0013 - Technical Exhibit - Picatinny Integrated Nat Resource Mgmt Plan.pdf

Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan

INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT PLAN

Department of the Army

Installation Management Command

HEADQUARTERS, UNITED STATES ARMY GARRISON, PICATINNY

Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey 07806-5000

PICATINNY ARSENAL

Morris County, New Jersey

Revision Coordinated through Picatinny Arsenal Garrison with Picatinny Arsenal Stakeholders;

United States Fish and Wildlife Service;

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife;

and IMCOM Atlantic Region.

April 2015 i

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1 - POLICIES AND GOALS

1.1 Policy

1.2 Goals

CHAPTER 2 - LOCATION AND ACREAGE

2.1 Location

2.2 Acreage

2.3 Installation History and Acquisition

2.4 Neighbors

CHAPTER 3 - MILITARY MISSION

3.1 Overview of the Current Mission

3.2 Natural Resources Needed to Support the Military Mission

3.3 Military Mission and Natural Resources Impacts

3.4 Environmental Stewardhip and Compliance Oversight

CHAPTER 4 - FACILITIES

4.1 Improved Areas

4.2 Partnership Program

4.3 Landscaped Areas

4.4 Urban Wildlife

CHAPTER 5 - RESPONSIBLE AND INTERESTED PARTIES

5.1 Installation Organizations

5.2 Other Defense Organizations

5.3 Federal and State Agencies

5.4 Contractors and Other Interested Parties

5.5 Indian Nations and Tribes

CHAPTER 6 - NATURAL RESOURCES AND CLIMATE

6.1 Setting

6.2 Topography and Relief

6.3 Geology

6.4 Climate

6.4.1 Temperature

6.4.2 Precipitation

6.4.3 Frost Dates, Growing Season, and Ice Formation

6.5 Petroleum and Minerals

6.6 Soils

6.7 Water Resources

6.7.1 Lakes and Ponds

6.7.2 Streams

6.7.3 Storm Drainage

6.7.4 Wetlands

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6.8 Flora

6.8.1 Grasslands and Shrublands

6.8.2 Forest Types

6.9 New Jersey Highlands Ecosystem Context

6.10 Fauna

6.10.1 Invertebrates

6.10.2 Fish

6.10.3 Amphibians and Reptiles

6.10.4 Birds

6.10.5 Mammals

6.10.6 Game Species

6.11 Threatened and Endangered Species (TES), Species At Risk (SAR)

6.11.1 Bog Turtles

6.11.2 Indiana Bats

6.11.3 State-Listed Species (SAR)

6.12 Insects, Disease, and Invasive Species

6.12.1 - Insects

6.12.2 - Diseases

6.12.3 Invasive (Non-Native) Plants

CHAPTER 7 - LAND USE AND MANAGEMENT UNITS

7.1 New Jersey Environmentally Sensitive Planning Units

7.2 Land Areas of Special Interest

7.3 Picatinny Land Uses

7.4 New Jersey State Wildlife Action Plan

CHAPTER 8 – NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

8.1 Objectives

8.2 Forest Management

8.2.1 Silvicultural Systems

8.2.2 Reforestation

8.2.3 Silvicultural Guides

8.2.4 Silviculture and Wildlife

8.2.5 Silviculture and Indiana Bats

8.2.6 Urban Forestry

8.3 Agricultural/Grazing Out Leases

8.4 Wildlife and Fish Habitat Management

8.5 Game Harvest Management

8.5.1 Sportsman Program

8.5.2 Special Licenses and Permits

8.5.3 Records of Take and Fishing and Hunting Hours

8.5.4 Harvest Quotes

8.5.5 Seasons

8.5.6 Big Game Management

8.5.7 Small Game Animals

8.5.8 Waterfowl

8.5.9 Upland Game Birds

8.5.10 Furbearer Management

8.6 Fish Management

8.7 Transplants and Stocks

8.7.1 Fish Stocking

8.7.2 Pheasant Stocking

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8.8 Threatened or Endangered Species Management, Species At Risk

