Title : Addendum to EAM -Blk. Isld.Comms
Type : Antarctic EAM
NSF Org: OD / OPP
Date : January 13, 1992
File : opp93054
DIVISION OF POLAR PROGRAMS
OFFICE OF THE ENVIRONMENT
202/357-7766
MEMORANDUM
Date: January 13, 1992
From: Environmental Officer, DPP
Subject: Environmental Action Memorandum (Addendum to
Environmental Action Memorandum on Black Island
Telecommunications Facility Upgrade - Dated
April 1, 1991)
To: Electronics Engineer, DPP
Files (S.7 - Environment)
REF: Environmental Action Memorandum (Installation of a
Transportable Earth Station ("STARS") at the Black
Island Telecommunications Facility Near McMurdo
Station, Antarctica)
The Environmental Action Memorandum on Black Island
Telecommunications Facility Upgrade dated April 1, 1991, states
that significant deviations from the planned parameters must be
subjected to additional environmental assessment.
This Environmental Action Memorandum (EAM) supplements the April
1, 1991, EAM for new work planned at the U.S. Antarctic Program's
(USAP) Black Island Telecommunications Facility near McMurdo
Station, Antarctica, during the 1991-1992 austral summer season.
The Environmental Officer posed a set of questions relating to
the proposed project, and to the potentially affected environ-
ment. These questions were responded to by the civilian support
contractor's Environmental Engineer on December 29, 1991; the
questions and responses are shown below:
Environmental Assessment Queries and Responses
GENERAL
The National Science Foundation's (NSF) support contractor,
Antarctic Support Associates, Inc. (ASA) has been tasked with the
expansion and installation of satellite earth station equipment
for an international satellite (INTELSAT) telecommunications
facility. This upgrade is occurring at the existing internation-
al maritime satellite high frequency (INMARSAT/HF) receiver
facility located at Black Island, Antarctica. This expansion
includes installation of a 13-meter radome, satellite earth
station radio frequency subsystems, a power system upgrade, a log
periodic antenna, and relocation of the helicopter pad. The
Black Island site is designed to function as an unoccupied
facility. However, construction and maintenance activities
require up to ten people at a time to be housed at the site
several times during the year.
An EAM was approved on April 1, 1991, covering the early stages
of proposed construction activities needed to install the satel-
lite earth station equipment and a number of site facility up-
grades, including installation of two new fuel tanks in a bermed,
lined containment area. The EAM also states that: 1) "an above-
surface grey-water filtration system would be installed prior to
any construction; and, 2) a propane-fired toilet would be used
for processing of solid human wastes. All other wastes would be
retrograded to McMurdo Station for disposal."
ASA now proposes to install an above surface system for treating
and evaporating grey water and urine generated at the site
between November and February. The system is to include three
stages: 1) filtration to remove suspended solids; 2) chlorina-
tion to kill pathogens; and, 3) evaporation to consolidate liquid
wastes. Evaporation would occur within a small, artificial pond
lined with 100 mil (1/10 inch) thick, black flexible-membrane
liner. The pond is to be constructed in an area where it would
receive full sun at all times during the austral summer. The
pond has been sized to accommodate accumulation of water during
cold periods when temperatures and solar gain are insufficient to
prevent freezing. Solid human wastes would continue to be retro-
graded to McMurdo Station for processing in the temporary or in
the interim incinerator (when it is available).
The design of the treatment system calls for using four-foot
welded-steel cubes containing gravel in the first filter and sand
in the second. Sand, procured for a previous project, is avail-
able at McMurdo Station. On-site fill would be used to supply
gravel. A third steel vessel would be used to hold water for
chlorination. Chlorine would be added manually and mixed. When
the water level in the third vessel reaches a set level a float
would be used to signal personnel in the main building to add
chlorine. After a residence time of at least one hour, water
would be discharged from the chlorination vessel to the evapora-
tion pond. The cubes would be painted black to maximize solar
heating.
The evaporation pond has been sized to maintain a free board of
at least eight inches and contain at least four weeks of waste-
water, assuming the maximum projected urine and grey-water
generation rate of 500 gallons per week and no evaporation or
sublimation. The proposed pond dimensions call for a square pond
approximately 21 feet across and 20 inches deep.
Two-inch, heat-traced Bondstrand (insulated) pipe is proposed to
convey water from the building to the treatment system. It is
anticipated that the heat tracing would be used only occasionally
to keep the insulated pipe from freezing. A pipe which allows
water to flow around the filters and directly into the chlorina-
tion vessel is proposed for use should the filters freeze.
