SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE
INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT PLAN
Prepared for:
4 CES/CEV
Environmental Management Flight
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina 27531-2355
Prepared by:
Texas Research Institute for Environmental Studies (TRIES)
Jim Carter, Project Manager
P.O. Box 2506
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX 77341
June 1998
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Table of Contents
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
Section .................................................................................................................................. Page
1. Purpose of Plan.......................................................................................................................1
2. The Ecosystem Approach .....................................................................................................1
3. DOD Authority.......................................................................................................................2
4. Biological Diversity, Carrying Capacity, Multiple Use, and Sustained Yield...............3
4.1 Biological Diversity ......................................................................................................3
4.2 Carrying Capacity.........................................................................................................3
4.3 Multiple Use ..................................................................................................................3
4.4 Sustained Yield .............................................................................................................4
5. The Scope of Natural Resources Management on SJAFB ................................................4
5.1. Public Access to Natural Resources...........................................................................6
6. Monitoring and Review ........................................................................................................6
7. Dynamic Nature of INRMP..................................................................................................7
8. Development of INRMP for SJAFB .....................................................................................7
9. Data Gaps in INRMP .............................................................................................................8
10. Installation-Wide Natural Resources Management and Management Emphasis Areas (MEAs)
8
11. Regional Ecosystem Model...................................................................................................9
12. Installation Location and Setting .......................................................................................11
13. History of SJAFB ..................................................................................................................14
14. Military Mission ...................................................................................................................15
15. Local and Regional Natural Areas ....................................................................................16
16. Mission Impacts on Local Environment ...........................................................................17
17. Permitted Water and Air Pollution Point Sources ..........................................................17
17.1. Natural Pollutant Discharge Elimination System..................................................17
17.2. Air Permits...................................................................................................................19
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18. Air Installation Compatible Use Zone ..............................................................................19
19. Hazardous Materials and Waste........................................................................................21
19.1. Hazardous Materials and Wastes Minimization ...................................................23
19.2. HAZMART ..................................................................................................................24
19.3. Funding ........................................................................................................................24
19.4. RCRA Part B Permit ...................................................................................................25
19.5. Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO)..........................................25
19.6. Munitions Waste and Part B Permit.........................................................................26
19.7. Satellite Accumulation Points (SAP) and Ninety (90) Day Hazardous Waste Accumulation
Points ............................................................................................................................26
19.8. Hazardous Materials Review Committee ...............................................................26
19.9. Industrial Recycling....................................................................................................28
19.10.Hazardous Wastes and Land Use Planning...........................................................28
20. Installation Restoration Program (IRP).............................................................................29
20.1 IRP Objectives .............................................................................................................32
20.2. IRP Conceptual Models .............................................................................................32
20.3. Bioremediation............................................................................................................33
20.4. In Situ Remediation ...................................................................................................34
20.5. Technical Nature of the MAP ...................................................................................36
21. Geographic Information System (GIS)..............................................................................36
22. Solid Waste and Recycling..................................................................................................37
22.1. Recycling ......................................................................................................................38
22.2. Yard Waste and Composting ....................................................................................39
23. Known Future Mission Impacts.........................................................................................40
24. General Physical Environment and Climate....................................................................40
25. Land Use Classification and Ecosystem Planning ..........................................................42
25.1. Land Use Acreage and Ecosystem Planning Needs ..............................................44
25.2. Improved Grounds.....................................................................................................44
25.3. Semi-improved Grounds ...........................................................................................45
25.4. Unimproved Grounds................................................................................................46
25.5. Natural Communities ................................................................................................46
26. Soils and Geology.................................................................................................................48
26.1. Soils...............................................................................................................................48
26.2. Geology ........................................................................................................................49
27. Water Resources...................................................................................................................50
27.1. NPDES..........................................................................................................................51
27.2. Surface Water Resources ...........................................................................................52
27.3. Stormwater Runoff and the Neuse River Watershed............................................53
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27.4.
27.5.
27.6.
27.7.
27.8.
First Flush, Materials Handling, and Drainage Basins .........................................55
Groundwater ...............................................................................................................57
Floodplains ..................................................................................................................58
Wetlands ......................................................................................................................59
Impoundments............................................................................................................61
28. Current Historic Vegetative Cover....................................................................................62
28.1. Coastal Plain Bottomland Hardwoods (Brownwater Subtype)...........................62
28.2. Coastal Plain Small Stream Swamp (Blackwater Subtype) ..................................63
28.3. Coastal Plain Levee Forest (Brownwater Subtype) ...............................................64
28.4. Cypress-Gum Swamp (Brownwater Subtype).......................................................65
28.5. Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest (Coastal Plain Subtype)......................................65
29. Turf and Landscaped Areas ...............................................................................................66
29.1. Current Turf and Landscaped Conditions..............................................................67
29.2. Urban Forestry ............................................................................................................68
30. Wildlife and Threatened and Endangered Species .........................................................68
30.1. Rare Insects ..................................................................................................................68
30.2. Rare Vertebrates..........................................................................................................68
30.3. Neotropical Migrants .................................................................................................69
30.4. Potential Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Habitat ......................................................70
31. Management Issues and Concerns ....................................................................................70
31.1. Threatened and Endangered Species.......................................................................70
31.2. Wetlands ......................................................................................................................71
31.3. Watershed Protection.................................................................................................71
31.4. Fish and Wildlife Management ................................................................................72
31.5. Grounds Maintenance................................................................................................74
31.6. Commercial Forestry..................................................................................................74
31.7. Outdoor Recreation and Public Access ...................................................................75
31.8. Agricultural Outleasing .............................................................................................78
31.9. Coastal Issues ..............................................................................................................78
32. Natural Resources Management Goals and Objectives .................................................78
Goal 1: Establish and Implement Ecosystem Management Principles for Natural Resources
Management on SJAFB
79
Goal 2: Ensure Full Compliance with National, State, and Local Environmental Laws
80
Goal 3: Ensure Full Compliance with All Air Force Environmental Policies and
Regulations .............................................................................................................81
Goal 4: Develop Operational Component Plans that are Integrated with the INRMP and with
Each Other...............................................................................................................82
Goal 5: Develop Cooperative and Coordinated Approaches Toward the Establishment of
Ecosystem Health...................................................................................................82
Goal 6: Implement Ecosystem Management Principles in Land Use Planning and Practice on
SJAFB .......................................................................................................................83
Section 6 A: Land Use ...............................................................................................83
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Section 6 B: Landscaping ..........................................................................................86
Section 6 C: Soils ........................................................................................................88
Goal 7: Minimize the Potential for Surface and Ground Water Contamination by Making Use of
Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Ecosystem Management Principles While
Complying Fully with all Federal and State Water Laws and Regulations ..88
Section 7 A: Floodplains ...........................................................................................91
Section 7 B: Wetlands ................................................................................................92
Goal 8: Minimize the Effects of Hazardous Materials and Wastes on the Human and Natural
Environment at SJAFB and Surrounding Communities ..................................93
Goal 9: Completely Cleanup Past Instances of Contamination by Various Toxic and Hazardous
Compounds Through the Installation Restoration Program (IRP) ................95
Goal 10: Conserve and Restore Historic Vegetative Cover on SJAFB.........................96
Section 10 A: Forestry................................................................................................97
Goal 11: Manage Game and Nongame Fish and Wildlife Species Within the Guidelines of
Ecosystem Management .......................................................................................99
Goal 12: Continue the Existing Good Neighbor Policy with Surrounding Communities by
Ensuring Open Communications on All Mutual Environmental Interests and with
Particular Attention Paid to Air Installation Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ)101
Goal 13: Develop Recreational Opportunities in Response to Identified Needs and Demands
within Constraints of the Air Force Mission and Consistent with Sound Ecosystem
Management Principles ......................................................................................102
Goal 14: Establish a Geographic Information System (GIS) as a Primary Tool for Management of
Natural Resources at SJAFB ...............................................................................103
Index
Appendix A................................................................................................................. Acronyms
Appendix B ............................................................................................................ Bibliography
Appendix C............................................................................................................. Contributors
Appendix D.............................................................................................................. Public Laws
Executive Orders
DOD Directives/Instructions
Air Force Instructions/Policies
Appendix E Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
1.
PURPOSE OF THE PLAN:
This Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) provides interdisciplinary strategic
guidance for natural resources management on SJAFB. The management of natural resources on military
properties has evolved from a fragmented, species specific approach to an ecosystem perspective
recognizing that the natural resources on an installation are vitally related to each other and that the
management of one resource can critically affect the health of other resources.
Achieving and maintaining environmental quality is an essential part of the Air Force mission. The
Air Force is committed to cleaning up environmental damage resulting from past activities, meeting all
environmental standards applicable to present operations, planning future activities to minimize
environmental impacts, managing responsibly the irreplaceable natural and cultural resources held in
public trust, and eliminating pollution wherever possible (AFPD 32-70, Environmental Quality, Section
1.1, p. 1, 20 July 1994).
2.
THE ECOSYSTEM APPROACH:
Integrated ecosystem management is sound stewardship of public properties and over the long-
term ensures the maximum return of natural resources benefits at minimum cost to the public. The goal
of ecosystem management is to preserve, improve, and enhance ecosystem integrity as a means to
maintaining and improving the sustainability and biological diversity of terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems while at the same time, supporting sustainable economies and human communities
(HQACC/CEV, Guidance on Developing INRMPs, 94-016, section 3). Under ecosystem management,
installation programs are organized and integrated in a manner that recognizes, restores, and sustains the
composition, structure, and function of natural communities and administers natural resources with
consideration of ecological units and time frames as opposed to such artificial parameters as political
boundaries and fiscal years (AFGD 94-016 section 3.3, 1 Dec 94). Human social and economic needs are
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recognized as integral parts of ecological systems (HQ ACC, GD 94-016, INRMP, section 3, sections 3.1
and 3.4).
This INRMP provides overarching goals for the management of natural resources on SJAFB as
well as specific guidelines for the management of particular natural resources. An ecosystem approach
does not eliminate the need to address individual components of an ecosystem- it simply ensures that
when individual species or habitats are addressed, the role they play in the larger scheme remains
paramount. In this way, both the health of individual natural resources and the ecosystem itself receive
appropriate attention.
An ecosystem approach recognizes: (1) the interrelationships that exist between all natural
resources, (2) the complexity of healthy ecosystems, and (3) the need to be proactive in natural resources
management.
3.
DOD AUTHORITY:
Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans are to be written for all properties managed by
or under the control of DoD and its component parts pursuant to DODD 4700.4, DODD 7301.5, AFPD 3270, AFI 32-7064, AFI 32-7064/ACC SUP I, AFGD 94-016, and the Sikes Act. Commanders at all levels are
responsible for full compliance with national and Air Force environmental policy. All Air Force
employees, including military, civilian, and contractor personnel, are accountable for the environmental
consequences of their actions (AFPD 32-70, section 1.2, 20 July 1994).
4.
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, CARRYING CAPACITY, MULTIPLE USE,
AND SUSTAINED YIELD:
Natural resources under the control of the DoD are managed in such a way as to support the
military mission assigned to a particular installation while at the same time putting into practice the
principles of biodiversity, carrying capacity, multiple use and sustained yield (AFI 32-7064, 22 July 1994).
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4.1 Biological Diversity:
Biological diversity is the variety of life forms, the ecological roles they perform, and the genetic
variability contained within any defined space and time (AFI 32-7064, Section B, p. 20, 22 July 1994).
4.2 Carrying Capacity:
Carrying capacity is the maximum amount of activity and number of participants that a land or
water area can support in a manner compatible with the objectives of the natural resources management
plan without degrading existing resources (DoDD 4700.4). Carrying capacity is also a measure of the
maximum density of wildlife that a particular area or habitat will support on a sustained basis without
deterioration of the habitat (DoDD 4700.4, 24 Jan. 1989).
4.3 Multiple Use:
The policy of multiple use was first adopted by Congress in the Organic Act of 1897 (OA). At that
time it was applied principally to forestry practices on public lands. In recent decades, the definition and
application of the doctrine of multiple use has been expanded to apply to the management of other
natural resources on public lands as well.
Multiple use is defined in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) as:
the management of the public lands and their various resources so that they are utilized in the
combination that will best meet the present and future needs of the American people. . .
a combination of balanced and diverse resource uses that takes into account the long-term
needs of future generations for renewable and nonrenewable resources, including, but not
limited to recreation, range, timber, minerals, watershed, wildlife and fish, and natural scenic,
scientific, and historical values; and harmonious and coordinated management of the various
resources without permanent impairment of the productivity of the land and the quality of the
environment.
4.4 Sustained Yield:
Section 531 of the Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act of 1960 (MUSY) defines sustained yield in the
following way:
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Sustained yield. . . means the achievement and maintenance in perpetuity of a high level
of regular periodic output of the various renewable resources of the national forests without
impairment of the productivity of the land.
5.
THE SCOPE OF NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ON SJAFB:
Watersheds and natural landscapes, soils, forests, fish, wildlife, and protected species will be
conserved and managed as vital elements of SJAFB's natural resources program. Actions that affect
natural resources on SJAFB shall comply with the policy and requirements of DoD Directives and the
more stringent of applicable Federal or local laws (DODD 4700.4, p.2). Future land use planning at SJAFB
will use natural resources constraints as a guide for installation development (AFI 32-7064, p.4 section
2.2.3). The installation Natural Resources Manager will compare the INRMP with other components of
the base comprehensive plan to identify and resolve any discrepancies in baseline data or plan objectives.
The installation Natural Resources Manager reviews all AF Forms 332 and 813, and DoD Forms 1391 for
projects on installation lands (AFI 32-7064/ACC SUP I, sections 2.2.2 and 2.2.5, 9 Aug 1995).
The Installation Natural Resources Manager shall conduct integrated natural resources
management programs to comply with DoDD 4700.4 and where beneficial may enter into cooperative
agreements that may be developed pursuant to the Sikes Act (16 USC 67a et seq.). The Sikes Act was
enacted by Congress in 1960 to authorize the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program of planning,
development, maintenance, and coordination of fish and wildlife conservation on military lands in
cooperation with the Secretary of the Interior and State Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
The Sikes Act has been amended several times. In 1968, the Sikes Act was amended to provide for
public outdoor recreation programs; in 1974, to require that natural resources plans provide for fish and
wildlife habitat management, range rehabilitation and preservation of endangered species of fish,
wildlife, and plants; in 1986, to require that DoD manage its wildlife and fishery resources with
professionals trained in fish and wildlife management, provide sustained multi-purpose use and public
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access, review fish and wildlife plans on a regular basis but not less than once every five years, and
ensure that any sale or lease of land or forest products be compatible with the fish and wildlife plan; in
1994, to improve the management of fish, wildlife, and other natural resources on military installations by
requiring all installations to prepare and implement integrated natural resources management plans and
for the Secretaries of Defense and Interior to submit annual reports to Congress on the status of, and
amount of money expended on, implementation of natural resources management plans (Report of the
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries to accompany HR 3300 Natural Resource Management on
Military Lands Act of 1994). The conservation of natural resources and the military mission on SJAFB are
not mutually exclusive (Report on NRMMLA, p. 6, September 1994).
5.1 Public Access to Natural Resources on SJAFB:
Natural resources on SJAFB will remain available to the public and DoD employees for enjoyment
and use, except when a specific determination has been made that a military mission prevents such
access for safety or security reasons or that the natural resource will not support such usage. Enforcement
of laws primarily aimed at protecting natural resources and recreation activities that depend on natural
resources is an integral part of a natural resources program and shall be coordinated with or under the
direction of the natural resources manager (DOD 4700.4, p.2-3, paragraph 8 and 10).
6.
MONITORING AND REVIEW:
Natural resources management on SJAFB is integrated with its military mission and with the
planning and implementation of all installation activities through the base comprehensive plan and the
budgeting process. This INRMP is a general blueprint for natural resources management on SJAFB for
the next five years.
To insure that tangible progress is being made toward the goals set out in the INRMP, checkpoints
are established to measure progress in implementing ecosystem principles and in the management of
individual natural resources (AFGD 94-016, Section 3.9, 1 Dec 1994).
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This INRMP has been approved by the installation natural resources manager and the
installation Environmental Protection Committee (EPC) Chair. Individual component plans will be
reviewed and approved by HQ ACC/CEVA or ACC/CEOO, as appropriate. The INRMP will be
reviewed annually by the installation Civil Engineer.
Over the life of the INRMP, component parts of the INRMP will be reviewed on a schedule that
brings attention to each one on a rotating basis within every two year period. The INRMP as a whole will
be thoroughly reviewed and revised as necessary, but at least once every five years.
7.
DYNAMIC NATURE OF INRMP:
An INRMP is a dynamic document that integrates all aspects of natural resources management
with each other and with the military mission and allows for the incorporation of new data, concepts, and
ideas as additional information becomes available. Its goals and objectives must be given consideration
early in the planning process for projects and mission changes on SJAFB.
8.
DEVELOPMENT OF INRMP FOR SJAFB:
The INRMP for SJAFB was developed through a review of available documents reporting the
current condition of natural resources on SJAFB and through interviews with military and civilian base
personnel who have direct natural resources management responsibility. In addition, state and local
officials, representatives of environmental interest groups, and local citizens were provided opportunities
to participate in the drafting of the INRMP. A list of individuals and groups who were consulted and
who participated at some level in the preparation of this INRMP is found in Appendix B of this
document.
Drafts of the plan were made available for review by all interested parties. Verbal and written
responses to preliminary drafts were taken into account in the final version of the INRMP (AFI 32-7064).
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9.
DATA GAPS IN INRMP:
The INRMP balances the accomplishment of the military mission on SJAFB with the best natural
resources management practices required by environmental, scientific, and economic considerations. At
the present time, scientific data is not equally available for each of the natural resources addressed in the
INRMP. Where scientific understanding of local natural resources is incomplete, the INRMP identifies the
gaps that exist in the data and provides a timetable for conducting studies to fill those gaps. In the
interim, the best judgements currently possible have been incorporated into the INRMP to guide natural
resources management at SJAFB. Natural resources management plans and activities will be modified as
additional information becomes available.
10.
INSTALLATION-WIDE NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND MANAGEMENT
EMPHASIS AREAS (MEAs):
This INRMP identifies and addresses two levels of natural resources on SJAFB. At the most
general level is the regional ecosystem of which SJAFB is a part. At this level, the INRMP provides
management practices and principles derived from the best scientific understanding of a healthy regional
ecosystem.
Individually significant natural resources also exist on SJAFB in the form of local or subregional
ecosystems and in the various component parts that make up both the regional and the subregional
ecosystems. Natural resources that deserve special attention are addressed in the INRMP as Management
Emphasis Areas (MEA). These MEAs include, for example, air and water quality management, specific
toxic and hazardous waste sites or problems, landscaping and the maintenance and preservation of
natural communities and vegetation, and pesticide and herbicide use. The INRMP provides particular
management goals, objectives, and activities related to each MEA while maintaining a fundamental
emphasis upon their relation to a healthy ecosystem.
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The attempt to integrate all natural resource components with each other, with the military
mission on SJAFB, and with economic, social, and scientific requirements does not mean that answers to
questions about natural resources management on SJAFB will automatically flow from the INRMP in
every instance. In the world of daily decision making, and within the limits of our current scientific
understanding, appropriate stewardship of one natural resource may be in direct contradiction to the
proper stewardship of another; for example, the maintenance of habitat for one endangered species may
infringe on the habitat of another. An integrated natural resources management plan cannot eliminate
this kind of conflict from decision making. The INRMP can, however, help to identify the relevant factors
for making a decision, provide an ecosystem model as a standard, ensure that appropriate data is
available, set priorities, and create a mechanism by which the best decision can be reached in a particular
case.
11.
REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM MODEL:
One of the principal requirements for ecosystem management on an installation is an ecosystem
goal that synthesizes current natural resource conditions, the military mission, and related human
activities with a regional ecosystem model that represents the currently best scientific approximation of
environmental conditions on the base prior to human settlement and use. The ecosystem model of
original natural conditions at SJAFB will be developed as a part of the implementation of the INRMP
(ACC Guidance Document 94-016, Section 3, paragraphs 3.1 and 3.5, HQ ACC/CEV, Dec. 1994). When
this model is fully determined, the original conditions ecosystem model will be balanced with current
natural resource conditions and the necessities of the military mission to establish an ecosystem goal that
will become the standard by which natural resources management on SJAFB is guided and evaluated
(AFGD 94-016, Section 3.5, 1 Dec 1994). The original conditions model and the ecosystem goal for SJAFB
will be utilized as a part of a larger regional ecosystem model. Until these more precise and complete
models are identified and established, natural resources planning and management at SJAFB will use
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approximations of the local and regional ecosystem derived from descriptions of the natural
communities of North Carolina contained in Classification of the Natural Communities of North
Carolina, Third Approximation, by Michael P. Schafale and Alan S. Weakley, 1990, and the Nature
Conservancy Natural Area Survey of SJAFB, 1994.
Neither of these documents speak directly to the entirety of the natural resources found on SJAFB.
Schafale and Weakley address only plant communities, and while the NCNAS includes a consideration of
plants, insects, vertebrates, migratory birds and their habitat, the NCNAS report is necessarily focused on
the remnants of cohesive natural areas. These natural areas compose only a small proportion of the land
space on the installation. Descriptions of the original vegetative and habitat characteristics of the
remainder of the base are only partially available in other documents.
Several other documents, including the Land Management Plan (LMP, SJAFB, 1989) and the
Management Action Plan (MAP, SJAFB, 1995) address the local and regional ecosystem in a modest way.
The LMP describes the location of SJAFB as being in the coastal plain near the fall line. The Management
Action Plan (MAP, 1995) notes without further comment that prior to 1942 the area occupied by the base
was "rangeland" (MAP, 1995, p. 1-12). There is no definition or description within the document of the
meaning of that term, however.
The NCNAS, written in 1994, agrees with the LMP and describes the landscape of SJAFB as a
Coastal Plain river valley consisting of a river floodplain and relict terraces of the river. According to the
NCNAS, examples of natural communities with particular significance for SJAFB are: (1) coastal plain
bottomland hardwoods (brownwater subtype); (2) coastal plain small stream swamp (blackwater
subtype); (3) coastal plain levee forest (brownwater subtype); (4) cypress-gum swamp (brownwater
subtype); (5) mesic mixed hardwood forest (coastal plain subtype). (See Appendix D for detailed
descriptions of these natural communities taken from Schafale and Weakley, 1990).
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12.
INSTALLATION LOCATION AND SETTING:
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (SJAFB) is located in east-central North Carolina in central
Wayne County, in the city of Goldsboro. Goldsboro lies in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina, near the
fall line. The landscape on SJAFB is flat to gently rolling with elevations ranging from 45 to 110 feet MSL.
The base is bordered by the Neuse River on its southwest side and by Stoney Creek, a small
tributary of the Neuse River, on its northwest side. SJAFB lies within the Neuse River-Stoney Creek
watershed which is a part of the larger Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system (Comprehensive
Conservation and Management Plan, Technical Document Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine Study, US EPA
and North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, figure 1, page 4).
Urban lands lie adjacent to the north and northeast of the base and nearby to the northwest. The
east and southeast sides are bordered by rural agricultural and forestland with some residential areas.
13.
HISTORY OF SJAFB:
SJAFB was established in 1942 during the Second World War as Headquarters, Technical School,
Army Air Forces Technical Training Command. It subsequently evolved into a training site for several
types of aircraft. In 1943, the Provisional Overseas Replacement Training Center was added as a
secondary mission to prepare officers and enlisted men for overseas duty. In addition, the Base became
the home of the 75th Training Wing and the 326th Fighter Group, providing Army Air Corps and
replacement pilots for the P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft. In 1944, basic training of P-47 pilots became the
primary mission at SJAFB. At the end of WW II, SJAFB was designated as a Central Assembly Station for
processing and training military personnel being reassigned throughout the continental United States
and Pacific. This function was discontinued in September 1945, and the Base became an Army Air Force
Separation Center. The Base was deactivated in 1946 after the war and in 1949 the property was deeded
to the City of Goldsboro.
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Between 1950 and the end of 1952, Piedmont Airlines conducted commercial flights to the
Seymour Johnson Air Field. During this time, the Base facilities were leased to private interests for
warehouse storage, temporary residence, light manufacturing, family housing, and special presentations.
In December 1952, the City of Goldsboro transferred the Base to the federal government, and the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers renovated and repaired the Base. SJAFB was reactivated in April 1956 as a
Tactical Air Command base. Three months later, the 83rd Fighter-Day Wing was assigned to the Base as a
primary, or host unit. The 4th Fighter-Day Wing replaced the 83rd Wing in December 1957.
In 1958, the 4241st Strategic Wing was formed on the Base. The Wing was redesignated as the 68th
Bombardment Wing, operating B-52 and KC-135 aircraft until 1982. Redesignated in 1985 as the 68th Air
Refueling Wing, the unit accepted its first KC-10. In 1991, the 68th was inactivated and the personnel and
aircraft assigned to the 4th Wing.
On June 1, 1992, the Air Force was reorganized and SJAFB became an Air Combat Command
(ACC) installation. Under ACC, the host unit at SJAFB is the 4th Fighter Wing, which operates F-15Es.
This wing consists of the 333rd, 334th, 335th, and 336th Fighter Squadrons and the 333rd Fighter Training
Squadron.
Fighter groups and other personnel from SJAFB have participated successfully in numerous
engagements in WWII, the Korean conflict, Viet Nam, and the Persian Gulf war.
The Base was annexed to the City of Goldsboro on Feb. 7, 1977, although zoning authority for the
base proper was retained by SJAFB.
14.
MILITARY MISSION:
The 4th Fighter Wing has about 4,500 combat ready active duty members capable of responding to
a crisis anywhere in the world. The Wing accomplishes its operational mission with 66 F-15E Strike
Eagles. The F15-E is a dual role fighter that can fight its way to a target over long ranges, destroy enemy
17
ground targets and then fight its way out. The Wing's mission includes maintaining capability to
perform a variety of counter air strikes and deliver weapons in support of air and ground forces. Major
groups within the 4th Fighter Wing include Operations, Logistics, Support, and Medical Groups.
15.
LOCAL AND REGIONAL NATURAL AREAS:
The Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey of SJAFB completed in 1994 reports little likelihood
of natural areas of other than local ecological significance in the vicinity of SJAFB.
Wayne County was included in a natural areas inventory of 17 counties in 1993 (Smith et al. 1993).
This study consisted of a rapid assessment of the potential for ecologically significant features and was
based on soil surveys, topographic maps, and quick field reconnaissance. Reports were written for sites
with greater than local ecological significance. Only two sites were reported for Wayne County. One of
those sites, Walnut Creek Sandhills, is about six miles southeast of SJAFB.
The Nature Conservancy also reports that intermittent plant collecting has documented three rare
plant species within a ten mile radius of SJAFB but none have been found in more than 30 years. Wayne
County and adjacent counties are generally poor in rare plant species compared to most other parts of
North Carolina (SJAFB NCNAS, 1994).
The SJAFB landscape includes the floodplain of the Neuse River, a higher relict terrace of the river,
and a still higher terrace that may also be of riverine origin. The Neuse River valley along SJAFB is
asymmetric. The Neuse River, with headwaters near Danville, Virginia drains a very large watershed
extending from the upper Piedmont of North Carolina to the coastal plain. This river, which eventually
empties into Pamlico Sound, forms the southwest boundary of the Base. The Neuse River periodically
inundates (floods) areas at the south end of the flight line even though floods are now regulated by Falls
Dam near Raleigh. Elevations on the base are approximately 45-110 feet.
The greatest relief within the perimeter of the Base is along Stoney Creek. Stony Creek is a small,
winding stream that defines the northwestern boundary of the Base.
