Title : EAM-Weddell Sea Ice Camp Type : Antarctic EAM NSF Org: OD / OPP Date : October 10, 1991 File : opp93035 DIVISION OF POLAR PROGRAMS OFFICE OF SAFETY, ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH 202/357-7766 MEMORANDUM Date: October 10, 1991 From: Environmental Officer, DPP Subject: Environmental Action Memorandum (Weddell Sea Ice Camp) To: Polar Ocean Sciences Program Manager, DPP Ocean Projects Manager, DPP Field Projects Manager, DPP Science Projects Manager, DPP Files (S.7 - Environment) REFS: Environmental Action Memorandum (Assessment of Soviet Proposals for Systems for Management of Liquid and Gaseous Wastes from the Drifting Station in the Weddell Sea); Dated January 11, 1991. National Science Foundation. 1991. Safety, Envi- ronment and Health Officer, DPP, Memorandum: Weddell Sea Ice Camp. May 17, 1991. National Science Foundation. 1991. Ocean Projects Manager, DPP, Memorandum: Environmental Issues for the Drifting Ice Station. May 29, 1991. National Science Foundation. 1991. U.S. and Soviet Researchers Will Drift Together for Months in Antarctica to Learn of Ice's Role in Climate Change. NSF Press Release No. 91-65 (July 10, 1991). Background Ten U.S. scientists awarded funds by the Division of Polar Programs will join 10 Soviet researchers during February 1992 on a drifting antarctic ice floe. The science teams and about 12 support personnel will drift for approximately 5 months on the 10 foot thick, mile long, one-half mile wide, Weddell Sea ice floe. They will conduct studies of how antarctic ice cover affects ocean circulation and climate. The project is described in more detail in the above referenced press release. Early in the initial planning stages of the proposed effort, the Environmental Officer reviewed the Soviet plan for handling and managing the various wastes expected to be generated during the effort (see the above referenced Environmental Action Memorandum. During July 1991, the Environmental Officer posed a set of questions relating to the proposed project, and to the potentially affected environment, to the civilian contractor's Environmentalist. These questions were responded to on July 10, 1991; the questions and responses are shown below: Environmental Assessment Queries and Responses LAND USE AND PLANNING 1. What is the specific purpose of the proposed activity? The establishment of a remote 32-person research camp on an ice floe in the western Weddell Sea. The project is a joint effort being conducted between the United States and the Soviet Union. The ice camp will be used for the purpose of conducting oceanographic studies. What alternatives has the contractor considered? Two alternatives were considered: 1) conduct the research within the region specified; and, 2) no action (i.e., do not conduct the research project). The USAP proposes to conduct the studies as a way of capitalizing on a unique opportunity in internationally collaborative antarctic oceanographic research. 2. What is the specific location of the proposed activity? Approximately 72øS, 54øW in the western Weddell Sea. The camp will drift some 300 nautical miles in a northerly direction to approximately 68øS, 50øW (Figure 1). What alternative locations have the national research teams and the contractor considered? No alternative locations have been considered. 3. Will potential aesthetic impacts to the area be handled? If so, how? Yes, such impacts have been addressed by the respective national research teams and the USAP's civilian contractor. For example, effort will be directed at conducting studies in the area in an environmentally compatible manner. All hazardous waste and materials, chemicals, batteries, plas- tics and used fuel drums will be retrograded from the site. No materials will be left at the site. See Environmental Action Memorandum (Assessment of Soviet Proposals for Sys- tems for Management of Liquid and Gaseous Wastes from the Drifting Station in the Weddell Sea), Dated January 11, 1991. Will the activity have any other indirect impacts on the environment? No, the proposed activity is not expected to have environmental impacts that are of more than a minor or transitory nature. The national research teams (and the DPP and civilian contractor managers) met at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute in St. Petersburg between May 20-23, 1991. Included in the meeting's agenda were planning discussions on "Environmental Safety Measures". Responsi- bilities for environmental and safety management during the effort were agreed upon. 4. Will the activity change the traditional use of the chosen site? No. 5. Are the physical or environmental characteristics of the area suitable for the activity? Yes. POLLUTION CONTROL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 6. Has protection of the environment and human health from unnecessary pollution been considered for the activity (includes such considerations as pollution abatement or mitigation, and waste management [e.g., of noise, dust, fuel loss, disposition of one-time-use materials, construction wastes])? Proper waste management will be carefully implemented at the site through measures agreed to by the national research teams and by USAP's civilian contractor. Human