The purpose of this addendum to the original EAM is to consider
potential impacts and mitigating measures relating to the
proposed urine and grey-water treatment system, as well as the
installation of one high-frequency, log-periodic antenna and the
relocation of the helicopter pad. These were not considered in
the original April 1, 1991, EAM.
LAND USE AND PLANNING
1. What is the specific purpose of the proposed activities?
A. The purpose of the urine and grey-water treatment system
would be to reduce or eliminate the need to retrograde
urine and grey water collected in barrels at Black
Island by treating the small amount of urine and grey
water on site in an environmentally safe manner.
B. The installation of one HF log-periodic antenna is
proposed to improve communications in the McMurdo Sound
vicinity, in the near-term.
C. Relocation of the helicopter landing pad would be
required due to the proposed installation of the 7.2
meter antenna for the Satellite Tracking and Reception
Specialists (STARS) project and the permanent INTELSAT
radome in 1993.
What alternatives has the contractor considered?
A. Three alternatives have been considered for the
urine and grey-water treatment system. The first is
the "no action" alternative, that would require that
waste water continue to be retrograded to McMurdo
Station. The second alternative considered was
construction of a more complex treatment and
evaporation system. The selected alternative calls
for a very simple system to minimize construction
and maintenance requirements.
B. Two alternatives have been considered for the
installation of the log periodic antenna. The first
was to continue utilizing the McMurdo receive
antennas to support communications in the near-term.
These antennas do not adequately satisfy current
requirements. The second alternative was to install
one close-range (0 to 600 mile) near-vertical
incident antenna as proposed here at Black Island
(the selected remote HF receiver site for McMurdo's
communication's operations).
C. No alternatives to the relocation of the helicopter
pad were considered feasible. Relocation would be
necessary to accommodate the growing communication
needs of the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) in the
Ross Sea Area. Due to the installation of the STARS
antenna, the pad must be moved. Due to facility
congestion and site topography one suitable location
was available allowing clear unobstructed access.
Approval for aviation-related activities at the pad
new site has been granted by the on-site VXE-6
Operations Officer.
Have probable impacts of all alternatives been
considered? Please explain how.
A. The impacts associated with the current waste-water
management system include expending energy to
produce, transport and dispose of barrels and the
waste water they contain. Barrels must be
transported to and from Black Island either by
helicopter or over land.
A potential impact from the selected alternative is
the release of waste water due to a leak in the
filter boxes or pond liner, overfilling of the pond,
or severe winds pushing water over the edge of the
pond. Water released from the system would be
expected to infiltrate into the ground, which is
covered by fine-grained rock in the area, and
freeze. The system is to be located at least one-
half mile from the island shore. Accidentally
released water would not be expected to reach the
ocean.
Additional potential impacts include release of
chlorine required for the chlorination chamber (as
well as the production of toxic trihalomethanes
during and after the chlorination process), genera-
tion of odors, and transfer of disease or contami-
nants to birds which may attempt to drink the waste
water in the pond. It is expected that some salts
will precipitate out in the pond. If the pond
becomes completely dry these solids may be swept out
of the pond by winds, which are typically very high
in the area.
Construction of an alternative design, such as the
grey-water evaporation box being constructed using
plexiglass and solar panels for use in the Dry
Valleys, would also have the potential to leak or
overflow waste water onto the ground.
B. The impact of utilizing the existing HF receiver
site antennas in McMurdo is that near-range
communications in McMurdo Sound would be limited.
The impact of installing the antenna on Black Island
as proposed is limited to the impact of drilling
seven ten-foot holes in the ground to anchor the guy
wires used to assist the antenna structure in
resisting the high wind forces often experienced in
the area. During erection of the 70-foot antenna
vehicle traffic and construction activity would
occur in the immediate vicinity of the antenna.
The antenna would only serve as a receiver for
satellite signals, that is, it would not emit high
frequency waves. As such the antenna is not con-
sidered a source of potentially harmful energy and
would not be expected to affect either human health
or wild life.
C. The helicopter landing pad would consist of an area
which has been graded level and covered by wood.
The new helicopter pad would be identical to the
current pad and would include re-use of the existing
wood platform. A small amount of regrading of the
proposed pad location would be required to make it
safely level.
Should the chosen alternatives involve potential
impacts, how would these impacts be mitigated?
A. The potential for release of wastewater would be
mitigated by taking steps to ensure the pond liner
and filters are constructed carefully, installed
properly, and inspected and maintained to anticipate
and prevent leakages. This would include placing
the flexible membrane liner over a smooth surface
free of sharp objects, not placing equipment on the
liner which could puncture it, and prohibiting
personnel from walking on the liner unnecessarily.
