

and

den

sity

of

hum

an,

lives

tock

, an

d w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

res

idin

g w

ithin

the

loc

al a

rea.

DH

S w

ould

hav

e si

te-s

peci

fic s

tand

ard

oper

atin

g pr

oced

ures

and

resp

onse

pla

ns in

pla

ce p

rior t

o th

e in

itiat

ion

of re

sear

ch a

ctiv

ities

at t

he p

ropo

sed

the

NB

AF.

The

risk

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rel

ease

of

a pa

thog

en is

ext

rem

ely

low

(se

e Se

ctio

n 3.

14),

but t

he e

cono

mic

effe

ct w

ould

be

sign

ifica

nt. T

he c

attle

and

por

k in

dust

ries

in th

e co

untie

s ad

jace

nt to

the

prop

osed

site

are

sm

all,

and

Plum

Isl

and

is v

irtua

lly f

ree

of li

vest

ock

popu

latio

ns a

nd o

ther

ani

mal

s po

tent

ially

af

fect

ed b

y FM

D. T

he p

rimar

y ec

onom

ic e

ffec

t of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rele

ase

wou

ld b

e th

e po

tent

ial b

anni

ng o

f U.S

. liv

esto

ck p

rodu

cts r

egar

dles

s of t

he lo

catio

n of

the

acci

dent

al re

leas

e, w

hich

cou

ld re

ach

as h

igh

as $

2.8

billi

on u

ntil

the

U.S

. was

dec

lare

d fo

reig

n an

imal

dis

ease

free

. The

geo

grap

hic

isol

atio

n fr

om

the

mai

nlan

d si

gnifi

cant

ly m

itiga

tes

the

risk

of th

e vi

rus

reac

hing

live

stoc

k po

pula

tions

. The

pot

entia

l eco

nom

ic lo

ss w

ould

be

sign

ifica

nt d

ue to

zoo

notic

di

seas

es t

hat

can

affe

ct h

uman

as

wel

l as

ani

mal

pop

ulat

ions

. Th

e cl

imat

e at

the

site

wou

ld n

ot b

e ho

spita

ble

to m

osqu

ito s

peci

es t

o br

eed,

and

the

lik

elih

ood

that

the

RV

F w

ould

est

ablis

h a

sust

aina

ble

rese

rvoi

r is l

ow. I

n an

y ca

se, t

he ri

sk o

f rel

ease

rem

ains

ver

y sm

all.

The

site

is lo

cate

d in

a c

ensu

s bl

ock

grou

p th

at d

oes

not c

onta

in h

ighe

r low

-inco

me

or m

inor

ity p

opul

atio

ns th

an S

uffo

lk C

ount

y. T

here

are

no

long

-term

, hi

gh,

adve

rse,

and

dis

prop

ortio

nate

eff

ects

whi

ch w

ould

occ

ur t

o lo

w-in

com

e or

min

ority

pop

ulat

ions

. V

isua

l ef

fect

s an

d tra

ffic

inc

reas

es d

ue t

o co

nstru

ctio

n w

ould

be

min

imiz

ed w

ith p

rope

r si

te m

anag

emen

t pr

otoc

ols.

Pote

ntia

l tra

ffic

eff

ects

wou

ld b

e m

inim

ized

by

limiti

ng r

oad

clos

ures

and

re

rout

ing

traff

ic. E

cono

mic

ben

efits

wou

ld p

oten

tially

occ

ur to

pop

ulat

ions

with

in th

e ar

ea d

ue to

con

stru

ctio

n-re

late

d jo

bs. S

houl

d a

rele

ase

of c

erta

in

vect

or-b

orne

pat

hoge

ns o

ccur

, im

pact

s su

ch a

s ae

rial

spra

ying

of

inse

ctic

ide(

s) c

ould

dire

ctly

aff

ect

min

ority

and

low

-inco

me

com

mun

ities

and

oth

er

popu

latio

ns n

ear t

he O

rient

Poi

nt st

agin

g ar

ea.


December 2008 2-42

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Site

Con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es w

ould

res

ult i

n 1,

535

tem

pora

ry j

obs

(612

dire

ct jo

bs a

nd 9

23 a

ssoc

iate

d jo

bs)

gene

ratin

g an

est

imat

ed $

162.

1 m

illio

n in

lab

or

inco

me

and

$16.

2 m

illio

n in

stat

e an

d lo

cal t

axes

. Pop

ulat

ion,

hou

sing

, and

qua

lity

of li

fe w

ould

not

be

affe

cted

by

cons

truct

ion.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld r

esul

t in

250-

350

dire

ct jo

bs a

nd a

n es

timat

ed in

com

e of

$29

.4 m

illio

n an

nual

ly (

0.1%

incr

ease

in th

e fo

ur- c

ount

y re

gion

an

d 2.

7% in

Gra

nvill

e C

ount

y). A

n es

timat

ed $

1.9

mill

ion

in s

tate

and

loca

l tax

es w

ould

be

gene

rate

d. P

opul

atio

n gr

owth

due

to th

e N

BA

F w

ould

be

a sm

all p

ortio

n of

the

estim

ated

gro

wth

in th

e st

udy

area

. The

effe

ct o

f the

NB

AF

on th

e ho

usin

g m

arke

t and

qua

lity

of li

fe (s

choo

ls, l

aw e

nfor

cem

ent,

fire

prot

ectio

n, m

edic

al fa

cilit

ies,

recr

eatio

n, a

nd h

ealth

and

saf

ety)

wou

ld b

e ne

glig

ible

. Law

enf

orce

men

t and

fire

pro

tect

ion

pers

onne

l wou

ld b

e ad

equa

tely

tra

ined

by

DH

S to

resp

ond

to in

cide

nts

at th

e N

BA

F. S

ite-s

peci

fic p

roto

cols

wou

ld b

e de

velo

ped

in c

oord

inat

ion

with

loca

l em

erge

ncy

resp

onse

age

ncie

s th

at w

ould

con

side

r th

e di

vers

ity a

nd d

ensi

ty o

f hu

man

, liv

esto

ck, a

nd w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

res

idin

g w

ithin

the

loca

l are

a. D

HS

wou

ld h

ave

site

-spe

cific

st

anda

rd o

pera

ting

proc

edur

es a

nd re

spon

se p

lans

in p

lace

prio

r to

the

initi

atio

n of

rese

arch

act

iviti

es a

t the

pro

pose

d th

e N

BA

F.

The

risk

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rel

ease

of

a pa

thog

en is

ext

rem

ely

low

(se

e Se

ctio

n 3.

