On 1 January 2019, Bluestone purchased Avatar Environmental, LLC. Bluestone (formerly Avatar) and team partner, AECOM, are currently conducting a NEPA- compliant EIS for the modernization of Davison Army Airfield (DAAF) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. During the initial stage of the EIS, the team identified the need for the US Army to prepare a Requirements Analysis (RA) and an Area Development Plan (ADP) for the proposed facility improvements prior to preparing the EIS. Because the modernization of DAAF was a high priority of Army Command, the EIS was to be prepared under an already time-critical schedule.
As part of the comprehensive planning for the airfield development, an RA and an ADP was prepared that involved the interviews of the 8 tenants of the DAAF, conduct of an ADP Course of Action Design Workshop, conceptual de- sign and drawings of the proposed additions and alterations to the airfield facilities, preparation of the Draft RA and ADP Reports, coordination of numerous interactive re- views and report modification based on input from CENAB, tenants, Ft Belvoir DPW, Military District of Washington, and the US Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM).
To accommodate the schedule constraints, elements of the EIS were prepared coincident with the RA and ADP Development. Studies conducted during this time included a Noise Impact Study conducted to address public concerns regarding the noise impact of a 10% increase in aircraft sorties into and out of DAAF and a Flood Management Study conducted to establish the 100‐year stormwater floodplain boundary in the vicinity of Davison Army Airfield. To determine the 100‐year floodplain boundary, a HEC‐RAS model was prepared. HEC‐RAS is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) standard hydraulic modeling software, widely used to model streams and rivers. A Wetland Delineation was also conducted in the vicinity of the proposed development actions to determine potential wetland impact and determine mitigation requirements. Moreover, an evaluation of Federal and Virginia listed Endangered and Threatened species was performed to determine potential disturbance during construction activity.
These studies were conducted to support the preparation of the ADP and the associated EIS to guide future development at the Airfield. In addition, a Draft Initial Scope of Work Planning Package (ISOWPP) and Notice of Intent (NOI) were prepared along with a briefing to the Garrison Command. The NOI was published in the Federal Register which initiated a 30-day public scoping period. Two scoping meetings, one for government agencies and one for the public, were held. No comments having a substantive bearing on the Proposed Action or the EIS were received during either of the scoping meetings. Substantive comments were received from federal, state, and local agencies and addressed in the EIS. The team is currently preparing the EIS for the next public review and comment period.
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