EA for the expansion of AMOC at March ARB Published Jan. 31, 2019 By Mr. Douglas S. Waters, Jr. 452 AMW March Air Reserve Base, Calif. -- The Air Force has prepared this EA in coordination with the CBP addressing potential environmental impacts of the Proposed Action at March Air Reserve Base (ARB), California, located approximately 15 miles south of San Bernardino, California, 70 miles east of Los Angeles, California and 100 miles north of San Diego, California. The Proposed Action is to construct a 25,000 ft2 single story administrative building immediately adjacent and north of an existing building to meet the square footage presently required for the anticipated personnel and uses of the facility to meet mission requirements of AMOC. Two existing modular buildings would also undergo minor renovations to the exterior providing an appearance more conducive to the co-located permanent structures. The proposed action also includes a 2.5acre parking lot for the administrative building, a warehouse, and a static display Air and Marine Park on real property operated by the AFRC at March ARB. CBP prepared an EA in 2011, the 2011 Environmental Assessment for Proposed Construction, Maintenance, and Operation for the Expansion of the Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations Center Expansion, March Joint Air Reserve Base, Riverside, California (CBP 2011) in anticipation of expansion of its operations and to facilitate the transfer of 8.38 acres from the City of Moreno Valley to the March ARB. The Proposed Action in the CBP 2011was constructing a two-story building, roughly 90,000 square feet (ft2) in size with additional asphalt parking. The proposed action was to accommodate a growth in mission for border security and an anticipated growth of the AMOC operation to 700 personnel. This EA is tiered on that CBP 2011 Final EA. Since 2011 the AMOC mission has changed, requiring less growth in personnel to only 326 personnel. This has resulted in a reduction in the requirements first envisioned in 2011. However, there is still a need for additional actions. The purpose of the proposed action is to meet the facility requirements of the AMOC so it may perform its mission by accommodating the full 326 person contingent, provide additional warehouse space within close proximity to the mission in a secured environment and to provide adequate parking for the personnel and visitors to the center. As envisioned in 2011, a park is also proposed to allow a display of AMOC related aircraft and equipment used in performance of its mission over the years. This EA addresses the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects on the natural, social, economic, and physical environments resulting from the assessed alternatives. The information provided in this EA will serve as the basis for March ARB to determine whether the Proposed Action would have a significant impact(s) on the environment, thereby requiring an Environmental Impact Statement and a Record of Decision of have no significant impacts, which would result in a Finding of No Significant Impact. The EA also addresses the compliance of the Proposed Action with all applicable environmental statutes, such as the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 (16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.), as amended, and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 (54 U.S.C. § 300101 et seq.), as amended. All public comments received on the Draft EA were considered in drafting the Final EA. The Air Force addressed all substantive comments, which include comments that challenge the environmental analysis, methodologies, or information in the Draft EA as being inaccurate or inadequate; identify impacts not analyzed, or mitigations not considered. Non-substantive comments are considered those that express a conclusion, an opinion, or a vote for or against the proposal or some aspect of it, state a political position, or otherwise state a personal preference.