14),

but t

he e

cono

mic

effe

ct w

ould

be

sign

ifica

nt. T

he c

attle

and

por

k in

dust

ries

in N

orth

Car

olin

a an

d th

e ar

ea a

roun

d th

e si

te a

re re

lativ

ely

smal

l, re

sulti

ng in

less

pot

entia

l eco

nom

ic lo

ss fr

om a

n ex

trem

e FM

D-r

elat

ed e

vent

th

an h

as b

een

prev

ious

ly d

escr

ibed

. The

prim

ary

econ

omic

eff

ect

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rel

ease

wou

ld b

e th

e po

tent

ial

bann

ing

of U

.S.

lives

tock

pro

duct

s re

gard

less

of

the

loca

tion

of t

he a

ccid

enta

l re

leas

e, w

hich

cou

ld r

each

as

high

as

$4.2

bill

ion

until

the

U.S

. was

dec

lare

d fo

reig

n an

imal

dis

ease

fre

e.

Res

pons

e m

easu

res

to c

onta

in a

nd e

limin

ate

the

thre

at w

ould

als

o gr

eatly

red

uce

the

pote

ntia

l ec

onom

ic l

oss.

The

pote

ntia

l ec

onom

ic l

oss

wou

ld b

e si

gnifi

cant

due

to z

oono

tic d

isea

ses t

hat c

an a

ffec

t hum

an a

s w

ell a

s ani

mal

pop

ulat

ions

. The

clim

ate

cond

ition

s dur

ing

win

ter m

onth

s wou

ld n

ot b

e op

timal

fo

r mos

quito

spe

cies

to b

reed

, and

the

likel

ihoo

d th

at th

e R

VF

wou

ld e

stab

lish

a su

stai

nabl

e re

serv

oir i

s lo

w. I

n an

y ca

se, t

he ri

sk o

f rel

ease

rem

ains

ver

y sm

all.

The

site

is lo

cate

d in

a c

ensu

s blo

ck g

roup

that

doe

s not

con

tain

hig

her l

ow-in

com

e or

min

ority

pop

ulat

ions

than

Gra

nvill

e an

d D

urha

m C

ount

ies.

Ther

e ar

e no

long

-term

, hig

h, a

dver

se, a

nd d

ispr

opor

tiona

te e

ffect

s w

hich

wou

ld o

ccur

to lo

w-in

com

e or

min

ority

pop

ulat

ions

. Vis

ual e

ffec

ts a

nd tr

affic

incr

ease

s due

to

con

stru

ctio

n w

ould

be

min

imiz

ed w

ith p

rope

r si

te m

anag

emen

t pro

toco

ls. P

oten

tial t

raff

ic e

ffect

s w

ould

be

min

imiz

ed b

y lim

iting

roa

d cl

osur

es a

nd

rero

utin

g tra

ffic

. Eco

nom

ic b

enef

its w

ould

pot

entia

lly o

ccur

to p

opul

atio

ns w

ithin

the

area

due

to c

onst

ruct

ion-

rela

ted

jobs

. Sho

uld

a re

leas

e of

cer

tain

ve

ctor

-bor

ne p

atho

gens

occ

ur,

impa

cts

such

as

aeria

l sp

rayi

ng o

f in

sect

icid

e(s)

cou

ld d

irect

ly a

ffec

t m

inor

ity a

nd l

ow-in

com

e co

mm

uniti

es a

nd o

ther

po

pula

tions

imm

edia

tely

adj

acen

t to

the

site

.


December 2008 2-43

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Texa

s R

esea

rch

Park

Site

Con

stru

ctio

n ac

tiviti

es w

ould

res

ult i

n 1,

614

tem

pora

ry jo

bs (

607

dire

ct jo

bs a

nd 1

,007

ass

ocia

ted

jobs

) ge

nera

ting

an e

stim

ated

$18

0.5

mill

ion

in la

bor

inco

me

and

$13.

6 m

illio

n in

stat

e an

d lo

cal t

axes

. Pop

ulat

ion,

hou

sing

, and

qua

lity

of li

fe w

ould

not

be

affe

cted

by

cons

truct

ion.

Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in 2

50-3

50 d

irect

jobs

and

an

estim

ated

inco

me

of $

30.4

mill

ion

annu

ally

(<0.

1% in

crea

se in

the

two-

coun

ty re

gion

). A

n es

timat

ed $

1.7

mill

ion

in s

tate

and

loca

l tax

es w

ould

be

gene

rate

d. P

opul

atio

n gr

owth

due

to th

e N

BA

F w

ould

be

a ve

ry s

mal

l por

tion

of th

e es

timat

ed

grow

th in

the

stud

y ar

ea. T

he e

ffec

t of t

he N

BA

F on

the

hous

ing

mar

ket a

nd q

ualit

y of

life

(sch

ools

, law

enf

orce

men

t, fir

e pr

otec

tion,

med

ical

faci

litie

s, re

crea

tion,

and

hea

lth a

nd s

afet

y) w

ould

be

negl

igib

le. L

aw e

nfor

cem

ent a

nd fi

re p

rote

ctio

n pe

rson

nel w

ould

be

adeq

uate

ly tr

aine

d by

DH

S to

resp

ond

to

inci

dent

s at

the

NB

AF.

Site

-spe

cific

pro

toco

ls w

ould

be

deve

lope

d in

coo

rdin

atio

n w

ith l

ocal

em

erge

ncy

resp

onse

age

ncie

s th

at w

ould

con

side

r th

e di

vers

ity a

nd d

ensi

ty o

f hu

man

, liv

esto

ck,

and

wild

life

popu

latio

ns r

esid

ing

with

in t

he l

ocal

are

a. D

HS

wou

ld h

ave

site

-spe

cific

sta

ndar

d op

erat

ing

proc

edur

es a

nd re

spon

se p

lans

in p

lace

prio

r to

the

initi

atio

n of

rese

arch

act

iviti

es a

t the

pro

pose

d th

e N

BA

F.

The

risk

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rel

ease

of

a pa

thog

en is

ext

rem

ely

low

(se

e Se

ctio

n 3.

14),

but t

he e

cono

mic

effe

ct w

ould

be

sign

ifica

nt. T

he c

attle

and

por

k in

dust

ries

in t

he a

rea

arou

nd t

he s

ite a

re r

elat

ivel

y sm

all,

resu

lting

in

less

pot

entia

l ec

onom

ic l

oss

from

an

extre

me

FMD

-rel

ated

eve

nt t

han

has

been

pr

evio

usly

des

crib

ed. T

he p

rimar

y ec

onom

ic e

ffec

t of

an a

ccid

enta

l rel

ease

wou

ld b

e th

e po

tent

ial b

anni

ng o

f U

.S. l

ives

tock

pro

duct

s re

gard

less

of

the

loca

tion

of th

e ac

cide

ntal

rele

ase,

whi

ch c

ould

reac

h as

hig

h as

$4.