18
16.
MISSION IMPACTS ON THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT:
Potentially, the most significant impacts of the military mission on natural resources at SJAFB are,
(1) soil and groundwater contamination, (2) the effects of stormwater runoff on the surrounding
watershed, (3) the storage, use, and transportation of hazardous materials, (4) the disposal of hazardous
waste, and (5) the management of IRP sites.
There are a number of other impacts on natural resources at SJAFB that are less directly related to
the nature of the military mission and are in fact common to any location where concentrated human
activity takes place. They include, but are not limited to, (1) the effects of the construction and operation
of base facilities on indigenous trees, shrubs, and other vegetation, (2) grounds maintenance in the form
of landscaping and mowing and the application of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, (3) the disposal
of non-toxic waste materials, (4) air pollution from vehicular traffic and other operations on the base, (5)
noise pollution from operations on the flight line and other base facilities, (6) the reduction of wildlife
habitat, and (7) the impact of outdoor recreational and training activities on local and regional natural
resources.
17.
PERMITTED WATER AND AIR POLLUTION POINT SOURCES:
17.1 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System:
SJAFB currently possesses National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit
NC0063177. This permit was issued on October 26, 1993 by the state of North Carolina under the
requirements of North Carolina General Statute 143-215.1 and a Memorandum of Agreement between
North Carolina and the US Environmental Protection Agency dated December 6, 1983. The permit
became effective May 1, 1994 and will expire January 31, 1999. The permit authorizes the Department of
the Air Force to discharge wastewater from a facility located at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base,
Goldsboro, Wayne County to receiving waters designated as an unnamed tributary to Stoney Creek in
the Neuse River Basin (Permit NC0063177, NPDES, 31 March 1994). The permit also authorizes the
19
Department of the Air Force to (1) operate facilities for stormwater and groundwater cleanup
consisting of 32 oil/water separators and a skimmer and boom associated with four outfalls. (NPDES
permit, Part III); (2) install a skimming device across outfall 002 (NPDES, Part III, Condition G); and (3)
discharge wastewater at outfall 001 into Stoney Creek and into the Neuse River at outfall 002.
Both Stoney Creek and the Neuse River are classified as Class C-NSW waters in the Neuse River
Basin (Permit NC006317, NPDES, Supp., 31 March 1994). Class C waters are maintained for fish
propagation and secondary recreation. NSW stands for nutrient sensitive waters (Comprehensive
Conservation and Management Plan, Technical Document Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine Study, Nov.
1994).
Monitoring requirements of the NPDES permit include sampling for flow, oil and grease,
turbidity, chronic toxicity, and organics. The permit also requires SJAFB to continually evaluate all
wastewater disposal alternatives and pursue the most environmentally sound alternative of the
reasonable cost effective alternatives.
As required by the NPDES permit, a skimming device has been built to span completely across the
effluent channel at outfall 002 to collect any petroleum hydrocarbons on the water surface as well as to
minimize the migration of fish into the effluent channel.
The commitment of the Department of the Air Force to natural resources management according
to the requirements of an ecosystem approach and the participation of the Department of the Air Force in
Coastal America demonstrate an increased awareness of the place of SJAFB in the Neuse River watershed
and the potential impact of the Neuse River watershed on Pamlico Sound and the bays and estuaries
along the North Carolina coast. (Coastal America Watershed Report-Action Memorandum, HQ
USAF/CEV, David C. Vangasbeck, Deputy Director of Environmental Quality, OCE, Feb. 4, 1994).
Further treatment of water resources is found in Section 27 of this INRMP.
20
17.2
Air Permits:
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base has one air permit that covers 16 facilities on the installation.
SJAFB has requested that the state of North Carolina delete six of these facilities and issue a permit for a
proposed Cogeneration facility. The Cogeneration facility will be located in the main steam heat plant,
which is already a permitted source.
18.
AIR INSTALLATION COMPATIBLE USE ZONE:
Air Installation Compatible Use Zone (AICUZ) refers to an area of land in and around the SJAFB
airdrome that is compatible with air craft operations taking into account the effects of noise, aircraft
accident potential, land use, and development.
Military airfields attract development to the immediately surrounding area. In the absence of
compatible land use controls, inappropriate uses may be made of property near or adjacent to the
installation. Because land close to SJAFB is subject to high noise levels and aircraft accident potential,
certain types of development around the borders of the base are not suitable and can, without proper
planning and control, be detrimental to the safety, health, and economic interests of the Air Force and
surrounding communities. There is indeed a mutual interest between SJAFB and local governments to
address AICUZ requirements.
SJAFB has worked diligently with the surrounding community to minimize noise problems and to
be a good neighbor. For example, flying operations are normally conducted between the hours of 6:00 am
and 10:30 p.m. Practice approach and departure operations are normally conducted during daylight
hours. In order to muffle the noise of ground engine runups, SJAFB has spent nearly $2 million on the
construction of two hush houses. Flight pattern altitudes and runway approach angles have been
adjusted over the years in an effort to reduce noise impacts while maintaining safe operations. Recent
mission changes at SJAFB, however, have increased the number and frequency of training flights and
more night flights are likely.
21
Currently, a good working relationship exists between SJAFB and the City of Goldsboro and
Wayne County. However, this relationship remains at the informal stage. The 1993 AICUZ pamphlet
notes that land development in the vicinity of SJAFB is ongoing and expected to accelerate. Plans and
initial steps for formalizing the land use relationships between SJAFB and the surrounding communities
need to be developed and put into place within the first year of the implementation of the INRMP.
Several options exist for addressing potential conflicts over noise and accidents between SJAFB
and surrounding property owners. They include county and municipal zoning ordinances to reflect
compatible land uses with the base, fair disclosure ordinances for existing and potential landowners,
comprehensive plans for county and municipal governments that reflect AICUZ considerations, building
codes that require noise level reductions, subdivision regulations that reject new subdivisions
incompatible with AICUZ land use requirements, incorporation of height controls for structures, and
infrastructure planning and expenditures that strongly reflect AICUZ values for both the county and
municipal governments.
SJAFB should determine whether the potential land use conflicts between the installation and the
surrounding communities are significant enough to warrant the purchase of tracts of land within the
potentially affected areas. Priorities reflecting the interests of public and private landowners, including
their natural resources and economic interests, should be identified and should guide possible land
purchases and related decisions. At the present time, most of the actions necessary to ensure that
surrounding land uses are compatible with the military mission at SJAFB remain outside of the direct
control of SJAFB. Clear and early decisions concerning the long term interests of SJAFB and identification
of the interests of private and other public landholders in the surrounding area will go a long way toward
maintaining the good neighbor policy currently practiced by SJAFB. A formalization of the current,
mutual (but informal) understandings with local communities and property owners would be useful to
all parties involved. Contracts and written agreements between SJAFB, Wayne County, Greene County,
22
and the City of Goldsboro concerning compatible land uses surrounding the base, and particularly
within the AICUZ zones, should be negotiated and enacted within a reasonable time period.
19.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND WASTE:
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is a large quantity (725,000 lb/yr) user, generator, and storage
facility for hazardous materials and wastes. The utilization and maintenance of jet aircraft in the
fulfillment of the military mission promises a continuation of this condition into the indefinite future.
Hazardous wastes generated by any activity on base is subject to Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA) regulation. (Hazardous Waste Management Plan, Radian Corp., p. 1-2, 1995).
According to the Hazardous Waste Management Plan (HWMP), hazardous material is any
material that (1) has not become a waste, and (2) which has been designated in 49 CFR 172.101Hazardous Materials Table and has been determined by the DOT to be capable of posing an unreasonable
risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce (HWMP p. 1-5, Jan. 1995).
Hazardous waste is any material that is reactive, corrosive, ignitable, toxic, or published in the
Hazardous Waste Listing (40 CFR 261, Subpart D). Radioactive waste is regulated under separate
guidance. Petroleum products which do not have hazardous characteristics and are not reflected on the
Hazardous Waste Listing are not subject to the program requirements (HWMP, p. 1-5, Jan. 1995).
The Hazardous Waste Management Plan for SJAFB identifies thirty (30) points of hazardous waste
generation on the installation (HWMP, 1995 pp. 3-2 to 3-4). Eighteen (18) of those locations are designated
as high volume waste generators (HWMP, 1995, Table 3-1, pp. 3-2 to 3-4).
Ultimate responsibility for hazardous waste control, as well as the overall responsibility for any
environmental impacts to SJAFB, lies with the Wing Commander. However, due to the complex nature of
the facility, numerous components of the installation have direct and daily responsibility for functions
that generate hazardous waste. These components are listed on page 2-1 of the Hazardous Waste
Management Plan (HWMP, 1995) and in Appendix E of this INRMP. (HWMP,p. 2-1, 1995).
23
Hazardous waste data is currently summarized in the HWMP on a street location basis rather
than according to drainage basins or airsheds. Under the INRMP, the amounts of hazardous materials
used and of wastes generated will be collected, aggregated, and provided for the installation as a whole
and the potential cumulative effect of these materials and wastes will be evaluated with relation to
particular drainage basins, air sheds, human populations, and natural areas on and surrounding the base.
19.1
Hazardous Materials and Wastes Minimization:
The nature of an Air Force base makes it impossible to completely eliminate the use of toxic and
hazardous materials. Quantities of jet fuel and other toxic products are necessary for carrying out the
military mission and will continue to be used on base. Consequently, some level of demand for importing
hazardous and toxic materials onto the installation will continue and as a result some amounts of
hazardous and toxic wastes will be generated.
Current natural resources management practices at SJAFB for hazardous materials and hazardous
wastes are comprehensive in scope, impressive in attention to detail, technologically sound, innovative,
and in compliance with current Federal and state laws and regulations. The Hazardous Waste
Management Plan (HWMP) emphasizes the Air Force policy to reduce the use of hazardous material and
waste generation to as near zero as feasible.
Under the INRMP and in conformity with an ecosystem approach, an annual review of the
appropriateness of the use of particular hazardous materials on SJAFB and the quantities required will be
conducted. This annual review will be guided by the management principle that reducing the kinds and
amounts of hazardous materials brought onto SJAFB is the best practice for protecting human health and
the environment.
A principal source of information for this hazardous materials review will be the annual report of
the "generators who treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste on-site, a description of the efforts
undertaken during the year to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste generated;" and "a description of
24
the changes in volume and toxicity of waste actually achieved during the year in comparison to
previous years to the extent such information is available for the years prior to 1984." (Hazardous Waste
Management Permit, HWMP, p. I-6, Part I, section G, paragraphs 6 and 7).
19.2 HAZMART:
In compliance with the principles of ecosystem management, hazardous materials are being
managed at SJAFB under HAZMART- a base wide function that tracks the ordering, issue, and reissue of
hazardous materials. All shops are restricted to a 7-day supply of materials to limit shelf-life, expired
items, and to minimize over-ordering and therefore the accumulation of unused materials.
19.3 Funding:
Programs and services for hazardous wastes are identified by the Environmental Flight and other
base personnel. Requirements for performance are entered into the Work Information Management
System Environmental Subgroup (WIMS-ES A-106 Module) for funding validation. Projects are
prioritized based on a level of compliance (listed below) that must be met. A descriptive narrative, along
with the compliance criteria, is required to justify the level of priority. A proposed project must meet the
approval of HQ/ACC and HQ/USAF before validation is complete. Funding is provided, as funds
become available, for those projects that are of the highest level and that have been validated.
Compliance -Level 1
* Project is required to meet a signed federal facility agreement or consent order.
* Existing operation does not meet the established standard and the compliance deadline has
passed.
* The project is required to correct deficiencies identified on inspection by a regulatory authority
or a Notice of Violation.
Compliance- Level 2
* Project does not meet an established standard and the compliance deadline is in the future.
* Project does not meet a pending standard and the compliance deadline is in the future.
Compliance- Level 3
* Operation meets established standard but needs to demonstrate leadership.
* Operation meets established standard but needs replacement due to expansion.
* Operation meets established standard but needs replacement due to being obsolete.
25
Currently, only those projects which are at Compliance Level 1 are being funded (Emilee
Blount, A-106 program manager SJAFB response to TRIES questions, May 1995).
19.4
RCRA Part B Permit:
Pursuant to the 15A NCAC 13A North Carolina Hazardous Waste Management Rules, a
hazardous waste management facility operating permit No. NC7570024474 (p. I-2, Part I section D
paragraph 6) was issued to SJAFB effective July 28, 1991 and will remain in effect until July 28, 2001, (40
CFR 270.50). The permittee is allowed to store hazardous waste in accordance with the conditions of this
permit.
19.5
Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO):
The Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO) is the only permitted hazardous waste
storage area at SJAFB. The hazardous waste storage area is located at Building 2625 and consists of a 50 x
24 foot building with a concrete floor and metal siding walls. There are four individually diked storage
bays, a telephone, and emergency equipment to control hazardous materials/waste releases. The DRMO
has received a RCRA Part B permit and is the only on-base location where hazardous waste may be
stored for more than 90 days. (HWMP, 1995,p. 3-5).
19.6 Munitions Waste and Part A Permit:
Explosive ordnance must be managed differently from hazardous waste generated on other parts
of the base. The DRMO does not handle waste munitions. All munitions that are unserviceable for SJAFB
are shipped to the Army as hazardous materials. No munitions are characterized as waste except those
presenting an immediate safety hazard. The staff of the Munitions Flight including CSU and CMU handle
the accumulation and transportation of all waste munitions generated on base.
SJAFB has an Interim Status Part B Subpart X permit, issued by the EPA and the State of North
Carolina, to treat hazardous munitions waste by open detonation. Action will be taken within two years
to withdraw the application for the Part B Subpart X permit.
26
19.7
Satellite Accumulation Points (SAP) and Ninety (90) Day Hazardous Waste
Accumulation Points:
Hazardous waste satellite accumulation points (SAP) are located at or near the point of hazardous
waste generation and are restricted by the amount and the acuteness of the wastes that may be collected
and stored. (HWMP, 1995, p. 3-1).
In addition, there are two (2) ninety (90) day hazardous waste accumulation points on SJAFB
where hazardous waste may be accumulated in tanks and/or containers for up to 90 days. (HWMP, 1995,
p. 3-1).
19.8
Hazardous Materials Review Committee:
Within the first two years of implementation of the INRMP, a Hazardous Materials Review
Committee (HAZREV) will be formed and begin working at SJAFB. The HAZREV will be composed of
both military and civilian personnel who have appropriate mission related and natural resources
jurisdiction. To ensure an ecosystem perspective, individuals responsible for water and air resources, as
well as the environmental compliance element leader, should also serve on this committee. The work of
the HAZREV will be: (1) to identify and periodically review the most relevant scientific, academic, and
industry publications that address the use of hazardous and toxic materials relevant to the manner in
which they are utilized at SJAFB. These publications will be reviewed for innovative practices that can
lead to a reduction in the use of toxic and hazardous materials on SJAFB and for knowledge about new
and less hazardous products that could offer environmentally safer substitutes for existing materials; (2)
to identify and develop corporate, academic, and practitioner contacts to gather information that can lead
to a reduction of hazardous materials being used at SJAFB; and, (3) to further the creation of and
participation in electronic and associational networks to share information with others who have a
similar responsibility on public and private facilities.
27
The HAZREV's work will comply with the annual reports required in the Hazardous Waste
Management Plan Part I, section G, paragraphs 6 and 7. The information presented in the annual report
and the work of the HAZREV will promote a proactive stance with regard to the minimization of
hazardous and toxic materials and waste on SJAFB. (HWMP, page V-1, Part V, Section A, paragraphs 1
and 2).
SJAFB has procedures in place that identify the various Base units which generate hazardous
waste at the point of generation and track it through its accumulation, storage, transportation, and
disposal. (HWMP, p. 3-1, 1995). The work of the HAZREV will enhance this procedure and allow other
systematic and preventative measures to be included in hazardous waste management practices.
Hazardous and toxic materials data will be collected, aggregated, and evaluated in relation to the
geology, climatic conditions, and the hydrology of SJAFB and the surrounding countryside. Data should
also be collected and aggregated on a drainage basin and airshed basis. The relative environmental
vulnerability of drainage basins and air sheds should guide the work of the HAZREV to determine the
schedule of review for particular materials and functions and to determine what priorities to attach to
them. For a complete outline of data required to accomplish this purpose see Appendix F of this INRMP
and/or Part II, PP. BB-6 to BB-15, of Appendix BB of the Hazardous Waste Management Permit, 1991.
19.9
Industrial Recycling:
Industrial recycling at SJAFB includes several types of wastes that normally are not allowed in
traditional landfills but are generated in large quantities by manufacturing and industrial processes. The
following is a brief listing of successful industrial recycling programs on SJAFB: paint equipment
cleaners; jet washers; freon recycling unit; antifreeze recycling equipment; oil filter presses; fluorescent
bulb crusher; and laundering shop cloths. (1994 Nomination for the Secretary of Defense Installation
Recycling Award, p. 9). In addition, the base also recycles an assortment of plastics and metal, cardboard,
paper, eyeglasses, and batteries.
28
19.10 Hazardous Wastes and Land Use Planning:
Current and future land use on SJAFB will take into account the location of hazardous waste
generators and their interrelationships with human populations as well as with significant and
vulnerable natural areas. Most generators of hazardous wastes at SJAFB are related to aircraft utilization
and maintenance. For most planning purposes, these sites are fixed at their current location. For others,
however, there may be opportunities to consolidate or relocate functions in such a way as to minimize the
potential contact with and any threat they may pose to human populations and/or environmentally
sensitive and vulnerable areas.
Under the INRMP, a review will be conducted to identify hazardous waste generators that are
candidates for consolidation or relocation. The ecosystem goal is to minimize human contact with
hazardous materials, to reduce their potential environmental threat, and to ensure the effective and
efficient performance of the military mission. Future construction on the base and the location or
relocation of functions will take into account the minimization of hazardous wastes production, the
potential for human contact, and their level of ecological threat.
Compatible with these goals, the Base Comprehensive Plan (BCP) sets out the following
environmental factors to be considered in the future development of the installation: (MAP, October 1995,
p. 2-2).
(1) Avoid development in areas that affect the environmental integrity of the Neuse River and
Stoney Creek, which together share five miles of base boundaries.
(2) Consider the one hundred year flood plain when evaluating the suitability of potential
development sites.
(3) Require explosive clear zones for munitions storage areas and for parking of explosives-loaded
aircraft.
(4) Limit the use of contaminated sites until cleanup is complete.
20.
INSTALLATION RESTORATION PROGRAM (IRP):
As a result of past waste and resource management practices at SJAFB, some areas of the
installation have become contaminated by various toxic and/or hazardous compounds. (Management
29
Action Plan, October 1995, p 1-1). SJAFB is not on the National Priorities List (NPL) and has not signed
a Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region IV or the
state of North Carolina.
In May of 1983, the Installation Restoration Program (IRP) was initiated at SJAFB. The IRP goal is
the "complete cleanup of the past." (Handbook for the Installation Restoration Program, Remedial
Investigations, and Feasibility Studies, (HIRPRIFS) September, 1993, HQ, Air Force Center for
Environmental Excellence, (AFCEEE), p. I).
IRP and associated compliance activities at SJAFB are addressed under three main regulatory
mechanisms: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, (CERCLA);
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, (RCRA); and North Carolina UST Program. (MAP, 1995, p. 31). Since 1985, Air Force IRP studies have focused on the identification and characterization of waste
disposal areas on the Base. The IRP is a CERCLA-based environmental restoration program. To that end,
the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Section 211 and Executive Order 12580
require that the IRP be conducted consistent with CERCLA Section 120. The National Oil and Hazardous
Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) remains the principal IRP response process (HIRPRIFS, p.
v, 1993).
For non-National Priority List sites that meet Defense Environmental Restoration Account
(DERA) eligibility requirements, other applicable regulatory processes can be used instead of the NCP
process (HIRPRIFS, p. v, 1993). All SJAFB sites are DERA eligible.
A Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B permit was issued to SJAFB on July 28, 1991.
That permit listed sixty-three Solid Waste Management Units (SWMU) and ten Areas of Concern (AOC)
requiring a RCRA facility Investigation (RFI) (MAP, October, 1995, p 1-15). A list of these SWMUs and
AOCs and their current status can be found in Appendix F of this document and on pages 3-2 to 3-4 of
the MAP, 1995.
30
The IRP at SJAFB uses the water quality standards for groundwater specified in the Title 15
North Carolina Administrative Code, Subchapter 2L as the cleanup standard (MAP, p. 6-16, 1995). In
addition, a number of initiatives compatible with an ecosystem approach for accelerating cleanup,
including combining sites, targeting source areas of hazardous wastes, and developing generic
procedures and scopes of work for common problems or common types of contaminated sites are being
considered by the Project Team for the IRP (MAP, section 6.7, pp. 6-25 to 6-29).
Implementing an ecosystem approach for the management of hazardous materials and for
addressing IRP sites requires (1) the establishment of a clearly stated ecosystem goal for this management
area compatible with the ecosystem goal for the base as a whole (2) the development of improved and
ongoing coordination with other areas of environmental jurisdiction, including water and air
management areas, and land use planning (3) a summary statement in layman's terms of the current
status of hazardous materials management and the IRP program for the base as a whole, and (4) a clear
statement of priorities for restoration, clean up, and prevention of SJAFB as measured against regional
ecosystem health, preservation, and enhancement.
The Management Action Plan (MAP, 1995) presents a detailed treatment of site specific clean up
programs and efforts on SJAFB. The data contained within the MAP is excellent in content but remains
somewhat fragmented in terms of its collection and presentation. An ecosystem management approach
requires a wholistic approach to the collection, presentation, and analysis of data. Within the first three
years of this INRMP, information will be collected and made readily available to provide baselines for
total amounts of hazardous materials used at SJAFB on an annual basis, a tracking of the current
dispersal of those materials over the base, their use, recovery and disposal.
31
20.1
IRP Objectives:
IRP managers develop, oversee, and maintain high quality projects that are cost effective and
biased toward clean up decisions and clean up actions (HIRPRIFS, 1993, p. i). The objectives of the SJAFB
environmental restoration program follow:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
protect human health and the environment
comply with existing statutes and regulations
identify all potential source areas
complete Remedial Investigations (RIs) as soon as practicable for each IRP site
establish Areas of No Suspected Contamination (ANSCs)
initiate removal actions where necessary to control, eliminate, or reduce risks to manageable
levels
characterize risks associated with releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants,
or hazardous wastes
develop, screen, and select RAs that reduce risks in a manner consistent with statutory
requirements
complete RCRA Facility Investigations at SWMUs
Excluding the time required for long term monitoring and long term operation, the SJAFB IRP is
estimated to be completed in about 9 years (MAP, p. 5-1, 1995).
20.2
IRP Conceptual Models:
The Handbook for the Installation Restoration Program, Remedial Investigations and Feasibility
Studies, 1993, requires that all IRP data be used as early as possible to develop conceptual model data
summaries for each investigative unit (HIRPRIFS, p. 2-63, 1993). The MAP for SJAFB provides one
conceptual model for the Bulk Fuel Storage Area (MAP, Appendix F, 1995). Under the INRMP,
conceptual models will be developed for the other IRP sites. The development of a GIS at SJAFB will
provide a much greater capacity for modeling than has been available.
Properly developed conceptual models of IRP sites at SJAFB will help to fulfill the requirements
for meeting ecosystem management standards for natural resources management. As described in the
HIRPRIFS, conceptual site models integrate information from various disciplines, identify migration
routes and potential receptors, integrate geologic and hydrologic information, and provide the basis for
32
human health and ecological risk assessment and evaluation of alternative remedial actions
(HIRPRIFS, p. 2-64, 1993). As set out in the HIRPRIFS, conceptual models take an ecosystem approach by
including: (1) contaminant identification measured against background assessments; (2) source
characterizations including the possibility of multiple sites; (3) potential migration pathways through
ground water, surface water, direct contact, and air routes; (4) receptor identification including human
receptors and ecological receptors. (HIRPRIFS, section 2.4, pp. 2-63 to 2-68, 1993).
The MAP for SJAFB contains much of the data necessary to provide conceptual models. One
conceptual model is included in Appendix F of the MAP. Under the INRMP, the data necessary for
creating conceptual models for each IRP site will be identified and collected. The interrelationship of
hydrology, geology, biology, and demography will be the fundamental guide for creating the conceptual
models as described in the HIRPRIFS, 1993.
20.3
Bioremediation:
Seymour Johnson AFB is currently operating an innovative bioremediation process for cleaning
petroleum-contaminated soils on an abandoned taxiway, using contaminated soil, compost, and turkey
manure. The process was developed by Patterson Exploration Services (PX) and uses fungi and bacteria
that occur naturally in the soil (Global Environmental Outreach (GEO), ACC, Tim Brecheen, 4 CES/CEV,
SJAFB, September, 1994).
The contaminated soil being treated comes from a variety of sources including underground
storage tank excavation, spills, and rare events such as plane crashes. A state treatment permit was
required before the treatment process began. Before the first treatment of contaminated soil, samples of
the surrounding soil and groundwater were taken.The contaminated soil, compost, and turkey manure
are mixed together in a compost windrow. Samples are taken periodically to ensure that no
contamination is leaking from the treatment area into the surrounding soil and groundwater.
33
There are many advantages to the new bioremediation process including savings. The total
estimated savings for the first year for SJAFB was about $200,000. There is also is the advantage of
treating contaminated soil as soon as it is discovered, relieving the responsibility of having numerous
long-term clean-up sites.
Over 200,000 tons of petroleum-contaminated soil have been remediated using the PX process. The
types of petroleum contamination that can be treated with this process include gasoline, diesel, fuel oils
(Nos. 1,2,5, and 6), jet fuels, AVGAS, fog oil, kerosene, cutting oils, hydraulic fluids, standard solvents,
motor oils, and greases.
By 1994, more than 30 storage tanks were removed at SJAFB and some 1,500 tons of contaminated
soil were excavated. (The Scope, "Base Unveils New Process," Jay Barber, Dec. 9, 1994, p. 1). All of this
soil was cleaned using this bioremediation process.
The permitting authorities have taken a very favorable stance on this project because it is an
immediate, low-tech method of dealing with contamination, which greatly reduces their level of
involvement. They are also pleased with this method because it creates no additional pollution hazards
since there is no off-site transportation. (GEO, 1994, Tim Brecheen).
20.4
In Situ Remedies:
The Management Action Plan list twenty two (22) IRP sites that are above state and federal action
level triggers; six (6) IRP sites that require further study; twenty-seven (27) IRP sites submitted for no
further action; and in situ remediation is the methodology chosen for twenty three (23) of the IRP sites.
Compatible with an ecosystem approach to natural resources management, with support from the
Air Combat Command, and with encouragement from the North Carolina Department of Environment,
Health, and Natural Resources, SJAFB has implemented in-situ remediation methods for petroleumcontaminated soils. In-situ remediation reduces the potential exposure to hazardous materials and the
34
environmental damage that can occur when hazardous materials are transported off-site for
remediation. (MAP, p. 4-8 to 4-10, 1995).
The methodologies chosen for remediation of petroleum-based soils on SJAFB include soil vapor
extraction and low temperature thermal desorption. The decision to implement these methods at SJAFB
includes attention to the possibilities of air contamination as a consequence, although references
supporting the environmental value of these methodologies and the data necessary to make a final
determination concerning potential air contamination are missing from the MAP.
With regard to low temperature thermal desorption, the MAP notes that "the quantity of offgases
produced and the air emissions cleanup required are reduced. The offgases can be incinerated in a
secondary combustion chamber if more complete destruction of the organic contamination is desired."
