USAF Helicopter Training Site Coming To McIntosh?

The 58th Special Operations Wing (58  SOW) from Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB) is proposing creation and use of a Low-Dust Helicopter Landing Zone (HLZ) to be located on Gardner Turfgrass farm in McIntosh.  Currently, Kirtland is using a location at Piñon Canyon in Colorado for training sorties.  

The Air Force initiated a site search within 115 mile (100 nautical miles) of Kirtland's base.  "Numerous land owners and/or sod farm managers were contacted and asked if they would be interested in leasing land for use by Air Force CV-22 and HH-60/UH-1 aircraft.  Only one land owner responded to the Air Force inquiry and that site, managed by Gardner Turfgrass" which is the subject of the environmental assessment (EA).  

If selected, the proposed Garnder Turfgrass site would offer training to "96 CV-22 and 88 HH-60/UH-1 (83 HH-60 and 5 UH-1) sorties to the proposed HLZ".   

Draft FONSI/Environmental Assessment for the 58th SOW
Low-Dust Helicopter Landing Zone

Draft FONSI/Environmental Assessment for the 58th SOW
Low-Dust Helicopter Landing Zone

Draft FONSI/Environmental Assessment for the 58th SOW
Low-Dust Helicopter Landing Zone

Each sortie as defined by the draft includes a "a single aircraft’s activities from takeoff at the base, conducting training maneuvers, and returning to the base", would average about "90 minutes", "CV-22s and helicopters would not operate at the HLZ at the same time and no other aircraft except those from the 58 SOW would conduct operations at the HLZ".  No personnel or cargo "would leave the aircraft unless under emergency situations".

Noise levels would exceed 65 decibles while traveling to, from, and while at the site and the draft indicates that this decible level would occur on average about "1 time per day, be intermittent", and not last long enough to "pose risk to human hearing or to the natural environment".  

Affects on wildlife and domesticated animals "While there could be potential noise effects to startle wildlife (including domesticated animals), impacts are unlikely to be significant. Impacts to special status species would be the same as those described for wildlife".

Inquiries to various agencies:  (The entire next section is cut and paste from the draft - I reformatted the list for readability.)   "Of the 24 IICEP and 26 government-to-government coordination letters sent, the Air Force received four responses:  

1. The Natural Resources Conservation Service responded that no prime or unique farmlands would be affected, 
2. The U.S. Forest Service had no concerns with the proposal, the New Mexico Fish and Game suggested that before operations begin that raptor surveys  be conducted within a half-mile of the HLZ during the breeding season (May through August)
3. Torrance County Planning and Zoning did not find any issues with the proposal
4. The Pueblo of Santa Ana concurred that there would be no impacts to the Area of Potential Effects (APE). 

Comments from the IICEP recipients,  responses to informal consultation  from  the  agencies, and any concerns identified by the Tribes were addressed and subsequently incorporated into the Environmental Assessment.4

CONCLUSION -  Based on the descriptions and analysis in this EA, conducted in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 United States Code [USC] 4321-4347), the Council on Environmental Quality (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] §§ 1500-1508), and 32 CFR Part 989, et seq., and after careful review of the potential impacts, I conclude that implementation of the Proposed Action would not result in significant impacts to the quality of the human or the natural 

environment. Therefore, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is warranted and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required for this action."

Today is the final day for public comment on the Environmental Assessment for this project.  The Draft EA and Draft FONSI are available for review at the libraries indicated below and at the following website:  http://www.kirtland.af.mil/environment.asp.

• Estancia Public Library 600 S Tenth Street Estancia 87016
• Moriarty Community Library 202 South Broadway Moriarty 87035
• Moutainair Public Library 109 N. Roosevelt Mountainair 87036
• East Mountain Library 1 Old Tijeras Rd. Tijeras 87059
• Ernie Pyle Library 900 Girard SE Albuquerque 87106
• Albuquerque Main Library 501 Copper NW Albuquerque 87102
• San Pedro Library 5600 Trumbull SE Albuquerque 87108
• Lomas Tramway Library 908 Eastridge NE Albuquerque 87123

The Air Force invites the public to review the Draft EA and Draft FONSI for 30 days ending July 10, 2012. Please provide any comments or concerns to the NEPA Program Manager, 377 MSG/CEAO, 2050 Wyoming Boulevard SE, Suite 125, Kirtland AFB NM 87117, or via email to nepa@kirtland.af.mil. 

Your response by July 10, 2012 will ensure all information and concerns are adequately addressed in the Final EA.