The pond would be sized to provide adequate
freeboard to minimize the probability of wind
pushing water out of the pond. The entire system
would be inspected at least weekly when people are
present at the site for evidence of liner integrity
or waste water release from the system.
Chlorine will be stored as a dry powder. Chlorine
containers will be clearly marked and stored in a
designated, enclosed storage area. Some odors may
be released from the treatment system, especially as
the water moves through the filters. However, the
system would be placed approximately 300 feet
downwind of the station buildings, such that odors
should not be noticeable. The system is expected to
perform aerobically, so that odors and such gases as
methane associated with anaerobic decomposition
should not be generated.
Soaps and detergents used at the site are biodegrad-
able, non-toxic products. The water in the pond
would not, therefore, contain heavy metals or other
toxic substances that could affect antarctic wild-
life in the area. Chlorination would be used to
destroy pathogens and prevent possibility of birds
being exposed to, and acting as vectors of, disease-
carrying organisms.
B. Rock drilling necessary to install guy wires to
support the antenna would be done using a Cobra
rock drill, and is not expected to disturb ground
outside the immediate vicinity of the antenna. The
small amount of material removed by drilling (esti-
mated to be three to four cubic feet) would be
spread around the area to create a smooth appear-
ance. Construction personnel would be advised and
assisted to minimize the extent of the area impacted
by construction activities. Construction materials
and debris would be carefully stored to prevent
blowing debris.
C. As the new helicopter pad location would be in a
previously disturbed area currently used as a
parking area for tractors, the slight amount of
regrading required to level the area is not expected
to cause significant environmental impact. Regrad-
ing would not unnecessarily extend beyond the
proposed pad location.
Have measures to assess the indirect costs of the
proposed activities been identified or considered?
Please explain how.
A. The proposed project would decrease transportation
and energy requirements by eliminating the need to
transport barrels.
B. Due to current limitations in near-term communica-
tions the long term benefits of the antenna would
out weigh its installation costs.
C. No. The pad would have to be relocated.
LAND USE AND PLANNING
2. What are the specific locations of the proposed activities?
A. The proposed site for the urine and grey-water treatment
system is located north of the fuel tanks at the
existing INMARSAT/HF receiving telecommunications
facility near Mt. Melania on Black Island. E166� 15'
00" Latitude, S78� 07'00" Longitude. See attached site
plan.
B. The proposed antenna site is indicated on the site plan
included in the April 1, 1991 EAM for the proposed
project.
C. The location proposed for relocation of the helicopter
pad is approximately 300 feet south of the existing pad
location.
What alternative locations has the contractor
considered?
None.
3. How will aesthetic impacts to the area be handled?
A. By locating the urine and grey-water treatment system
300 feet from station buildings visual impacts and
potential odor release should be minimized. The
proposed system would require less maintenance than the
current system, especially the grey-water holding
system.
B. The log periodic antenna consists of one 70-foot tower
and an antenna curtain which covers an area approximate-
ly 200 feet by 160 feet. An antenna curtain consists of
a grid of wires laid on the ground and attached to the
antenna. As the primary purpose for the Black Island
site is to support communications, and fifteen towers
exist at present, the addition of the proposed antenna
would have minimal visual impact.
C. Relocating the pad from its existing location
approximately 300 feet south would have no aesthetic
impact.
4. Will the activities have any other indirect impacts on the
environment?
None are expected.
5. Will the activities change the traditional use of the chosen
site?
Yes. The location of the waste water treatment system,
antenna and helicopter pad are currently open space.
6. Are the physical or environmental characteristics of the
land suitable for the activities?
Yes.
POLLUTION POTENTIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
7. Has protection of the environment and human health from
unnecessary pollution been considered for the activities
(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])?
A. The proposed waste water project is expected to
improve the existing waste water system at the site by
eliminating the need to transport urine and grey water
for release elsewhere. The mitigating measures
discussed above are intended to prevent unnecessary
pollution. Monitoring of the characteristics of
chlorine-treated effluent would be required to indicate
the potential formation of toxic, chlorinated by-
products (e.g., trihalomethanes).
B. During the installation of the antenna seven ten-foot
anchor-rods must be installed by drilling three-inch
holes which would cause some minor dust evolution and
noise. All crating material (as well as all other solid
construction wastes) would be retrograded to McMurdo for
proper disposal.
C. Regrading the new helicopter pad site may temporarily
produce dust emissions. However, as the amount of
regrading required is expected to be minimal, the amount
of dust generated is expected to be small.