2 bi

llion

unt

il th

e U

.S. w

as d

ecla

red

fore

ign

anim

al d

isea

se fr

ee. R

espo

nse

mea

sure

s to

co

ntai

n an

d el

imin

ate

the

thre

at w

ould

als

o gr

eatly

redu

ce th

e po

tent

ial e

cono

mic

loss

. The

pot

entia

l eco

nom

ic lo

ss w

ould

be

sign

ifica

nt d

ue to

zoo

notic

di

seas

es th

at c

an a

ffec

t hum

an a

s w

ell a

s an

imal

pop

ulat

ions

. The

war

m c

limat

e su

itabl

e fo

r arth

ropo

d ve

ctor

s w

ould

incr

ease

the

likel

ihoo

d th

at th

e R

VF

wou

ld e

stab

lish

a su

stai

nabl

e re

serv

oir.

How

ever

, the

risk

of r

elea

se re

mai

ns v

ery

smal

l.

The

site

is lo

cate

d in

a c

ensu

s bl

ock

grou

p th

at d

oes

not c

onta

in h

ighe

r low

-inco

me

or m

inor

ity p

opul

atio

ns th

an B

exar

and

Med

ina

Cou

ntie

s. Th

ere

are

no

long

-term

, hig

h, a

dver

se, a

nd d

ispr

opor

tiona

te e

ffec

ts w

hich

wou

ld o

ccur

to lo

w-in

com

e or

min

ority

pop

ulat

ions

. Vis

ual e

ffect

s and

traf

fic in

crea

ses d

ue to

co

nstru

ctio

n w

ould

be

min

imiz

ed w

ith p

rope

r si

te m

anag

emen

t pr

otoc

ols.

Pote

ntia

l tra

ffic

eff

ects

wou

ld b

e m

inim

ized

by

limiti

ng r

oad

clos

ures

and

re

rout

ing

traff

ic. E

cono

mic

ben

efits

wou

ld p

oten

tially

occ

ur to

pop

ulat

ions

with

in th

e ar

ea d

ue to

con

stru

ctio

n-re

late

d jo

bs. S

houl

d a

rele

ase

of c

erta

in

vect

or-b

orne

pat

hoge

ns o

ccur

, im

pact

s su

ch a

s ae

rial

spra

ying

of

inse

ctic

ide(

s) c

ould

dire

ctly

aff

ect

min

ority

and

low

-inco

me

com

mun

ities

and

oth

er

popu

latio

ns im

med

iate

ly a

djac

ent t

o th

e si

te.

Traf

fic a

nd T

rans

porta

tion

(Sec

tion

3.11

)

No

Act

ion

No

effe

cts

to tr

affic

or

trans

porta

tion

wou

ld o

ccur

. Tem

pora

ry, m

inor

incr

ease

s fr

om c

onst

ruct

ion-

rela

ted

traff

ic w

ould

occ

ur w

ith c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

as

soci

ated

with

aut

horiz

ed in

fras

truct

ure

impr

ovem

ents

.

Sout

h M

illed

ge

Ave

nue

Site

Loca

l tra

ffic

wou

ld b

e te

mpo

raril

y af

fect

ed b

y ge

nera

l con

stru

ctio

n tra

ffic.

O

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

resu

lt in

a 9

% in

crea

se in

ave

rage

dai

ly tr

affic

on

Sout

h M

illed

ge A

venu

e, w

hich

alre

ady

expe

rienc

es im

paire

d tra

ffic

flow

. Th

e N

BA

F w

ould

res

ult

in a

dver

se e

ffec

ts t

o tra

ffic

flo

w a

t th

e W

hite

hall

Roa

d an

d So

uth

Mill

edge

Ave

nue

inte

rsec

tion.

Geo

rgia

Dep

artm

ent

of

Tran

spor

tatio

n re

com

men

ded

mod

ifica

tions

to th

e in

ters

ectio

n an

d a

dedi

cate

d tu

rn la

ne fo

r the

NB

AF.

A

n in

crea

se in

tran

spor

tatio

n of

infe

ctio

us m

ater

ial t

raff

ic w

ould

occ

ur to

and

from

the

site

but

wou

ld n

ot s

igni

fican

tly in

crea

se th

e ris

k of

a tr

affic

-rel

ated

in

cide

nt.


December 2008 2-44

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Si

te

Loca

l tra

ffic

wou

ld b

e te

mpo

raril

y af

fect

ed b

y ge

nera

l con

stru

ctio

n tra

ffic.

O

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

resu

lt in

an

8.7%

incr

ease

in a

vera

ge d

aily

traf

fic o

n D

enis

on A

venu

e an

d w

ould

resu

lt in

adv

erse

eff

ects

to tr

affic

flow

on

Den

ison

, And

erso

n, a

nd K

imba

ll A

venu

es.

An

incr

ease

in tr

ansp

orta

tion

of in

fect

ious

mat

eria

l tra

ffic

wou

ld o

ccur

to a

nd fr

om th

e si

te b

ut w

ould

not

sig

nific

antly

incr

ease

the

risk

of a

traf

fic-r

elat

ed

inci

dent

.

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

Loca

l tra

ffic

wou

ld b

e te

mpo

raril

y af

fect

ed b

y ge

nera

l con

stru

ctio

n tra

ffic.

O

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

resu

lt in

a 6

.7%

incr

ease

in a

vera

ge d

aily

traf

fic o

n H

ighw

ay 4

9 an

d w

ould

resu

lt in

min

or a

dver

se e

ffect

s to

traf

fic fl

ow. A

le

ft tu

rn la

ne a

nd a

ccel

erat

ion/

dece

lera

tion

lane

s at t

he N

BA

F en

tranc

e w

ere

reco

mm

ende

d.

An

incr

ease

in tr

ansp

orta

tion

of in

fect

ious

mat

eria

l tra

ffic

wou

ld o

ccur

to a

nd fr

om th

e si

te b

ut w

ould

not

sig

nific

antly

incr

ease

the

risk

of a

traf

fic-r

elat

ed

inci

dent

.

Plum

Is

land

Site

Traf

fic a

long

Rou

te 2

5 in

NY

and

Hig

hway

95

at O

ld S

aybr

ook,

CT

wou

ld b

e te

mpo

raril

y af

fect

ed b

y ge

nera

l con

stru

ctio

n tra

ffic

. N

o su

bsta

ntia

l adv

erse

eff

ects

to tr

affic

due

to o

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

be

expe

cted

. A

n in

crea

se in

tran

spor

tatio

n of

infe

ctio

us m

ater

ial t

raff

ic w

ould

occ

ur to

and

from

the

site

but

wou

ld n

ot s

igni

fican

tly in

crea

se th

e ris

k of

a tr

affic

-rel

ated

in

cide

nt.

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Site

Loca

l tra

ffic

wou

ld b

e te

mpo

raril

y af

fect

ed b

y ge

nera

l con

stru

ctio

n tra

ffic.