8.8.1 Bog Turtle

8.8.2 Indiana Bat

8.8.3 State-Listed Plants and Wildlife

8.8.4 Native Brook Trout

8.9 Other Nongame Management

8.9.1 Invertebrates

8.9.2 Amphibians and Reptiles

8.9.3 Birds

8.9.4 Chiroptera (bats)

8.9.5 Other Mammals

8.9.6 Urban Wildlife

8.10 Wetland Management

8.10.1 Stream Management

8.10.2 Lake Management

8.11 Water Quality Management

8.12 Soil Resources and Land Rehabilitation Maintenance

8.13 Controlling Nuisance Animals

8.13.1 Feral Dogs & Cats

8.13.2 Large Mammals

8.13.3 Resident Geese

8.13.4 Snakes

8.13.5 Exotic Wildlife

8.14 Cantonment Area Management

8.14.1 Mowing

8.14.2 Weed Control

8.14.3 Landscape Restoration and Plantings

8.14.4 Fertilizer Applications

8.14.5 Maintenance Procedures

8.14.6 Golf Course

8.15 Pest Management and Invasive Species

8.15.1 Insects and Disease

8.15.2 Invasive Species

8.15.3 Cantonment Disease and Insect Control

8.16 Fire Management

8.16.1 Prescribed Burning

8.16.2 Fire Prevention and Suppression

8.17 Special Interest Area Protection

8.18 Training Requirement Integration (TRI)

CHAPTER 9 – INVENTORY AND MONITORING

9.1 Objectives

9.2 General

9.3 Flora Inventory and Monitoring

9.4 Monitoring Consumptive Use of Resource

9.5 Water Quality Monitoring

9.6 Soils Inventory and Monitoring

9.7 Data Storage, Retrieval and Analysis

9.8 Continual, Recurring, Periodic Inventories

CHAPTER 10 – RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROJECTS

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CHAPTER 11 - ENFORCEMENT

11.1 Objectives

11.2 History and Authority

11.3 Education Activities

11.4 Enforcement

CHAPTER 12 – ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

CHAPTER 13 – OUTDOOR RECREATION

13.1 Objectives

13.2 Military Mission Considerations

13.3 Public Access

13.4 Hunting, Trapping and Fishing

13.5 Other Natural Resources Oriented Outdoor Recreation

13.5.1 Developed Recreation

13.5.2 Dispersed Recreation

13.6 Recreation and Ecosystem

13.7 Safety and Security

CHAPTER 14 - CULTURAL RESOURCES PROTECTION

14.1 Objectives

14.2Cultural and Historic Resources

14.2.1 Walton Cemetery

14.2.2 Historical Structures

14.2.3 Archeological Sites

14.3 Natural Resources Management Implications

CHAPTER 15 - NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT

15.1 Objectives

15.2 NEPA Responsibilities and Implementation

15.3 NEPA and Natural Resources Management

CHAPTER 16 - BIOPOLITICAL ISSUE RESOLUTION

CHAPTER 17 - IMPLEMENTATION

17.1 Legal Authority

17.2 Organization, Roles and Responsibilites

17.3 Project and Program Priorities

17.4 Command Support

ACRONYMS

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

LITERATURE CITED (and Bibliography)

DOD and DA and PICA OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS

PERSONS CONSULTED

PREVIOUS PREPARERS & CURRENT REVIEWERS

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APPENDICES ................................................................................................................... A Through J

Appendix A – Regional Context ..........................................................................................................A

I. New Jersey Highlands ........................................................................................................ A-1

A. Physical Environment ............................................................................................ A-1

B. Biological Environment ......................................................................................... A-4

C. Other Important Resources .................................................................................... A-5

II. Watershed Management Area 6 ........................................................................................ A-6

A. Physical Environment ............................................................................................ A-6

B. Water Resources .................................................................................................... A-8

C. Biological Environment ....................................................................................... A-11

D. Other Important Resources .................................................................................. A-12

Appendix B – Picatinny Flora .............................................................................................................. B

B-1 Endangered Plants & Species At Risk ............................................................................ B-1

B-2 Non-Flowering Plants ..................................................................................................... B-3

Bryophytes ............................................................................................................... B-3

Ferns & Allies ............................................................................................................. B-4

B-3 Sedges & Sedge Allies ................................................................................................... B-5

B-4 Aquatic Plants ............................................................................................................... B-6

Submerged Aquatic Plants .......................................................................................... B-6

Submerged Surface Aquatic Plants............................................................................. B-6

Emergent Aquatic Plants ............................................................................................ B-6

