Finding of No Significant Impact and Finding of No Practicable Alternative: Construction of Airfield Drainage Improvement Projects MacDill Air Force Base, Florida

Abstract : Pursuant to the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations, Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 1500-1508, as they implement the requirements of the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969,42 U.S.C. 4321 , et seq., and the Air Force Environmental Impact Analysis Process, as promulgated in 32 CFR Part 989, the USAF conducted an assessment of the potential environmental consequences associated with implementation of the following Proposed Action: Construction of Airfield Drainage Improvement Projects. The attached Environmental Assessment (EA) considered all potential impacts of the proposed action, both as solitary actions and in conjunction with other proposed activities. This Finding ofNo Significant Impact (FONSI) summarizes the results of the evaluation and the conclusions regarding the significance of impacts from the Proposed Action. The Finding ofNo Practicable Alternative (FONPA) summarizes the conclusion reached regarding the location of the Proposed Action in a floodplain. The environmental resources areas are discussed in detail in Section 4.0 of the attached EA. The Proposed Action is intended to limit the ponding of surface water on the airfield to reduce the potential for bird/aircraft collisions. The projects would involve modification, through either filling or draining low-lying landscape around the airfield, including wetland areas. impacts to wetland systems have been coordinated with Federal, state and county regulatory agencies. Permits have been secured through the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Southwest Florida Water Management District, and the Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) of Hillsborough County. The Proposed Action is aimed at improving lowlying areas of the airfield where water ponds during the rainy season or during significant rain events. The implementation of the Proposed Action would result in an overall decrease in BASH for aircraft operating at MacDill.