O

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

res

ult i

n a

140%

ave

rage

incr

ease

in a

vera

ge d

aily

traf

fic o

n R

ange

Roa

d an

d O

ld R

oute

75,

but

cur

rent

traf

fic o

n th

ese

road

s is l

ow (2

006

aver

age

daily

traf

fic w

as 3

81 an

d 5,

500

vehi

cles

per

day

, res

pect

ivel

y) a

nd w

ould

not

resu

lt in

sign

ifica

nt a

dver

se e

ffect

s to

traff

ic fl

ow,

parti

cula

rly w

ith p

lann

ed im

prov

emen

ts to

bot

h R

ange

Roa

d an

d O

ld R

oute

75.

A

n in

crea

se in

tran

spor

tatio

n of

infe

ctio

us m

ater

ial t

raff

ic w

ould

occ

ur to

and

from

the

site

but

wou

ld n

ot s

igni

fican

tly in

crea

se th

e ris

k of

a tr

affic

-rel

ated

in

cide

nt.


December 2008 2-45

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Texa

s R

esea

rch

Park

Site

Loca

l tra

ffic

wou

ld b

e te

mpo

raril

y af

fect

ed b

y ge

nera

l con

stru

ctio

n tra

ffic.

O

pera

tion

of th

e N

BA

F w

ould

resu

lt in

a 6

.2%

incr

ease

in a

vera

ge d

aily

traf

fic o

n St

ate

Hig

hway

211

and

wou

ld re

sult

in m

inor

adv

erse

effe

cts

to tr

affic

flo

w b

etw

een

Potra

nco

Roa

d an

d U

.S. 9

0. P

lann

ed im

prov

emen

ts to

Pot

ranc

o R

oad

sche

dule

d fo

r co

mpl

etio

n in

201

0 w

ould

min

imiz

e th

e ef

fect

s. A

n em

erge

ncy

exit

off L

ambd

a D

rive

has b

een

prop

osed

to se

rvic

e th

e N

BA

F.

An

incr

ease

in tr

ansp

orta

tion

of in

fect

ious

mat

eria

l tra

ffic

wou

ld o

ccur

to a

nd fr

om th

e si

te b

ut w

ould

not

sig

nific

antly

incr

ease

the

risk

of a

traf

fic-r

elat

ed

inci

dent

. H

azar

dous

, Tox

ic, a

nd R

adio

logi

cal W

aste

(Sec

tion

3.12

) N

o A

ctio

n N

o ef

fect

s to

exis

ting

haza

rdou

s, to

xic,

and

radi

olog

ical

was

te c

ondi

tions

wou

ld o

ccur

. So

uth

Mill

edge

A

venu

e Si

te

No

effe

cts t

o ex

istin

g ha

zard

ous,

toxi

c, a

nd ra

diol

ogic

al w

aste

con

ditio

ns w

ould

occ

ur.

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Si

te

No

effe

cts t

o ex

istin

g ha

zard

ous,

toxi

c, a

nd ra

diol

ogic

al w

aste

con

ditio

ns w

ould

occ

ur.

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

No

effe

cts t

o ex

istin

g ha

zard

ous,

toxi

c, a

nd ra

diol

ogic

al w

aste

con

ditio

ns w

ould

occ

ur.

Plum

Is

land

Site

No

effe

cts t

o ex

istin

g ha

zard

ous,

toxi

c, a

nd ra

diol

ogic

al w

aste

con

ditio

ns w

ould

occ

ur.

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Site

No

effe

cts

to e

xist

ing

haza

rdou

s, to

xic,

and

rad

iolo

gica

l was

te c

ondi

tions

are

like

ly to

occ

ur. R

ecen

t inv

estig

atio

ns in

dica

te th

e po

tent

ial f

or u

nexp

lode

d or

dnan

ce is

low

, alth

ough

inst

itutio

nal c

ontro

ls s

till r

emai

n on

the

site

. Tra

inin

g fo

r con

stru

ctio

n w

orke

rs m

ay b

e re

quire

d pr

ior t

o in

itiat

ion

of c

onst

ruct

ion

activ

ities

. Te

xas

Res

earc

h Pa

rk S

ite

No

effe

cts t

o ex

istin

g ha

zard

ous,

toxi

c, a

nd ra

diol

ogic

al w

aste

con

ditio

ns w

ould

occ

ur.

Was

te M

anag

emen

t (Se

ctio

n 3.

13)

No

Act

ion

No

effe

cts

to w

aste

man

agem

ent

wou

ld o

ccur

. How

ever

, was

tew

ater

dec

onta

min

atio

n w

ill b

e im

prov

ed w

ith t

he a

utho

rized

rep

air

and

upgr

ade

of t

he

was

tew

ater

dec

onta

min

atio

n sy

stem

for B

uild

ing

102.


December 2008 2-46

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Sout

h M

illed

ge

Ave

nue

Site

Con

stru

ctio

n w

ould

gen

erat

e co

nstru

ctio

n de

bris

, san

itary

sol

id w

aste

, and

was

tew

ater

. Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in g

ener

atio

n of

was

tew

ater

, w

aste

sol

ids,

and

med

ical

, haz

ardo

us, a

nd in

dust

rial s

olid

was

tes.

An

estim

ated

73,

000

gpd

of p

retre

ated

was

tew

ater

wou

ld b

e di

scha

rged

to th

e m

unic

ipal

se

wer

syst

em. T

he v

olum

e an

d ch

arac

teris

tics o

f the

was

te st

ream

wou

ld n

ot e

xcee

d cu

rren

t or p

roje

cted

cap

acity

or r

equi

rem

ents

.

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Si

te

Con

stru

ctio

n w

ould

gen

erat

e co

nstru

ctio

n de

bris

, san

itary

sol

id w

aste

, and

was

tew

ater

. Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in g

ener

atio

n of

was

tew

ater

, w

aste

sol

ids,

and

med

ical

, haz

ardo

us, a

nd in

dust

rial s

olid

was

tes.

An

estim

ated

68,

500

gpd

of p

retre

ated

was

tew

ater

wou

ld b

e di

scha

rged

to th

e m

unic

ipal

se

wer

syst

em. T

he v

olum

e an

d ch

arac

teris

tics o

f the

was

te st

ream

wou

ld n

ot e

xcee

d cu

rren

t or p

roje

cted

cap

acity

or r

equi

rem

ents

.

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

Con

stru

ctio

n w

ould

gen

erat

e co

nstru

ctio

n de

bris

, san

itary

sol

id w

aste

, and

was

tew

ater

. Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in g

ener

atio

n of

was

tew

ater

, w

aste

sol

ids,

and

med

ical

, haz

ardo

us, a

nd in

dust

rial s

olid

was

tes.

An

estim

ated

77,

400

gpd

of p

retre

ated

was

tew

ater

wou

ld b

e di

scha

rged

to th

e m

unic

ipal

se

wer

syst

em. T

he v

olum

e an

d ch

arac

teris

tics o

f the

was

te st

ream

wou

ld n

ot e

xcee

d cu

rren

t or p

roje

cted

cap

acity

or r

equi

rem

ents

.