Free Floating Aquatic Plants ...................................................................................... B-7

B-5 Grasses and Vines .......................................................................................................... B-7

B-6 Forbs ............................................................................................................................... B-9

B-7 Shrubs and Trees .......................................................................................................... B-14

Appendix C – Fauna ............................................................................................................................ C

C-1. Dragonflies & Damesflies ............................................................................................. C-1

C-2. Butterflies & Moths ....................................................................................................... C-3

C-3. Picatinny Fish ................................................................................................................ C-6

C-4. Picatinny Herptile List ................................................................................................... C-7

C-5. Birds .............................................................................................................................. C-9

C-6. Picatinny Mammal List ............................................................................................... C-12

C-7. Threatened & Endangered Animals & Species At Risk .............................................. C-14

Appendix D – Grounds Maintenance Plant Lists .................................................................................D

D-1. Grasses/Ground Covers/Trees/Shrubs/Vines used for Landscaping ............................. D-1

Appendix E – Picatinny Water Resources ........................................................................................... E

E-1. Lakes & Ponds ................................................................................................................ E-1

E-2. Brooks & Runs .............................................................................................................. E-2 vi

Appendix F – Maps .............................................................................................................................. F

General Installation Map of Picatinny Arsenal ...................................................................... F-1

Location Map for Connecticut-New York-New Jersey-Pennsylvania Highlands Area ......... F-2

Public Lands Adjacent to Picatinny Arsenal .......................................................................... F-3

Public Open Space in Watershed Management Area (WMA) 6 ............................................ F-4

Resource Planning and Management Map (RPMM) of the New Jersey State Development

And Redevelopment Plan .................................................................................................. F-5

Morris County, New Jersey, State Planning Areas ................................................................ F-6

Picatinny Arsenal Sportsman Map ......................................................................................... F-7

Appendix G – Picatinny Arsenal Indiana Bat Endangered Species Management Component (112pp) G

Appendix H – Picatinny Arsenal Bog Turtle Endangered Species Management Component (27pp) ... H

Appendix I – Picatinny Arsenal (Sportsman) Policy (PAP No.IMPI-MWR-006) (17pp) ...................... I

Appendix J – 16 USC 670a-f and Sikes Act Reauthorization Act-2013 (13pp) ..................................... J

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Picatinny Landscape Types

Table 6.1 Soils Found At Picatinny

Table 6.2 Picatinny Wetland Types

Table 6.3 Picatinny Forest Types

Table 6.4 Public Lands Around Picatinny Arsenal

Table 8.1 Shade Tolerance of Various Forest Trees

Table 8.2 Picatinny Harvestable Fish & Game Species

Introduction

This updated Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) essentially carries forward all of the previous goals, objectives, policies and procedures of the preceding version

(May 2001) with some relatively minor updates and changes. Citations and references are essentially the same, unless supeceded by substantively new or different Best Management

Practices (BMPs). Previous preparers and persons consulted are carried forward and included for reference and continuity.

Preparation and implementation of this INRMP are required by the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 670a et seq.), Army Regulation 200-1 (Environmental Protection and Enhancement), and by

Department of Defense (DOD) Instruction 4715.03 (Natural Resources Conservation Program).

Picatinny Arsenal (PICA) has developed this INRMP in accordance with Army Environmental

Center Instruction, Guidelines to Prepare Integrated Resource Management Plans for Army

Installations and Activities, dated April 1997.

The Sikes Act (Appendix J) requires the Army to manage the natural resources of its installations within the United States:

To sustain the multipurpose uses of natural resources.

To provide public access to the extent that such access is not inconsistent with the military mission.

The Sikes Act Improvement Act of 1997 further states that there shall be “no net loss in the capability of military installation lands to support the military mission of the installation.”

The INRMP is required to focus on natural resources management in support of the military mission at the installation level. Supporting the mission can take many forms. There is direct support such as interacting with soldiers, trainers, range coordinators, testers, and researchers; as well as minimizing encroachment and ensuring “no net loss” of testing lands or buffer spaces occur. There is indirect support ensuring a multitude of federal and state regulations are met through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA) processes and various consultations and coordination with regulators. Finally,there are more subtle means of supporting the mission including improving relations with cooperating agencies and the surrounding community.