Under the INRMP, data is being collected to determine whether there is a need for secondary combustion
and to insure that the potential for air contamination remains within legal parameters. (MAP, p.4-9, 1995).
With regard to soil vapor extraction, the MAP notes that "A carbon adsorption unit will probably
be required for air emissions" Under the INRMP, data will be collected and provided to determine
whether there is a need for a carbon adsorption unit and to insure that air emissions remain within legal
parameters (MAP, p. 4-9, 1995).
20.5
Technical Nature of the MAP:
With a few exceptions, the IRP program at SJAFB has more thorough and complete data than most
other individual components of natural resources management on the installation. The IRP program also
demonstrates an ecosystem approach in a number of instances and for that reason should have little
difficulty converting, over a period of time, to predominantly ecosystem management practice.
Unfortunately, the MAP is currently difficult for the layperson to decipher. The presentation of
data through the use of "initialisms," acronyms and professional jargon makes it very difficult to discern
the exact status of the IRP program at any point in time or to determine what the milestones and goals of
35
the IRP are for the next several years. This situation is partially caused by the highly technical nature
of the IRP and because of the large expenditures required for installation cleanup and unavoidable
uncertainties about budgets. Under the INRMP, an appendix will be prepared for the MAP that will
provide a clearly stated, annual executive summary of the current status of the IRP sites and a laypersons
explanation of the schedule of remediation for each site and for the base as a whole.
21.
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS):
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a term that describes a computer based mapping, data
base management and analysis technology that is being increasingly used by DoD facilities to manage a
wide range of issues including comprehensive planning, facilities management, construction
management, natural resources management and assessment of environmental impacts and
environmental restoration. This technology links digital maps of facilities and natural resource features
such as land-use, soils, and hydrology with data concerning the attributes of those features stored in a
powerful database management system (such as Oracle). This "attribute" data can include, for example,
the identifying number and function of structures, the characteristics of air operations areas, or the water
quality parameters observed in a well, stream or lake. The ability to perform spatial analysis is an
outstanding feature of GIS. Buffer-zones can be readily generated at specified distances around features
such as noise contours around runways or safety zones around explosive storage areas. Also multiple
layers of thematic data can be overlaid and the intersection or union of those multiple layers can be used
to understand where to locate facilities or perform operations based on factors such as land use, land
cover, flood zones, soils, proximity to road access and other pertinent factors. Digital models of terrain
can also be developed and utilized in GIS. These terrain models have been applied to aviation,
delineation of flood zones and for facility engineering purposes.
The Air Force has been in the forefront of the development and application of GIS technology.
Development and use of GIS is encouraged for real property related activities and is an integral part of
36
the Installation Restoration Program. GIS will be used at SJAFB for delineation and analysis of
floodplains, the analysis and evaluation of drainage basins, the management of hazardous materials and
waste, and delineation and analysis of soils and wetlands among other things.
22.
SOLID WASTES AND RECYCLING:
SJAFB won the 1994 DoD Installation Recycling Award. Environmental personnel have been asked
to lead DoD facilities in North Carolina in a joint effort with the State to achieve currently mandated
waste-reduction measures outlined by federal and state policy. Base personnel also serve on both county
and municipal working groups to address mutual solid waste and recycling issues.
22.1
Recycling:
The goal of the recycling program on SJAFB is to minimize waste generated and materials used
while maximizing revenues. A Baseline Waste Generation Survey was completed in October 1993 to
quantify the types and amounts of waste generated on base using 1992 as the baseline year. An
Opportunity Assessment Report was assimilated in June 1994 to incorporate the best ideas from
personnel throughout the base. These documents were used to develop the Recycling Plan.
SJAFB started a pilot curbside recycling program in September 1991 and expanded base wide in
June 1992 for all 1,743 housing units. Recycling personnel pick up the recyclable materials on the same
day as refuse collection. All base personnel are educated on how to properly separate recyclable items. At
the newcomer briefings, newly assigned personnel are introduced to the base's environmental programs
with a slide show and presentation. The environmental flight has also developed a Base Recycling
Handbook.
Office and work area recycling started in February 1990. Recycling personnel pick up materials on
a weekly basis from various locations and buildings on base. Cardboard is also collected at the base
Commissary and Base Exchange. In 1993 and 1994, over 2,217,000 pounds of cardboard was recycled.
The Recycling Plan contains eight objectives:
37
1. Minimize the amount of waste discarded in landfills2. Increase the percentage of waste that is recycled3. Stimulate market demand for recycled products through
purchasing practices4. Expand the education program5. Maximize profit now and in the future6. Interact with customers and suppliers7. Evaluate and update the program continuously8. Investigate concerns and implement improvements-
REDUCE
RECYCLE
REUSE
RECRUIT
RECOUP
RECOGNIZE
RENEW
RESPOND
Five of these objectives have direct measures of success, the others have indirect measures. In
every instance of direct measure, SJAFB has exceeded its stated recycling goal.
There has been a thirty percent (30%) reduction in waste going to the landfill. Fifty percent (50%)
of the waste stream has been recycled. Recycled product purchases have increased by fifty percent (50%)
per year for the last 10 years. There has been an increase by twenty five percent (25%) of the people
reached in the public awareness campaign. Revenues have also increased by ten percent (10%) per year
(1994 Nomination for the Secretary of Defense Installation Recycling Award, pp. 4-6).
22.2
Yard Wastes and Composting:
SJAFB has been successful at turning its wood debris, leaves, grass clippings and pine needles into
a compost product that is used for landscaping in squadron and family housing self-help projects.
In September 1990, the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron at SJAFB initiated a yard waste composting
program in addition to its basewide recycling program. SJAFB now has a full scale yard waste
composting facility and a greenhouse.
The composting operation at SJAFB employs a windrow and turn process. Yard waste from every
base organization, including yard trimmings from military family housing (mandatory since January
1993) is transported to Civil Engineer=s composting facility. The composting process usually requires six
(6) months before the compost is "finished," resulting in a dark, crumbly material that is uniform in
texture. Recently, SJAFB has added the capacity to process wood pallets and wood construction rubble.
38
There were no large expenditures needed to begin the composting operation. A five (5) acre,
fenced site was available and base refuse contracts were modified so that yard waste is kept separate
from regular refuse. The finished compost is available for military family housing residents free of
charge.
Greenhouse personnel often salvage or reclaim discarded house plants, nourish them, and then
recirculate them into the base landscape enhancement program. The greenhouse was purchased for
$17,000 and paid for itself in less than three (3) years, since the base saves over $6,000 a year on new plant
and shrubbery purchases.
In 1993, the SJAFB Civil Engineer Composting Facility processed over 1.5 million pounds of yard
waste. The composting program saves over $76,000 annually including $62,000 in disposal fees, $3,800 in
fertilizer purchases and $10,600 in topsoil purchases. (PRO-ACT, Pollution Prevention Success Story
TI#1154A, "Spotlight on SJAFB," October 1994, HQ Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence,
Brooks AFB,
23.
KNOWN FUTURE MISSION IMPACTS:
The only known future mission impacts are a potential increase in training flights as a result of the
location of more jet fighters and training personnel at SJAFB. This will also probably mean an increase in
night flights and will mostly effect the AICUZ.
24.
GENERAL PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE:
In appearance and in practice SJAFB is much like a small, urbanized, and industrial town. Most of
the land space at SJAFB falls under the category of improved grounds and is available for a variety of
human uses. The flight line and airfield complex covers most of the southern half of the base. Residential
areas, larger buildings including barracks, the commissary, and other office complexes occupy the central
and northeastern sectors of the base. Recreational facilities, training areas, and the federal prison camp
are principally found in the east central and northwestern quadrants. Small forested areas occur on the
39
periphery of the base on the north and west, and along the Neuse River and Stoney Creek on the
north. (See land use map on next page).
SJAFB is located at Lat N 35 20' 30", Long W 77 58' 30". This part of North Carolina experiences hot,
humid summers and cool winters. In any given year, extreme variations in temperature are possible at
SJAFB. A description of the variability of temperature on an annual basis and/or longitudinally will be
collected during implementation of the INRMP.
Large variations in temperature at SJAFB provide the potential for plant and animal diversity.
These temperature variations can also periodically create very stressful conditions for the local flora and
fauna and are taken into account in landscaping practices.
The lowest recorded temperatures occur at SJAFB from November through February. The
minimum temperature recorded at SJAFB was -1 in January and the maximum was 105 degrees F. in
August. Currently available data sources do not provide the year in which these extremes were recorded.
On average, January is the coldest month of the year with a mean temperature of 42 F. and July is
the hottest month with an average temperature of 80 F. Normal rainfall in the area is approximately 50
inches per year. The wettest month is July with an average precipitation of 6.9 inches. The driest month is
February with a mean precipitation of 2.6 inches.
The first killing frost in the area generally occurs between October 30 and November 9. The last
killing frost generally occurs between April 1 and 11th. The growing season covers a nine month period
from March to November.
A high degree of evapotranspiration occurs on parts of the base during the summer months due to
constant sun exposure and high daily temperatures. Because of the rather large temperature variations
and the general volatility of climate and weather in the region, landscaping practices at SJAFB should
reflect to the greatest degree possible the indigeneous plant life of the area. This management practice
will ensure the greatest survivability of the vegetation with the least amount of effort and expense. Efforts
40
will be made over time to replace introduced plant species on the base with species found naturally in
the area. This management practice will also maintain and improve the sustainability and native
biological diversity of the natural communities that comprise the local ecosystem (AFGD 94-016, Section
3.1, 1 Dec 1994).
All plant life currently on the base will be inventoried and evaluated with regard to its current
contributions to ecosystem goals. Landscaping programs and grounds maintenance are treated further in
Section 29 of this INRMP and in other documents.
25.
LAND USE CLASSIFICATIONS AND ECOSYSTEM PLANNING:
For ecosystem planning purposes, it is essential to have an accurate conception of current land use
practices on SJAFB. In many ways, land use practices are the most fundamental elements of ecosystem
planning. This is obvious, for example, in the attempt to strike an appropriate balance between the
amount of land devoted to human activities and that reserved for natural areas, green belts, and open
space.
The appropriate congregation or dispersal of functions performed on the installation can affect
stormwater runoff, groundwater recharge and contamination, and the general safety and well being of
the SJAFB community. The proper balancing of open space, natural areas and highly developed areas,
coupled with environmentally sensitive construction practices (siting decisions as well as buffers and
daily clean up) and architectural design suited to fit the natural landscape can have a dramatic effect in
reducing management burdens and costs, the health and safety of the personnel who live and work on
the base, protecting and enhancing the natural resources contained within the public domain at SJAFB,
and creating a quality of life on and around the base that will assist in maintaining the morale of the
personnel who serve at SJAFB.
The Land Management Plan for SJAFB (LMP, 1991) identifies the amount of acreage contained
within particular land use categories on the installation. There is no indication in the LMP as to how the
41
classifications or acreage figures currently utilized were arrived at, or precisely what point in time they
represent, i.e., when the most recent survey of land use on SJAFB was conducted.
A review of land use data contained in the LMP will be conducted and following that evaluation a
decision will be made about a new land use survey. Once the accuracy of current land use data is
verified, land use goals compatible with ecosystem goals will be developed.
Ecosystem goals for land use should be clear enough to assist in the siting of future facilities on
base, to identify and specify environmentally sensitive construction practices, and to build into the Base
Comprehensive Planning process mechanisms to balance open space, green belts, and natural areas with
the land uses necessary for performing the military mission. Stormwater runoff, hazardous materials and
wastes, air pollution, AICUZ, and numerous other areas of environmental concern should also be directly
coordinated with land use goals and practices.
The implementation of land use goals are, in most instances, a longer range program than can be
addressed within the five year life of this INRMP. However, since land use is so essential to good
ecosystem planning, attention should be paid to these longer range goals at the same time that this
INRMP is being implemented.
25.1
Land Use Acreage and Ecosystem Planning Needs:
There are 3233 total acres of land space on SJAFB (LMP, 1994).
Land use classifications on the installation consists of improved grounds, semi-improved grounds,
unimproved grounds, and natural communities.
25.2
Improved grounds- include land spaces on which personnel annually plan and perform
intensive maintenance activities. This classification encompasses land under buildings,
streets and parking areas and areas of the installation that have lawns and landscape
plantings; for example, residential yards, athletic fields, parade grounds, green spaces and
green ways, and the golf course.
42
The LMP, 1994, p. 2 reports that there are 1328 total acres of improved grounds on the
installation. Among these 1328 acres are:
(a) 942 acres of administrative area mowed by the Civil Engineering Squadron or other installation
organizations.
(b) 19 acres of athletic area mowed by the Morale, Wellness, and Readiness staff.
(c) 168 acres of family housing lawns mowed by occupants.
(d) 163 acres of golf course fairways, greens, and roughs mowed by the golf course maintenance
shop.
(e) 36 acres mowed by the housing maintenance contractor.
This acreage constitutes 41% of the land space on SJAFB; twice as much as any other category of
land use. This acreage reflects high intensity land use and as such demands time and material for
maintenance.
Within the first two years of implementation of the INRMP, a survey of land use and
landscaping practices within the improved grounds classification will be conducted to (1) determine the
extent to which this largest land use fits the ecosystem goal for the installation, (2) identify separately the
acreage under buildings, streets, parking areas, and other impervious structures, (3) identify and
inventory the vegetation contained within the improved ground category, (4) establish whether the
acreages currently listed within this category are appropriately classified, (5) determine whether an
appropriate mixture of native and non-native vegetation exists, and (6) determine the most cost efficient
landscaping mixture to conserve energy within buildings, to reduce maintenance costs, and to conserve,
protect, and enhance the regional ecosystem.
25.3
Semi-improved grounds- are land spaces where personnel perform periodic maintenance
primarily for operational and aesthetic reasons (such as erosion and dust control, bird control and visual
43
clear zones). These usually include grounds adjacent to runways, taxiways, and aprons; rifle and pistol
ranges; picnic areas, ammunition storage areas, and golf course roughs.
The LMP identifies 698 total acres of semi-improved grounds on SJAFB (LMP, p. 3). They include:
(a) 694 acres maintained in-house.
(b) 4 acres maintained by the housing maintenance contractor.
Semi-improved grounds constitute 22% of the total land space on SJAFB. This is the second largest
category of land use according to available figures. (The same analyses and review set out above in
Section 25.2 for improved grounds will be conducted for the acreage contained within the semi-improved
land use classification).
25.4
Unimproved grounds- include land spaces not classified as improved or semi-improved
and usually are not mowed more than once a year. These include forestlands, cropland, lakes, ponds and
wetlands.
According to the LMP, unimproved grounds on SJAFB consists of 404 acres including,
(a) 0 acres of forest land under management.
(b) 0 acres of crop and hay outleases.
(c) 0 acres of grazing outleases.
(d) 404 acres of other unimproved grounds.
(e) 0 acres of cultural resource sites.
Unimproved grounds constitute 12% of the total land space on SJAFB. This is the least amount of
land space among the land use categories identified in the LMP. (The unimproved grounds classification
will also be analyzed and reviewed according to the criteria set out above in Section 25.2 for the
improved land use category).
25.5
Natural Communities- are distinct and reoccurring assemblages of populations of
organisms naturally associated with each other and their physical environment (Shafale and Weakley,
44
1990, Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey, 1994). In practice, plants are the primary organisms
used to classify natural community types. Natural communities are included as a sub-category of
unimproved grounds.
Natural communities on SJAFB were identified through a Nature Conservancy Natural Area
Survey (NCNAS) conducted on the installation in 1994. The NCNAS identifies and describes remnants of
five natural communities that exhibit enough coherency in their vegetative characteristics to be
distinguished from other areas on the installation. Unfortunately, the NCNAS notes that these natural
areas "are in poor condition, degraded by various past disturbances and existing only in small, isolated
patches" (NCNAS, p. 5). In spite of their degraded characteristics, the preservation and enhancement of
these natural communities will be an essential element of the ecosystem goal for SJAFB.
In an ecosystem sense, natural communities are significant as elements of biological diversity and
as "coarse filters" for evaluating species diversity. By protecting good examples of all natural community
types, the majority of species can be protected without laborious individual attention (Shafale and
Weakley, 1990). In addition, protection at the natural community level provides a means to support
habitat crucial to other living organisms, such as small game, insects, amphibians, and reptiles.
Ecosystem planning for SJAFB requires that (1) some immediate attention be paid to developing
appropriate management practices for the preservation and enhancement of these natural communities,
(2) their current boundaries be well-defined, (3) their potential for expansion be evaluated, (4) other
unimproved grounds be evaluated for their potential evolution into natural communities, and, (5) a
decision be made as to whether 404 acres or 12% of the land space on the installation represents an
appropriate balance of unimproved grounds with other land uses on SJAFB.
Each of the remnant natural community types on SJAFB are identified and addressed
separately in Section 28 of this INRMP.
26.
SOILS AND GEOLOGY:
45
26.1
Soils:
Information on soils at SJAFB is contained in the Land Management Plan, (LMP, 1991), the Nature
Conservancy Natural Area Survey (NCNAS, 1994), and the Management Action Plan, (MAP, 1995). The
three documents conflict in their presentation of the types of soils to be found on the installation.
The LMP lists "eight primary soil conditions" (LMP, 1991, p. 4) while the NCNAS reports fifteen
different soil series. There is not only a difference in the number of soil types identified in these
documents, there are also discrepancies in the kinds of soils reported. Only three soil types, (Norfolk,
Goldsboro, and Wagram) are found listed in both the LMP and the NCNAS.
The MAP is more sophisticated in its treatment of soils. In the MAP, there is a recognition of
specific differences between soil types and conditions from one location on the base to another. There is
also an implicit recognition of the relationship between surface and sub-surface strata and existing and
potential environmental problems.
Discrepancies over soils can be attributed to the data source from which each of the documents
derives its information. The LMP cites a USDA soils map prepared by Wayne County SCS personnel on
22 Sep. 1966. The NCNAS cites a soil survey of Wayne County by Barnhill et. al. from 1974. The MAP
cites studies by Research Triangle Institute, (RTI, 1985 and 1988), and Law Environmental, Inc. (LAW,
1991 and 1992)
Accurate soil information is important to practically every natural resources management issue,
including vegetative cover, watershed protection, groundwater recharge, and the potential effect and/or
containment of toxic and hazardous materials spills.
An early step in the implementation of the INRMP will be (1) an identification of the most accurate
soil information available for SJAFB, (2) a resolution of conflicts concerning soil types contained within
natural resources documents, (3) the establishment of an accurate list of soils, (4) an accurate mapping of
46
the existence of various soils on the installation, and (5) the incorporation of that soil data into all
planning documents on base.
26.2
Geology:
The Management Action Plan (MAP, 1995) reports that the geology of the area "around the Base" is
"typified by generally unconsolidated sedimentary deposits unconformably overlying a basement
complex of pre-Cretaceous rocks.
The Coastal Plain sediments are comprised mainly of Quaternary and Tertiary sediments
overlying about 130 feet of Cretaceous marine sediments. Surficial deposits in the area consist of the
Holocene Goldsboro Sands and Pliocene Sunderland Formation." (MAP, 1995, p. A2-2)
Beneath SJAFB, three geologic units define the principal water-bearing aquifers. Surficial deposits
of the Goldsboro sand and Sunderland formation contain the uppermost aquifer. These sediments rest
disconformably on the Black Creek Aquifer. The Cape Fear formation, which contains the Cape Fear
Aquifer, is below the Black Creek formation (MAP, 1995, p. A2-2).
The sedimentary deposits consist of sandy clay and clay lenses underlain by basal gravel deposits.
The Black Creek Formation consists of montmorillonitic clays with glauconitic sand lenses; the Cape Fear
Formation is comprised of poorly sorted quartz sands and montmorillonitic feldspathetic clays.
Hydraulic conductivity for these soils, as determined by in-situ permeability and the pump test, average
between 8 x 10 (power) and 2 x 10 (power).
Flow in the surficial aquifer is influenced primarily by topography. The overall direction of flow in
the surficial aquifer on the installation is from the higher central portion of the base northward into
Stoney Creek, westward into the Neuse River, or southward into the southern drainage ditch.
Groundwater occurs at shallow depths within the surficial deposits.
Along the floodplain of Stoney Creek on the northern side of the Base, the water table is generally
one-foot below ground surface; for wells upgradient of the Stoney Creek floodplain, the depth of the
47
water table varies between 4 and 14 ft below ground surface (LAW, 1991). Based on wells south of the
Neuse River, typical yields in the surficial aquifer are less than 10 gallons per minute. Average hydraulic
conductivity within the surficial aquifer ranges from 1.1 x 10*(pencil in power) to 9.7 x 10* (power).
27.
WATER RESOURCES:
Protecting the nation's water resources is a fundamental priority of U.S. public policy. Water
resources management on SJAFB has succeeded to a point that ecosystem management is a next logical
and practical step. Within the first year after adoption of the INRMP an ecosystem goal for water
resources on the installation will be established. This goal will include the protection and enhancement of
water resources in the surrounding watershed as well as on SJAFB. For this purpose, baseline data will be
established for the character and quality of water in the Neuse River upstream and downstream of
SJAFB.
Ecosystem management of natural resources on SJAFB treats water resources in relation to other
natural resources on the installation and within the context of the regional ecosystem of which they are a
part. In managing surface water resources at SJAFB, this means understanding the part that SJAFB plays
in the Neuse River watershed and putting into practice natural resources management actions that
protect and enhance those resources. In managing ground water resources, an ecosystem approach
means taking into account the various aquifers and recharge zones which lie under SJAFB and their
relationship to regional ground water resources.
27.1
NPDES:
Under the Clean Water Act (CWA) (55 Federal Register 48062-48901) and 40 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) Parts 122, 123, and 124, owners of "facilities that discharge storm water associated with
industrial activity" must apply for a storm water permit if storm water is discharged to (1) waters of the
United States, or (2) separate storm sewer systems. As described in Section 16.1 of this INRMP (p. XX),
SJAFB possesses NPDES permit NC0063177 in compliance with the CWA requirements.
48
According to the Draft Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan for SJAFB (SWP3, Radian
Corporation, March 1994) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has defined eleven (11) categories
of facilities engaging in industrial activity that are subject to the requirements of the Clean Water Act and
40 CFR 122. The following facilities on SJAFB fall within one of the defined categories:
Hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facilities;
Landfills, land application sites, and open dumps;
Recycling facilities; and
Transportation facilities with vehicle maintenance shops, equipment cleaning operations, or
airport deicing operations.
The Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWP3, SJAFB, Radian Corporation, March,1994)
reports that most of the regulated activities at SJAFB fall under the "transportation facilities" category
(SWP3, p. 1-2). Examples of these activities include refueling, aircraft maintenance, vehicle maintenance,
materials handling, and fire protection training exercises. (SWP3 p. 1-3)
27.2
Surface Water Resources:
SJAFB is located on the Neuse River-Stoney Creek watershed. Receiving waters from the base
include: Stoney Creek; Neuse River; and an unnamed tributary of the Neuse River. Ecosystem
management of water resources on SJAFB requires complete data concerning the amount and nature of
surface water (storm water) runoff into the Neuse River and the other border areas that surround the
base. The principal documents for the management of water resources on SJAFB are the Storm Water
Pollution Prevention Plan (SWP3, 1994), the Land Management Plan, and the Spill Prevention and
Response Plan. The SWP3 describes fifteen (15) drainage basins and their outfalls (SWP3, 1994, p. 3-4).
The SWP3 also notes that there are no "significant run-on points" of water entry for SJAFB (SWP3, p 3-13).
The Land Management Plan (LMP, 1994) describes the drainage infrastructure on SJAFB in broad
terms as "A system of open ditches, covered concrete pipes, drop inlets and catch basins" (LMP, 1994, p.
2).
49
Appendix 1, of Annex C, of the SJAFB Spill Prevention and Response Plan, identifies eight (8)
probable spill routes on the installation and serves as a scenario guide for the spill of particular materials
at specific locations on the base. The SPRP, 1994, reports that five (5) of the potential spill routes for
materials used on the installation ultimately lead to the Neuse River (SPRP, SJAFB, 1994, p. c-1-1). Under
implementation of the INRMP the eight spill routes identified in the SPRP will be evaluated and
coordinated with the fifteen drainage basins and their outfalls identified in the SWP3 and the drainage
infrastructure described in the LMP. This area of natural resources management will be built into a GIS
so that the complexity of the SJAFB drainage system can be addressed comprehensively and be more
easily monitored and evaluated.
27.3
Stormwater Runoff and the Neuse River Watershed:
Although federal lands are excluded from direct protection under the Coastal Zone Management
Act, federal agencies are required to ensure that their activities are consistent with state Coastal Zone
management Programs to the maximum extent practicable. Although the installation makes the
"Consistency Determination," the appropriate state agency must be advised of the determination.
In ecosystem terms, a reasonable level of consciousness should be exhibited concerning the
contribution of SJAFB to the regional drainage basin of which the Neuse River is a part and which
ultimately empties into Pamlico Sound, a significant estuary on the North Carolina Coast. Although
SJAFB does not fall within the North Carolina Coastal Management Zone as defined in federal law . . . .
and while the overall contribution of SJAFB to the health of Pamlico Sound is probably small, an
ecosystem approach to the management of water resources suggests strongly that such an impact should
be recognized and made a part of the planning process at SJAFB. This means including brief treatments
and discussions of the character and water quality of Pamlico Sound in any planning or management
activities likely to impact water resources on base.
The Air Force entered into an agreement with the
Coastal America National Implementation Team to coordinate and cooperate in the restoration and
50
protection of coastal areas (AFI 32-7064, Chapter 5, section 5.4, p.7, 22 July 1994). Under this
agreement, the Air Force:
(1) establishes Coastal America Program guidance and distributes it for implementation at the
appropriate installations.
(2) reviews existing policies and incorporates Coastal America goals in integrated natural
resources plans.
(3) reports to the Regional Implementation Team on projects complying with the Coastal America
goals.
(4) prepares a report each November identifying ongoing programs and projects that meet Coastal
America goals.
In Action Memorandum-Coastal America Watershed Report, David C. Vangasbeck, Deputy
Director of Environmental Quality, OCE, notes that aquatic ecosystems are most effectively addressed in
a watershed context and that a truly comprehensive watershed approach can only succeed with the
collaboration and cooperation of the full range of parties with jurisdiction over, and interest in, the
resources at stake. (CAWR,AM,Headquarters USAF/CEV, Vangasbeck, OCE, Feb. 1994). The CAWR
goes on to note that "the critical situation facing the health of America's water resources and it's aquatic
ecosystems is not the result of a single activity on or near a lake, river, or stream. It is the combined and
cumulative result of many individual activities throughout a waterbody's entire natural drainage area, or
watershed (CAWR, 1994, p. 1).
"The future of our aquatic ecosystems and the fish and wildlife that depend on them lies in
integrated and collaborative decision-making on a watershed basis and in an ecosystem context" (CAWR,
p. 19). The report also notes that North Carolina is one of several coastal states to take a lead in
"realigning their water quality programs along watershed boundaries."
North Carolina's "whole basin approach" to water quality protection focuses on coordinating
and integrating all program activities for each of the State's 17 major river basins,including
permitting, monitoring, modeling, and wasteload allocations; non-point source assessments;
special incentive studies; and planning. (CAWR, 1994,p.11).
These plans will then provide a basis for management decisions such as National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System permit renewals, enforcement, and monitoring. The state goal of
51
this effort is to develop basinwide strategies that protect surface water quality and use while
allowing for sound economic planning. (CAWR, 1994,p.11).
Projects in support of Coastal America goals may be submitted for Legacy Resources Management
Program Funds as well as for Environmental Compliance funds (AFI 32-7064/ACCs 1, sections 5.2.1,
5.2.2, and 5.4).
