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