Final Environmental Assessment for the Skid Strip Area Development Plan at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Florida

An Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared to evaluate potential impacts associated with a number of individual projects planned that would accomplish improvements to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) Skid Strip. Since the facility no longer operates as a missile skid strip, it is referred to as the Airfield throughout the majority of the EA. Several Sustainment, Restoration, and Modernization Construction (SRMC) projects and four Military Construction (MILCON) projects were evaluated for environmental impacts. These projects are designed to update and eliminate certain safety issues and bring the Airfield into compliance with current U.S. Air Force (USAF) instructions. Program initiation is expected in 2009 with ultimate completion in 2020. Because the entire program extends for 11 years and includes construction, some of the projects may require additional environmental analysis in the future. The proposed action is a combination of four MILCON projects and several interrelated SRMC projects. The MILCON projects include construction of a parking apron on the south side of the existing runway and associated east and west taxiways that will cover approximately 11 acres; construction of a new 65 foot tall control tower; construction of a new Airfield Manager (AM) Operations Building that would adjoin the new tower; and construction of a new Airfield perimeter fence. Each of these elements of the proposed action is further described in Section 2 of the EA. The MILCON projects will result in the removal of approximately 37 acres of vegetation/habitat. Sponsored in part by the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Cape Canaveral, FL.