The current NPDES permit requires a variety of samplings and reportings at two outfalls on the
installation. These outfalls are strategically located to represent accumulation points for a large
percentage of the water volume that falls on the installation during a rain event or that flow off of the
base under normal conditions. Under the INRMP, the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan will
establish annual totals of precipitation, averages for precipitation by season, and minimums and
maximums for precipitation during environmentally sensitive weather and climate conditions and make
this data available for all planning and management activities on base.
The SWP3 currently identifies potential pollutants within each drainage basin and the SPRP fills in
further details of the location of materials, quantity, and potential spill routes. Under the INRMP the
drainage basins on the installation will be addressed as coherent elements of surface and ground water
resources and for their effluent contributions. For ecosystem management purposes, baseline data will be
established for the contribution of each drainage basin to the installation watershed as well as to the
amount of groundwater recharge that is taking place.
27.4. First Flush, Materials Handling, and Drainage Basins:
AFirst flush@ refers to water effects that occur immediately after the onset of a rain event. In a first
flush, materials that have accumulated over time on the ground and other surfaces since the last rain
event are quickly transported into the storm water runoff and can create a shock for surrounding water
bodies and streams. Often, theses first flush effects represent the greatest threat for short term
contamination and direct harm to natural resources. Under the INRMP, an analysis will be conducted of
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the adequacy of existing mitigation structures at SJAFB to handle current and potential Afirst flush@
effects within each drainage basin and for the installation as a whole. Subsequent to that analysis,
decisions will be made concerning the need for additional mitigating actions or structures within each
drainage basin in the short and long term. These decisions will be guided by known and possible future
mission changes and other possible developments and changes in the physical structure of SJAFB.
These analyses and the resulting data will allow for a more precise, effective, and less costly
response to any potential surface water or ground water problem that might arise. This information will
be available for long term planning for the location of new buildings as well as for evaluating the location
of existing facilities and the performance of any new functions on base that have the potential for water
contamination.
The SWP3 and the SPRP survey all locations on base that have "significant materials and material
handling practices in exposed areas." Table 3-3 of the SWP3 summarizes the location, quantity stored and
used annually, and the nature of the current handling practices for these materials. Establishing pollution
prevention priorities based on this data through drainage basin models will allow for a more effective
targeting of pollution control resources.
Table 4-1 in the SWP3 surveys current best management practices (BMP) for each location on the
installation where significant materials are stored and handled and reports current BMPs and proposed
BMPs for each site (Significant materials are defined on page 3-13 of the SWP3). Effluent data from each
drainage basin combined with an ecosystem goal for surface and ground water discharges from SJAFB
will make it easier to evaluate the scientific, ecological, and economic value of current and proposed
BMPs.
For preventative purposes, an ecosystem approach for SJAFB should include accurate drainage
maps with topographical characteristics clearly delineated and GIS capabilities available to indicate the
nature of rain events (frequency, scope, and amount) and other precipitation for a relevant historical
53
period. An analysis should be conducted to identify where precipitation differences exist on base,
where the greatest amount of water accumulates during rain events, where the greatest amount of water
re-enters the groundwater table (this particular item will require accurate soil analyses), and data
showing mean and maximum stormwater flows for various drainage basins over a relevant period of
time.
Because there is an intimate connection between the Installation Restoration Program and the
management of water resources, coordination with the IRP program and HAZMART is essential in
planning the drainage basin studies and in developing the drainage basin approach.
27.5
Groundwater:
A survey of aquifers underlying SJAFB and data concerning their flow will be accomplished and
coordinated with the drainage basin and watershed information discussed in Section 27.4. It is expected
that, with only slight variations, surface water and ground water drainage basin management needs will
be similar.
Accurate soil maps specifically focusing on groundwater recharge and stormwater runoff will be
developed and contradictions in the types of soils reported on SJAFB in various documents will be
reconciled. (Conflicting data exists in several natural resource documents concerning the types of soil
found on SJAFB. This issue is addressed in more detail in Section 26.1 of this plan).
Soil types, soil permeability, and the percentage of humanly created impervious surfaces for the
installation as a whole as well as for particular drainage basins will be established and analyzed for their
effect on the regional groundwater system. A document delineating the various aquifers and
groundwater zones of which SJAFB is a part will be developed.
27.6. Floodplains:
Floodplains are defined in AFI 32-7064 as lowland or flat areas adjoining inland and coastal waters
that have a 1 percent (1%) or greater chance of flooding in any given year. Executive order 11988
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(Floodplains Management) requires all Federal agencies to provide leadership and take action to
reduce the risk of flood loss, minimize the impacts of floods on human safety, health, and welfare, and
restore and preserve the natural and beneficial values of floodplains in acquiring, managing, and
disposing of Federal lands.
The Neuse River which borders SJAFB is subject to periodic floods with floodwaters on the base
sometimes reaching the end of the airstrip and surrounding the alert apron. Under the INRMP, SJAFB
will evaluate the effects of human activities currently taking place within the Neuse floodplain and
consider long range alternatives to mitigate any potential adverse environmental effects (preventative
and/or remedial measures) and to avoid any future environmentally incompatible development in the
floodplain.
The current Land Management Plan for SJAFB provides a map of the 100 year floodplain (LMP,
Manning, C-3, 1989). Under implementation of the INRMP, the revised Land Management Plan will
provide (1) data delineating the actual acreage on SJAFB subject to flooding, (2) the percentage of the base
landspace within the floodplain, and (3) historical data on actual floods for the past ten to fifteen years.
(The historical data should include (a) the actual extent of the flood on the base correlated with (b) the
severity and duration of the rain event that created the flooding, (c) the season, month and day within
which the rain event occurred, (d) the month and day at which the flood reached its peak, and (e) the
duration of the flood waters within low areas on the base.), (4) current land uses within the floodplain
delineated on a map, and (5) the potential for environmental contamination in the floodplain from
existing and potential land uses.
The floodplain and meteorological data will also be incorporated into the Storm Water Pollution
Prevention Plan, the Management Action Plan (IRP), and the Hazardous Waste Management Plan as well
as any other relevant component plans. The integration of floodplain data with stormwater management,
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IRP, and hazardous waste management will assist in setting priorities to determine the appropriate
locations for AOCs, SAPs, and the future siting of other functions that make use of hazardous materials.
Currently, no active IRP sites appear to be located within the floodplain. Hazardous waste
management sites that are located within the floodplain are: A-3 2217/1200 Igloo Road, munitions
maintenance; S-6 2121/800 Propulsion Road, jet engine shop; S-8 2124/800 Propulsion Road, trailer
maintenance; S-9 2202/1185 Weapons Lane, 334/336 CMU; and, EOD Range, TSD Facility, Interim Part A
permit.
27.7 Wetlands:
Executive Order 11990, (Wetlands Management) requires all federal agencies to provide leadership
in the protection of wetlands. In compliance with this management directive, a wetlands delineation
study will be conducted at SJAFB within the first three years of implementation of the INRMP.
According to AFI 32-7064, Air Force installations will avoid starting or assisting new construction
located in wetlands unless there are no practicable alternatives to such construction. Any proposed
design for development or construction must include all practicable measures to minimize harm to
wetlands and demonstrate that potential impacts have been analyzed at the appropriate level of
environmental impact analysis. In making final decisions, the Air Force will take into account the
requirements of the military mission, the economic and environmental impact, and other pertinent
factors.
The term "New Construction" is defined by Executive Order 11990 as draining, dredging,
channelizing, filling, diking, impounding, and related activities. Activities in wetlands may not
commence until 30 days after the publication of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or Record of
Decision (ROD).
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When a Finding Of No Practicable Alternative (FONPA) must be included in a FONSI, ensure
that the following material is either included in the FONSI or is included in the Environmental
Assessment and incorporated in the FONSI by reference:
1. statement that the project is in compliance with Executive Order 11988.
2. description and analysis of alternative actions or sitings that could avoid wetlands, and a
justified conclusion that there is no practicable alternative to siting the project in wetlands.
3. statement that the proposed action includes all practicable measures to minimize harm to
wetlands. Examples of such measures could include on- or off-site mitigation or modifying project
scope.
4. Photographs (3x5 or 4x6 color prints preferred) that convey a visual sense of the wetlands on the
site. Aerial photographs are not essential, but should be included when available.
5. Map(s) of the site, showing the site in relation to the installation, as well as to affected or
contiguous wetlands.
6. Correspondence from the appropriate Corps of Engineers Regulatory Branch, stating their
position regarding whether or not the proposed action (and any mitigations) complies with the
requirements of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Proposed activities in wetlands will be publicized to the affected populace. In many cases, only
installation residents will be affected and, therefore, only installation residents need be notified. Public
notification can be conducted as part of the environmental impact analysis process.
Activities in wetlands do not qualify for Categorical Exclusion (CATEX). When an activity in
wetlands qualifies for an Environmental Assessment (EA) and receives a Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI), the draft EA and FONSI must be made available for public review for at least thirty (30)
days before approval of the FONSI and implementation of the action.
Wetlands delineation must be made by a qualified professional. It is often neither practical nor cost
effective to maintain current (i.e. performed within the past 3 years) CoE jurisdictional wetlands
delineations of an entire installation. An alternative is to maintain current CoE delineations where
construction or other development is anticipated in the near future, or where such detailed monitoring
has been determined appropriate in consultation with wetlands regulators. A jurisdictional wetlands
delineation will be reevaluated after 3 years if monitoring of a site indicates that the wetlands have
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significantly changed, or if a proposed activity is tentatively sited within fifty (50) feet of the wetlands
boundary. The remainder of SJAFB will be delineated to no less than National Wetlands Inventory
Standards. Information on wetlands trends and long term monitoring methodologies will be included in
the Wetlands Component Plan of the INRMP.
27.8 Impoundments:
The only impoundment indicated on available maps of SJAFB is the lake at the golf course.
Minimal data on this lake is provided in the Land Management Plan where it is indicated that wells
provide the water for the golf course pond, which, in turn, provides water for the golf course irrigation
system (LMP, 1989, p. 11). The monthly golf course water requirement is stated to be approximately
720,000 gallons. Under implementation of the INRMP, data will be collected and presented in the LMP
and in water resources documents to reflect (1) peak wet and dry periods, (2) seasonal fluctuations in the
demand for water in the lake and for irrigation at the golf course, and (3) the status of the wells and
aquifers used for these purposes. This data will be used to evaluate the most efficient, effective, and
environmentally sensitive use of water for the golf course impoundment and as a source of irrigation.
Data concerning the size, water quality, aquatic vegetation, and the interaction of fish and wildlife
with impoundments at SJAFB will also be collected within the first two years of implementation of the
INRMP and used with other relevant data to determine the appropriate management of the
impoundments. Particular attention will be paid to the use and effect of fertilizers, herbicides, and
pesticides on water quality in impoundments and on other water resources. Pest management practices
are treated further in Sections 29, 31.3, and 31.5 of the INRMP.
28.
CURRENT AND HISTORIC VEGETATIVE COVER:
The level of development on and around SJAFB and the lack of any available detailed biological
inventory for the area in the past make it difficult at the present time to determine the historic vegetative
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cover for the base with any degree of precision. Under implementation of the INRMP and, over time,
research to determine the most likely character of the original vegetative cover will be conducted.
One of the best guides to the historic vegetative cover at SJAFB is provided by the Nature
Conservancy Survey completed in 1994 (NCNAS, 1994). This survey identifies "recognizable remnants of
five natural community types on the installation." Each is briefly treated below. A more complete
description can be found in Appendix G of the INRMP.
28.1 Coastal Plain Bottomland Hardwoods (Brownwater Subtype):
A small area of relatively intact Bottomland Hardwoods occurs in the southeastern corner of
SJAFB. This natural area consist of a closed forest dominated by a mixture of wetland oaks and other
hardwoods, sometimes with loblolly pines (Pinus taeda) or bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). At
SJAFB, willow oak (Quercas phellos) and laurel oak (Quercas laurifolia) dominate. Bald cypress is
abundant. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), water hickory (Carya aquatica), red maple (Acer
rubrum), and loblolly pine are also present.
Bottomland Hardwoods are naturally periodically flooded with a wide range of flooding
frequencies. Upstream dams have altered flooding patterns on the Neuse and, as a result, research should
be conducted to determine the current character and frequency of floods on this remnant natural area.
No special active management is needed at the present time. Attention should be paid over time to
the possible intrusion by exotic plants. Edge effects and other kinds of disturbance appear to make forests
more susceptible to invasion. Allowing forests surrounding the natural community to mature and
minimizing canopy openings such as roads may help reduce edge effects.
For further treatment of this natural community type, see Appendix G.
28.2 Coastal Plain Small Stream Swamp (Blackwater Subtype):
According to the NCNAS (1994) degraded examples of this natural community occur on SJAFB.
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The vegetative composition of these natural communities is a closed forest dominated by a
mixture of wetland oaks, other hardwoods, loblolly pine, and bald cypress. Understory species typically
include ironwood, water ash, red bay, and canopy species. Shrubs may inlude titi, sweetspire, swamp
doghobble, Coastal doghobble, and cane.
The degraded example at SJAFB is dominated by red maple and sweetgum, with water oak
abundant. Red bay dominates the understory and cane dominates the shrub layer. Netted chain fern is
the primary herb.
No special management is recommended. Natural quality could probably be improved by
allowing forests to develop on adjacent lands, trees within the community to mature and natural
succession to occur. Small Stream Swamps are naturally periodically flooded and the current character
and frequency of flooding within this natural remnant at SJAFB will be researched under implementation
of the INRMP.
28.3 Coastal Plain Levee Forest (Brownwater Subtype):
A small area of degraded Levee Forest occurs in the southeastern corner of SJAFB. The vegetative
composition of these natural communities consists of a closed forest dominated by a diverse mixture of
hardwoods, sometimes with loblolly pine. Characteristic species include sycamore, river birch, laurel oak,
sweetgum, green ash, and sugarberry. Understory species typically include box elder, red maple,
pawpaw, and American holly.
Levee Forests are naturally periodically flooded for brief periods. They receive the greatest volume
of sediment deposition on the floodplain, including most of the coarser material. Because floods are
important as nutrient inputs and for keeping upland species excluded and because upstream dams have
altered flood patterns on the Neuse, research should be conducted to determine the current character and
frequency of flooding on this natural community.
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No special management is recommended. Natural quality could probably be improved by
allowing forests to develop on adjacent lands, and by allowing trees within the community to mature and
allowing natural succession to occur. See Appendix G for further details.
28.4 Cypress-Gum Swamp (Brownwater Subtype):
A small area of degraded Cypress-Gum Swamp occurs on SJAFB. The vegetation composition of
these natural communities consists of closed to nearly closed forests dominated by bald cypress, water
tupelo, and swamp black gum. Water ash is generally the dominant understory species. Shrubs and herbs
are generally sparse.
Cypress-Gum Swamps are frequently flooded. Long flooding is important in excluding other
floodplain species. Flooding deposits of sediment, usually clay, may provide an important nutrient
subsidy. Similar to the other natural areas addressed above, changes in the current character and
frequency of flooding caused by upstream dams on the Neuse should be researched for their effect on
this natural community.
No special management is recommended. Natural quality could probably be improved by
allowing forests to develop on adjacent lands, and by allowing trees within the community to mature and
allowing natural succession to occur. See Appendix G for further details.
28.5 Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest (Coastal Plain Subtype):
Small areas of degraded Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest occur along Stoney Creek on the
northwest side of SJAFB, and communities tentatively identified as this type occur on the middle terrace
in the southeastern corner of SJAFB.
The vegetative composition of this natural community consists of closed forest dominated by a
mixture of upland hardwoods, including beech, white oak, other oaks and hickories, sometimes with
loblolly pine. In this area at SJAFB, loblolly pine, sweetgum, water oak, and southern red oak dominate.
The understory is of water oak and sweetgum. Shrubs include horse sugar and wax myrtle. Japanese
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honeysuckle is abundant. The herbs present are primarily weedy species, but some woodland species
such as pink lady's slipper are present.
Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forests are not flooded. Under natural conditions, fires from uplands
probably infrequently spread into these communities. No special management is recommended. Natural
quality could probably be improved by allowing forests to develop on adjacent lands, and by allowing
trees within the community to mature and allowing natural succession to occur. See Appendix G for
further details.
29.
TURF AND LANDSCAPED AREAS:
The President has directed all federal agencies to develop sustainable landscaping practices to
address environmental concerns. These include, but are not limited to, water conservation, energy
conservation, erosion control, and a reduction in the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Sustainable
landscaping practices are also necessary for the Air Force to reach federally mandated goals for pollution
prevention in Executive Order 12856 requiring a fifty percent (50%) reduction in pesticide use by FY 2000
using FY 1993 as the baseline (Memo for ACC Wings/CC, Environmentally and Economically Beneficial
Landscaping Practices, Thad A. Wolfe, Lt. General, USAF, 11 July 1995).
Under implementation of the INRMP, SJAFB will thoroughly review installation landscaping
practices. This review will be performed in association with the land use survey discussed in Section 25 of
this INRMP. The review will consist of a vegetative survey of trees, shrubs, and ground cover and will
establish (1) the number of individual trees on the installation by species, location, and whether or not the
species is native to the area, (2) the number of shrubs and bushes on the installation by species, location,
and whether they are native or non-native, (3) the acreage of grasses and ground cover on the installation
by species, location, and whether they are native or non-native.
Following completion of the land use and vegetative survey, SJAFB will commission a landscaping
plan for the installation that will (1) complement the local and regional ecosystem, (2) minimize
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requirements for fertilizer and pesticide use, (3) establish low maintenance, self sustainable varieties of
native trees, grasses and flowering plants, (4) incorporate the proper use of mulches to effectively
conserve water, reduce weeds, and control erosion, (5) establish further goals of recycling green yard
wastes, (6) make use of recycled water and/or high efficiency irrigation systems, (7) ensure the proper
placement of trees, shrubs, and other plants for long-term savings in grounds maintenance, water, and
energy costs, (8) design, use, and promote construction practices that minimize adverse effects on the
natural habitat, (9) wherever possible, convert improved grounds to semi-improved grounds, convert
semi-improved grounds to unimproved grounds, and maintain and expand natural areas (DUSD(ES)/PP
Memo, 23 Sept, 1994 and Memo, ACC/HQ, 11 July 1995).
29.1 Current Turf and Landscape Conditions:
The Land Management Plan for SJAFB (LMP, 1989) currently list acreage for land uses, the kinds of
grasses and ground cover found on the various categories of land use (including the golf course), soil
characteristics, climatological data, planting seasons, irrigation requirements and instructions,
instructions for fertilizer and pesticide use, and mowing and maintenance policies. The current LMP was
written prior to the adoption of ecosystem management policies by the Air Force and the scheduled
revision of the LMP under the INRMP will be used to establish a current conditions baseline to assist in
the incorporation of ecosystem management goals in the new LMP as required by Air Force policies (AFI
32-7064, Chapter 11, pp. 16-17, 11 July 1994).
29.2 Urban Forestry:
The current Forest Management Plan for SJAFB was adopted prior to issuance of ecosystem
management guidelines by the Air Force. Under the INRMP the Forest Management Plan will be updated
to establish a current conditions baseline and an ecosystem goal and to assist in the implementation of
ecosystem management principles as required by the Air Force (AFI 32-7064, Chapter 8, pp. 10-12, 11 July
1994).
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The revised urban forestry plan will (1) describe the current status of SJAFB’s urban forest, (2)
establish long term goals for current maintenance, replacement and new plantings, (3) establish goals to
plant and maintain street trees and tree groupings to beautify, reduce pollution and noise, improve
wildlife habitat, moderate the climate, provide energy efficiency, and protect the watershed.
30. WILDLIFE AND THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES:
The Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey (1994) addresses the subjects of rare insects, rare
vertebrates, and neotropical migrants on SJAFB.
30.1 Rare Insects:
Because of the small and fragmented condition of the forests on SJAFB, no rare insects are likely to
occur. No rare insects are known from the vicinity of SJAFB (NCNAS,SJAFB, 1994, p. 12).
30.2 Rare Vertebrates:
Because of the small and fragmented condition of the forests on SJAFB, no rare terrestrial
vertebrates are likely to occur.
There is some possibility that the Neuse River waterdog (Necturus lewisi) can be found in the
river near SJAFB but there is no current data indicating its presence at the present time (NCNAS,SJAFB,
1994, p. 12).
30.3 Neotropical Migrants:
SJAFB contains fragments of woodlands within its boundaries. Most of these fragments lie in the
southern portion, near the Neuse River. A few other woodland patches are present along the
northwestern fringe of the property, along Stoney Creek. Most of the other "habitats" for birds appear to
be closely mowed areas, such as lawns and grassy areas surrounding the runways.
According to the NCNAS (1994) a few common and widespread Neotropical species such as wood
thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) and red-eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceus) are likely to nest on the base.
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Currently, however, there is no data to support this assumption. The majority of neotropical migrant
species do not normally breed in such small woodland patches as those found on the installation.
A few neotropical species that do not require extensive forests for breeding probably breed at
SJAFB. They include the gray catbird, the white-eyed vireo, the northern cardinal, the Carolina chickadee,
a number of woodpecker species, and grasshopper sparrows.
The interior of the North Carolina Coastal Plain does not receive much visitation by migrating
landbirds. The heaviest flights of songbird migrants pass to the west of SJAFB, although the woodlands at
SJAFB may provide suitable forage and resting habitat for the relatively few migrants that pass through
Wayne County.
Because extensive grassy areas are scarce in the upper Coastal Plain, except around
airports/runways, SJAFB may provide wintering habitat for a few species. These include the horned lark
and the northern harrier. In addition to the harrier, the extensive open country surrounding the runways
may provide foraging areas for other raptors. Such large birds could be a potential danger for aircraft
taking off and landing at the base.
30.4
Potential Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Habitat:
The number and age of the pine trees found at SJAFB provide the potential in a few years for the
establishment of red-cockaded woodpecker habitat. Serious consideration should be given to the
locations where such possible habitat could be encouraged without interference with the military mission
and related functions performed on the base.
31.
MANAGEMENT ISSUES AND CONCERNS:
The major environmental constraints on development at SJAFB are (1) the floodplain along the
Neuse River and Stoney Creek, (2) protection against potential pollutants from surface water runoff, (3)
groundwater recharge and protection against potential pollutants in groundwater recharge, (4) the
appropriate location of functions using hazardous materials and the collection and disposal of hazardous
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wastes, and (5) the preservation and enhancement of the remnant natural communities identified in
the Natural Area Survey of 1994.
None of these constraints appear to present severe limitations to the expansion of the military
mission at SJAFB if and when it may be required. In the meantime, long range planning can address the
floodplain and other water issues without requiring any dramatic changes in water management.
Hazardous materials and hazardous waste issues also reflect the need for long term planning and
gradual changes rather than any immediate and drastic need for action.
31.1 Threatened and Endangered Species:
The Endangered Species Act (Public Law 3-205) requires military installations to protect and
conserve federally listed threatened and endangered plants and animals and their habitats. Candidate
species must be given the same protection as species that are already listed. In addition, the ESA requires
that installations having a listed species develop specific plans for preservation of these species and their
habitats. AFPD 32-70 further requires that all installations must prepare and maintain a current inventory
of T/E species and habitat as part of the base habitat inventory.
The Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey of SJAFB completed in 1994 found no T/E species
or their habitat at SJAFB and projected little likelihood of any such occurrence in the vicinity of the
installation. As mentioned above, there is some need for concern about the gradual development of redcockaded woodpecker habitat as the numerous pine trees on SJAFB reach the appropriate age and
condition.
31.2 Wetlands:
Because of the extent of development of SJAFB and as a result of slopes, terrain and geological
conditions, wetlands issues do not appear to present any significant management concerns at the present
time and there are no current or anticipated section 404 and 401 permitting activities or obligations.
Wetlands issues and conditions are treated and described further in Section 27.7 of the INRMP. Following
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a wetlands delineation, a thorough review of management decisions and activities with regard to land
use and wetlands at SJAFB will be conducted.
31.3 Watershed Protection:
Current water management practices at SJAFB are in excellent condition for further development
toward an ecosystem management approach. There is a need, however, to (1) further address the role of
SJAFB in the Neuse River watershed and (2) to collect and aggregate data concerning stormwater runoff
and nonpoint pollution from a drainage basin perspective and with an understanding of the total
seasonal and annual contribution of SJAFB to the surrounding watershed. There is also a need to
coordinate and take a more proactive water management position with (1) the Installation Restoration
Program, (2) the location, use, and disposal of hazardous materials and waste, (3) future landscaping and
grounds maintenance activities including the use of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers (with the goal of
moving toward Integrated Pest Management practices), and (4) the base comprehensive plan for future
construction both for purposes of stormwater management and groundwater mitigation efforts.
North Carolina is one of the states that has taken some significant initiatives toward basinwide
strategies that protect surface water quality and use while allowing for sound economic planning. North
Carolina anticipates that it can adopt the whole basin approach with minimal changes to the structure of
the current water quality program through increased information exchange and coordination across
agency programs, as well as the use of more complex water quality modeling, data interpretation, and
database management (Action Memorandum, HQ USAF/CEV, 4 Feb 1994, p. 11). SJAFB will be a
participant in achieving these goals.
31.4 Fish and Wildlife Management:
Proactive management of wildlife populations in highly developed areas is necessary to sustain
and enhance biological diversity and the viability of wildlife populations, and to maximize the
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compatibility of wildlife and human activities. It is vital that habitat management be coordinated with
other land management and mission related activities.
A Cooperative Agreement for the Protection, Development, and Management of Fish and Wildlife
Resources at SJAFB (CAPDMFWR) was signed in 1984 by the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Services, the State of North Carolina, Wildlife Resources Commission, and SJAFB. This
agreement addresses joint responsibilities of the three agencies, including prohibitions on the
introduction of exotic species, the preparation of a fish and wildlife management plan, the enforcement of
game laws, the conservation of wildlife and migratory waterfowl, licenses and permits, the use of
chemical toxicants for controlling nuisance species, the protection of endangered and threatened species,
and public access to military property.
No Fish and Wildlife Management Plan for SJAFB is found among available documents and, as a
result, the various provisions for cooperation in the CAPDMFWR (1984) remain at the stage of goal
statement without describing specific objectives and measurable steps for the implementation of those
goals. This does not mean that the actual management practice for fish and wildlife resources at SJAFB
has fallen short of the goals stated in the Cooperative Agreement, but it does mean that it is difficult to
evaluate accurately the current status of the management of these resources.
SJAFB is such a developed environment that fish and wildlife resources are scarce on the
installation. Consequently, the writing of a fish and wildlife management component plan is of somewhat
lower priority than many of the other studies and plans that are called for in the INRMP. Nontheless,
within the five year life of the initial INRMP for SJAFB, a Fish and Wildlife Plan will be completed. This
plan should be coordinated with the land use survey and the Land Management Plan as well as with the
Grounds Maintenance Plan, the Outdoor Recreation Plan, and other natural resources documents. The
plan should contain an inventory of wildlife and wildlife habitat on the installation focusing on (1) the
remnant natural areas addressed in Section 28 of the INRMP, (2) open and unimproved grounds, (3)
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picnic and other recreation areas, (4) the border and fence areas along the perimeter of the installation,
(5) Stoney Creek, (6) the Neuse River waterfront, (7) the floodplains, (8) the golf course, (9) the flight line,
and (10) the forested and landscaped urban environment around building complexes. The inventory will
establish a set of current baseline conditions for management of fish and wildlife resources and for
measurement of progress toward the goals stated in the Cooperative Agreement.
