Title : Black Island Comm. Upgrade Type : Antarctic EAM NSF Org: OD / OPP Date : April 01, 1991 File : opp93028 DIVISION OF POLAR PROGRAMS OFFICE OF SAFETY, ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH 202/357-7766 MEMORANDUM Date: April 1, 1991 From: Environmental Officer, DPP Subject: Environmental Action Memorandum (Black Island Tele- communications Facility Upgrade) To: Electronics Engineer, DPP Files (S.7 - Environment) Background The Division's Electronics Engineer and the civilian contractor's Communication Supervisor provided the following information on the Black Island Telecommunications Facility. Planning for the INTELSAT satellite earth station project is, as yet, in the preliminary phase. At present, a rough draft Specif- ication/Request For Proposal (RFP) has been prepared and is undergoing review and modification. The RFP is expected to be released to bidders in late May 1991. The currently tentative schedule calls for the installation of the electronics during the 1992-1993 austral summer season. Some site ground work and work to upgrade the helicopter landing area may take place during the 1991 winter period. At the Black Island site, during the 1990-1991 season, several large high frequency (HF) radio antenna structures were installed for radio reception improvements for LC-130 flight following and field party communications. These antennas are tower mounted, and during their positioning there was a good deal of vehicle traffic and construction activity in the immediate vicinity of the towers. A 4-person antenna rigging crew lived at the Black Island site for approximately 2 months while this activity took place. A temporary (hose) water line was run to a nearby melt pond to extract drinking water. In early February 1991 the pond exhibit- ed algal growth. Garbage was collected, bound and staged for periodic sling loading back to McMurdo Station via helicopter. Often, staged garbage attracted skua gulls. Upgrade of the Present Black Island Power System o The upgrade is necessary to provide additional power required to operate the new satellite earth station. The power system will augment the existing design, which is a well-established remote site alternate energy type of system. The new system will utilize two wind turbines, a 10 kW flat panel (non- tracking) solar cell array, a large bank of sealed lead-acid storage batteries, and three closed-cycle vapor turbines. The system will provide a continuous supply of 5 kW for the worst case of no sun and no wind power. The closed-cycle vapor turbine (CCVT) burns JP-8, and waste heat generated keeps the electronics shelters at working temperatures (necessary during the winter months). The CCVT's switch to high fire mode to generate load power in the event that neither sun nor wind are available to keep the battery storage bank charged. o The project will require the installation of two additional steel fuel storage tanks. These tanks are presently in McMurdo and may be hauled to Black Island during the 1991 winter season for installation during the 1991-1992 summer season. These tanks will supplement two existing steel storage tanks. The present tank site does not have a containment berm. Planning for the project includes a containment berm for the four tanks. Movement of the existing tanks will require the rework of the existing fuel lines, which are hardline piping (approx. 1" steel pipe). o The project calls for installation of a new equipment shelter, a Bally building, and a radome/radome foundation. The radome and foundation must accommodate an 11-meter antenna (a radome ground footprint of about 30' x 30'. o The project includes a vertical tower to accommodate a new digital point-to-point terrestrial microwave communications link with McMurdo. This will supplement the existing micro- wave tower, since both systems must be operational during the transition period. o The civilian contractor will move all construction supplies and equipment to Black Island via surface transport. o The civilian contractor will have a contingent of construction and technical personnel living at the site during the con- struction and equipment installation phases of the project. Waste management for the project will adhere to Safety, Environment and Health Program Policy Memorandum 90-1 (Pollution Control - Handling, Management and Removal of Wastes from Antarctic Inland Locations). As planning continues, the civilian contractor has been tasked to prepare the following information: o Develop a complete site description of the Black Island facility as it currently exists in order to provide a baseline. o Develop a description and milestones for the whole project. The description will provide data on the changes to be made to the existing site and will be available in graphical site plans. o Develop a construction management plan, to address such issues as waste management of the construction/installation crews, and transportation requirements. o Develop a long-range site management plan to describe how the site will operate, how it will be maintained, and the logistics required for such operation and maintenance. o The civilian contractor's Environmentalist, provided the above information, shall produce an information package for the Division's Environmental Officer to review and utilize in any other environmental assessment of future activity associated with the project. Questions based on environmental impact criteria had been posed by the Environmental Officer and included land use, pollution potential (impacts to environmental resources and biota), and human environmental values. Responses to the questions follow: LAND USE 1. What is the specific purpose of the proposed activity? The National Science Foundation's (NSF) support contractor, Antarctic Support Associates (ASA), has been tasked with the expansion and installation of an INTELSAT telecommunications facility. This upgrade will be at the existing INMARSAT/HF receive facility, located at Black Island. The expansion will includes up to two 13-meter radomes, satellite earth station RF subsystems, and a power system upgrade. 