Record of Decision for Realignment of Carswell Air Force Base to Naval Air Station Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Record of Decision for Realignment of Carswell Air Force Base to

Naval Air Station Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX

Pursuant to section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA) of 1969 and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for

implementing NEPA procedures (40 CFR 1500-1508), the Department of the

Navy announces its decision to implement realignment of Carswell Air

Force Base (AFB) to Naval Air Station (NAS) Fort Worth Joint Reserve

Base (JRB), Fort Worth, Texas. In accordance with the legislative

requirements of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990

[Public Law (P.L.) 101-510), the 1993 Defense Base Closure and

Realignment Commission (BRAC-93) recommended the closure of NAS Dallas,

Texas, NAS Memphis, Tennessee, and NAS Glenview, Illinois. Assets and

operations from each of these bases were directed to be relocated to

the former Carswell AFB, which closed September 30, 1993 pursuant to a

BRAC-91 decision. The former Carswell AFB is to be realigned to become

the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base (JRB).

In compliance with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)

regulations, the Department of the Navy acted as a Cooperating Agency

with the Department of the Air Force and had substantial involvement in

drafting and reviewing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the

disposal and reuse of Carswell AFB. The EIS presented a full

description of the projects and environmental impacts associated with

the Navy realignment actions. In addition, the Navy planned actions

were presented at the Draft EIS Public Hearing hosted by the Department

of the Air Force. The Department of the Navy has conducted an

independent review of the EIS and adopts the EIS for purposes of its

proposed actions. This Record of Decision announces Navy's decision to

implement actions described in the FEIS for the realignment and

operation of NAS Fort Worth JRB, Fort Worth, Texas.

A Draft EIS was prepared for the proposed reuse and disposal

actions and distributed to federal, state, and local agencies and to

interested individuals and groups in February 1993. The DEIS was

revised to include the Navy as a cooperating agency when the BRAC-93

decision to realign Carswell AFB was made. The revised DEIS was

published and distributed in March 1994. A public hearing was held on

April 4, 1994 in the City of Fort Worth, Texas. Responses to all public

comments received were incorporated in an FEIS that was distributed in

July 1994. The proposed Navy realignment action would incorporate

approximately 1,869 acres from the former Carswell AFB for reuse as NAS

Fort Worth JRB. The realignment of the base would consist of renovation

of approximately 120 buildings and new construction of an additional 25

facilities, in addition to the demolition of some facilities that are

not cost effective to reuse or renovate.

The realignment also includes upgrades of base utilities to

accommodate JRB requirements. Upgrades to the airfield stormwater

drainage will also be incorporated into the realignment plans. An

estimated total of 24 acres of land will need to be distributed for new

construction activities.

The proposed operations of the NAS Fort Worth JRB will be primarily

air operations by reserve forces. Some smaller non-air units will also

be attached to the base. Reserve units from the Navy, Marine corps, Air

Force, Texas Air National Guard, and Army National Guard will be

operating at the base. The various types of aircraft that will be

normally at the base will include F-14s, F/A-18s, F-16s, KC-130s, C-

130s, C-9s, C-12s, U-21s, CH-47s, UH-60s and a UH-1. An estimated

95,000 annual air operations are associated with the various proposed

military aircraft, including transient military aircraft. All of the

existing airspace and air traffic control services associated with

previous Air Force operations will be retained for use by the JRB. The

combination of closure and realignment will reduce military air traffic

in the area and significantly reduce potential civilian-military

aircraft conflicts.

Approximately 2,100 active duty military personnel are expected to

be attached to the JRB. An additional 1,400 civilian personnel will be

employed at the base. Approximately 8,500 reservists or guardsmen will

drill at the JRB on schedules that will attempt to spread the numbers

equally over three weekends each month.

The realignment and establishment of NAS Fort Worth JRB will occur,

as mandated by P.L. 101-510, regardless of the disposal and reuse of

the remaining portions of Carswell AFB. Therefore, these military land

areas and reuse activities were incorporated as part of the No-Action

alternative and all reuse alternatives for analysis in the EIS. Maximum

consideration was given to the use of existing structures to minimize

environmental impacts and construction costs for realignment. Sites

considered at NAS Fort Worth JRB for the proposed new facilities

avoided environmentally sensitive areas and were selected based on

functional considerations, adequacy of existing structures for the

proposed uses, availability of utilities, proximity to existing

facilities, and observing all airfield safety and noise criteria. The

proposed action will cause no significant impact to ambient air quality

levels. Localized, temporary impacts would occur during construction

and demolition activities. Compliance with state and federal

regulations, including National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air

Pollutants (NESHAPS), will be achieved during any removal of asbestos-

containing materials.

NAS Fort Worth JRB is located in a non-attainment area for ozone.

An applicability analysis was performed for air pollutant emissions of

nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in

compliance with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the 1993

General Conformity Rule for determining conformity of federal actions

to state or federal implementation plans (40 CFR Parts 6, 51, and 93).