Because the Cooperative Agreement is over ten years old, early attention should be paid to
establishing regular contact with the state and national agencies which have jurisdiction over fish and
wildlife and their habitat at SJAFB for their advice and assistance in writing the Fish and Wildlife
Management Plan.
31.5 Grounds Maintenance:
A more complete and precise treatment of grounds maintenance at SJAFB must await new land
use surveys, wetlands delineation, and other studies that are needed to provide a current portrait of the
various categories of land use at SJAFB. The writing of a new Land Management Plan based on the data
to be collected will address in detail the types of vegetative cover to be encouraged and discouraged on
the different categories of land use, the appropriate planting, mowing and pruning seasons, the use of
fertilizers, irrigation, weed and pest control, training for personnel performing weed and pest control, the
implementation of Integrated Pest Management Practices over time, solid wastes disposal, composting,
the golf course, soil types and characteristics, conversion of grounds from higher maintenance categories
to lower maintenance categories, reduction or mitigation of potential non-point sources of pollution for
surface waters, ground water, and impoundments, and contracting for grounds management and
maintenance services.
31.6 Commercial Forestry:
According to the Forest Management Plan for SJAFB, all of the woodland areas on the installation
are designated as noncommercial forest land "due to the lack of available markets and the urban setting"
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(FMP, 1989, p. 2). As a result, the FMP calls for the application of urban or community forestry
management concepts to be applied to the existing timber resources. This goal will be more easily
attained once current conditions baselines are established for vegetative cover on the base. (See Sections
25 and 29 of the INRMP for elaboration).
Under the INRMP, a new Forestry management Plan for SJAFB will specify urban forestry goals
for the installation and will set out steps necessary to achieve those goals over a reasonable period of
time. The new Forestry Management Plan will be coordinated with the land use survey, landscaping
plan, grounds maintenance activities, and other components of natural resources management at SJAFB.
SJAFB has mutual aid agreements for fire suppression and fire fighting with the City of Goldsboro
and Wayne County. The texts of these agreements are contained in the Appendices of the Land
Management Plan, 1989. Because of the highly urbanized and developed character of SJAFB, it is unlikely
that fire will ever be used as a significant natural resources management tool on the installation.
31.7 Outdoor Recreation and Public Access:
An Outdoor Recreation Plan (ORP) for SJAFB was completed in 1994. The purpose of the ORP is to
provide guidance for the development, management, and maintenance of improved, semi-improved, and
unimproved lands controlled by SJAFB for outdoor recreation (ORP, 1994, p. 2).
Outdoor recreation facilities at SJAFB consist of an eight-site family campground (Famcamp), a
group picnic area, a family picnic area, and a nature trail. Hunting is not allowed. Access to these
facilities is limited to active and retired military personnel, their authorized family members, and their
bonafide guests. Limited exceptions to permit use by the general public may be authorized by the
Installation Commander as circumstances require. The restricted general use of these facilities by the
public is necessary because of the limited natural resources present on SJAFB. There is also a recognition
that off-base areas and facilities are readily available in the region.
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Under implementation of the INRMP, a fourth category of land use identified in Section 25.5 as
Natural Communities will be addressed as a part of outdoor recreation planning. These areas will be
considered as significant natural resource areas where the goal will be to restore as fully as possible the
original vegetative cover and ecosystem.
Outdoor recreational planning will also coordinate with other planning activities to establish the
most current data concerning acreage of various land use categories and vegetative inventories. As noted
in other sections of the INRMP, improved grounds will be converted to unimproved grounds and
unimproved grounds to natural areas where possible. Under ecosystem management practices, greater
care will be taken to establish precise carrying capacity limits for the use of natural areas at SJAFB
including nature trails and the Neuse River front. These areas will be used only as non-consumptive
outdoor recreation facilities and for public and base personnel enjoyment and educational opportunities.
Under the INRMP, several goals and objectives of the Outdoor Recreation Plan will be revisited to
determine and ensure their compatibility with ecosystem management principles. The primary goal of
"providing maximum sustainable use (within the constraints of the military mission) of the outdoor
recreation opportunities available at SJAFB is appropriate for such a highly developed installation. The
goal of improving the appearance of base picnic facilities in coordination with the development of
indigenous landscaping practices, integrated pest management, and the carrying capacity of the picnic
areas is in line with ecosystem management principles. On the other hand, the construction of a boat
ramp on the Neuse River will be reviewed with regard to (a) the effect increased traffic and activity
would have on the remnant natural areas along the riverfront, (b) the cost benefit analysis of maintenance
and operation in contrast to the more passive management of this waterfront as a natural area, (c) the
effect of increased boat traffic and other water related activities along the Neuse River watershed, (d) the
potential positive benefits of consumptive and/or non-consumptive use of the natural areas along the
Neuse River, and (e) an accurate determination of the carrying capacity of the Neuse River front
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contiguous to SJAFB. The same ecosystem analysis will be conducted with regard to the possibility of
constructing a fishing pier.
The construction of a one (1) acre pond will be reviewed in relation to (a) basewide and individual
drainage basin patterns, (b) wetlands requirements and potential for wetlands mitigation, (c) integrated
pest management practices, (d) IRP, and hazardous materials, wastes, and potential spill locations and
patterns, (e) soil characteristics, and (d) the potential creation of fish and wildlife habitat.
The enhancement of the existing Nature Trail and the possible addition of other nature trails in
wooded and natural areas on the base will also be evaluated and designed along ecosystem principles
with primary emphasis on (a) no net reduction of fish or wildlife habitat, (b) minimal impact on
vegetative communities and vegetative cover, (c) identification of significant and sensitive natural areas
in order to provide extra precaution against their degradation by human use while, at the same time,
creating every possible opportunity for educational and aesthetic enjoyment of those natural resources,
and (d) a precise definition of carrying capacity for the areas through which the nature trails pass,
educational pamphlets and/or aesthetically compatible signboards at trail heads, and promotional and
other base literature to provide information about the conservation of these and other natural areas for
the sustained enjoyment of generations of SJAFB personnel.
Much of the outdoor recreational activity at SJAFB exist off-base. Under the INRMP, off base
recreational opportunities will be reviewed with regard to ecosystem principles and the effect of human
activities on off-base natural resources. Essentially, this means ensuring that group trips and outdoor
activities sponsored by SJAFB are scheduled and constructed in such a way as to (1) not exceed the
carrying capacity of off-base resources, (2) ensure that base personnel and other participants in off-base
outdoor activities are educated and briefed on the appropriate conservation practices for the specific
natural resources being visited.
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31.8 Agricultural Outleasing:
The current Land Management Plan (1989) indicates that there are zero acres of crop and hay
outleasing and zero acres of grazing lands on SJAFB.
31.9 Coastal Issues:
Under the INRMP, SJAFB will be addressing watershed issues related to the Neuse River and
Pamlico Sound consistent with the goals and objectives of Coastal America. See Section 27 of the INRMP
for a more detailed treatment of these issues.
32.
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
This section of the INRMP identifies specific goals and objectives for the management of natural
resources at SJAFB.
Each of the following goals and objectives are addressed in greater detail in other sections of the
INRMP. The Index for the INRMP located in Appendix B will guide the reader to the more complete text
for each subject. Many natural resources management subjects are also addressed in greater detail in
component plans of the INRMP and/or in other planning documents. The bibliography in Appendix A
will assist the reader in identifying those source materials.
GOAL 1: Establish and Implement Ecosystem Management Principles for Natural Resources
Management on SJAFB:
Objectives:
a) Adopt and implement the SJAFB Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP).
b) Ensure through management practices, public education, and training that the management of
natural resources is conducted according to ecosystem management principles.
c) Ensure that the interrelationship of all natural resources on SJAFB is reflected in all planning
activities and management practices.
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d) Apply the principles of biological diversity, sustained yield, carrying capacity, and multiple
use to all natural resources management plans and actions.
e) Ensure that the Base Comprehensive Plan and all other plans for the development of SJAFB are
compatible with the INRMP and ecosystem management principles.
f) Administer natural resources with consideration of ecological units and time frames in contrast
to political boundaries and fiscal years.
g) Ensure that natural resources management practices are flexible and periodically reviewed to
accommodate the evolution of scientific understanding of ecosystems.
h) Develop and establish an ecosystem model for SJAFB that uses the best available scientific data
to establish the place of SJAFB and its individual natural resources in the larger, regional ecosystem of
which they are a part.
i) Include in the ecosystem model an original natural resources conditions component, a current
conditions component, and a desired conditions component.
j) Ensure that all installation programs are organized and integrated in a manner that recognizes,
restores, and sustains natural communities.
k) Develop a vision of ecosystem health, including existing social and economic needs, through a
consensus of all interested parties including federal, state, tribal, and local governmental organizations,
as well as the public.
l) Ensure that the organizational structure and operating procedures of the SJAFB Environmental
Flight maximize the exchange of information among its components.
m) Identify and continuously monitor indicators of ecosystem health on SJAFB and the
surrounding land space.
n) Develop and fully implement a GIS system on SJAFB that can provide the capacity to analyze,
track, and evaluate natural resources management activities in an efficient and effective manner.
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o) Ensure that all natural resources component plans and practices sustain the capability of
SJAFB to perform its military mission at the highest level of performance.
GOAL 2: Ensure Full Compliance with National, State, and Local Environmental Laws.
Objectives:
a) Schedule frequent personnel training and briefings on federal, state, and local environmental
laws and Presidential Executive Orders.
b) Ensure that SJAFB natural resources personnel attend appropriate seminars, conferences, and
conventions on natural resources management, ecosystem management, and the specific natural
resources subject matter for which they have direct responsibility.
GOAL 3: Ensure Full Compliance with All Air Force Environmental Policies and Regulations.
Objectives:
a) Ensure that current and planned mission activities (e.g., master planning, construction requests,
site approval requests, and training exercise plans) are effectively coordinated in a timely manner with
appropriate natural resources managers.
b) Coordinate the INRMP and its revisions through the appropriate environmental protection
committee according to DoDD 4700.4.
c) Develop new INRMPs and substantive revisions at least every five years. Coordinate these with
appropriate federal, state, and local officials according to DoDD 4165.61.
d) Ensure that the Natural Resources Manager reviews all AF Forms 332 and 813, and DOD Forms
1391 for projects on installation lands.
e) Establish a natural resources management database that will track program progress toward
goals stated in the INRMP.
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f) Incorporate environmental and natural resources awareness training into information forums
at all levels, including formal course curricula, to ensure that each civilian or military member living or
working on the installation demonstrates good environmental stewardship.
g) Introduce natural resources information and programs at newcomer orientation briefings.
h) Obtain training resource materials from the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence
(AFCEE) and the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFTI).
i) Ensure that natural resources managers attend the DoD Management of Cultural and Natural
Resources course at least every three (3) years.
GOAL 4: Develop Operational Component Plans that are Integrated with the INRMP and with each
other.
Objectives:
a) Develop operational component plans for SJAFB on the following subjects: fish and wildlife,
threatened and endangered species, wetlands, watershed protection, outdoor recreation, GIS, land
management, urban forestry, pest management, and landscaping.
b) Ensure that all natural resources component plans have an ecosystem perspective and are
compatible with the INRMP.
c) Develop two year work plans for SJAFB Component Plans according to the specifications set out
in Section J of AFGD 94-016.
d) Develop Appendices for each Component Plan appropriate to the individual natural resources
component addressed and according to the guidelines for Appendices to component plans set out in
AFGD 94-016.
GOAL 5: Develop Cooperative and Coordinated Approaches Toward the Establishment of Ecosystem
Health.
Objectives:
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a) Develop open lines of communication between SJAFB's Natural Resources Personnel and
relevant conservation and research organizations including state and local heritage organizations and
public and private universities.
b) Maintain open lines of communication on natural resources management goals and issues with
national, state, and local public officials.
c) Review and coordinate management strategies with regulatory agencies as an integral part of
the planning process.
GOAL 6: Implement Ecosystem Management Principles in Land Use Planning and Practice on SJAFB:
Objectives:
a) Develop a composite map of major natural resources constraints on further development of
SJAFB including critical habitat, wetlands, sensitive plant communities, highly erodible soils, and steep
slopes.
b) Manage installation lands to support military activities, improve the quality of land and water
resources, protect wetlands and floodplains and their functions, abate nonpoint sources of water
pollution, conserve lands suitable for agriculture, control noxious weeds, and control erosion.
c) Monitor all lands subject to development or change in use for carrying capacity, soil capability,
and erosion status. Use the data for planning, environmental analysis, and decisionmaking.
d) Include soil capabilities, water management values, landscaping needs, erosion control, and
conservation of natural resources in all site feasibility studies and in project planning, design, and
construction
e) Include appropriate conservation work and associated costs in project proposals and
construction contracts and specifications.
Section 6A: Land Use:
a) Perform a thorough review of current land use data at SJAFB.
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b) Conduct a new land use survey within a scope dictated by the results of the land use data
review.
c) Develop and establish land use goals compatible with an ecosystem approach to natural
resources management.
d) Identify current land use acreage that falls within the improved grounds category.
e) Identify impermeable acreage under buildings, streets, and parking areas.
f) Review current improved grounds acreage to evaluate compatibility with the ecosystem goal for
SJAFB.
g) Establish a land use goal for improved grounds that is compatible with the ecosystem goal for
SJAFB.
h) Identify and conduct an inventory of vegetative cover within the improved grounds category.
i) Evaluate the current mixture of native and non-native vegetation within the improved grounds
category for compatibility with the ecosystem goal for SJAFB.
j) Identify current land use acreage that falls within the semi-improved grounds category.
k) Review current semi-improved grounds acreage to evaluate compatibility with the ecosystem
goal for SJAFB.
l) Establish a land use goal for semi-improved grounds that is compatible with the ecosystem goal
for SJAFB.
m) Identify and conduct an inventory of vegetative cover within the semi-improved grounds
category.
n) Evaluate the current mixture of native and non-native vegetation within the semi-improved
grounds category for compatibility with the ecosystem goal for SJAFB.
o) Identify current land use acreage that falls within the unimproved grounds category.
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p) Review current unimproved grounds acreage to evaluate compatibility with the ecosystem
goal for SJAFB.
q) Establish a land use goal for unimproved grounds that is compatible with the ecosystem goal
for SJAFB.
r) Identify and conduct an inventory of vegetative cover within the unimproved grounds category.
s) Evaluate the current mixture of native and non-native vegetation within the unimproved
grounds category for compatibility with the ecosystem goal for SJAFB.
t) Whenever possible, convert improved grounds to semi-improved grounds, semi-improved
grounds to unimproved grounds, and unimproved grounds to natural areas.
u) Use the Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey of SJAFB to establish baseline data for the
existence of natural communities on SJAFB.
v) Clearly delineate and establish natural communities as a sub-category within the category of
unimproved land.
w) Identify current land use acreage that falls within the natural communities category.
x) Survey and precisely define the boundaries of identifiable natural communities.
y) Review the current acreage of natural communities on SJAFB for compatibility with the
ecosystem goal for the installation.
z) Evaluate the potential for the expansion of current natural communities and the possible
identification and preservation of others.
aa) Implement management practices within natural communities that will preserve and enhance
their natural character.
Section 6B: Landscaping:
a) Develop sustainable landscaping practices for the entire installation.
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b) Minimize costs for maintaining grounds by providing the least amount of mowed areas and
special plantings necessary to accomplish management objectives and by the use of low maintenance
species, agricultural outleases, wildlife habitat, and tree plantings.
c) Establish natural regeneration as the preferred method for perpetuation of vegetative
communities.
d) Ensure that landscaping is functional in nature, simple and informal in design, compatible with
adjacent surroundings, and complementary to the overall natural setting of the area.
e) Make maximum use of native and locally adapted plant materials.
f) Enhance native wildlife habitat.
g) Reduce grounds maintenance inputs in terms of energy, humanpower, equipment and
chemicals.
h) Improve building energy efficiency with effective landscape practices.
i) Make maximum use of non-turf ground covers, wildflower plantings, and other means of
landscape beautification that require lower maintenance than lawns.
j) Minimize fetilizer and pesticide use in landscaping practices.
k) Establish low maintenance, self-sustainable varieties of native trees, grasses and flowering
plants.
l) Incorporate the proper use of mulches in landscaping to effectively conserve water, reduce
weeds, and control erosion.
m) Evolve golf course management and general landscaping practices toward Integrated Pest
Management Practices (IPM).
n) Reduce pesticide use on SJAFB by fifty per cent (50%) by FY 2000, using FY 1993 as the base
year for measurement.
o) Increase the recycling of green yard wastes.
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p) Make use of recycled water and/or high efficiency irrigation systems.
q) Ensure the proper placement of trees, shrubs, and other plants for long term savings in grounds
maintenance, water, and energy costs.
r) Enter into grounds maintenance service contracts and outleases according to the specification
guidelines developed by AFCESA.
s) Ensure grounds development or maintenance performed by contractors complies with the land
management component of the INRMP and with the landscape development plan.
t) Mow improved grounds weekly. Grass in these areas is normally maintained at a height of 2-6
inches on a weekly basis during the growing season.
u) Mow semi-improved grounds once every two weeks or less often. Maintain grass height
between 7-14 inches.
v) Mow unimproved grounds once per year. The ACC standard recognizes annual mowing at 10
inches.
w) Carry out tree pruning with a reputable tree maintenance firm on a three year cycle in
improved areas only or where safety is a concern.
Section 6C: Soils:
a) Review all existing data on soils within and surrounding the boundaries of SJAFB for currency
and accuracy.
b) Reconcile and correct the differences on types of soils described in the Land Management Plan,
the Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey, and the Management Action Plan.
c) Create an accurate portrait of types of soils and their locations on SJAFB.
d) Integrate current soil data with the IRP, hazardous materials management, hazardous waste
production and management, storm water runoff, ground water data, plans for the future development
of SJAFB, and the Base Comprehensive Plan.
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e) Recognize and implement in all management practices and plans the relationships between
surface and sub-surface conditions.
f) Delineate and incorporate current soil, geological, and aquifer
data into a GIS.
GOAL 7: Minimize the Potential for Surface and Ground Water Contamination by Making Use of Best
Management Practices (BMPs) and Ecosystem Management Principles While Complying Fully with
all Federal and State Water Laws and Regulations.
Objectives:
a) Establish an ecosystem goal for water resources on SJAFB, including surface water, ground
water, and storm water runoff.
b) Coordinate and reconcile the data, plans and practices delineated in the Hazardous Waste
Management Plan and in the Installation Restoration Program with the Storm Water Pollution Prevention
Plan (SWP3), the Spill Prevention and Response Plan (SPRP), the wetlands delineation for SJAFB,
installation floodplains, and base impoundments.
c) Coordinate ecosystem goals for surface and groundwater management with the Base
Comprehensive Plan.
d) Ensure facilities planning takes into account ecosystem goals for surface and ground water
management early in the facilities planning process.
e) Establish a data base that provides annual totals of precipitation over time, averages of
precipitation by season, and minimums and maximums for precipitation during environmentally
sensitive seasonal and climatic conditions.
f) Apply a watershed approach to the preservation of surface and ground water quality at SJAFB.
g) Develop an increased awareness of the place of SJAFB in the Neuse River watershed and of the
Neuse River watershed on Pamlico Sound and the bays and estuaries of the North Carolina Coast.
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h) Establish baseline data for the current character and quality of water in the Neuse River both
upstream and downstream of the vicinity of SJAFB.
i) Establish baseline data for the amount and nature of surface water (storm water) runoff into the
Neuse River and other border areas surrounding the base.
j) Cooperate with and fully participate in the Coastal America program and with the State of North
Carolina in its coastal zone management programs and policies.
k) Delineate drainage basins on SJAFB.
l) Aggregate and identify potential water contaminants on SJAFB through a drainage basin
approach and by identifying the location of potential contaminants, their quantity, and potential spill
routes within each drainage basin.
m) Coordinate and reconcile the descriptions of the fifteen (15) drainage basins and their outfalls
found in the SWP3 with the description of drainage structures contained in the Land Management Plan
and the eight probable spill routes identified in the Spill Prevention and Response Plan.
n) Prioritize drainage basins according to their level of environmental sensitivity to and security
from water contamination.
o) Delineate ground water recharge zones.
p) Delineate all aquifers underlying SJAFB.
q) Establish baseline data for the recharge rates of all aquifers and their flow, and current water
quality.
r) Establish baseline data for the current character and quality of ground water within the vicinity
of SJAFB.
s) Coordinate facilities planning as well as ongoing functions and activities on base with ground
water recharge zones.
t) Coordinate data on groundwater recharge zones and quality with the HWMP and the SPRP.
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u) Prioritize groundwater recharge zones on the installation by their level of environmental
sensitivity and security from water contamination.
v) Analyze the potential for "first flush" effects from precipitation events by drainage basin and on
the installation as a whole.
w) Identify specific areas potentially subject to first flush effects and any mitigation efforts that
may need to be implemented.
x) Review BMPs from a drainage basin and watershed perspective and according to the drainage
basin priorities established as a result of the ecosystem goal for water quality on the installation as a
whole and for each location on the installation identified in the SWPPP where significant materials are
stored and handled.
y) Perform soil analyses basewide in relation to erosion, accumulation of significant amounts of
surface water during rain events, and groundwater recharge.
z) Establish accurate soil maps for the entire installation.
aa) Identify the specific locations and acreage on SJAFB covered by impervious surfaces.
bb) Ensure that all documents make use of the most current soil data available.
cc) Ensure that there is a continuous and free flow of information between environmental flight
personnel responsible for managing water quality and personnel responsible for hazardous waste
management and the IRP program.
dd) Establish a GIS that allows for an efficient and effective management of water resources on the
base.
Section 7A: Floodplains:
a) Delineate the specific sites and the actual acreage subject to flooding on SJAFB and establish the
percentage of the base currently within a floodplain.
b) Collect available historical data on actual floods on SJAFB for the past fifteen years.
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c) Aggregate current and future flood data to establish flooding patterns and trends.
d) Include in the historical and ongoing collection of flood data the actual extent of flooding on the
base, the severity and duration of rain events that create flooding, the season, month, and day within
which the rain events occur, the month and day at which floods reach their peak on SJAFB, and, the
duration of flood waters within low areas on the base.
e) Identify current land uses within floodplains on SJAFB.
f) Coordinate floodplain data with Hazardous Waste Management and the Installation Restoration
Program to determine the potential for environmental contamination within the floodplains and for
potential prevention and mitigation efforts.
g) Identify and address mitigation efforts for Hazardous Waste Management Sites that are
currently located within floodplains.
h) Develop maps and GIS to analyze and evaluate floodplain data for Base planning and natural
resources management.
Section 7B: Wetlands:
a) Delineate wetlands on SJAFB in compliance with Executive Order 11990.
b) Use the wetlands delineation for facilities planning and to avoid starting new construction in
wetlands.
c) Develop a Wetlands Component Plan with appropriate two year work plan and appendix.
d) Include long term monitoring methodologies within the Wetlands Component Plan.
e) Include all practicable measures available to minimize harm to wetlands in all designs for
development of the installation and/or new construction.
f) Demonstrate in all designs for development or construction that potential impacts to wetlands
have been analyzed at the appropriate level of environmental impact analysis.
g) Publicize all proposed activities in wetlands to the affected populace.
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h) Ensure that the information set out in Section 3.1.2.2 of AFI 32-7064 and on page 65 of the
INRMP is included in the Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding Of No Significant Impact
(FONSA) when a Finding Of No Practicable Alternative (FONPA) determination is made.
i) Make the draft EA and FONSI available for public review for at least thirty days prior to
implementation of any activity in wetlands that qualifies for an EA and FONSI.
j) Reevaluate jurisdictional wetlands delineations after three (3) years if monitoring of the site
indicates that the wetlands have significantly changed, or if proposed activity is tentatively sited within
fifty (50) feet of the wetlands boundary.
k) Collect data to identify seasonal fluctuations in demand for water in the lake and for irrigation
at the golf course and the seasonal status of the wells used to furnish water.
l) Review and evaluate the status of wells and aquifers used for irrigation purposes on SJAFB.
m) Develop data concerning the size, water quality, existence of aquatic vegetation, and the
interaction of fish and wildlife with impoundments on SJAFB.
n) Analyze and review the use of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides on water quality in
impoundments and other water resources on SJAFB.
GOAL 8: Minimize the Effects of Hazardous Materials and Wastes on the Human and Natural
Environment at SJAFB and Surrounding Communities:
Objective:
a) Reduce the use of hazardous materials and waste generation on SJAFB to as near zero as
possible.
b) Establish a set of priorities for conducting an annual review of the appropriateness of the use of
particular hazardous materials on SJAFB and the quantities required.
c) Continue to manage hazardous materials base wide under HAZMART.
d) Continue to track the ordering, issue and and reissue of hazardous materials.
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e) Restrict all shops to a seven (7) day supply of hazardous materials.
f) Continuously monitor supplies of hazardous materials and their containers and remove expired
items.
g) Minimize over-ordering of hazardous materials.
h) Fully comply with the requirements of 15A NCAC 13A North Carolina Hazardous Waste
Management Rules and facility operating permit No. NC7570024474.
i) Fully comply with the requirements of the RCRA Part B permit issued for the Defense
Reutilization and Marketing Office.
j) Fully comply with the requirements of the Interim Status Part A permit issued by the EPA and
the State of North Carolina to treat hazardous waste by open detonation.
k) Establish a Hazardous Materials Review Committee (HAZREV) composed of both civilian and
military personnel with appropriate mission related and natural resources jurisdiction.
l) Periodically review the most relevant scientific, academic, and industry publications addressing
the use of hazardous and toxic materials relevant to the manner in which they are used at SJAFB for
innovative practices that can lead to a reduction of the importation of toxic and hazardous materials on
SJAFB and for knowledge about new and less hazardous products that can serve as environmentally
safer substitutes for existing materials.
m) Identify and develop corporate, academic, and practitioner contacts to gather information that
can lead to a reduction of hazardous materials being imported on to and used at SJAFB.
n) Continue to develop contacts with and participation in electronic and associational networks to
share information with others with a similar responsibility for hazardous materials and wastes on public
and private facilities.
o) Collect, aggregate, and evaluate hazardous and toxic materials data in relation to geology,
climate, and hydrology at SJAFB and in the surrounding countryside.
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p) Prioritize drainage basins and air sheds according to environmental vulnerability with
regard to hazardous and toxic materials and wastes.
q) Establish ecosystem goals for industrial recycling.
r) Minimize human contact with hazardous materials.
GOAL 9: Completely Cleanup Past Instances of Contamination by Various Toxic and Hazardous
Compounds Through the Installation Restoration Program (IRP):
Objectives:
a) Fully comply with the requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the
North Carolina UST program, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), Executive
Order 12580, the National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP).
b) Ensure the continued coordination of IRP with other areas of environmental jurisdiction and
with particular attention to water and air management as well as land use planning.
c) Provide in brief and non-technical language an annual summary of the current status of the IRP
program in brief and and non-technical language.
d) Develop and provide conceptual model data summaries as described in the Handbook for the
Installation Restoration Program, Remedial Investigations, and Feasibility Studies (HIRPRIFS) section 2.4,
pp. 2-63 to 2-68 for each investigative unit in the IRP on SJAFB.
e) Continue and expand the use of bioremediation as a process for cleaning up petroleum
contaminated soils.
f) Remediate in situ to the maximum extent possible.
g) Collect, analyze, and evaluate air data related to low temperature thermal desorption processes.
h) Collect, analyze, and evaluate air data related to the need for carbon adsorption units with
regard to soil vapor extraction.