Plum

Is

land

Site

Con

stru

ctio

n w

ould

gen

erat

e co

nstru

ctio

n de

bris

, san

itary

sol

id w

aste

, and

was

tew

ater

. Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in g

ener

atio

n of

was

tew

ater

, w

aste

sol

ids,

and

med

ical

, haz

ardo

us, a

nd in

dust

rial s

olid

was

tes.

An

estim

ated

63,

000

gpd

of p

retre

ated

was

tew

ater

wou

ld b

e di

scha

rged

to th

e m

unic

ipal

se

wer

syst

em. T

he v

olum

e an

d ch

arac

teris

tics o

f the

was

te st

ream

wou

ld n

ot e

xcee

d cu

rren

t or p

roje

cted

cap

acity

or r

equi

rem

ents

.

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Site

Con

stru

ctio

n w

ould

gen

erat

e co

nstru

ctio

n de

bris

, san

itary

sol

id w

aste

, and

was

tew

ater

. Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in g

ener

atio

n of

was

tew

ater

, w

aste

sol

ids,

and

med

ical

, haz

ardo

us, a

nd in

dust

rial s

olid

was

tes.

An

estim

ated

70,

000

gpd

of p

retre

ated

was

tew

ater

wou

ld b

e di

scha

rged

to th

e m

unic

ipal

se

wer

syst

em. T

he v

olum

e an

d ch

arac

teris

tics o

f the

was

te st

ream

wou

ld n

ot e

xcee

d cu

rren

t or p

roje

cted

cap

acity

or r

equi

rem

ents

.

Texa

s R

esea

rch

Park

Site

Con

stru

ctio

n w

ould

gen

erat

e co

nstru

ctio

n de

bris

, san

itary

sol

id w

aste

, and

was

tew

ater

. Ope

ratio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld re

sult

in g

ener

atio

n of

was

tew

ater

, w

aste

sol

ids,

and

med

ical

, haz

ardo

us, a

nd in

dust

rial s

olid

was

tes.

An

estim

ated

80,

000

gpd

of p

retre

ated

was

tew

ater

wou

ld b

e di

scha

rged

to th

e m

unic

ipal

se

wer

syst

em. T

he v

olum

e an

d ch

arac

teris

tics o

f the

was

te st

ream

wou

ld n

ot e

xcee

d cu

rren

t or p

roje

cted

cap

acity

or r

equi

rem

ents

.

Hea

lth a

nd S

afet

y (S

ectio

n 3.

14)

No

Act

ion

No

effe

cts t

o he

alth

and

safe

ty w

ould

occ

ur. H

owev

er, t

he a

utho

rized

reno

vatio

ns a

t PIA

DC

will

impr

ove

heal

th a

nd sa

fety

con

ditio

ns a

t PIA

DC

.

Sout

h M

illed

ge

Ave

nue

Site

The

cons

truct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld p

rese

nt t

he s

tand

ard

indu

stria

l ha

zard

s of

slip

s, tri

ps,

falls

, w

ound

s, el

ectri

cal

haza

rds,

chem

ical

to

xici

ty, f

ire h

azar

ds, a

nd tr

aum

atic

inju

ries.

Equi

pmen

t and

fac

ility

sys

tem

s w

ould

ser

ve a

s pr

imar

y an

d se

cond

ary

barr

iers

to th

e re

leas

e of

infe

ctio

us

biol

ogic

al m

ater

ials

whi

le a

dmin

istra

tive

cont

rols

wou

ld s

erve

an

impo

rtant

sup

port

func

tion.

The

NB

AF

wou

ld h

ave

a ne

glig

ible

eff

ect

on h

ealth

and

sa

fety

und

er n

orm

al o

pera

tions

. The

prim

ary

haza

rd o

f th

e N

BA

F op

erat

ions

is

the

path

ogen

and

the

con

sequ

ence

s of

its

rel

ease

. The

re a

re v

ery

few

ac

cide

nt s

cena

rios

that

wou

ld re

sult

in a

nim

al o

r hum

an d

isea

se, t

he e

xcep

tions

bei

ng a

n ov

er-p

ress

ure

even

t res

ultin

g in

loss

of c

onta

inm

ent a

nd a

faci

lity

fire.

The

risk

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rele

ase

at a

ny o

f the

site

s is e

xtre

mel

y lo

w. S

ite-s

peci

fic p

roto

cols

wou

ld b

e de

velo

ped,

in c

oord

inat

ion

with

loca

l em

erge

ncy

resp

onse

age

ncie

s th

at w

ould

con

side

r th

e di

vers

ity a

nd d

ensi

ty o

f hu

man

, liv

esto

ck, a

nd w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

res

idin

g w

ithin

the

loca

l are

a. D

HS

wou

ld

have

site

-spe

cific

stan

dard

ope

ratin

g pr

oced

ures

and

resp

onse

pla

ns in

pla

ce p

rior t

o th

e in

itiat

ion

of re

sear

ch a

ctiv

ities

at t

he p

ropo

sed

the

NB

AF.


December 2008 2-47

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Si

te

The

cons

truct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld p

rese

nt t

he s

tand

ard

indu

stria

l ha

zard

s of

slip

s, tri

ps,

falls

, w

ound

s, el

ectri

cal

haza

rds,

chem

ical

to

xici

ty, f

ire h

azar

ds, a

nd tr

aum

atic

inju

ries.

Equi

pmen

t and

fac

ility

sys

tem

s w

ould

ser

ve a

s pr

imar

y an

d se

cond

ary

barr

iers

to th

e re

leas

e of

infe

ctio

us

biol

ogic

al m

ater

ials

whi

le a

dmin

istra

tive

cont

rols

wou

ld s

erve

an

impo

rtant

sup

port

func

tion.

The

NB

AF

wou

ld h

ave

a ne

glig

ible

eff

ect o

n he

alth

and

sa

fety

und

er n

orm

al o

pera

tions

. The

prim

ary

haza

rd o

f th

e N

BA

F op

erat

ions

is

the

path

ogen

and

the

con

sequ

ence

s of

its

rel

ease

. The

re a

re v

ery

few

ac

cide

nt s

cena

rios

that

wou

ld re

sult

in a

nim

al o

r hum

an d

isea

se, t

he e

xcep

tions

bei

ng a

n ov

er-p

ress

ure

even

t res

ultin

g in

loss

of c

onta

inm

ent a

nd a

faci

lity

fire.

The

risk

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rele

ase

at a

ny o

f the

site

s is e

xtre

mel

y lo

w. S

ite-s

peci

fic p

roto

cols

wou

ld b

e de

velo

ped,

in c

oord

inat

ion

with

loca

l em

erge

ncy

resp

onse

age

ncie

s th

at w

ould

con

side

r th

e di

vers

ity a

nd d

ensi

ty o

f hu

man

, liv

esto

ck, a

nd w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

res

idin

g w

ithin

the

loca

l are

a. D

HS

wou

ld

have

site

-spe

cific

stan

dard

ope

ratin

g pr

oced

ures

and

resp

onse

pla

ns in

pla

ce p

rior t

o th

e in

itiat

ion

of re

sear

ch a

ctiv

ities

at t

he p

ropo

sed

the

NB

AF.