8. Will the activities change ambient air quality at the site?
A. Volatilization of some wastewater constituents, some
chlorine (and possibly some by-products of chlorination)
may occur, however, these emissions are expected to be
minimal. In addition, water would evaporate from the
system. Fuel use by the system and consequent air
emissions would be minimal because the system would use
gravity flow and is designed to use the heat tracing
system on the piping only when absolutely necessary.
B. Other than emissions from construction equipment the
installation of the antenna would have no affect on the
air quality.
C. Same as discussed in item 8.B. above.
9. Will the activities change water quality or flow (drainage),
at the site?
A. Yes. The area where the evaporation pond would be
located would have to be regraded to provide a flat,
bermed area.
B. No.
C. No.
10. Will the activities change waste generation or management at
the site?
A. Waste generation would temporarily increase during
construction. Much of the system, such as the filters,
would be fabricated in McMurdo to minimize on-site
construction work. The system is intended to improve
wastewater management at the site.
B. Waste generation would temporarily increase during the
installation of the antenna. All unused materials would
be retrograded to McMurdo.
C. No.
11. Will the activities change energy production or demand,
personnel and life support, or transportation requirements
at the site?
A. By reducing or eliminating the need to transport urine
and grey-water barrels to and from the site the proposed
waste water system would decrease energy and
transportation requirements.
B. No. The antenna is a receive-only antenna and as such
does not require energy.
C. No. The helicopter pad relocation would not affect the
expected number of helicopter flights to Black Island.
12. Are the activities expected to adversely affect scientific
studies or locations of research interest (near and distant,
short-term and long-term)?
A. No. Currently, scientific work at the site relates to
telecommunications systems. Such systems would not be
affected by the proposed wastewater system or potential
impacts identified. If water is released from the
system it could alter the natural moisture content of
the surrounding soils, rendering the site unsuitable for
certain geologic and engineering research. However,
there is no reason evident that the specific location
would be selected for geologic or engineering research,
and steps would be taken to minimize the potential for
release of water from the system.
B. No. Black Island is currently used for the majority of
the telecommunications. The addition of another antenna
would assist in increasing USAP communications
abilities.
C. No.
13. Will the activities generate pollutants that might affect
terrestrial, marine or freshwater ecosystems within the
environs of the station or inland camp?
A. No. Potential exposure is limited to terrestrial
animals such as birds. The system is expected to
contain only such nutrients, found in human waste and
soaps, as nitrogen and phosphorous, and some residual
chlorine. However, the system would not be expected to
contain important levels toxic pollutants, and it would
not be expected to attract antarctic wildlife.
B. No.
C. No.
14. Do the sites of the activities serve as habitat for any
important assemblages of Antarctic wildlife (for example,
mosses or lichens, or antarctic birds or marine animals)?
A. None, other than skuas, seen very infrequently at the
site. The site has not evidenced important assemblages
of antarctic wildlife.
B. No.
C. No.
HUMAN VALUES
15. Will the activities encroach upon any historical property of
the site?
No.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
16. What other environmental concerns are potentially affected
by the activities at the sites? For example, have impacts
associated with decommissioning of the activity been
considered (and how)?
With the exception of the seven anchor-rods required to
secure the proposed antenna the remainder of the proposed
activities are limited to above-ground construction. The
proposed wastewater treatment system and helicopter pad
could be decommissioned with out leaving behind any
materials. The antenna and related equipment could be
removed with the exception of the anchor rods, which would
likely be left in place.
Finding
After reviewing the information contained in the addendum, the
Environmental Officer believes that the proposed projects will
pose neither minor nor transitory environmental impacts.
Nonetheless, there is a potential for the production of
biologically important chlorinated substances that may be by-
products associated with the effluent chlorination process. In
order to demonstrate whether such by-products (i.e., trihalo-
methanes) do form while the wastewater treatment system is
operation, the contractor shall develop a short-term effluent
monitoring project to detect such substances. Should such
substances be found to be generated during the wastewater
treatment process such measures as effluent de-chlorination
(after the one-hour time period required to inactivate disease-
producing organisms associated with human wastes) of the effluent
shall be effected. The success and any de-chlorination attempts
will be accompanied by subsequent monitoring for the presence of
such chlorinated by-products as trihalomethanes. The contractor
shall consult with the Environmental Officer, DPP and with the
Environmental Engineer, DPP on the planning and implementation of
any such monitoring and de-chlorination projects. Given these
provisos, the contractor is authorized to commence with the
additional facility upgrades described in this EAM.
Sidney Draggan
Attachments
Site Plan
cc: Head, Safety, Environment and Health
Implementation Team, DPP
Environmental Engineer, DPP