88
GOAL 10: Conserve and Restore Historic Vegetative Cover on SJAFB:
Objectives:
a) Conduct research to determine the most likely historical vegetative cover on SJAFB prior to
human development of the land space.
b) Develop plans to preserve, restore, and possibly expand the five natural community remnants
on SJAFB identified by the Nature Conservancy Survey in 1994.
c) Perform a vegetative inventory of SJAFB including trees, shrubs, and ground cover.
d) Identify trees by location, species, size, quality, age, and native or non-native character.
e) Identify shrubs by location, species, age, quality, and native or non-native character.
f) Identify grasses and ground cover by species, location, acreage, quality, and native or non-native
character.
g) Promote and use construction practices in facilities design to minimize adverse effects on the
natural habitat.
h) Include vegetative data in the GIS.
i) Establish short term ecosystem goal for SJAFB that represents an appropriate balance between
historic/native/natural vegetation with currently existing vegetation.
j) Establish a long term ecosystem goal for SJAFB that represents an appropriate balance between
historic/native/natural vegetation with currently existing vegetation.
Section 10A: Forestry:
Objectives:
a) Revise and expand the Forestry Component Plan.
b) Ensure that the Forestry Component Plan demonstrates how forestry operations will enhance
the objectives of ecosystem management.
c) Establish long term goals for maintaining current, replacement, and new plantings.
89
d) Establish a current forestry conditions baseline through a survey of trees and related
vegetation.
e) Prioritize overall forest ecosystem functions for the long term sustainability of the resource and
other benefits.
f) Actively manage forest resources under multiple-use, sustained yield principles using an
interdisciplinary approach.
g) Use uneven-aged management as the primary management system and other methods as they
are appropriate to ecosystem health.
h) Establish forestry goals to plant and maintain street trees and tree groupings to beautify, reduce
pollution and noise, improve wildlife habitat, moderate the climate, provide energy efficiency, and
protect the watershed.
i) Specify safeguards for ecosystem structure and function and identify penalties for damages
incurred in contracts for commercial harvesting of forest products.
j) Offer forest products by contract to regular buyers of forest products when construction site
preparation generates such products instead of including them in construction contracts or land sales.
k) Encourage short term forest product sales of one (1) year or less.
l) Include a predetermination clause to reflect changes in market value for sales extending three (3)
years or longer.
m) Estimate timber volume for sale purposes by scaling, measuring, or weighing the products or
by measuring the trees before cutting.
n) Regularly inspect ongoing timber harvesting activities.
o) Award and approve all forestry service, sales, and supply contracts according to the Federal
Acquisition Regulation.
90
p) Deposit proceeds from forest product sales to Deposit Fund Account 57F3875.000 (ADE DE
610X, AFM 700-20).
q) Ensure that a professional forester reviews all service contracts.
r) Prepare for each sales contract a report describing forest products to be sold, product volume,
fair market value, and harvesting specifications. Describe in detail the sales areas and technical
procedures, including maps or drawings of the gross sales area and net cutting area.
s) Specify cutting rates and sales areas in the forest management component of the INRMP.
t) Control forest damage caused by insects, disease, or weather only when the damage is
substantial.
u) Detail all forest damage controls in the forest management component of the INRMP.
v) Use herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides in accordance with AFI 32-1053 and insure that they
are applied by a certified applicator in forest pesticide use and are approved on the base master
inventory.
w) Forward all service contracts specifying pesticides to HA ACC/CEOO, 129 Andrews St. Suite
346, Langley AFB VA 23665-2769 for review and approval prior to submitting to the Base Contracting
Office.
GOAL 11: Manage Game and Nongame Fish and Wildlife Species Within the Guidelines of
Ecosystem Management:
Objectives:
a) Prepare a Fish and Wildlife Component Management Plan.
b) Invite state and federal agencies and representatives, especially representatives from the US
Fish and Wildlife Service and the State of North Carolina to participate in developing fish and wildlife
component management plans.
91
c) Include in the fish and wildlife management component plan, cooperative agreements
between the Air Force and the USFWS, specific management objectives and strategies for game and other
species, strategies to control bird-aircraft strike hazard, disease outbreaks, and other hazards, regulations
for enforcement of wildlife laws, access and user program policies, State and USFWS review procedures,
and responsibilities of cooperating agencies.
d) Inventory fish and wildlife habitat on SJAFB.
e) Prioritize the protection and preservation of threatened and endangered species habitat.
f) Consult with the USFWS and obtain either a Category I or a Category II classification as
described in AFI 32-7064, Section 6.2.1. and Section 6.2.1.1.
g) Do not release, transplant, or introduce exotic species on Air Force lands without prior
permission from HQ ACC/CEVA.
h) Seek an appropriate level of participation in the regional Neotropical Migrant Program.
i) Seek an appropriate level of participation in the regional Watchable Wildlife program.
j) Establish a working relationship with the US Department of Agriculture regional Animal
Damage Control officer to assist in determinations of efficient and legally acceptable methods for
controlling nuisance animals.
k) Describe habitat types, vegetative composition and structure, and quality on the installation in
the fish and wildlife component management plan and as required in Section 31.4, page 80 of the INRMP.
l) Establish regular contact with representatives from the Department of the Interior, the USFWS,
and the State of North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission pursuant to fulfilling and/or revising the
terms of the 1984 Cooperative Agreement for the Protection, Development, and Management of Fish and
Wildlife Resources at SJAFB.
92
GOAL 12: Continue the Existing Good Neighbor Policy with Surrounding Communities by
Ensuring Open Communications on All Mutual Environmental Interests and with Particular
Attention Paid to Air Installation Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ):
Objectives:
a) Further develop relationships with the public officials who represent the communities on the
border and in the vicinity of SJAFB.
b) Identify and establish a formal and public agreement with the public officials of the
communities surrounding SJAFB with regard to the mutual environmental interests of the Base and those
communities.
c) Ensure continuing and regular contact with the public officials of surrounding communities on
subjects of mutual interests.
d) Consult with representatives of surrounding communities concerning actions taken to restore,
enhance, conserve, and improve the natural resources under the authority and protection of SJAFB.
e) Review, analyze, and evaluate with the relevant public officials and private interests the current
understandings and agreements concerning land use on the borders of and in the vicinity of SJAFB.
f) Review, analyze, and evaluate the need for establishing formal agreements about land use on
the borders of and in the vicinity of SJAFB.
g) Review, analyze, and evaluate the costs and benefits of formal ownership of tracts of land on the
borders and in the vicinity of SJAFB.
h) Minimize noise effects of the military mission on surrounding communities by scheduling
training flights and other appropriate flight schedules to correspond with the times of day least likely to
intrude upon private interests.
i) Review and evaluate current AICUZ policies at SJAFB in light of the activities currently
necessary to carry out the military mission and any known future alterations in that mission.
93
j) Invite and encourage public participation in all planning and decisionmaking about mutual
environmental interests.
GOAL 13: Develop Recreational Opportunities in Response to Identified Needs and Demands within
the Constraints of the Air Force Mission and Consistent with Sound Ecosystem Management
Principles:
Objectives:
a) Conduct surveys to identify present and future recreational needs and desires.
b) Establish carrying capacities for natural areas, unimproved and semi-improved grounds, nature
trials, and the Neuse River front.
c) Zone land designated for outdoor recreation into classes of use based on multiple use potential
and ecosystem sustainability.
d) Identify in the Outdoor Recreation Plan significant natural areas where restoration of the
original vegetative cover is possible and desirable.
e) Encourage participation in and programs recognizing and celebrating Arbor Day, Earth Day,
etc.
f) Encourage non-consumptive uses of outdoor recreational facilities both on base and in the
region.
g) Review and re-evaluate existing plans for development of the Neuse River front in light of
ecosystem goals and management principles set out in the INRMP.
h) Review and re-evaluate existing plans for construction of a one (1) acre pond in light of
ecosystem goals and management principles as set out in the INRMP.
i) Design nature trails in wooded and other natural areas on the base along ecosystem principles as
described in Section 31.7, page 85 of the INRMP.
94
j) Develop and implement educational programs and opportunities to increase public
awareness and acceptance of natural resources enhancement and protection.
GOAL 14: Establish a Geographic Information System (GIS) as a Primary Tool for the Management of
Natural Resources at SJAFB:
Objectives:
a) Review, analyze, evaluate, and prioritize each area of natural resources management for their
inclusion in a GIS.
b) Develop a timetable for the collection and inclusion of data within each area of natural resources
management in a GIS.
c) Provide all necessary equipment and training of personnel for the establishment of GIS as a
primary tool for the management of natural resources at SJAFB.
Appendix A
Acronyms
AFCEE
Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence
AFCESA
Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency
AFI
Air Force Instruction
AFPD
Air Force Policy Directive
ALCUZ
Air Installation Compatible Use Zone
ANSC
Areas of No Suspected Contamination
AOC
Area of Concern
BCP
Base Comprehensive Plan
NSW
Nutrient Sensitive Waters
CAPDMFWR
Cooperative Agreement for the Protection, Development,
and Management of Fish and Wildlife Resources
CATEX
Categorical Exclusion
CAWR
Coastal America Watershed Report
CERCLA
Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation
and Liability Act
CFR
Code of Federal Regulations
CoE
Corps of Engineers
CWA
Clean Water Act
DERA
Defense Environmental Restoration Account
DOD
Department of Defense
DODD
Department of Defense Directive
DOT
Department of Transportation
DRMO
Defense Re-utilization and Marketing Office
EA
Environmental Assessment
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
EPC
Environmental Protection Committee
ESA
Endangered Species Act
FFA
Federal Facilities Agreement
FLPMA
Federal Land Policy and Management Act
FMP
Forest Management Plan
FONPA
Finding of No Practical Alternative
FONSI
Finding of No Significant Impact
GIS
Geographic Information Systems
HAZREV
Hazardous Materials Review Committee
HIRPRIFS
Handbook for the Installation Restoration Program,
Remedial Investigations and Feasibility Studies
HQ ACC/CEVA
Headquarters Air Combat Command
HWMP
Hazardous Waste Management Plan
INRMP
Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan
IPM
Integrated Pest Management
IRP
Installation Restoration Program
LMP
Land Management Plan
MAP
Management Action Plan
MEA
Management Emphasis Areas
MUSY
Multiple Use and Sustained Yield
NCAC
North Carolina Administrative Code
NCNAS
Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey
NCP
National Contingency Plan
NOV
Notice of Violation
NPDES
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NPL
National Priorities List
NRMMLA
Natural Resource Management on Military Lands Act
OA
Organic Act
ORP
Outdoor Recreation Area
RA
Remedial Action
RCRA
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
RI
Remedial Investigations
ROD
Record of Decision
SAP
Satellite Accumulation Points
SARA
Superfund Amendments and Re-authorization Act
SCS
Soil Conservation Service
SJAFB
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
SPRP
Spill Prevention and Response Plan
SWMU
Solid Waste Management Units
SWP3
Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan
T/E
Threatened/Endangered
USFWS
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
UST
Underground Storage Tank
WIMS-ES
Work Information Management System-Environmental
Subgroup
Appendix B
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THE
INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN, JUNE 1998
Abrams, Donald, and Tim Breechen. “Nomination for the 1994 Secretary of
Defense Installation Recycling Award.” 4 CES/CEV Environmental
Management Flight, SJAFB. Goldsboro, North Carolina. 1994
Barber, Jay. “Base Unveils New Process.” The Scope. Vol. 39, No. 49. Seymour
Johnson Air Force Base. Goldsboro, North Carolina. December 9, 1994.
Barber, Jay. “Environmental Team Pleased with Base Programs.” The Scope. Vol.
39, No. 47. Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Goldsboro, North Carolina.
November 25, 1994.
Barber, Jay. “Seymour Sells Surplus Compost to Community.” Wright Times. Vol.
40, No. 3. Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Goldsboro, North Carolina.
January 20, 1995
Breechen, Tim. “Bioremediation Efforts at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.”
Global Environmental Outreach. 4 CES/CEV Environmental Management
Flight, SJAFB. Goldsboro, North Carolina. September, 1994.
Coastal America. Toward A Watershed Approach: A Framework for Aquatic
Ecosystem Restoration, Protection, and Management.
Grumbine, R. Edward. “What is Ecosystem Management?” Conservation Biology,
Volume 8, No. 1. pp. 27-38. March, 1994.
Haeuber, Richard. “Setting the Environmental Policy Agenda: The Case of
Ecosystem Management.” Natural Resources Journal. Volume 36. Winter,
1996.
Kaufmann, Merrill R., and Russell T. Graham. An Ecological Basis for Ecosystem
Management. United Sates Department of Agriculture. Rocky Mountain
Forest and Range Experiment Station and Southwestern Region. United
States Forest Service. May 1994.
The Keystone Center. The Keystone National Policy Dialogue on Ecosystem
Management. Keystone, Colorado. October, 1996.
Lillie, Thomas H., and Douglas Ripley. A Strategy for Implementing Ecosystem
Management in the United States Air Force. Department of the Air Force.
August, 1995.
The Nature Conservancy. Natural Resources Survey of Seymour Johnson Air Force
Base. 4 CES/CEV Environmental Management Flight, SJAFB. Goldsboro,
North Carolina. December, 1994.
The State of North Carolina. “Hazardous Waste Management Permit No.
NC7570024474.” Department of Environment, Health, and Natural
Resources. Division of Solid Waste Management. Raleigh, North Carolina.
July 28,1991.
Radian Corporation. Hazardous Waste Management Plan, Seymour Johnson Air
Force Base. 4CES/CEV Environmental Management Flight, SJAFB.
Goldsboro, North Carolina. January, 1994.
Radian Corporation. Storm Water Prevention Pollution Plan for Seymour Johnson
Air Force Base. 4CES/CEV Environmental Management Flight, SJAFB.
Goldsboro, North Carolina. March, 1994.
Radian Corporation. Underground Storage Tank Management Plan, Seymour
Johnson Air Force Base. 4 CES/CEV Environmental Management Flight,
SJAFB, Goldsboro, North Carolina. September, 1994.
Schafale, Michael P., and Alan S. Weakley. Classification of the Natural
Communities of North Carolina, Third Approximation. North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Division of Parks and Recreation. North Carolina
Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources. 1990.
Smith, Scot B. Forest Management Plan for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. 4
CES/CEV Environmental Management Flight, SJAFB. Goldsboro, North
Carolina. 1989.
Tyler, Ken, Joe Taylor, and Captain Elizabeth May. Outdoor Recreation Plan for
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Fort Fisher Recreation Area. 4
CES/CEV Environmental Management Flight, SJAFB. Goldsboro, North
Carolina. 1994.
United States. Department of the Air Force. Air Installation Compatible Use Zone,
Citizens Brochure. 4 CES/CEV Environmental Management Flight, SJAFB.
Goldsboro, North Carolina. 1993.
United States. Department of the Air Force. “Command Sets Environmental
Mission and Goals.” Wright Times. Vol.40, No. 1. Seymour Johnson Air
Force Base. Goldsboro, North Carolina. January 6, 1995.
United States. Department of the Air Force. Comprehensive Plan for Sanitary
Sewerage System, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. 4 CES/CEV
Environmental Management Flight, SJAFB. Goldsboro, North Carolina.
September 1987.
United States. Department of the Air Force. Cooperative Agreement Between
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and the Department of the Interior, and the
North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources
for the Protection, Development, and Management of Fish and Wildlife
Resources at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. 4 CES/CEV Environmental
Management Flight, SJAFB. Goldsboro, North Carolina. February, 1984.
United States. Department of the Air Force. Handbook for the Installation
Restoration Program; Remedial Investigations and Feasibility Studies.
Headquarters Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence, Brooks Air
Force Base, Texas. September, 1993.
United States. Department of the Air Force. Land Management Plan for Seymour
Johnson Air Force Base. 4 CES/CEV Environmental Management Flight,
SJAFB. Goldsboro, North Carolina. July 1990.
United States. Department of the Air Force. Management Action Plan, Seymour
Johnson Air Force Base. 4 CES/CEV Civil Engineer Environmental Flight,
SJAFB. Goldsboro, North Carolina. October, 1995.
United States. Department of the Air Force. Natural Resources Management Plan,
Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Headquarters 646th Air Base Wing, Eglin Air
Force Base. Florida. March, 1993.
United States. Department of the Air Force. Proceedings of the 1997 Air Combat
Command Environmental Training Symposium, Houston, Texas.
Headquarters Air Combat Command, Environmental Programs Division,
129 Andrews St, Ste 102. Langley AFB, Virginia, 1997.
United States. Department of the Air Force. Spill Prevention and Response Plan. 4
CES/CEV Environmental Management Flight, SJAFB. Goldsboro, North
Carolina. September, 1994.
United States. Department of the Air Force. Storm Water Management Manual. 4
CES/CEV Environmental Management Flight, SJAFB. Goldsboro, North
Carolina. March, 1994.
Appendix C
THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS CONTRIBUTED INFORMATION ON VARIOUS
SUBJECTS ADDRESSED IN THE INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT PLAN (INRMP) FOR SJAFB JUNE 1998
Buck Abrams, Environmental Flight Chief, Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, North Carolina.
Roy Barker, Natural Resources Program Manager, HQ Air Combat Command,
Langley AFB, Va.
Paul Battle, Chief DRMO, Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, North Carolina.
Tim Brecheen, Former Compliance and Pollution Prevention Chief, SJAFB, North Carolina.
Margit Bucher, Assistant Director for Science and Stewardship, The Nature Conservancy, North
Carolina Chapter, Durham, North Carolina.
Dr. J.H. Carter III, Environmental Consultants, Southern Pines, North Carolina.
Dean Chastain, Compliance and Pollution Prevention Chief, SJAFB, North Carolina.
Dwight Cooley, USFWS, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, Manteo, North Carolina.
Kelly N. Davis, Consulting Biologist/Forester, Swan Quarter, North Carolina.
Cecil Frost, North Carolina Department of Agriculture, Raleigh, North Carolina.
John Fussell, Consulting Biologists, Stumpy Point, North Carolina.
Tom Eagle, Forester, USFWS, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, Manteo, North
Carolina.
Ralph Epperson-Shaffer, Former Installation Restoration Program Manager,
SJAFB, North Carolina.
William E. Gardner, Extension Forestry Specialist, Department of Forestry, North Carolina State
University, Raleigh, North Carolina.
James D. Gregory, CPSS, Department of Forestry, College of Forest Resources, North Carolina
State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Bryan Henderson, Director, Environmental Analysis/Conservation, Seymour Johnson AFB,
Goldsboro, North Carolina.
John Hudson, Hazardous Waste Program Manager, SJAFB, North Carolina.
Roger D. Hungerford, Research Forester, U.S. Department of Agriculture, USFS, Intermountain
Research Station, Missoula, Montana.
Jim Johnson, USFWS, Refuge Manager, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, Manteo,
North Carolina.
Jerome Montague, Natural resources Manager for Airspace and Ranges, HQ Air Combat
Command, Langley AFB, Va.
Robert Montgomery, Wildlife Biologist, Dare County Bomb Range, USAF, North Carolina.
Doug Owens, Asbestos Program Manager, SJAFB, North Carolina.
Ann Prince, Protection Specialist, North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, Department of
Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Kevin Ryan, Research Forester, U.S. Department of Agriculture, USFS, Intermountain Research
Station, Missoula, Montana.
Mike Schafele, Biologists, North Carolina Natural heritage Program, Department of
Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Harry Senatz, Deputy Chief of Operations, 4 CES.CED-2, Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro,
North Carolina.
Kermit Skinner, Jr. Town Manager, Town of Manteo, Manteo, North Carolina.
Major Ann Shane, JAG, Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, North Carolina.
Scott B. Smith, Forester, Dare County Bomb Range, USAF, North Carolina.
Dr. Dennis Stewart, USFWS, Alligator River National Wildlife refuge, Manteo, North Carolina.
Bonnie W. Strawser, Wildlife Interpretive Specialist, USFWS, Alligator River National Wildlife
Refuge, Manteo, North Carolina.
K.O. Summerville, Staff Forester, Griffiths Forestry Center, Clayton, North Carolina.
Mike Surette, Forestry Technician, Dare County Bomb Range, USAF, North Carolina.
Ken Tyler, Chief, Recreational Support Flight, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina.
MSGT. Charles Warnock, Drafting Section Chief, SJAFB.
106
Appendix D
SELECTED LIST OF PUBLIC LAWS, EXECUTIVE ORDERS,
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DIRECTIVES, AND DEPARTMENT OF
THE AIR FORCE POLICIES RELEVANT TO INTEGRATED NATURAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
PUBLIC LAWS:
Animal Damage Control Act
Antiquities Act of 1906 (16 USC 431) (PL 59-209)
Archeological and Historic Preservation Act, 1974, (16 U.S.C. 469-469c 74 Stat. 220)
Archeological Resources Protection Act, 1979, (16 U.S.C. 470aa-470cc 93 Stat. 721)
Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940 (16 USC 668)
Clean Air Act, 1990, (P.L. 101-549)
Clean Water Act, 1972, (33 U.S.C. 1251) (PL 92-500)
Clean Water Act, 1977, (P.L. 95-217)
Clean Water Act Amendments, 1987, (P.L. 100-4)
Coastal Barrier Resources Act
Coastal Zone Management Act, 1972, (16 USC 1451) (P.L. 92-583)
Comprehensive Environment Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), 1980,
(P.L. 96-510)
Conservation and Rehabilitation Program on Military and Public Lands (PL 93-452)
Conservation Programs on Military Reservations (Sikes Act) (16 USC 670) (PL 86-797)
Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, 1986, (42 U.S.C. 11001)
Endangered Species Act, 1973 (P.L. 93-205)
Estuary Protection Act of 1968 (16 USC 1221)
Federal Facilities Compliance Act, 1992
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodentticide Act (FIFRA), 1975, (7 U.S.C. 136 Sections
2-31)
Federal Land Policy and Management Act, 1976 (43 USC 1701) (P.L. 94-579)
Fish and Wildlife Act, 1956
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1980 (16 USC 2901) (PL 96-366)
Fish and Wildlife Improvement Act, 1978
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MORSA), 1972, (P.L. 92-532)
Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 USC 1361) (PL 92-522)
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918) (16 USC 703) (PL 65-186)
Montreal Protocol of Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer, 1987
Migratory Bird Conservation Act, 1929
Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act of 1960 (16 USC 528)
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 1970, (42 USC 4321) (P.L. 91-190)
National Historic Preservation Act, 1966 (16 USC 470) (PL 89-665)
National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, 1966
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Regulations
North American Wetlands Conservation Act (16 USC 4401)
Oil Pollution Act, 1992, (P.L. 102-389).
Outdoor Recreation on Federal Lands
Pollution Prevention Act, 1990, P.L. 101-508)
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 1976, (P.L. 94-580)
Safe Drinking Water Act, 1986, (P.L. 99-339)
Soil and Water Resource Conservation Act of 1977 (16 USC 2001)
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), 1986, (P.L.99-499)
Taylor Grazing Act 1934 (43 USC 315) (PL 73-482)
Toxic Substance Control Act, 1976 (15 U.S.C. 2601)
Water Resources Planning Act (42 USC 1962)
Water Quality Act, 1987, (P.L. 100-4, 101 Stat. 7)
Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 USC 1001) (33 USC 701)
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (16 USC 1271) (PL 90-542)
EXECUTIVE ORDERS:
Executive Order
Title
11514
Protection and Enhancement of
Environmental Quality
11593
Protection and Enhancement of the
Cultural Environment
1971
11988
Flood Plain Management
1977
11990
Protection of Wetlands
1977
11988
Floodplain Management
12088
Federal Compliance with Pollution
Control Standards
1978
12580
Superfund Implementation
1987
12777
Implementation of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act and Oil
Pollution Control Act
1991
12856
Federal Compliance with Right-to-Know
Laws and Pollution Prevention
Requirements
1993
12873
Federal Acquisition, Recycling, and Waste 1993
Prevention
Energy Efficient and Water Conservation 1994
At Federal Facilities
12902
Date
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DIRECTIVES, INSTRUCTIONS, AND
POLICY STATEMENTS
Number
Title
Date
DoD Instruction 4120.14
Environmental Pollution Prevention,
Control and Abatement
1977
DoD Instruction 4165.57,
With Change 1
Air Installation Compatible Use Zones
1977
DoD Instruction 4165.59
DoD Implementation of the Coastal Zone
Management Program
1975
DoD Directive 4165.60
Solid Waste Management Collection,
Disposal, Resource Recovery and
Recycling Program
1976
DoD Directive 4210.15
Hazardous Materials Pollution Prevention
1989
DoD Instruction 4700.2
Secretary of Defense Awards for Natural
Resources and Environmental
Management
1988
DoD Directive 4700.4
Natural Resource Management Program
1989
DoD Directive 4710.1
Archeological and Historical Resources
Management
1984
DoD Directive 5030.41,
With Change 1
DoD Directive 5100.50,
Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution
1977
Prevention and Contingency Program
Protection and Enhancement of
1973
Environmental Quality
Environmental Effects in the United States 1979
Of DoD Actions
DoD Directive 6050.1
DoD Directive 6230.1 Safe Drinking Water
1978
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE INSTRUCTIONS AND POLICIES
Number
Title
AFI 32-7001
Environmental Budgeting
AFI 32-7002
Environmental Information Management System
AFI 32-7005
Environmental Protection Committees
AFI 32-7020
Environmental Restoration Program
AFI 32-4002
Hazardous Material Emergency Planning and Response
Compliance
AFI 32-7040
Air Quality Compliance
AFI 7041
Water Quality Compliance
AFI 32-7042
Solid and Hazardous Waste Compliance
AFI 32-7044
Storage Tank Compliance
AFI 32-7045
Program
Environmental Compliance Assessment and Management
AFI 43-7047
Compliance Tracking and Reporting
AFI 32-7060
Interagency Intergovernmental Coordination for
Environmental Planning
AFI 32-7062
Base Comprehensive Planning
AFI 32-7063
Air Installation Compatible Use Zone
AFI 32-7064
Integrated Natural Resources Management
AFI 32-7065
Cultural Resources Management
AFI 32-7066
Environmental Baseline Surveys for Real Estate Transactions
AFI 32-7080
Pollution Prevention Program
Appendix E
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .....................................................................................................1
TYPE OF ACTION .........................................................................................................................1
PROJECT LOCATION ....................................................................................................................1
PROJECT NEEDS ..........................................................................................................................1
PROJECT ALTERNATIVES.............................................................................................................1
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ........................................................................1
POTENTIAL PROJECT IMPACTS ....................................................................................................1
PERMIT REQUIREMENTS ..............................................................................................................4
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT..............................................................................................4
GENERAL ....................................................................................................................................4
PROJECT STATUS ........................................................................................................................4
EXISTING CONDITIONS ................................................................................................................4
General ...................................................................................................................................4
Land Use.................................................................................................................................5
Natural Resources ..................................................................................................................6
Natural Vegetation Communities........................................................................................6
Wetlands..............................................................................................................................6
Surface Water Resources ....................................................................................................6
Groundwater Resources ......................................................................................................7
Forest/Timber Stands ..........................................................................................................7
Wildlife................................................................................................................................7
Outdoor Recreation Opportunities ......................................................................................7
PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR ACTION ..........................................................................8
PROJECT NEED ............................................................................................................................8
ALTERNATIVES ....................................................................................................................8
NO-ACTION ALTERNATIVE .........................................................................................................8
PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ..........................................................................................................9
IMPACTS .................................................................................................................................9
LAND USE ...................................................................................................................................9
TRANSPORTATION .....................................................................................................................10
SOCIOECONOMICS .....................................................................................................................10
Social Impacts ......................................................................................................................10
Recreation Resources ........................................................................................................10
Schools ..............................................................................................................................11
Emergency Services ..........................................................................................................11
Churches............................................................................................................................11
Community Center ............................................................................................................12
Family Support Center ......................................................................................................12
Minority Communities ......................................................................................................12
Community Cohesion........................................................................................................13
Economic Impacts ................................................................................................................13
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORIC RESOURCES.........................................................................13
AIR QUALITY ............................................................................................................................14
NOISE........................................................................................................................................15
SOILS AND GEOLOGY ................................................................................................................15
Soils ......................................................................................................................................15
Geology.................................................................................................................................16
WATER RESOURCES ..................................................................................................................16
Water Quality .......................................................................................................................17
Floodplains and Floodways .................................................................................................17
Groundwater.........................................................................................................................18
NATURAL RESOURCES ..............................................................................................................19
Plant communities ................................................................................................................19
Forestry ................................................................................................................................20
Wetlands ...............................................................................................................................20
Protected Species..................................................................................................................21
Fisheries ...............................................................................................................................22
AESTHETICS ..............................................................................................................................23
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ..........................................................................................................23
COASTAL ZONE .........................................................................................................................24
REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................26
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Type of Action
This document is an Environmental Assessment that has been prepared for the implementation
of the proposed Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) for Seymour Johnson
Air Force Base (SJAFB).
