Title  : Addt'l. Earth Fill-McMurdo
Type   : Antarctic EAM
NSF Org: OD / OPP
Date   : January 10, 1991
File   : opp93015



                                       DIVISION OF POLAR PROGRAMS
                         OFFICE OF SAFETY, ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH
                                                     202/357-7766
MEMORANDUM

   Date:  January 10, 1991

   From:  Environmental Officer, DPP

Subject:  Environmental Action Memorandum (Assessment of
            Additional Earth Fill Materials Available at McMurdo
            Station, Antarctica)

     To:  File S.7 (Environment)

   REFS:    Environmental Action Memorandum (Blasting for, and
            Placement of, Fill Rock at McMurdo Station,
            Antarctica During the 1990-1991 Season); Dated
            October 2, 1990.

            Safety, Environment and Health Program Policy
            Memorandum 90-2.  Subject:  Authorization and
            Reporting Procedures for, Gathering and Use of Fill
            and Associated Activity, at McMurdo Station,
            Antarctica; Dated October 1, 1990.



The U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) has developed a policy, and
implementing procedures, to minimize the potential environmental
and aesthetic impacts associated with gathering of local fill.
The policy recognizes that the collection and use of local
antarctic fill materials for use in construction and other
purposes poses potential environmental and aesthetic impacts and
is controversial.  Nonetheless, the USAP recognizes that there is
a genuine need for such material in construction and other
purposes and believes that the collection and use of this natural
resource can be managed with the goal of minimizing such impacts.

The policy's goal is being achieved through:  1) a system for
considering, authorizing and reporting all instances of fill
gathering (including such activities as use of explosives to
facilitate fill gathering, and grading); 2) evaluation and
utilization of other materials, approaches or technologies that
lead to minimization of fill gathering; and, 3) collection and
maintenance of information on collection of fill and associated
activities at McMurdo Station.
Background


This Environmental Action Memorandum (EAM) is intended to
reassess the abovementioned policy in light of new information
about the characteristics of some earth fill materials available
near McMurdo Station, Antarctica.

Since the beginning of the 1990-1991 season, Antarctic Support
Associates (ASA) has been gathering fill material from a USAP
approved location to be used for road and ice pier maintenance
and as needed for various construction purposes at McMurdo
Station.

One of ASA's Field Engineers (with experience in geotechnical
engineering) has reported that the earth fill materials obtained
from the area are often unsuitable as aggregate for construction
and maintenance projects.  Much of this material consists of
poorly graded cinders and tends to ravel off the surface once in
place.  This requires unacceptable, repeated applications to
maintain a suitable surface for various construction and
maintenance projects at McMurdo Station.

The Field Engineer has identified another area that contains
aggregate much more suitable for McMurdo Station's construction
and maintenance projects.  The aggregate at this newly-identified
area is well graded, and when wetted, exhibits a cementing
quality which sets up as a hard surface which requires much less
frequent replacement.  In light of USAP's abovementioned policy,
these characteristics make the newly-identified aggregate more
suitable for use at McMurdo Station as repeated applications will
be reduced.  The location of this material is, however, outside
the currently approved earth fill materials collection area.


Analysis


ASA has requested permission to gather this well graded material.
ASA has provided the following information to assist USAP in
deciding the potential environmental and aesthetic impacts
associated with this earth fill materials collection at the
newly-identified area.


Area to be affected:  The area where suitable material has
been found is located near the area being considered as the
new location for the explosives storage area.  It includes
portions of an area which has been previously identified as a
possible location for gathering fill material.


Nature of disturbance that the area has experienced in the past:
This area has been scraped for fill material in the past (i.e.,
before implementation of the Safety, Environment and Health
Initiative).  This disturbance is evidenced by the "hummocky"
topography, and has been verified by ASA personnel with knowledge
of the area's past history.


Indications of inhabitation of Antarctic wildlife in the area:
There are no major assemblages, or indications, of antarctic
wildlife inhabiting the area.  Skuas may occasionally alight in
the area, and no skua pairs have been observed nesting in or near
the area.  There are no visible lichen or moss communities in the
area.


Justification:  The purpose is to obtain fill material suitable
for its intended use.  The currently approved site contains
material that is too poorly graded to effect long-term integrity.
By obtaining and using fill material suitable for its intended
use, USAP and ASA can reduce the impact on the local environment
by reducing the number of times fill material needs to be col-
lected for replacement purposes.  In addition, the area currently
being used to gather fill material will be re-landscaped when not
in use.  Material will be removed from this area only when its
physical characteristics are more appropriate for the intended
use.  These environmental impact reductions are in accordance
with Paragraph 2.1.3 of the Safety, Environment and Health
Program Policy Memorandum 90-2.


Alternatives considered:  No alternatives to the proposed
practice are available.  Importation of non-local fill materials
is not feasible due to prohibitive cost, logistics and possible
violations of the Antarctic Treaty (i.e., introductions of non-
indigenous species).  No other previously disturbed areas
containing like materials have been found.


Amount of fill material to be collected:  It is estimated that
the area contains approximately 3000 cubic yards of fill material
that will be used as needed.


Work plan:  The area will be scraped using heavy equipment.
Collected fill material will be temporarily stockpiled until used
for its intended purpose.  No long-term stockpiling is intended.
The area to be used, including the originally identified
collection area, will be re-landscaped to eliminate any ridges or
furrows, returning them to as natural a condition as possible.





FINDING;  The background statement and analysis provided above
indicates that the proposal to collect earth fill materials from
the newly-identified area advances the goals of USAP's Safety,
Environment and Health Program Policy Memorandum 90-2.  The
Environmental Officer believes that ASA has, in this instance,
carefully evaluated what is identified in the memorandum as
"...other materials, approaches or technologies that lead to
minimization of fill gathering.".  Approval for collection of
earth fill materials (as governed by the abovementioned
memorandum) at the newly-identified location is granted.




                                Sidney Draggan


cc:  Safety, Environment and Health Officer, DPP
     Acting Manager, Polar Operations Section, DPP
     Head, Safety, Environment and Health
       Implementation Team, DPP
     Environmental Engineer, DPP
     Operations Research Analyst, DPP