6.0
IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE
COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES
6.0 IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE
COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that environmental analysis include
identification of “…any irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources which would be involved
in the proposed action should it be implemented.” Irreversible and irretrievable resource commitments
are related to the use of non-renewable resources and the effects that the uses of these resources have on
future generations. Irreversible effects primarily result from the use or destruction of a specific resource
(e.g., energy and minerals) that cannot be replaced within a reasonable time frame and could have been
used for other purposes. Irretrievable resource commitments involve the loss in value of an affected
resource that cannot be restored as a result of the action (e.g., the disturbance of a cultural site).
For the proposed action, most resource commitments are neither irreversible nor irretrievable. Most
impacts are short-term and temporary, or long lasting but not significant. Those limited resources that
may involve a possible irreversible or irretrievable commitment under the proposed action are discussed
below.
Under the proposed action, renovation and construction of on-base facilities would require the
consumption of limited amounts of materials typically associated with interior renovations (e.g., wiring,
insulation, windows, etc.) and construction (e.g., concrete, sand, bricks, steel, etc.) An undetermined
amount of energy to conduct renovations, construction, and operations of these facilities would be
expended and irreversibly lost. All construction debris would be recycled or reused where practicable.
Facilities proposed for construction do not have any cultural significance.
The proposed action and alternatives would require fuels used by aircraft and surface vehicles. The flight
activities associated with the proposed beddown of T-6A aircraft at Moody Air Force Base (AFB) or the
use of airspace (Moody 2 Military Operations Area [MOA]) by Moody-based T-38 aircraft would result
in fuel use for as long as the programs continued. Since flight activities would increase relative to
baseline, total fuel use would increase. Fuel use by surface vehicles supporting aircraft maintenance and
operations would also increase relative to baseline; therefore, total fuel consumption would increase and
this nonrenewable resource considered irreversibly lost.
Use of personal vehicles by personnel associated with the proposed T-6A beddown would result in the
consumption of additional fuel, oil, and lubricants. Since personnel numbers would increase relative to
baseline, total fuel, oil, and lubricant use would increase and these nonrenewable resources considered
irreversibly lost.
Implementation of the proposed action or alternative would not result in the destruction of environmental
resources. Further, the proposed action would not adversely affect the biodiversity of Moody AFB or the
areas located beneath the airspace proposed for use. No wildlife habitat at Moody AFB or under the
airspace proposed for use would be lost as a result of implementation of the proposed action. Therefore,
there would be no irretrievable commitment of this resource.
6.0 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources
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