Project Location
The proposed INRMP has been prepared for the +3233 acre Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
The installation is located south of the Business U.S. Highway 70 / Berkley Boulevard
intersection in the city of Goldsboro, Wayne County, North Carolina.
Project Needs
Pursuant to Department of Defense Directives (DoDDs) 4700.4 and 7301.5, Air Force Policy
Directive (AFPD) 32-70, Air Force Instruction (AFI) 32-7064, Air Force Guidance Document
(AFGD) 94-016, and the Sikes Act, the proposed INRMP has been developed to provide a
primary tool for managing installation natural resources based on an interdisciplinary approach
to ecosystem management.
Provisions of the INRMP will be incorporated into the Base Comprehensive Plan for integration
into other Air Force programs. The INRMP will contain individual component plans for specific
resources including, but not limited to, wetlands, floodplains, coastal and marine resources, fish
and wildlife, threatened and endangered species, forestry, agriculture, outdoor recreation, land
management, and grounds maintenance to address all applicable Federal and State
environmental regulations.
Project Alternatives
As part of this Environmental Assessment, the no-action alternative was evaluated. No other
alternatives for implementation of the INRMP are possible. A no-action alternative, which by
definition does not meet the project needs, was included in the study as a point of comparison for
project impacts. However, since the no-action alternative would result in failure to comply with
Federal regulations, it was eliminated as a feasible alternative.
Description of the Preferred Alternative
The preferred alternative would involve the implementation of an INRMP for SJAFB in
accordance with Federal laws, directives, policies, and instructions. The INRMP would provide
for the effective management of natural resources on the installation through an integrated
ecosystem management approach.
Potential Project Impacts
•
Social Impacts
Several components of SJAFB’s social environment may be improved as a result of
INRMP implementation. These include recreation resources/opportunities and
community cohesion. The INRMP would develop recreation opportunities consistent
1
with sound ecosystem management principles in response to SJAFB needs and demands.
It also may provide for the development and implementation of public educational
programs, natural resource celebrations, and nonconsumptive uses of outdoor recreation
facilities. These activities would increase social recreation opportunities on the
installation and encourage greater community cohesion.
•
Soils
Soil management practices would be positively affected once the INRMP is
implemented. Since discrepancies in soil types exists for the installation, the plan’s
goals and objectives involve the clarification of soils maps and data. Accurate soil data
is crucial for a variety of SJAFB projects involving stormwater management, hazardous
materials, construction, and landscaping, therefore, an improvement in the database
would have a positive impact on soil management.
•
Water Quality
It is anticipated that SJAFB water quality would be improved with the execution of the
INRMP. A primary goal of the plan involves the implementation of Best Management
Practices (BMPs) to minimize the potential for surface and groundwater contamination.
Baseline data for the Neuse River water quality would also be determined, and periodic
monitoring would quickly identify any changes in contamination levels. This would
allow remedial actions to be taken immediately.
•
Floodplain Management
Delineated floodplain and floodway limits should be improved through the
implementation of the INRMP. There is currently a need for the accurate demarcation of
floodplains and floodways on SJAFB. The only existing floodplain elevations and limits
are those established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1972. The INRMP
proposes to evaluate current conditions and establish accurate elevations for floodplains
and floodways. This would allow for appropriate development along the Neuse River
and Stoney Creek in areas subject to flooding during storm events.
•
Groundwater Management
Groundwater resources would be more accurately understood and managed with the
execution of the goals in the INRMP. The plan proposes to clarify the discrepancies in
groundwater resources and more accurately evaluate the aquifers, recharge zones, and
soils underlying SJAFB. All new data would be incorporated into the installation’s
various hazardous waste management, containment, and clean-up plans to reduce
potential contamination to groundwater.
•
Plant Communities Management
Implementation of the INRMP should have a positive impact on the management of
2
plant communities on SJAFB. There is currently no accurate representation of existing
or historic plant communities on the installation. The INRMP proposes to conserve and
restore plant communities in their most natural state where possible. Inventories would
be conducted to establish an accurate database so that an appropriate balance of
historic/native/natural vegetation can be created.
•
Wetlands Management
Jurisdictional wetlands would be more effectively managed and protected with the
execution of the INRMP. The plan proposes to delineate all on-site wetland boundaries
and implement a long-term wetland/hydrology monitoring plan to detect any indirect
impacts to wetland quality or quantity that may be occurring.
•
Protected Species
Protected species management and protection issues would be positively impacted with
the implementation of the INRMP. Although protected species are not likely present on
SJAFB due to lack of available habitat and the installation’s highly developed nature, the
INRMP would assist in the protection and preservation of potential future habitat. A key
species that has the potential to inhabit the base in the future is the red-cockaded
woodpecker (Picoides borealis). The INRMP would encourage consultation with
Federal and State wildlife agency personnel in order to most effectively address the
potential for endangered and threatened species.
•
Fisheries
Fishery resources in the Neuse River would likely be positively impacted by the INRMP
goals and objectives. Water quality issues in the nutrient sensitive Neuse River are
strongly correlated with fishery management. Although fisheries habitat is greatly
dependent on environmental practices throughout the Neuse River watershed,
improvement of water quality and runoff monitoring on SJAFB would positively
contribute to the overall health of the river.
•
Aesthetics
Although aesthetic value is not a primary goal of the INRMP, its implementation would
likely result in the improvement of the visual quality and aesthetics of SJAFB. The plan
proposes to preserve, restore, and possibly expand the five natural community remnants,
and convert improved or semi-improved grounds to more natural states where possible.
Several goals and objectives of the plan focus on the preservation and enhancement of
the Neuse River front, which may be considered the installation’s most aesthetically
pleasing area.
•
Hazardous Material Management
The INRMP would positively impact hazardous materials management through steps to
3
minimize hazardous materials/waste effects on the environment and the complete cleanup of past toxic and hazardous contamination through the Installation Restoration
Program (IRP). Although most of the objectives proposed to accomplish these goals
involve the continuation of existing activities, the INRMP strives to reduce the use of
hazardous materials and waste generation to as near zero as possible in the future.
Permit Requirements
The proposed INRMP itself would not involve the acquisition of any Federal or State permits.
However, individual natural resource component plans that are part of the INRMP may propose
actions that would require the obtainment of various Federal or State authorizations. These
future actions would have to be evaluated individually for potential permitting issues and
requirements.
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
General
This document summarizes the findings of the INRMP to be implemented by SJAFB. Under the
INRMP, installation programs would be organized and integrated in a manner that recognizes,
restores, and sustains the compositions, structure, and function of natural communities and
administers natural resources with consideration of ecological units and time frames. The
INRMP would function as a “master natural resource management plan” for SJAFB for the next
five years.
The INRMP incorporates an interrelated ecosystem approach, rather than a group of independent
species specific goals. This ecosystem approach still allows for the management of specific
resources, but each component management plan is evaluated based on its ultimate effect on the
ecosystem as a whole. The overall goal of the INRMP is to have the installation function in a
manner that is most favorable to the ecosystem as a whole, while ultimately supporting its
military mission.
Project Status
There is currently no INRMP in place at SJAFB. The proposed INRMP has been prepared to
keep SJAFB in compliance with Federal laws, Department of Defense (DoD) and Air Force
directives and instructions. The goals and objectives for the management of natural resources on
SJAFB over the next five years are outlined in the INRMP. These items describe future
procedures and programs that should be implemented at SJAFB to assist in the management of
the installation’s natural resources.
Existing Conditions
General
SJAFB is a 3233 acre facility located at Lat N 35° 20’ 30”, Long W 77° 58’ 30” in the
city of Goldsboro, Wayne County, North Carolina. It is situated in the east-central
portion and Coastal Plain region of the state. The base itself consists primarily of flat to
gently rolling topography with elevations between 45 and 110 msl. SJAFB is located
within the Neuse River watershed and is bordered by both the Neuse River and Stoney
4
Creek.
Most of the acreage on SJAFB consists of improved grounds and is utilized for a variety
of human uses. Approximately the southern half of the base is comprised of the airfield
complex and flight line. The remainder of the installation contains residential areas, a
variety of buildings and complexes, recreation facilities, training areas, small
forested/undeveloped areas, and vacant tracts along the Neuse River and Stoney Creek.
SJAFB was annexed by the city of Goldsboro in 1977, but retained its own zoning
authority. Since 1992, SJAFB has been classified as an Air Combat Command
installation. The 4th Fighter Wing is the base’s host unit which primarily operates F-15E
Strike Eagles. The major groups within the 4th Fighter Wing include Operations,
Logistics, Support, and Medical. Approximately 5237 active duty personnel make up the
4th Fighter Wing (Higginbotham/Briggs & Associates, 1997).
Land Use
Land use categories present on SJAFB may be divided into improved grounds, semiimproved grounds, unimproved grounds (including natural communities), and land under
facilities (Manning, 1994). These categories are further described below.
Improved grounds include areas where intensive maintenance activities are annually
performed. These may include business and residential lawns, golf course greens and
fairways, athletic grounds, and green spaces.
Semi-improved grounds consist of areas where periodic maintenance is performed
primarily for operational and aesthetic reasons. These may include grounds adjacent to
runways and taxiways, gun ranges, picnic areas, ammunition storage areas, and golf
course roughs.
Unimproved grounds are comprised of areas that are not typically mowed or maintained
more than once a year. These may include forests, cropland, pasture land, waterbodies,
or wetlands.
Land under facilities includes those impervious surfaces that are located under the
footprint of buildings, roads, parking areas, and airfield pavements.
A breakdown of existing land use acreages according to the 1994 Land Management
Plan is presented below:
LAND USE TYPE
Improved grounds
Semi-improved grounds
Unimproved grounds
Land under facilities
TOTAL
ACREAGE
1328
698
404
803
3233
5
PERCENT COVER
41%
22%
12%
25%
100%
Natural Resources
Although the majority of SJAFB’s acreage has been developed for use as a military installation,
several types of natural resources may be found on the base. These include natural vegetation
communities, wetlands, surface and groundwater resources, forest/timber stands, wildlife, and
outdoor recreation areas.
Natural Vegetation Communities
Natural communities are typically defined as naturally occurring aggregates of plant
species. In 1994, the Nature Conservancy identified five natural community types on
SJAFB. According to the Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey, these areas are in
poor condition due to past disturbances, but they represent remnants of the vegetative
cover that was likely present on the installation before the land was developed. The five
identified natural communities include:
•
•
•
•
•
Coastal Plain Bottomland Hardwoods (brownwater subtype)
Coastal Plain Small Stream Swamp (blackwater subtype)
Coastal Plain Levee Forest (brownwater subtype)
Cypress-Gum Swamp (brownwater subtype)
Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest (coastal plain subtype)
Wetlands
Several areas of jurisdictional wetland are located on SJAFB. A formal wetland field
delineation has not been conducted for the entire installation, but interpretive
delineations have been completed based on available wetland reference maps and aerial
photographs. Geonex Corporation completed a site specific National Wetlands
Inventory (NWI) map for the base in 1995. The primary areas of wetlands on the
installation are associated with the Neuse River, Stoney Creek, and their contributing
drainageways and tributaries. Wetlands, including those on SJAFB, provide many
valuable functions such as surface and stormwater conveyance and storage, wildlife
habitat, groundwater recharge, primary productivity for the food chain, and water quality
improvement through filtration and purification.
Surface Water Resources
The primary surface water resources on SJAFB include the Neuse River and Stoney
Creek. The Neuse River runs along the southwest boundary of the base and is
categorized by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(NCDENR) as a Class C Nutrient Sensitive Water. This classification means it is a
freshwater protected for secondary recreation, fishing, aquatic life, and wildlife. All
freshwaters are classified to protect these uses at a minimum. It is also a nutrient
sensitive water which is subject to growths of microscopic or macroscopic vegetation
requiring limitations on nutrient inputs. The Neuse River begins at the confluence of the
Eno and Flat Rivers in Durham County and flows in a general southeast direction for
+222 river miles before emptying into Pamlico Sound at Maw Point. Stoney Creek runs
6
along the northwest boundary of the base and is also categorized as a Class C NSW
surface water. Stoney Creek is a tributary to the Neuse River and their confluence lies
on the western boundary of SJAFB.
Groundwater Resources
The groundwater resources on SJAFB are influenced by three principal aquifers (SJAFB
Management Action Plan, 1995). The surficial aquifer, the Black Creek aquifer, and the
Cape Fear aquifer. Based on the results obtained from on-site monitoring wells, the
water table ranges from one foot below ground surface in the Neuse River and Stoney
Creek floodplains to 14 feet below ground surface upgradient from the waterbodies.
However, groundwater across the majority of the base generally varies from six to
twelve feet below the surface.
Forest/Timber Stands
Several small areas of forest or timber stands are scattered across SJAFB. Most of these
pockets are located in the undeveloped areas along the Neuse River, Stoney Creek, and
the airfield complex. SJAFB has determined that these wooded areas are not significant
enough to support commercial harvesting practices (Smith, 1989). However, urban or
community forestry management concepts are being applied to the existing stands. The
timber resource is currently being used for its recreation and aesthetic values. Pine
stands on the base could potentially serve as habitat in the future for the Federal and
State endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) once they reach
sufficient age and size.
Wildlife
Common urban wildlife species are those types most likely to be located on site since the
majority of SJAFB acreage is a developed environment within the City of Goldsboro.
Although most of the base is developed, pockets of forested and unimproved areas may
harbor different species of urban mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. This
includes species such as white tailed deer, raccoons, possums, squirrels, various
songbirds, frogs, and snakes. The 1994 Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey does
not identify any endangered or threatened species on the subject area, but a formal
survey of the base has not yet been conducted. The survey does indicate the potential for
the Neuse River waterdog (Necturus lewisi) in the river, but no official sightings have
been recorded.
Outdoor Recreation Opportunities
Small-scale outdoor recreation opportunities exist on SJAFB. Picnic areas, an eight-site
family campground, and a nature trail have all been established on base for use by
authorized military personnel. The Neuse River front and its associated unimproved
areas may provide future non-consumptive and educational opportunities. Due to the
relatively small size of SJAFB and the limited amount of undeveloped acreage, the
aforementioned recreation features and facilities are not generally available to the public.
Hunting also is not allowed on the installation due to the lack of available space and
resources.
7
PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR ACTION
Project Need
In accordance with DoDD 4700.4, DoDD 7301.5, AFPD 32-70, AFI 32-7064, AFI 327064/ACC SUP I, AFGD 94-016, and the Sikes Act, an INRMP is to be written for all properties
under the control of the DoD and its component parts. All Air Force personnel and contractors
are responsible for compliance with Federal and Air Force environmental policies. SJAFB does
not currently have an INRMP in place for the installation. The proposed INRMP has been
prepared to keep SJAFB in compliance with Federal environmental laws, regulations, directives,
and instructions.
SJAFB currently has numerous individual environmental plans in place on the installation.
However, each of these plans is directed at managing and regulating a specific resource or group
of resources. The INRMP’s goal is to tie all individual resource management and protection
plans together into an ecosystem management approach. The interrelationships of natural
resources on SJAFB would be examined in order to develop the most ecologically sound
approach on an ecosystem level. This could prevent any one individual management plan from
benefiting one resource while harming others. The INRMP’s ecosystem management approach
would not require changes in all natural resource planning documents, but it would assist in
identifying any data gaps or changes that may be necessary to assess the plans’ effects on the
ecosystem as a whole. Each natural resource management plan would consider and apply the
principles of biological diversity, sustained yield, carrying capacity, and multiple use. An
integrated ecosystem management approach would encourage the maximization of all natural
resource benefits while supporting sustainable economies.
Because SJAFB is located in a small and highly developed area, implementation of an INRMP
would assist in effectively managing the limited natural resources that exist on the installation.
Surface and groundwater, wetlands, natural vegetation communities, wildlife, forests, and
outdoor recreation/educational areas are some of the primary natural resources of concern on
SJAFB.
ALTERNATIVES
No-Action Alternative
The alternative to developing and implementing an INRMP is not to execute the plan and
continue the natural resource management on SJAFB status quo. As a point of reference, a noaction alternative is considered to be a viable option throughout the environmental assessment
process. However, the no-action alternative does not meet any of the aforementioned project
needs.
The no-action alternative would involve the continuation of all independent environmental and
natural resource management plans without consideration of their ecosystem-wide impacts. No
additional efforts or funds would be designated for evaluating or improving the programs that
are in place. They would continue under their existing management and no changes to their
implementation schedules would be necessary. However, the individual resource management
plans would not take other environmental factors or plans into consideration and
8
consequentially, other resources may be adversely affected. For this reason, implementation of
an INRMP is proposed to provide an integrated base-wide approach for ecosystem management.
The no-action alternative is currently being executed on SJAFB.
Preferred Alternative
The preferred alternative would involve the formulation and implementation of an INRMP on
SJAFB. Development of an INRMP would allow the natural resource programs on SJAFB to be
implemented and evaluated based on their interrelationships and how each program may affect
the others. Because of recent information and acknowledgement that resources are so
interdependently related, natural resource management has progressed from a resource-specific
approach to an ecosystem-wide approach: consequently, management of one resource may affect
the condition and health of other resources.
Implementing an INRMP would identify and eliminate unlike end goals for the management of
different resources while complying with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws. In order
to effectively address different natural resources, the INRMP would also incorporate operational
component plans for individual resources themselves. These component plans would more
specifically address the subject resource management objectives and how they are interrelated
with others on SJAFB. Implementation of the INRMP would necessitate open correspondence
and communication between different squadrons of Air Force personnel, as well as with
surrounding communities and natural resource organizations so that all involved entities
understand the programs and goals of the INRMP. It would also allow for the most ecologically
sound natural resource programs and decisions to be made while carrying out SJAFB’s military
mission.
IMPACTS
Land Use
The land use categories on SJAFB can be subdivided into four types including improved, semiimproved, unimproved (including natural communities), and land under facilities. As previously
described, the majority of the land use on SJAFB (41%) can be characterized as improved
grounds. Due to the installation’s highly developed nature, land under facilities makes up
approximately 25% of the total acreage. Semi-improved grounds constitute the next 22%, while
unimproved grounds and natural communities make up the final 12% of the installation’s
acreage. Overall, SJAFB is a highly developed area in the City of Goldsboro with land uses that
support the 4th Fighter Wing’s military mission.
One of the INRMP’s primary goals is to implement ecosystem management principles in land
use planning and practice on SJAFB. Proposed actions associated with the INRMP include
reviewing current land use data and conducting a new land use survey. Vegetation cover types,
native and non-native species presence, impermeable surface areas, and other land use
characteristics would be noted within each land use type.
After SJAFB’s land use data and category acreages have been updated, land use goals would be
developed that are compatible with an ecosystem approach. An overall goal of the INRMP is to
9
convert improved to semi-improved grounds, semi-improved to unimproved grounds, and
unimproved grounds to natural areas where possible. Management practices would be
implemented that create or preserve the maximum natural character of the land use classes
present on the installation.
The proposed INRMP and its associated goals would have little to no adverse impact on SJAFB
land use. Evaluation and modification of the existing land use categories would give a more
accurate summary of the different land use types currently found on the installation. By more
specifically identifying and analyzing present land use, effective ecosystem management
principles can be formulated and implemented in the future.
Transportation
The proposed INRMP deals with the implementation of ecosystem management principles on
SJAFB, but none of the proposed goals or actions involves traffic or transportation issues. All
roads, runways, and associated transportation facilities will be maintained to support the military
mission. It is not anticipated that changes in natural resource management would involve a
significant increase or decrease in car, boat, rail, or air traffic on or around the installation.
Therefore, impacts on transportation in the vicinity of SJAFB should be negligible as a result of
INRMP implementation.
Socioeconomics
Social Impacts
Social impacts which would occur as a result of the proposed action can be considered
based on resources including recreation areas, schools, emergency services, churches,
community centers, minority communities, and community cohesion.
Recreation Resources
Most recreation opportunities on the installation would be preserved if not
expanded as a result of the proposed INRMP. A goal of the plan is to “develop
recreation opportunities in response to identified needs and demands within the
constraints of the Air Force mission and consistent with sound ecosystem
management principles.” Surveys would be conducted to identify the
installation’s present and future recreation needs. After recreation needs and
demands are identified, carrying capacities would be established for natural
areas, unimproved and semi-improved grounds, nature trails, and the Neuse
River front. Multiple use potential and ecosystem sustainability for all areas
would also be assessed. Since the Neuse River front offers some of the greatest
recreation potential on SJAFB, it is a target area for outdoor recreation
opportunities. After recreation opportunities have been reassessed, the Outdoor
Recreation Plan would be updated and modified to reflect these findings.
A recreation objective of the INRMP involves the development and
implementation of educational programs and opportunities to increase public
awareness and acceptance of natural resource enhancement and protection.
10
Nonconsumptive uses of outdoor recreation facilities on the installation and in
the region would be encouraged including participation in Arbor Day, Earth Day,
and other natural resource programs.
Since the INRMP stresses public involvement and passive utilization of SJAFB’s
resources, it is anticipated that social recreation opportunities on base would
increase as a result of the plan.
Schools
SJAFB does not have any on-base school systems. The surrounding Wayne
County Public School System consists of fifteen elementary schools, seven
middle schools, and five high schools. The base does have an education center
which provides a variety of education programs ranging from high school
completion through college masters degrees. Several colleges offer a variety of
extension classes at SJAFB on a regular basis. These institutions include Mount
Olive College, Campbell University, Embry-Riddle University, Central Michigan
University, North Carolina Wesleyan College, and Wayne County Community
College.
The proposed INRMP is not expected to affect area school districts. No
individual school facilities would be directly impacted by the proposed action,
but environmental education areas and opportunities may become available for
use by local school children, classrooms, or college extension classes. No
adverse impacts to schools are anticipated as a result of the INRMP.
Emergency Services
There are a variety of emergency services provided on SJAFB. The installation
has its own hospital, Koritz Hospital, located in the north central portion of the
installation. The facility serves military personnel, retirees, and family members.
Under the 4th Medical Operations Squadron, the hospital also provides SJAFB
with an ambulance service. The Kiecker Dental Clinic is located directly
adjacent to the hospital and provides comprehensive dental care for military
members.
The Security Police function as the primary law enforcement and protection
group on the installation. The Fire Protection Flight, under the Civil Engineering
squadron, serves as the chief fire fighting and suppression group.
Since the INRMP does not directly involve medical care or any of the
aforementioned emergency response services, it is not anticipated that the plan
would have an impact on emergency services or response time.
Churches
One central non-denominational church is located on SJAFB. The chapel
management team organizes and offers a wide range of worshipping services. In
11
addition to worship services, the chapel provides several programs and activities
such as Bible studies, Sunday school, youth groups, retreats, and marriage
seminars.
Increased passive recreation opportunities and facilities may become available
for use by the chapel programs as a result of the INRMP. However, it is
anticipated that the INRMP would have an overall negligible impact on the
installation’s chapel and religious community. Churches located outside the
installation in the City of Goldsboro would not be affected by the INRMP.
Community Center
SJAFB has a community center that offers a wide variety of family recreation
activities. These include social events, tournaments, holiday and special
activities, forums, exhibits, table tennis, and billiards. The center also hosts
various meetings conducted by organizations throughout the base. The
Backstage Pub, located in the community center, offers in-house dining and pizza
delivery.
The INRMP would likely create additional outdoor recreation opportunities that
the community center may wish to utilize for their assemblies and activities. For
this reason, it is anticipated that the INRMP may have a positive impact on the
community center.
Family Support Center
The family support center provides a full spectrum of services to meet the needs
of Air Force members and their families. These services include financial
counseling, emergency financial assistance, and use of an international
information and referral network to locate human services agencies. The family
support center also helps with spouse employment, support during deployments,
family readiness programs, transition assistance to the civilian work force,
relocation assistance, and volunteer programs.
The INRMP does not involve any of the aforementioned family support issues
and is not anticipated to impact the functions of the family support center.
Minority Communities
For the proposed INRMP, no adverse impacts on the minority community are
expected. The proposed action is consistent with Title VI of the 1964 Civil
Rights Act, as amended by the 1968 Civil Rights Act, which ensures that no
person shall on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital
status, handicap, or family composition, be excluded from participation in, or be
denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subject to discrimination under any
program of the Federal, State, or local government. All components of the
INRMP that are open for public participation or comment will be available for
input from all citizens.
12
Community Cohesion
INRMP impacts on community cohesion are expected to be negligible. The
residential area of SJAFB is located in the northeast portion of the installation.
However, no neighborhoods or communities would be separated or physically
divided as a result of INRMP implementation. Public natural resource programs
or celebrations may, in fact, encourage greater community cohesion through
participation in events and greater availability of outdoor recreation areas.
Economic Impacts
As of March, 1997, the total number of people employed in Wayne County,
exclusive of SJAFB, totaled 45,520 (Wayne County Economic Development
Commission, 1997). A breakdown of the number of employees by job category
is presented below.
Non-Agricultural Employment
Service Producing
Goods Producing
Agricultural Employment
32,040
9,840
3,640
TOTAL EMPLOYED
45,520
As the largest employer in the area, the base provides an additional 5,237 military
personnel and 1,025 civilian jobs for a total of 6,262 positions (Higginbotham/Briggs &
Associates, 1997). Approximately 6,949 dependents are also located at SJAFB in
association with the military personnel. These 13,211 people that are brought to the area
by SJAFB constitute over 12% of Wayne County’s population of 104,666 (Wayne
County Economic Development Commission, 1997). These figures do not account for
the additional 6,500 military retirees who have settled in the area, but still illustrate that
SJAFB provides strong consumer support for the Goldsboro economy.
After the first quarter of 1997, Wayne County had a 3.0% unemployment rate. This was
down from 5.7% at the same time last year. Wayne County’s most recent unemployment
rate is lower than the North Carolina average of 3.2% and the United States average of
4.9% (Wayne County Economic Development Commission, 1997).
The economics of SJAFB and the surrounding area are not anticipated to be significantly
affected by the INRMP. Several new jobs may be created by the increase in natural
resource management on SJAFB. If all goals and component plans of the INRMP are
implemented over the next five years, there would likely be a need for increased staff to
manage these programs. However, this potential increase in staff is not expected to be
significant.
Archaeological and Historic Resources
A study of the historic structures located on SJAFB was conducted by Panamerican Consultants,
Inc. in 1994. A report summarizing these findings was published for SJAFB in April, 1996. The
13
survey was designed to locate and evaluate the significance of historic buildings and structures
on base in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and Executive Order
11593 for Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment. Eight of the 166 structures
on SJAFB date from the World War II period from 1940 - 1945. These structures are situated at
the following locations.
