Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
finally came the realization that the problem was too large, with too many
controversial elements and influential stakeholders to be resolved in one bite.
The creation of a new agency staffed by technical and policy professionals
familiar with the situation but not rooted in the problems of the past rec-
ognized that siting the regional wastewater treatment facility was the first
bite that had to be resolved to move the solution forward. Once this was
resolved and gained stakeholder support, it was recognized that a perma-
nent solution to the wastewater residuals issues was too fraught with contro-
versy to be resolved quickly, and the resulting delays could derail the entire
Boston Harbor Cleanup. To avoid these delays and keep the process moving,
while addressing the immediate need to stop the sludge discharge to Boston
Harbor, an interim solution with an associated environmental impact analy-
sis was instituted while a more permanent solution was evaluated through
a full NEPA supplemental EIS. As it turned out, technology and experience
advanced during the preparation of the residuals EIS and implementation
of the interim solution proved suitable for the long term, so a successful
reuse program, rather than disposal at an unpopular landfill, was adopted.
The residuals program has been successfully operated for 25 years and is
currently being reviewed for minor modifications to substantially increase
energy efficiency.
Following the initial (or in reality programmatic) EIS, which identified
the wastewater treatment facility site at Deer Island, site development could
begin while the questions of wastewater conveyance, effluent discharge
options, and residuals management were evaluated through supplemental
EISs. The most complex of the issues, the CSOs, were identified as a con-
tinuing effort and have been addressed at a slow but steady pace over three
decades with a series of programmatic and tiered environmental impact
evaluations. The multilevel environmental impact analysis, where a better
understanding of the impacts was gained at each level, was no small part
of this successful program, which was completed within schedule, under
budget, and has produced environmental improvement exceeding the pre-
dictions made in the environmental impact analysis documents.
6.3.2
Fort Campbell Programmatic Environmental Assessment
Fort Campbell Kentucky/Tennessee is more than a U.S. Army base. It
encompasses over 40,000 hectares, 5600 of which are fully developed with
structures and infrastructure to support the Fort Campbell community of
approximately 68,500 people. Fort Campbell has housed the 10th Airborne
Division and support units since 1960 with an annual payroll of US $1 billion
and an additional US $1.2 billion in construction activities (U.S. Army 2004).
Fort Campbell is actually a city with all the inherent infrastructure, mainte-
nance, and environmental issues.
One difference between Fort Campbell and a conventional city is that
because it is owned, operated, and controlled by a federal agency (U.S. Army,
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