Final Environmental Assessment for Proposed Enhanced Testing and Associated Training Use of the Giant Reusable Air Blast Simulator (GRABS) Site at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

摘要

Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1500-1508; Department of Defense Directive 6050.1 and the Air Force Environmental Impact Analysis Process (EIAP), 32 CFR Part 989, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) in coordination with the Air Force has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) to identify and evaluate potential environmental impacts from the proposed enhanced testing and associated training of DTRA's approximately 155-acre Giant Reusable Air Blast Simulator (GRABS) site at Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB), New Mexico. The mission of GRABS site is to test blast resistance of various structural and equipment components by simulating a nuclear blast using explosives in a variety of scenarios. In 1993 DTRA completed an initial EA, which resulted in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) addressing activities performed at the GRABS site. Since that time, testing methodologies and types of activities I equipment used continue to change and evolve. Given the length of time that has elapsed, DTRA and the Air Force have determined an update to the 1993 EA is appropriate. This EA describes and evaluates the potential environmental impacts of enhanced testing and associated training activities currently conducted at the GRABS site, as well as reasonably foreseeable future ones. The findings of the 1993 EA, which remain directly relevant to the Proposed Action, are incorporated by reference into this EA. DTRA proposes to continue ongoing explosive test events at the GRABS site and to conduct additional, enhanced test activities in accordance with their current and emerging mission requirements. One of the new tests would use a biological simulate known as Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk), a naturally occurring aerobic bacterium used in agriculture as a commercial organic insecticide.