Environmental Assessment: BRAC Construction and Operation of Armed Forces Reserve Center at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Great Falls, Montana

The U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) that evaluates the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts associated with construction of an Armed Forces Reserve Center (AFRC) and associated facilities on Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB) in Great Falls, Montana. These facilities would be constructed to accommodate up to 100 reservists and associated operational vehicles and equipment transferred from the Galt Hall USAR Center, also located in Great Falls, Montana. These actions reflect the recommendations of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission required by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (Public Law 107-107). Three sites on Malmstrom AFB were evaluated in the EA, in addition to the no action alternative. No other sites that may be viable and that meet the project purpose and need and the BRAC Commission recommendations were identified. The attached EA was prepared pursuant to 32 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 651 and 989 and U.S. Council on Environmental Quality regulations (Title 40, U.S. Code, Parts 1500-1508) for implementing the procedural requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEP A). The Air Force participated in the development of the EA and is adopting it to satisfy its requirements under NEPA.