Environmental Assessment for Explosives Ordnance Disposal Proficiency Training Range at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

摘要

Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CPR) 1500- 1508, Department of Defense Directive (DoD) 6050.1 and Air Force Regulation (APR) 32 CPR Part 989, the 88th Air Base Wing (ABW) Civil Engineer Directorate, Asset Management Division prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) to identify and assess potential effects of the construction and operation of a new Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) proficiency training range at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), Ohio. This EA is incorporated by reference into this finding. The US Air Force (USAF) identified the need to establish and operate an EOD proficiency training range at WPAFB for the purpose of training EOD specialists as required by Air Force Instruction (API) 32-3001, Air Force Materiel Command Supplement 1, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Program, 2 May 2006. An EOD range is required in order to conduct the proficiency training operations in accordance with Air Force Manual (AFMAN) 91-201, Explosives Safety Standard, 17 November 2008. This EA evaluates four proposed locations for the EOD range and potential impacts to critical resources resulting from both construction and long-term operation of the proposed range. The construction of the range includes the installation of an engineered barricade for control of ejected debris, two bunkers for staging training ordnance and initiators, an access road and parking area, with the entire perimeter being fenced off. The training would be conducted at a maximum of three times per week for up to eight hours per training event with one detonation per hour during training exercises. Actual use of the range is expected to occur approximately one day per week with a single detonation per training event.