2. What alternatives has the contractor considered? There are no alternatives to INTELSAT. 3. What is the specific location of the proposed activity? The proposed site is the existing INMARSAT/HF receiver tele- communication facility near Mount Melania on Black Island, 166ø 15' E Latitude, 78ø 07' S Longitude. 4. What alternative locations has the contractor considered? When the existing facility was selected in 1984, extensive site surveys were conducted with Black Island chosen over Arrival Heights, Cape Royds, White Island, Daily Island, Marble Point and Tent Island. The Black Island site provides an unobstructed horizon of the Pacific Ocean Region (POR) geostationary satellites plus safe year-round ground access. The INTELSAT ground station will be acquiring space segments on the existing and future geostationary satellites in the POR to which the existing site provides good access. 5. Will aesthetic impacts of the area be handled? If so, how? Yes. All off road access will be prohibited and all waste shall be retrograded to McMurdo. 6. Will the activity have any other indirect impacts on the environment? No. 7. Will the activity change the traditional use of the chosen site? No. 8. Are the physical or environmental characteristics of the land suitable for the activity? Yes. The area near Mt. Melania provides very good unobstructed equatorial horizon, ample level terrain for large HF antennae, minimal flight operations, and reduced electrical, mechanical interference from industrialized McMurdo Station. Additionally, the site has very good natural wind conditions for wind generation of energy minimizing fuel consumption considerably. POLLUTION 9. 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])? Yes. An above-surface grey-water filtration system will be installed prior to any construction; and, a propane-fired toilet will be used for solid human wastes. All other wastes will be retrograded to McMurdo Station for proper disposal. Fuel tanks will be placed in a fuel containment berm capable of holding ~20,000 gallons. A fuel flow/con- trol valve system will monitor fuel supply output and auto- matically stop supply in the event of a broken or leaking fuel line. Off-road vehicular travel will be prohibited and vehicle use will be strictly controlled. By retaining the unmanned design concept, the site has and will continue to be a very low impact facility. 10. Will the activity change ambient air quality at the site? Technically, there will be very slight degradation of ambient air quality due to continuous burning of JP-8 in the CCVT; and, combustion of propane for cooking, hot water and toilet operation (during brief, episodic periods of human habitation). 11. Will the activity change water quality or flow (drainage), at the site? No. 12. Will the activity change waste generation or management at the site? Yes. The Black Island site is an unmanned facility with very low waste generation during normal operation. During the construction phase, an increase in the number of people will be inevitable, requiring very strict site management. Once the upgrade is complete, the site will return to its current unmanned state. 13. Will the activity change energy production or demand, personnel and life support, or transportation requirements at the site? Yes. There will be increases in each category during the construction phase. Once the upgrade is completed, the power plant will have been upgraded from the existing 1,200 watts to 5,000 watts with future expansion up to 7,500 watts. 14. Is the activity expected to adversely affect scientific studies or locations of research interest (near and distant, short-term and long-term)? No. This project will impact the scientific community in a positive way by providing more accessible communications and data systems. However, it should be noted that the overland traverse route skirts a Site of Special Scientific Interest (No. 18). 15. Will the activity generate pollutants that might affect terrestrial, marine or freshwater ecosystems within the environs of the station or inland camp? No. 16. Does the site of the activity serve as habitat for any significant assemblages of Antarctic wildlife (in particular, mosses or lichens)? The site has not evidenced significant assemblages of antarctic wildlife. Algae do inhabit, however, a small lake on the northwest end of the used to supply drinking water. HUMAN VALUES 17. Will the activity encroach upon any historical property of the site? No. 18. What other environmental concerns are potentially affected by the activity at the site? These considerations have evidenced none. FINDING Black Island Telecommunications Facility is the primary gateway for U.S. Antarctic Program communications within its continental system of activities in Antarctica. The facility affords the USAP important capabilities relative to personnel safety and health; Program search and rescue activities; scientific and logistic field communications; and, inbound and outbound transmission of data and other forms of information that support science and Program administration. The information provided above suggests that the civilian contractor has appropriately factored environmental considerations into the planning for this project with respect to construction, operation and maintenance its phases. The Environmental Officer believes that the proposed actions, if conducted within planned parameters, will not significantly or adversely affect the environment. Should significant deviations from the planned parameters arise, they shall be subject to additional environmental assessment. The Environmental Officer recommends approval of the project as described in this environmental action memorandum. Sidney Draggan cc: Safety, Environment and Health Officer, DPP Facilities Engineering Projects Manager, DPP Environmental Engineer, DPP