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Base Warehouse (Building 2502)
Base Engineering and Administration (Building 3300)
Base Engineering Maintenance Shop (Building 3400)
4th Transportation Squadron Building (Building 3681)
Housing Supply & Storage Facility & Furnishings Management (Building 4229)
Weapons System/Management Facility (Building 4502)
Heating Facility/Boiler Plant (Building 4503)
The INRMP does not specifically address archaeological and historical resources, but any future
proposed actions or goals should comply with Federal and State archaeological and historic
resource regulations. It is not anticipated that the INRMP would have any affect on
archaeological or historic resources.
Air Quality
The Federal Clean Air Act of 1970 and the Clean Air Act Amendments in 1977 required the
adoption of ambient air quality standards. These were established in order to protect public
health, safety and welfare from known or anticipated effects of sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulates
(PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and lead (Pb). National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for these pollutants have been established.
SJAFB currently has Air Permit No. 3743R10 from the North Carolina Division of Air Quality
for the construction and operation of air emission sources or air cleaning devices and
appurtenances. The permit is effective from November 20, 1996 until October 31, 2000 and
covers thirteen air emission sources and/or cleaning devices on the installation. These facilities
include:
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Building 2700:
Building 5000:
Building 4503:
Building 4531:
Building 2505:
Building 3103:
Building 4215:
Building 3300:
Building 4522:
cogeneration unit for electric power and stream production
two fuel/natural gas boilers
two fuel/natural gas boilers
two filter type spray booths
one dry filter type spray booth
one dry filter type spray booth
one simple cyclone installed on a wood dust collection system
one simple cyclone installed on a wood dust collection system
one dry filter for VOC removal on a spray booth and one
bagfilter installed on the exhaust of the grit blast operation
Building 4909: one paint spraying operation
Building 10155: one hush house for out-of-plane engine testing
Building 10164: one hush house for out-of-plane engine testing
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•
Federal Prison:
two simple cyclones installed on wood dust collection systems
The permitted facilities are subject to the specific conditions and limitations of the air quality
permit, including various testing, monitoring, and reporting requirements. The cogeneration
turbine is subject to the most stringent limitations and performance testing requirements since its
operation involves the pollutants of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxides.
The INRMP does not specifically address air quality issues in its goals and objectives. Since the
plan does not propose any changes to the aforementioned air quality facilities, it is not
anticipated to create any adverse impacts to air quality or the ability to maintain air quality in
this area.
Noise
Noise levels on SJAFB are currently regulated under the Air Installation Compatible Use Zone
(AICUZ) program. The basic objective of the AICUZ program is to achieve compatible uses of
public and private lands in the vicinity of the SJAFB airfields by controlling incompatible
development through local actions. Noise is a primary focus and component of the program.
The AICUZ program uses the latest technology to define noise levels in areas near SJAFB.
Analyses of flying operations are performed, including aircraft types, flight patterns, altitude and
power setting variations, number of flights, hours of operations, and ground maintenance engine
testing. This information is used to develop noise contours around SJAFB.
Under the AICUZ program, noise contours, based on the Day-Night Average A-Weighted Sound
Level (DNL), are used to maximize beneficial use of the land surrounding the base while
minimizing the potential for degradation of the health and safety of the affected public. Noise
disturbances to the surrounding communities have been minimized through actions such as
confining most flight operations and ground engine runups between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and
10:30 p.m., utilizing sound suppression facilities, and avoiding flights over noise-sensitive
locations.
Noise levels are not specifically addressed in the goals and objectives of the INRMP, however,
no impacts to existing noise levels are anticipated as a result of the plan’s implementation.
While striving to maximize ecosystem health, the INRMP still seeks to maintain and support the
4th Fighter Wing’s military mission. Therefore no significant changes in air traffic or other
existing noise levels are expected as a result of the plan’s implementation.
Soils and Geology
Soils
SJAFB is located in the North Carolina Coastal Plain and contains a variety of different
soil types. However, the exact number of soils is currently unknown. There are
discrepancies in both the number and types of on-site soils in the natural resource reports
that have been prepared for the installation including the 1994 Land Management Plan,
the 1994 Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey, and the 1995 Management Action
Plan. This difference in soil types is likely attributable to the variety of sources that are
15
cited in each report. The Land Management Plan cites the 1966 U.S. Department of
Agriculture Soil Conservation Service (now the Natural Resource Conservation Service)
Soil Survey, the Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey cites a 1974 Soil
Conservation Service study conducted by Barnhill, et al., and the Management Action
Plan cites soil analyses that have been completed by the Research Triangle Institute in
1985 and 1988, and Law Environmental, Inc. in 1991 and 1992.
An objective of the INRMP is to eliminate these contradictions in soil types and establish
an accurate map of soils present on the base. Obtaining an accurate representation of onsite soils would allow them to be managed and utilized more effectively. The updated
soil data would be incorporated into future SJAFB project planning documents.
Knowledge of soil properties are crucial in projects involving issues such as stormwater
runoff and detention, hazardous materials contamination, construction foundations, and
landscaping.
Since INRMP goals and objectives involve the improvement and clarification of on-site
soil maps and data, it is anticipated that the INRMP would have an overall positive
impact on SJAFB soils.
Geology
As reported in the Management Action Plan, geology on SJAFB consists of “generally
unconsolidated sedimentary deposits unconformably overlying a basement complex of
pre-Cretaceous rocks. The Coastal Plain sediments are comprised mainly of Quarternary
and Tertiary sediments overlying about 130 feet of Cretaceous marine sediments.
Surficial deposits in the area consist of the Holocene Goldsboro Sands and Pliocene
Sunderland Formation.”
SJAFB is underlain by three geologic units and their corresponding aquifers. In
descending order, these units include: the surficial Goldsboro sand deposits/Sunderland
Formation containing the uppermost aquifer; the Black Creek Formation containing the
Black Creek aquifer; and the Cape Fear Formation containing the Cape Fear aquifer.
No quarries, sand and gravel pits, mines, or other large-scale excavations are directly
proposed in the immediate project vicinity as part of the INRMP. Therefore, no impacts
on the site’s geology or mineral resources are expected.
Water Resources
SJAFB is located in the Neuse River drainage basin which covers approximately 5710 square
miles of North Carolina’s coastal plain and piedmont provinces. The Neuse River is +222 river
miles in length and ultimately empties into Pamlico Sound. SJAFB is located approximately 110
miles upstream from the Neuse River’s confluence with Pamlico Sound. There is one tributary
to the Neuse River in the project vicinity, Stoney Creek. This is a minor tributary that converges
with the Neuse River on the western boundary of SJAFB.
No waterbodies on or adjacent to SJAFB are designated National Wild and Scenic Rivers.
However, this does not mean that no waterbody on or near the base would be eligible for such a
16
classification.
Water resources management plans are currently in place on SJAFB, and the INRMP proposes
to implement an ecosystem water management approach as the next logical step. An ecosystem
goal for water resources would be in place within the first year of adoption of the INRMP and
would include mechanisms for the protection and enhancement of water resources in the
surrounding watershed as well as on SJAFB.
Water Quality
The assessment of water quality depends on the existing or proposed use of a waterbody.
As previously discussed, Stoney Creek and the Neuse River near SJAFB are classified
as a Class C Nutrient Sensitive Waters which are protected (with limitations on nutrient
inputs) for secondary recreation, fishing, aquatic life propagation and survival, and
wildlife. In July, 1997, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural
Resources Division of Water Quality implemented new regulations for projects in the
Neuse River Basin. These more stringent regulations for development were
implemented to protect the water quality in this sensitive watershed. The new
management strategy involves the protection and maintenance of existing riparian areas.
Any future proposed disturbances within the river’s riparian areas will be closely
scrutinized before authorization is granted by the State.
SJAFB currently monitors surface water quality at two outfall points on the installation
in accordance with their NPDES permit. Turbidity is also monitored upstream and
downstream of these points two times per month. Groundwater quality is monitored in
the 60+ wells across the site in accordance with their IRP, RCRA, and UST programs.
These monitoring programs keep SJAFB in compliance with their various environmental
permit conditions.
A primary goal of the INRMP is to implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) and
ecosystem management principles on future SJAFB projects to minimize the potential
for surface and groundwater contamination. An objective of this goal involves the
establishment of baseline data for the current character and quality of water in the Neuse
River upstream and downstream of the vicinity of SJAFB. This data may be used to
identify any future changes in water quality that may be attributable to SJAFB
operations. Other objectives involve the identification of potential water contaminants
and their spill routes through a drainage basin approach. Fifteen drainage basins and
their outfalls are outlined in the 1994 Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan. Each basin
on the installation would be individually examined for its potential effects on the
region’s water quality.
The aforementioned goal of minimizing surface and groundwater contamination through
the implementation of BMPs illustrates the fact that the INRMP would have an overall
positive affect on the water quality of SJAFB and the region as a whole.
Floodplains and Floodways
Since the Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA) did not map floodplains
on SJAFB, floodplain analyses and profiles for the installation were conducted by the
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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District Office. (U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, 1972). These analyses were conducted before Falls Lake was created, and it
is anticipated that the demarcated floodplain elevations have significantly changed since
the study was conducted. However, because of recent surface water management
practices and the creation of the reservoir upstream, the Corps of Engineers study should
show the worse case floodplain scenario for the installation and surrounding area. Any
passive recreation projects that may be proposed along the Neuse River front would
comply with all laws for development in the floodplain.
The INRMP describes several objectives for the effective management of floodplains. It
proposes that more accurate and specific data be collected on past, present, and potential
future flood events so that flooding patterns and trends may be established. The plan
also would coordinate floodplain data with the installation’s hazardous waste
management and remediation plans to determine the potential for environmental
contamination within the floodplains and for potential prevention and mitigation efforts.
The goals and objectives of the proposed INRMP encourage the effective evaluation,
determination, and management of floodplains and floodways.
Therefore,
implementation of the proposed INRMP is expected to have a positive effect on the
establishment of more accurate floodplain and floodway elevations.
Groundwater
SJAFB currently monitors groundwater levels in at least 60 wells across the installation.
These wells have been installed as required in the IRP, RCRA, and UST programs on
SJAFB. Results from the monitoring events have determined that groundwater across
the base generally varies from six to twelve feet below the surface. However, the water
table is generally one foot below ground surface along the floodplain of Stoney Creek.
In addition to recording groundwater levels, groundwater quality is also analyzed
periodically as required by the different IRP, RCRA, and UST programs.
In order to effectively manage groundwater resources, the various aquifers, recharge
zones, and soils which underlie SJAFB must be taken into account along with their
relationship to regional groundwater resources. However, discrepancies in the data
available for these resources currently exists which can hinder the understanding and
analysis of the site’s groundwater.
Several objectives of the INRMP involve the coordination and clarification of
discrepancies in data on groundwater resources across the installation. This includes
obtaining accurate soil data and maps, delineating all aquifers underlying the base, and
delineating and prioritizing groundwater recharge zones by their level of environmental
sensitivity. The INRMP then proposes to incorporate the new data into all future plans
and projects that are conducted on SJAFB, especially the Hazardous Waste Management
Plan, Installation Restoration Plan, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, and Spill
Prevention and Response Plan. For these reasons, the INRMP is expected to have a
positive effect on groundwater in the project vicinity.
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Natural Resources
Various environmental studies have been historically conducted on SJAFB to inventory and
document natural resources. These resources include native plant communities, forestry
resources, wetlands, protected species, and fisheries.
Plant communities
Plant communities on SJAFB can be reviewed based on either historic or present
vegetative cover. The highly developed nature of the installation and lack of any
detailed biological inventory for the area makes historic vegetation interpretation
difficult. There have also been no formal vegetation inventories conducted for existing
conditions on SJAFB, but general land cover and community information is presented in
the 1994 Land Management Plan and 1994 Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey.
Information on existing vegetation communities can be inferred from the land use data in
the 1994 Land Management Plan. This document divides the acreage on SJAFB into
four general categories including improved grounds, semi-improved grounds,
unimproved grounds (including natural communities), and land under facilities.
Descriptions of these categories were previously presented in the Existing Conditions
section of this report. The Land Management Plan reports that there are approximately
404 acres of unimproved grounds on the installation. This acreage includes any natural
plant communities that are not routinely maintained or mowed. However, the document
does not provide a detailed acreage breakdown or description of vegetative composition
in these areas.
The 1994 Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey is one of the best available
references for historic vegetation communities. This document identifies the remnants of
five natural vegetation communities on SJAFB. Natural communities are described as
distinct and reoccurring assemblages of populations of organisms naturally associated
with each other and their physical environment (Schafale and Weakley, 1990). Plants
are typically used to characterize the different community types. The five natural
communities exhibit enough of their natural characteristics to be distinguished from
other vegetation assemblages on the installation and include coastal plain bottomland
hardwoods (brownwater subtype), coastal plain small stream swamp (blackwater
subtype), coastal plain levee forest (brownwater subtype), cypress-gum swamp
(brownwater subtype), and mesic mixed hardwood forest (coastal plain subtype).
The proposed INRMP has several goals pertaining to the improvement of natural
vegetative communities. One primary goal is to conserve and restore historic vegetative
cover on SJAFB. The initial objective of this goal is to research and determine the
historic vegetative cover on the installation prior to any development. Then a complete
existing vegetative inventory of the base would be conducted including trees, shrubs, and
herbaceous species. Once historic and current vegetative conditions are determined,
plans would be developed to preserve and expand the five natural community remnants
where possible. Historic vegetative communities may also be re-established in areas that
are currently in improved or semi-improved land use categories. Ecosystem goals would
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be established so that an appropriate balance of historic/native/natural vegetation and
existing vegetation is represented. These aforementioned goals show that the INRMP
would likely have a positive impact on the plant communities, especially the natural
plant communities, that are located on SJAFB.
Forestry
Due to the highly developed nature of SJAFB, there are only several small, scattered
forested areas on the installation. Most of these stands are located in the undeveloped
areas along the Neuse River, Stoney Creek, and the airfield complex. The 1989 Forest
Management Plan determined that all of the wooded areas on the installation should be
designated as noncommercial forest land. A commercial harvesting program is not
economically feasible due to the area’s limited timber market, existing timber types, and
the distribution of timber.
The INRMP addresses forestry management in conjunction with vegetative community
issues. The plan proposes to update and expand the existing Forestry Management
Component Plan so that it addresses the issues of ecosystem management. A more
accurate forest inventory would be completed to establish baseline conditions, and then
long-term management plans would be developed that include multiple-use and
sustained yield principles. Future small-scale forest product sales are proposed, but
replanting and management for sustainable harvests would also be implemented. It is
anticipated that these INRMP goals and objectives would have no adverse effect on the
installation’s forestry resources.
Wetlands
The primary wetland areas on SJAFB are associated with the Neuse River, Stoney Creek,
and their contributing drainageways along the installation’s western boundary. A formal
wetland field delineation has not yet been conducted for the entire base, but a site
specific National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) study was completed by Geonex
Corporation for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1995. Wetland types identified as
part of this survey include:
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Palustrine Forested
Palustrine Split Class
Palustrine Scrub-Shrub
Palustrine Emergent
Palustrine Unconsolidated Bottom
Riverine Lower Perennial Unconsolidated Bottom
Riverine Intermittent Streambed
This was primarily an interpretive wetland study based on aerial photograph review and
examination of other wetland reference maps such as soil surveys and topographic maps.
Several questionable areas were spot checked in the field, however, formal wetland
boundaries were not established as part of this study.
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Several objectives of the proposed INRMP specifically address wetland issues. The first
proposed task under the INRMP is to delineate all wetlands on the installation in
accordance with Executive Order 11990. Once this task has been completed, the
delineation results can be used in all future facilities planning so that wetland impacts are
minimized and/or avoided. The INRMP further proposes to develop a Wetlands
Component Plan that would include long-term wetland and hydrology monitoring across
the base. This would allow SJAFB to detect and identify any indirect impact or changes
in wetland quality and quantity if they occur.
No wetland impacts are proposed, and several wetland management actions are planned
as part of the INRMP. Therefore, implementation of the INRMP is expected to have a
positive impact on SJAFB’s jurisdictional wetlands.
Protected Species
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, as amended, requires each Federal agency to
ensure that “any action authorized, funded, or carried out by such agency ... is not likely
to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered species or threatened species or
result in the destruction or adverse modification of habitat of such species ... unless such
agency has been granted an exemption for such action ...”.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service currently lists five Federally protected species that
are known to occur in Wayne County (NCDENR, 1997). The species listed include:
Scientific Name
Corynorhinus rafinesquii
Elliptio judithae
Fusconaia masoni
Litsea aestivalis
Picoides borealis
Common Name
Rafinesque’s big-eared bat
Neuse slabshell mussel
Atlantic pigtoe mussel
Pondspice
Red-cockaded woodpecker
Federal Status
Species of Concern
Species of Concern
Species of Concern
Species of Concern
Endangered
The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation Natural Heritage Program lists
seven State protected species that are known to occur in Wayne County (NCDENR,
1997). These species include:
Scientific Name
Corynorhinus rafinesquii
Elliptio roanokensis
Fusconaia masoni
Lanius ludovicianus
Necturus lewisi
Noturus furiosus
Picoides borealis
Common Name
Rafinesque’s big-eared bat
Roanoke slabshell
Atlantic pigtoe mussel
Loggerhead shrike
Neuse River waterdog
Carolina madtom
Red-cockaded woodpecker
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State Status
Species of Concern
Threatened
Threatened
Species of Concern
Species of Concern
Species of Concern
Endangered
The 1994 Nature Conservancy Natural Area Survey for SJAFB addresses the topics of
rare insects, rare vertebrates, and neotropical migrants. This report states that, based on
available habitat, no rare insects or vertebrates are likely to occur on the installation with
the exception of the Neuse River waterdog (Necturus lewisi). This species is categorized
as a State species of concern, but has no Federal protection status. No sightings or
recordings of the waterdog have been made, but it is know to utilize the Neuse River
which runs along the southwest boundary of the base. Habitat for the Federally
endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) may become available in the
future as the pine stands on SJAFB mature to the required age for utilization by the
woodpeckers. The NCNAS also states that several common and widespread Neotropical
migrant species may utilize the small patches of woodlands across the base. However,
the majority of migrant songbirds pass to the west of the North Carolina Coastal Plain
where SJAFB is situated.
The proposed INRMP addresses protected species in the context of game and nongame
fish and wildlife management. A primary goal of the plan is to manage game and
nongame fish and wildlife species within the context of an ecosystem type approach.
This includes the preparation of a Fish and Wildlife Component Management Plan for
the installation with the cooperation of Federal and State wildlife agencies. No such plan
is currently in place for SJAFB. An initial task under the INRMP consists of a baseline
inventory of fish and wildlife habitat on the base. Upon completion of this survey,
threatened and endangered species habitat would be identified and given priority
protection.
Although no threatened or endangered species are known to inhabit or utilize SJAFB, the
INRMP may assist in the protection and preservation of potential future habitat. For this
reason, it is expected that the INRMP would have a positive impact on the future of
SJAFB’s protected species.
Fisheries
The Neuse River near SJAFB has a good resident fish species population and a seasonal
anadromous fish population (Harris, 1997). Adjacent to SJAFB, the river contains
common resident fish species such as sunfish, catfish, and bass. The North Carolina
Wildlife Resources Commission conducts annual spring sampling for anadromous fish
and has found that the primary species present in this section of the Neuse River include
striped bass and American shad, but blueback herring and hickory shad have also been
recorded during their sampling events.
The proposed INRMP addresses fisheries, like protected species, in the context of game
and nongame species management. Fishery resources would be addressed in the Fish
and Wildlife Component Management Plan. With Federal and State agency cooperation,
data on fish species utilizing the Neuse River would be updated and additional
inventories would be taken. Under the INRMP, the fisheries management plan would
incorporate water quality issues in order to address the nutrient sensitive waters of the
Neuse River and their potential impact on fishery resources. For these reasons, it is
anticipated that the INRMP would have a positive impact on fishery resources in the
22
vicinity of SJAFB.
Aesthetics
SJAFB is located in an urban setting in the City of Goldsboro and is characterized by a variety of
landscape components. These components primarily consist of those man-made features
associated with operation of the military installation. Approximately 2131 acres of the 3233 acre
installation are made up of improved grounds or land under facilities. This acreage includes
runways, buildings, roadways, parking lots, lawns, golf course greens and fairways, and athletic
grounds. Approximately 698 acres of land area are comprised of semi-improved grounds where
periodic maintenance is performed for operational and aesthetic reasons. This includes grounds
adjacent to runways, gun ranges, picnic areas, ammunition storage areas and golf course roughs.
Approximately 404 acres of land area are considered unimproved grounds and natural areas that
are not typically maintained. These areas include woodlands, wetlands, waterbodies, and
floodplain forests associated with the Neuse River and Stoney Creek.
The most striking landscape feature in and around SJAFB is the Neuse River. The river and its
tributaries make up one of the state’s major watersheds. In the vicinity of SJAFB, the river is
used for fishing, pleasure boating, and other passive recreation activities. Since the majority of
SJAFB’s natural communities, undeveloped land, and outdoor recreation areas are also located
along the Neuse River, it can be considered the installation’s most aesthetically pleasing area
based on visual quality.
The INRMP does not propose to alter the visual quality or compromise the aesthetic value of
SJAFB’s scenic areas. Several goals and objectives of the plan focus on the preservation and
enhancement of the Neuse River front. Future plans for development of this area would
incorporate ecosystem management principles and seek to preserve, restore, and possibly expand
the five natural community remnants at this locale. As part of the INRMP, other areas of
unimproved or semi-improved grounds across the base would also be preserved or converted
back to more natural conditions when possible.
These types of goals and management standards would preserve or enhance the aesthetics of the
installation. Therefore, it is anticipated that the INRMP would likely have an overall positive
impact on SJAFB’s aesthetic value.
Hazardous Materials
The complexity and severity of hazardous materials/waste issues necessitate their effective
management and containment. SJAFB uses, generates, and stores large quantities of hazardous
materials and wastes constituting approximately 725,000 pounds per year (SJAFB Hazardous
Waste Management Plan, 1995). These substances are a necessity to maintain the aircraft and
otherwise support the military mission on SJAFB. The nature of Air Force activities makes
elimination of all hazardous materials unfeasible at this time.
In order to comply with Federal and State regulations, SJAFB has implemented a Hazardous
Waste Management Plan (HWMP). This plan allows all hazardous materials and wastes on base
to be accounted for, managed, accumulated, transported, and disposed of in an environmentally
sensitive manner. The 1995 HWMP indicates that there are thirty points of hazardous waste
23
generation on the installation, eighteen of which are classified as high volume waste generators.
However, the Draft 1997 HWMP currently identifies over forty sources of hazardous waste
generation, treatment, and storage.
SJAFB was issued a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Part B Permit, effective
July 28, 1991 through July 28, 2001, for the operation of a hazardous waste management facility.
The permit also puts SJAFB in compliance with the North Carolina Hazardous Waste
Management Rules. Under this permit, the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office is the
only permitted hazardous waste storage facility on the installation.
Hazardous materials on SJAFB are managed under their HAZMART program. This base-wide
function tracks the ordering, issue, and reissue of hazardous materials so that only the minimum
required quantities of each substance are kept on hand. The limitation of hazardous materials
prevents the accumulation of any unused portions.
In order to address the problem of past hazardous waste/materials contamination, SJAFB
implemented an Installation Restoration Program (IRP) in May, 1983. The IRP is an
environmental restoration program based on Federal regulations and requirements in the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The
IRP for SJAFB focuses on the characterization and clean-up of historic waste disposal sites on
the installation.
As previously described, SJAFB has a very comprehensive set of environmental programs
addressing hazardous materials. This group of management plans would be further integrated
and improved with the implementation of the proposed INRMP. Two primary goals of the
INRMP include the minimization of hazardous materials/waste effects on the environment, and
the complete clean-up of past toxic and hazardous contamination through the IRP.
Most of the objectives proposed to accomplish these goals involve the continuation of existing
HWMP and IRP activities. However, the INRMP strives to reduce the use of hazardous
materials and waste generation on SJAFB to as near zero as possible as new procedures or
technologies are developed. In association with this goal, the plan also provides for an annual
review of the need for hazardous materials utilization on the installation. A hazardous materials
review committee made up of civilians and military personnel would be established to assess
hazardous material needs and possible reductions in use on SJAFB. It is anticipated that the
proposed goals in the INRMP would have a positive effect on future hazardous material
management and clean-up on SJAFB and the surrounding region.
Coastal Zone
The State of North Carolina received Federal approval of its coastal management program in
September, 1978 under the U.S. Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972. The State program is
based on the North Carolina Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) which directs the Coastal
Resources Commission to identify and designate areas of environmental concern (AECs) in
which uncontrolled development might result in damage to property, public health, or the natural
environment. CAMA regulations apply to the twenty coastal counties located along the State’s
tidal rivers, sounds and the Atlantic Ocean.
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Although Wayne County is not located within CAMA’s jurisdiction, SJAFB will address
watershed issues related to the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound in accordance with the goals and
objectives of the Coastal America Program. The Neuse River is a major estuary on the North
Carolina coast which can have significant impacts on the health of the Pamlico Sound.
Therefore, SJAFB will assist in the management of the regional drainage basin so that positive
contributions can be made to the quality of the Neuse River on an ecosystem level.
The INRMP addresses coastal issues and drainage basin concerns in the context of minimizing
the potential for surface water contamination. This goal would be accomplished by preserving
Neuse River water quality utilizing a watershed approach. The INRMP also proposes to increase
awareness of the place of SJAFB within the Neuse River watershed, Pamlico Sound, and the
North Carolina Coast. Full cooperation with the Coastal America Program and CAMA is also
included as an objective of the INRMP. Since SJAFB is located approximately 110 miles
upstream of Pamlico Sound, it is anticipated that any INRMP watershed benefits affecting the
North Carolina coast would be minimal. However, SJAFB’s participation in a cumulative
ecosystem approach for water quality improvement is an initial step in the preservation and
improvement of the State’s drainage basins.
25
REFERENCES
Harris, F. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, personal communication.
December 22, 1997.
Higginbotham/Briggs & Associates. 1997. General Plan for Seymour Johnson Air Force
Base, Goldsboro, North Carolina.
Manning, E. 1989. Land Management Plan for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North
Carolina, for Plan Period September, 1989 to September, 1994.
May, E. et al. 1994. Outdoor Recreation Plan for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Fort
Fisher Recreation Area, North Carolina, for Plan Period March, 1994 to March, 1999.
The Nature Conservancy. December, 1994. Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Natural Area
Survey.
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and
Recreation - Natural Heritage Program. August, 1997. Protected Species List for
Wayne County.
Panamerican Consultants, Inc. April, 1996. Historic Structures Survey at Seymour Johnson
Air Force Base, Goldsboro, Wayne County, North Carolina.
Schafale and Weakley. 1990. North Carolina Natural Heritage Program Division of Parks
and Recreation Classification of the Natural Communities of North Carolina, Third
Approximation.
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. 1993. Air Installation Compatible Use Zone (AICUZ)
Study - Volume 1, for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, North Carolina.
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. January, 1995. Hazardous Waste Management Plan for
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, North Carolina.
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. May, 1983. Installation Restoration Program for Seymour
Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, North Carolina.
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. October, 1995. Management Action Plan for Seymour
Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, North Carolina.
Smith, S. 1989. Forest Management Plan for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro,
North Carolina.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Wilmington District Office. February, 1972. Flood Plain
Information for Neuse River, Stoney Creek, and Little River, Goldsboro, North
26
Carolina.
Wayne County Economic Development Commission. November, 1997. Goldsboro Area
Economic Indicators.
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