Flor

a In

dust

rial

Park

Site

The

cons

truct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld p

rese

nt t

he s

tand

ard

indu

stria

l ha

zard

s of

slip

s, tri

ps,

falls

, w

ound

s, el

ectri

cal

haza

rds,

chem

ical

to

xici

ty, f

ire h

azar

ds, a

nd tr

aum

atic

inju

ries.

Equi

pmen

t and

fac

ility

sys

tem

s w

ould

ser

ve a

s pr

imar

y an

d se

cond

ary

barr

iers

to th

e re

leas

e of

infe

ctio

us

biol

ogic

al m

ater

ials

whi

le a

dmin

istra

tive

cont

rols

wou

ld s

erve

an

impo

rtant

sup

port

func

tion.

The

NB

AF

wou

ld h

ave

a ne

glig

ible

eff

ect o

n he

alth

and

sa

fety

und

er n

orm

al o

pera

tions

. The

prim

ary

haza

rd o

f th

e N

BA

F op

erat

ions

is

the

path

ogen

and

the

con

sequ

ence

s of

its

rel

ease

. The

re a

re v

ery

few

ac

cide

nt s

cena

rios

that

wou

ld re

sult

in a

nim

al o

r hum

an d

isea

se, t

he e

xcep

tions

bei

ng a

n ov

er-p

ress

ure

even

t res

ultin

g in

loss

of c

onta

inm

ent a

nd a

faci

lity

fire.

The

risk

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rele

ase

at a

ny o

f the

site

s is e

xtre

mel

y lo

w. S

ite-s

peci

fic p

roto

cols

wou

ld b

e de

velo

ped,

in c

oord

inat

ion

with

loca

l em

erge

ncy

resp

onse

age

ncie

s th

at w

ould

con

side

r th

e di

vers

ity a

nd d

ensi

ty o

f hu

man

, liv

esto

ck, a

nd w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

res

idin

g w

ithin

the

loca

l are

a. D

HS

wou

ld

have

site

-spe

cific

stan

dard

ope

ratin

g pr

oced

ures

and

resp

onse

pla

ns in

pla

ce p

rior t

o th

e in

itiat

ion

of re

sear

ch a

ctiv

ities

at t

he p

ropo

sed

the

NB

AF

Plum

Is

land

Site

The

cons

truct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld p

rese

nt th

e st

anda

rd in

dust

rial h

azar

ds o

f slip

s, tri

ps, f

alls

, wou

nds,

elec

trica

l haz

ards

, che

mic

al

toxi

city

, fire

haz

ards

, and

trau

mat

ic in

jurie

s. Eq

uipm

ent a

nd fa

cilit

y sy

stem

s w

ould

serv

e as

prim

ary

and

seco

ndar

y ba

rrie

rs to

the

rele

ase

of in

fect

ious

bi

olog

ical

mat

eria

ls w

hile

adm

inis

trativ

e co

ntro

ls w

ould

serv

e an

impo

rtant

supp

ort f

unct

ion.

The

NB

AF

wou

ld h

ave

a ne

glig

ible

eff

ect o

n he

alth

and

sa

fety

und

er n

orm

al o

pera

tions

. The

prim

ary

haza

rd o

f the

NB

AF

oper

atio

ns is

the

path

ogen

and

the

cons

eque

nces

of i

ts re

leas

e. T

here

are

ver

y fe

w

acci

dent

scen

ario

s tha

t wou

ld re

sult

in a

nim

al o

r hum

an d

isea

se, t

he e

xcep

tions

bei

ng a

n ov

er-p

ress

ure

even

t res

ultin

g in

loss

of c

onta

inm

ent a

nd a

faci

lity

fire.

The

loca

tion

of th

e Pl

um Is

land

pro

vide

s a b

arrie

r aga

inst

the

spre

ad o

f viru

ses.

Giv

en th

e lo

w li

kelih

ood

of in

fect

ed a

nim

als o

r vec

tors

get

ting

off o

f th

e is

land

, whi

ch su

bsta

ntia

lly re

duce

s the

pot

entia

l for

the

spre

ad o

f dis

ease

. The

risk

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rele

ase

at a

ny o

f the

site

s is e

xtre

mel

y lo

w. S

ite-

spec

ific

prot

ocol

s wou

ld b

e de

velo

ped,

in c

oord

inat

ion

with

loca

l em

erge

ncy

resp

onse

age

ncie

s tha

t wou

ld c

onsi

der t

he d

iver

sity

and

den

sity

of h

uman

, liv

esto

ck, a

nd w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

resi

ding

with

in th

e lo

cal a

rea.

DH

S w

ould

hav

e si

te-s

peci

fic st

anda

rd o

pera

ting

proc

edur

es a

nd re

spon

se p

lans

in p

lace

pr

ior t

o th

e in

itiat

ion

of re

sear

ch a

ctiv

ities

at t

he p

ropo

sed

the

NB

AF

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Site

The

cons

truct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld p

rese

nt t

he s

tand

ard

indu

stria

l ha

zard

s of

slip

s, tri

ps,

falls

, w

ound

s, el

ectri

cal

haza

rds,

chem

ical

to

xici

ty, f

ire h

azar

ds, a

nd tr

aum

atic

inju

ries.

Equi

pmen

t and

fac

ility

sys

tem

s w

ould

ser

ve a

s pr

imar

y an

d se

cond

ary

barr

iers

to th

e re

leas

e of

infe

ctio

us

biol

ogic

al m

ater

ials

whi

le a

dmin

istra

tive

cont

rols

wou

ld s

erve

an

impo

rtant

sup

port

func

tion.

The

NB

AF

wou

ld h

ave

a ne

glig

ible

eff

ect o

n he

alth

and

sa

fety

und

er n

orm

al o

pera

tions

. The

prim

ary

haza

rd o

f th

e N

BA

F op

erat

ions

is

the

path

ogen

and

the

con

sequ

ence

s of

its

rel

ease

. The

re a

re v

ery

few

ac

cide

nt s

cena

rios

that

wou

ld re

sult

in a

nim

al o

r hum

an d

isea

se, t

he e

xcep

tions

bei

ng a

n ov

er-p

ress

ure

even

t res

ultin

g in

loss

of c

onta

inm

ent a

nd a

faci

lity

fire.