Department of Defense directives require all military installations that have suitable habitat for conserving and managing natural ecosystems to prepare INRMPs. It is DOD and Army policy to manage installations on an ecosystem basis. The Army’s stewardship requirements are to sustain natural resources on an ecosystem scale and to comply with the law. Plans will therefore be developed to maintain:

Surface water quality.

Soil productivity.

Native biodiversity.

Compliance with conservation laws.

The primary purpose for preparing an INRMP is to ensure that natural resources conservation measures and Army mission activities are integrated and are consistent with federal stewardship requirements. The management objectives are:

a) Support the operational mission.

b) Meet stewardship requirements.

c) Enhance quality of life for Army personnel.

This plan will guide natural resources management at PICA from (Calendar Years) CYs 2015 through 2019 and through funding cycles of (Fiscal Years) FYs 2016 - 2020. It will be reviewed annually for sufficiency of operation and effect; and updated if there is a change in the Picatinny mission, if significant new information is developed, or if there is a substantial change in the

Arsenal’s natural resources. The INRMP will serve as a guide for the management and stewardship of all natural resources present on the Arsenal. It provides PICA with a detailed description of the installation (e.g. location, history, and mission), information about the surrounding physical and biotic environment, and goals and objectives for managing natural resources while conducting mission activities.

Furthermore, the INRMP provides various management guidelines designed to enhance and protect local ecosystems and to mitigate negative impacts of the installation’s mission. These guidelines are in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local standards and are balanced against the Arsenal’s requirements to accomplish its mission at the highest possible levels of efficiency. Therefore, the INRMP integrates all aspects of natural resources management while ensuring the successful accomplishment of the military mission.

Management Goals

The maintenance and enhancement of biological diversity are particularly important in the management of natural resources and will be accomplished through the implementation of specific management practices identified in this INRMP. Specifically, management practices shall:

Ensure no net loss of land for mission activities.

Minimize habitat fragmentation and promote the natural pattern and connectivity of habitats.

Protect native species and discourage non-native, invasive species.

Protect rare and ecologically important species.

Protect unique or sensitive habitats.

Maintain or mimic natural processes.

Protect genetic diversity.

Maintain, or restore as reasonably feasible, ecosystems, communities, and species.

Monitor the impacts of management strategies described in this plan so that modifications can be made as conditions change.

Coordination and Approvals

The INRMP was developed using an interdisciplinary approach. Information was gathered from a variety of PICA organizations. Guidance was also solicited and received from federal, state, and local agencies, including: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) New Jersey Field

Office (NJFO); the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; the New Jersey Department of

Environmental Protection including the Divisions of Fish and Wildlife and Parks & Forestry, as well as offices of Endangered and Non-game Species Program and Natural Lands; USDA Forest

Service; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Palisades Interstate Park Commission;

and the New Jersey State Planning Commission. This guidance contributed to the accuracy of the data concerning natural resources on or within the vicinity of the installation. It also helped to ensure that management guidelines are consistent with local and regional management strategies.

The Sikes Act Improvement Act of 1997 requires that INRMPs be developed “in cooperation with” the USFWS and each appropriate state fish and wildlife agency. The resulting plan for the installation should reflect the mutual agreement of the parties. Although mutual agreement is the goal for the entire plan, it is only required for those elements of the plan that are subject to the applicable legal authority of the respective agencies. Consequently, the USFWS and the

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Division of Fish & Wildlife

(NJDFW), have not only been consulted in preparation of the plan, but also have been asked to comment on and concur with applicable sections of the plan.

The Region 5 (Hadley, MA) USFWS Sikes Act coordinator (Alex Hoar) has advised that this

INRMP be reviewed by the local NJFO (Pleasantville, NJ) to fulfill Sikes Act requirements for external interagency review. Subject matter experts in that one office will review this document from the federal fish and wildlife perspective. Similarly the NJDEP will have the document reviewed initially by two biologists (one focused on fauna and one focused on flora). Other state subject matter experts may be tapped for comments as needed.

Reviews for Operation and Effect

The INRMP being a programmatic and dynamic document should be evaluated periodically by all stakeholders, especially the Sikes Act cooperators and mission personnel. Whenever significant changes in Army, USFWS, or State policies or regulations might impact the goals and objectives or standards and guidelines herein, a more formal re-evaluation is warranted. To the extent that projects, tasks, best management practices are being implemented and applied routinely and effectively in the balanced sustainment of the military and stewardship missions, then informal reviews, typically annually, are sufficient.