waste and grey water will be discharged directly to the sea. The relatively small amounts of these wastes generated will be readily assimilated by the surrounding sea water. A toilet facility has been designed by members of the Soviet team and will be deployed to the site and set up for use (see the attached drawings). Some solid waste incineration is planned during the effort. These wastes will be limited, however, to such domestic wastes as paper and paper products, cardboard, scrap wood and food wastes. No plastics, biological materials, medical or petroleum wastes will be burned. These and any hazardous wastes will be properly packaged and labeled for retrograde from the site. Fuel stored and used at the site will be properly managed. Fuel drums at the fueling station will be placed inside a portable berm having a lined bottom to catch any fuel spilled during transfer from fuel supply drums to the containers used to fuel equipment. Absorbent materials (e.g., pads, pillows) will be staged to contain any spil- lage. Fuel spilled on snow or ice will be immediately cleaned up with any contaminated snow or ice placed in a properly labeled waste retrograde drum. 7. Will the activity change ambient air quality at the site? No, the proposed activity is not expected to have impacts on air quality that are of more than a minor or transitory nature. 8. Will the activity change water quality or flow (drainage), at the site? No, the proposed activity is not expected to have impacts on water quality that are of more than a minor or transitory nature. Although human waste and grey water will be discharged directly to the sea, changes in water quality will only be temporary. The sea will readily assimilate this discharge through the processes of dilution, dispersion and natural biodegradation. 9. Will the activity change waste generation or management at the site? Yes. Waste will be generated at the site. A waste manage- ment plan as described above, however, will be implemented resulting in no major or long-term impact to the areas travelled through. 10. Will the activity change energy production or demand, personnel and life support, or transportation requirements at the site? Energy, supplies, and equipment would be required at the site to support staff and research activities. Helicopters would be used on some occasions. It is not expected that the use of these will create impacts that are more than minor or transitory in nature. 11. Is the activity expected to adversely affect scientific studies or locations of research interest (near and distant, short-term and long-term)? No. In fact, the proposed effort will demonstrate the types of research that can be accomplished under existing conditions and serve as a model for the management of activities in an environmentally-benign manner. 12. Will the activity generate pollutants that might affect marine, terrestrial, or freshwater ecosystems within the environs of the floating ice station? Yes. Fuels, chemicals, batteries and other materials will be used at the site. Use of these materials will be care- fully monitored and managed. Any pollutants generated at the site that might affect the surrounding ecosystem will be managed so as to eliminate or minimize their impact. All materials and substances supporting the effort as well as materials and substances retrograded will be entered into a materials and waste management inventory by the civilian contractor. This inventory will provide valuable informa- tion for similar efforts in the future, as well as heighten capabilities for managing the effort, overall. 13. Does the site of the activity serve as habitat for any significant assemblages of antarctic wildlife? Yes. The Weddell Sea is host to a variety of marine organisms. Included are species whale, seals, fishes, aquatic birds, bacterio-, phyto-, and zooplankton and others. HUMAN VALUES 14. Will the activity encroach upon any historical property of the site? No. 15. What other environmental concerns are potentially affected by the activity at the site? The potential environmental impacts associated with this activity are primarily associated with proper and adequate waste management. Contingency plans and waste management strategies have been formulated to assure that environmental contamination will be minimized. This will be done by proper and safe materials handling, waste storage, packaging and retrograde. The goal is to leave the site as undisturb- ed as is possible. Finding Major goals of the effort are to discern rates of heat exchange between the atmosphere and the ocean; the intervening role of the sea-ice cover; and, the nature of ocean circulation beneath the ice. The work has implications not only for advancing knowledge of the antarctic environment but also for global climate change phenomena. Strategies to prevent, minimize and mitigate environ- mental impacts have been developed and will be implemented. It is not expected that the effort will have impacts to the environ- ment that are more than minor or transitory in nature. The Envi- ronmental Officer believes that the proposed effort should be conducted following the strategies noted in this document. Sidney Draggan cc: Terry Johnson, ASA John Evans, ASA