The

risk

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rele

ase

at a

ny o

f the

site

s is e

xtre

mel

y lo

w. S

ite-s

peci

fic p

roto

cols

wou

ld b

e de

velo

ped,

in c

oord

inat

ion

with

loca

l em

erge

ncy

resp

onse

age

ncie

s th

at w

ould

con

side

r th

e di

vers

ity a

nd d

ensi

ty o

f hu

man

, liv

esto

ck, a

nd w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

res

idin

g w

ithin

the

loca

l are

a. D

HS

wou

ld

have

site

-spe

cific

stan

dard

ope

ratin

g pr

oced

ures

and

resp

onse

pla

ns in

pla

ce p

rior t

o th

e in

itiat

ion

of re

sear

ch a

ctiv

ities

at t

he p

ropo

sed

the

NB

AF


December 2008 2-48

Tabl

e 2.

5.1-

2 —

Com

pari

son

of E

nvir

onm

enta

l Eff

ects

(Con

tinue

d)

Alte

rnat

ive

Effe

cts

Texa

s R

esea

rch

Park

Site

The

cons

truct

ion

and

oper

atio

n of

the

NB

AF

wou

ld p

rese

nt t

he s

tand

ard

indu

stria

l ha

zard

s of

slip

s, tri

ps,

falls

, w

ound

s, el

ectri

cal

haza

rds,

chem

ical

to

xici

ty, f

ire h

azar

ds, a

nd tr

aum

atic

inju

ries.

Equi

pmen

t and

fac

ility

sys

tem

s w

ould

ser

ve a

s pr

imar

y an

d se

cond

ary

barr

iers

to th

e re

leas

e of

infe

ctio

us

biol

ogic

al m

ater

ials

whi

le a

dmin

istra

tive

cont

rols

wou

ld s

erve

an

impo

rtant

sup

port

func

tion.

The

NB

AF

wou

ld h

ave

a ne

glig

ible

eff

ect o

n he

alth

and

sa

fety

und

er n

orm

al o

pera

tions

. The

prim

ary

haza

rd o

f th

e N

BA

F op

erat

ions

is

the

path

ogen

and

the

con

sequ

ence

s of

its

rel

ease

. The

re a

re v

ery

few

ac

cide

nt s

cena

rios

that

wou

ld re

sult

in a

nim

al o

r hum

an d

isea

se, t

he e

xcep

tions

bei

ng a

n ov

er-p

ress

ure

even

t res

ultin

g in

loss

of c

onta

inm

ent a

nd a

faci

lity

fire.

The

risk

of a

n ac

cide

ntal

rele

ase

at a

ny o

f the

site

s is e

xtre

mel

y lo

w. S

ite-s

peci

fic p

roto

cols

wou

ld b

e de

velo

ped,

in c

oord

inat

ion

with

loca

l em

erge

ncy

resp

onse

age

ncie

s th

at w

ould

con

side

r th

e di

vers

ity a

nd d

ensi

ty o

f hu

man

, liv

esto

ck, a

nd w

ildlif

e po

pula

tions

res

idin

g w

ithin

the

loca

l are

a. D

HS

wou

ld

have

site

-spe

cific

stan

dard

ope

ratin

g pr

oced

ures

and

resp

onse

pla

ns in

pla

ce p

rior t

o th

e in

itiat

ion

of re

sear

ch a

ctiv

ities

at t

he p

ropo

sed

the

NB

AF.


December 2008 2-49

Table 2.5.1–3 — Environmental Effects Categories

Effect Category Definition Beneficial Effects Significant An action that would greatly improve current conditions

Moderate An action that would moderately improve current conditions Minor An action that would slightly improve current conditions

Negligible or No Effect An action that would neither improve nor degrade current conditions Adverse Effects Minor An action that would slightly degrade current conditions

Moderate An action that would moderately degrade current conditions Significant An action that would greatly degrade current conditions

As shown in Table 2.5.1-4, the potential effects of the NBAF at the site alternatives are generally negligible to minor. There would be moderate effects to infrastructure, mainly due to the demand for water and wastewater capacity due to NBAF operations. Moderate effects to water resources would occur due to the water use potentially affecting local water supply from ground or surface water resources. Moderate air quality effects could occur at all sites with operations, although the preliminary air screening used conservative numbers to determine the greatest potential effect. Moderate effects would occur to visual resources at the South Milledge Avenue Site, Manhattan Campus Site, Flora Industrial Park Site, and Umstead Research Farm Site and to traffic at the South Milledge Avenue Site and Texas Research Park Site.

Construction of the NBAF at any of the site alternatives would have potential beneficial effects to wildlife, socioeconomics, and health and safety. The work performed at the NBAF could result in development of vaccines or new diagnostic tools to protect or contain outbreaks of foreign animal diseases.

Significant Adverse Environmental Effects No significant adverse effects to environmental or human resources would be expected from any of the alternatives with normal operation of the NBAF. Moderate effects that would occur would be to the following resources: • Potable Water—use of 36 million to 52 million gallons of potable water per year at all site

alternatives. • Wastewater treatment capacity—generation of 25 million to 30 million gallons of wastewater per year

at all site alternatives. • Water Resources—use of 36 million to 52 million gallons of potable water per year could affect

surface or groundwater resources at all site alternatives. • Visual Quality—visual prominence of the NBAF at all of the alternative site locations except the Plum

Island Site and the Texas Research Park Site • Land Use – designation of Rural land use for the South Milledge Avenue Site in the Clarke County

Comprehensive Plan would not be consistent with proposed use. • Air Quality—Potential for air emissions to affect the region’s ability to meet regional air quality

standards at all site alternatives. • Traffic—Potential adverse traffic flow effects at the South Milledge Avenue Site and the Texas

Research Park Site. Significant beneficial effects to biological resources (wildlife), economics, and health and safety could occur with the development of new vaccines, diagnostic procedures, or rapid responses to potential FAD outbreaks.