The analysis included construction-related emissions, mobile-source

emissions, and stationary-source emissions associated with the proposed

action. Neither NOX nor VOC emissions estimates for any year of

the proposed action exceeded the de minimis levels of 100 tons per year

established by the General Conformity Rule. The proposed action was

determined to conform to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) and is

exempted from any further requirements of the General Conformity Rule.

The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) has reviewed

the applicability analysis presented in the FEIS and has approved the

air permit application resulting in the issuance of a construction

permit to the Navy.

An aircraft noise study was conducted to analyze the effects of

noise patterns associated with JRB operations as compared to the

previous operations at Carswell AFB. The area exposed to sound level

DNL 65 dB or greater is expected to decrease by approximately 2,605

acres and affect 2,300 fewer residents than the previous Air Force

aircraft noise impacts.

No significant degradation of levels of service for on-base or off-

base road systems are expected as a result of the proposed action.

Current utilities to the base are of sufficient capacity to provide

anticipated services. Utility lines within the base infrastructure will

be upgraded in some locations where additional fire protection, natural

gas, sanitary sewer, or electrical services are required.

The local economy will not encounter any significant impacts from

the proposed action. NAS Forth Worth JRB will initially reuse 83 units

of family housing on-base. An estimated 3,939 housing units within the

local communities will be vacated as a result of the closure of

Carswell AFB. An estimated 1,196 housing units will be required to

accommodate the in-migration of permanent personnel associated with the

JRB. Based on this projected in-migration, 281 new students will enroll

in the area's various school districts; this number is less than the

decreases experienced in each of the last three years as a result of

the Carswell AFB closure.

Clean-up on identified installation restoration program (IRP) sites

will continue regardless of the reuse or disposal plans. The

Departments of the Navy and Air Force have entered into a Memorandum of

Agreement to identify which department will continue the management of

the clean-up program and provide the funding requirements. The two

Departments have agreed to finalize program arrangements by October 1,

1995. In the interim, the Air Force Base Conversion Agency (AFBCA) will

continue to administer the program. New construction and renovations

requiring excavations will be closely coordinated with the IRP project

manager to avoid any impacts to IRP sites or construction plans and

maintain the health and safety of contractor personnel.

The Navy will institute a hazardous material minimization program

at NAS Fort Worth JRB by issuing hazardous materials in increments for

daily consumption to the various departments and users on base. The

hazardous waste storage facility currently permitted under a Part B

permit by the State of Texas will continued to be used as a permitted

facility for the storage of generated hazardous wastes.

The AFBCA has identified all underground storage tanks that were in

place at Carswell AFB. Navy design teams are evaluating what tanks are

required for continued support to facilities planned for reuse. These

tanks will be inspected and certified for use in accordance with all

applicable underground storage tank regulations. The AFBCA is

continuing with efforts to remove all other tanks not planned for

reuse.

The proposed action would result in no significant impacts to plant

or animal species listed as threatened or endangered by either federal

or state agencies. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has concurred in

this conclusion. No impacts to wetlands will be experienced as a result

of new construction. Minor impacts to floodplains will be mitigated

through the construction of improved storm water drainage and handling

systems. The estimated 24 acres of disturbance from new construction

will have minimal impacts to biological resources because of

adjacencies to current airfield/industrial operations and the already

existing built-up conditions.

Potential impacts to cultural resources at NAS Fort Worth JRB have

been evaluated in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic

Preservation Act (NHPA). Renovations are proposed for two buildings

(Building 1430 and 4175) that have been identified as eligible for the

National Register of Historic Places. The exterior renovations to

Building 1430 will include the installation of a new roof. Interior

renovations will include movement of office walls added to the facility

during earlier Air Force interior renovations. Building 4575 will

undergo major interior renovations to adapt this alert crew facility to

a squadron operations building. Exterior renovations will include

removal and demolition of surrounding equipment, addition of some

windows, and altering some facility points of ingress/egress. All

proposed modifications to these buildings will be coordinated with the

Texas Historical Commission (THC) during project design. The Navy is

proposing to the THC, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the

acknowledgment, operation, and maintenance of eligible historic

structures on NAS Fort Worth JRB. No significant archaeological, Native

American, or paleontological resources have been identified on NAS Fort

Worth JRB that would be adversely affected by the realignment

activities. In the event that archaeological, paleontological, or

Native American resources are discovered during the course of project

activities, ground disturbing activities will cease in the immediate

area and a qualified archaeologist will be consulted.

Questions regarding the Navy proposed actions for the realignment

of Carswell AFB to NAS Forth Worth JRB addressed in the Draft and Final

Environmental Impact Statement prepared for the Reuse and Disposal of

Carswell AFB may be directed to: Commanding Officer, Southern Division,

Naval Facilities Engineering Command, P.O. Box 190010, North

Charleston, SC 29419-9010 (Attn: Mr. Darrell Molzan, Code 203DM),

telephone (803) 743-0796, fax (803) 743-0993.

Dated: November 14, 1994.

Elsie L. Munsell,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, (Environment and Safety).

[FR Doc. 94-28701 Filed 11-21-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3810-FF-M