# Record of Decision for Realignment of Carswell Air Force Base to Naval Air Station Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A94-28701 ## Record - **Collection:** Federal Register - **Document type:** Uncategorized Document - **Published:** November 22, 1994 ## Text 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 --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A94-28701. Public record. Not legal advice.