December 2008 2-50

Tab

le 2

.5.1

-4 —

Sum

mar

y of

Env

iron

men

tal E

ffec

ts

Res

ourc

e N

o A

ctio

n So

uth

Mill

edge

A

venu

e Si

te

Man

hatta

n C

ampu

s Site

Fl

ora

Indu

stria

l Pa

rk S

ite

Plum

Isla

nd S

ite

Um

stea

d R

esea

rch

Farm

Si

te

Texa

s Res

earc

h Pa

rk S

ite

Pote

ntia

l Adv

erse

Eff

ects

from

Nor

mal

Ope

ratio

ns

Land

Use

N

one

Mod

erat

e M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

V

isua

l N

one

Mod

erat

e M

oder

ate

Mod

erat

e M

inor

M

oder

ate

Min

or

Infr

astru

ctur

e M

inor

M

oder

ate

Mod

erat

e M

oder

ate

Mod

erat

e M

oder

ate

Mod

erat

e A

ir Q

ualit

y M

inor

M

oder

ate

Mod

erat

e M

oder

ate

Mod

erat

e M

oder

ate

Mod

erat

e N

oise

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

G

eolo

gy a

nd S

oils

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

W

ater

M

inor

M

oder

ate

Mod

erat

e M

oder

ate

Mod

erat

e M

oder

ate

Mod

erat

e B

iolo

gy

Neg

ligib

le

Min

or

Neg

ligib

le

Neg

ligib

le

Neg

ligib

le

Min

or

Neg

ligib

le

Cul

tura

l N

one

Non

e N

one

Non

e N

one

Non

e N

one

Soci

oeco

nom

ics

Non

e M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

Tr

affic

and

Tra

nspo

rtatio

n N

one

Mod

erat

e M

inor

M

inor

N

eglig

ible

M

inor

M

oder

ate

Haz

ardo

us W

aste

N

one

Neg

ligib

le

Neg

ligib

le

Neg

ligib

le

Min

or

Min

or

Neg

ligib

le

Was

te M

anag

emen

t M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

M

inor

H

ealth

and

Saf

ety

Neg

ligib

le

Neg

ligib

le

Neg

ligib

le

Neg

ligib

le

Neg

ligib

le

Neg

ligib

le

Neg

ligib

le

Cum

ulat

ive

Effe

cts

Non

e M

inor

M

inor

M

oder

ate

Neg

ligib

le

Min

or

Mod

erat

e Po

tent

ial B

enef

icia

l Eff

ects

from

Nor

mal

Ope

ratio

ns

Bio

logy

N

one

Sign

ifica

nt

Sign

ifica

nt

Sign

ifica

nt

Sign

ifica

nt

Sign

ifica

nt

Sign

ifica

nt

Soci

oeco

nom

ics

Non

e Si

gnifi

cant

Si

gnifi

cant

Si

gnifi

cant

Si

gnifi

cant

Si

gnifi

cant

Si

gnifi

cant

H

ealth

and

Saf

ety

Non

e Si

gnifi

cant

Si

gnifi

cant

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2.6 PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations require an agency to identify its Preferred Alternative in the final environmental impact statement (40 CFR 1502.14). The Preferred Alternative is the alternative that the agency believes would fulfill its statutory mission, giving consideration to environmental, economic, technical, security and other factors. The Preferred Alternative is the Manhattan Campus Site in Kansas. During the first round site down-select in 2006, DHS conducted an initial evaluation of the 29 responses to the Expressions of Interest (EOI), using the four evaluation criteria set forth in the public notice soliciting EOIs. The four evaluation criteria were:

• Proximity to Research Capabilities • Proximity to Workforce • Acquisition/Construction/Operations Requirements • Community Acceptance

An interagency working group developed the evaluation criteria to ensure that the NBAF would meet the interdependent needs of DHS and USDA to adequately protect the nation against biological threats to animal agriculture. Based on this initial evaluation, 18 sites were identified for analysis in the second round of the selection process in August 2006. DHS set forth the review process for analyzing the remaining 18 sites against the evaluation criteria, associated sub-criteria, and preferences. The preferences were elaborations of the DHS view of the importance of the four evaluation criteria and sub-criteria. Following this review, six sites were selected as the action alternatives for analysis in the EIS, including Plum Island, New York (see Section 2.3.1). The July 2007 Competitive Site Selection Memorandum and the Plum Island Memorandum for the Record documented the findings of this process and established the evaluation criteria baseline.

DHS developed and implemented a decision process to identify a Preferred Alternative in the Final EIS. A steering committee, comprised of Federal employees from DHS and USDA, led the evaluation process and made recommendations to the DHS Decision Authority. The process involved a qualitative analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each action alternative and then an overall data comparison to develop a relative ranking of each action alternative. The steering committee considered the No Action Alternative and weighed it against the proposed action of constructing and operating the NBAF at the highest ranked site alternative to identify the Preferred Alternative. The steering committee updated the original findings from the second round down-select of each action alternative using new and emerging data collected since July 2007. This data was contained in the following support documents:

• Threat and Risk Assessment (designated as For Official Use Only) • Site Cost Analysis* • Site Characterization Study* • Plum Island Facility Closure and Transition Cost Study*

* These support documents were posted on DHS’s NBAF Web site (http://www.dhs.gov/nbaf) in August 2008.

Additionally, DHS requested that each consortium submit an offer, by March 31, 2008, for offsets to the site infrastructure costs. The decision to offer land, funds, or other assets was solely at the discretion of the consortium. The amount of the contribution and how the contribution was funded (bonds, taxes, etc) was determined by the consortium and/or the state and local government officials and was not a decision of the Federal government.


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The steering committee then considered the environmental impacts presented in the EIS, including the public comments made at the public meetings and during the 60-day public comment period, along with the Threat and Risk Assessment. Finally, overall site ratings were completed to identify the recommended action alternative. Based on the numerous strengths that were evident when evaluating against the evaluation criteria, the steering committee found that the Manhattan Campus Site best met the purpose and need to site, construct and operate the NBAF. These strengths include its location near Kansas State University (KSU), which provides site proximity to existing research capabilities that can be linked to NBAF mission requirements. Additionally, the Site provides proximity to a workforce relevant to the NBAF mission, as it is adjacent to the KSU College of Veterinary Medicine, KSU College of Agriculture, and the Biosecurity Research Institute. The EIS demonstrated that for the Manhattan Campus Site, almost all environmental impacts fell in the “no impacts to minor impacts” category. The steering committee concurred with the EIS that the risk of release of a pathogen was independent of where the NBAF was located. The findings for the Manhattan Campus Site in the Threat and Risk Assessment were found to be comparable to the other Site Alternatives. The Manhattan Campus Site also demonstrated a very strong community acceptance from local, state, and Federal officials and stakeholders. Finally, taking into consideration the “in-kind” contributions offered by the consortia, the Manhattan Campus Site was among the least expensive to construct and had among the lowest planned operation costs of all the Site Alternatives. Following a comparison of this site to the no action alternative, the steering committee unanimously agreed that the Manhattan Campus Site is the preferred alternative. The environmentally preferable alternative is the alternative that causes the least impact to the environment; it is also the alternative that best protects, preserves, and enhances historic, cultural and natural resources, but is not necessarily the same as the agency’s Preferred Alternative. DHS identified the No Action Alternative as the environmentally preferable alternative due to it having the smallest environmental impact. Under this No Action Alternative, continued operations of the PIADC would have little or no incremental environmental impacts, except for minor and temporary effects from construction of ongoing infrastructure upgrades. Nevertheless, the No Action Alternative does not satisfy DHS’s purpose and need for action and associated mission drivers. The Record of Decision will address the following:

• The criteria involved in deciding whether to build the NBAF, and if so, where; • Considerations of national policy, costs, site characterizations, security, and other programmatic

requirements; • Comparison of site alternatives based on the evaluation criteria, environmental impact study and

threat and risk assessment; and • Whether all practicable means to avoid or minimize environmental impacts from the alternative

selected have been adopted and, if not, why, as well as any required mitigation, monitoring, and enforcement programs that would be necessary to offset environmental impacts.

Documents

NBAF Final Environmental Impact Statement - Chapter 2 · NBAF Final Environmental Impact Statement ... operations and support existing research programs but ... accordance with good