Chapter 1 – Policies and Goals

1.1 Policy

As part of its mission, the U.S. Army has chosen to be a national leader in natural resources stewardship now and in the future. This commitment is documented in the U.S. Army

Environmental Strategy into the 21st Century (U.S. Department of the Army 1992). The sustainability of natural resources must be ensured in order to achieve the military mission. As a steward of natural and cultural resources, PICA acknowledges its commitment to conservation goals. The new Installation Management Command (IMCOM) logo features a tree image in a green diamond, symbolizing a commitment to environmental stewardship. The new logo was adopted in 2010 when the new headquarters was established in San Antonio, TX; and also features commitment to top quality installations and infrastructures, all Army missions and soldiers, and all families within the Army community.

Conservation is an integration or blending of natural resources management and preservation designed to maintain ecosystem integrity. This blending occurs in the Integrated Natural

Resources Management Plan for the PICA, a dynamic document that will be maintained and adapted, as necessary, to reflect updated natural resources information. The development and implementation of the INRMP is another sign of the Army’s commitment to natural resources as reflected in DODInstruction 4715.03 (Natural Resources Conservation Program). All personnel will comply with the conservation policies and procedures specified in applicable

DOD publications, Army Regulations (namely 200-1), and Army guidance memos; as well as all applicable laws. See Appendix J for statutory requirements of the Sikes Act which embrace all goals herein.

1.2 Goals

The New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study (1992) listed five goals for the 1.1 million acres of which the PICA is the largest tract of federal land in the New Jersey Highlands. Goals for the Highlands are:

Manage future growth.

Maintain an adequate supply of quality water.

Conserve contiguous forests.

Provide appropriate recreation opportunities.

Promote economic prosperity that is compatible with the aforementioned goals.

The PICA is an important component of the NY-NJ Highlands (see location map in Appendix F) and the integrated management of resources at the Arsenal will foster the vision for the

Highlands area. Goals specific to the Arsenal are:

Ensure “no net loss” of lands for mission activities and maintain the sustainability of lands for mission use.

Provide for the protection of natural and cultural resources.

Provide for recreation opportunities consistent with the military mission.

Chapter 2 – Location and Acreage

2.1 Location

The Arsenal is located in the New Jersey Highlands in Rockaway Township, Morris County, New Jersey. A small portion is located in Jefferson Township. The main entrance is located next to the junction of State Route 15 and Interstate highway I-80. Newark is located 32 road miles southeast and New York City is located 42 road miles east of the Arsenal. Newark

International Airport, as well as highly developed rail, bus, and commuter modes of transpor-tation serve this vicinity. This area is a greenbelt for a heavily populated area, which provides open space, recreation, and scenic beauty for millions of people. Appendix A contains a more complete description of the natural resources of the Highlands Region. The location map in

Appendix F shows the Highlands area. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is located 45 miles to the west. This is the gateway to the naturally popular Pocono Mountains region of eastern Pennsylvania. Many Arsenal employees commute from this area as well.

Nearly five million people rely on the region for clean drinking water. The Arsenal is also located in the New Jersey Watershed Management Area Number 6 and serves as the headwaters of the Rockaway River Watershed-06CA (NJGeoWeb 2012). Its cold, clear waters provide important habitat to native Brook Trout, the State Fish. The Arsenal’s watersheds provide a source to recharge ground water aquifers.

2.2 Acreage

The Arsenal, covering 5,853 acres and containing two lakes, has 3.6 million square feet of indoor area, about half of which is devoted exclusively to scientific and engineering endeavors

(667 buildings, including 64 laboratories). The steep slopes of the adjacent hills surround various facilities dotting the scenic valley floor. There are 4,082 acres of forested land on the

Arsenal that provide a safety barrier to the surrounding community.

Picatinny Arsenal file:///C:/Users/jonathan.vandeventer/Documents/I%20NRMP/NJGeoWeb

Additionally, the Army holds restrictive easements for 640 acres of private lands adjoining the

Arsenal as safety buffers to ongoing operations and testing. No structures may be built upon these lands, nor may more than 25 persons gather at once on the private property so as to limit risk from potential catastrophic events. Often, the 640 acres is erroneously added to summary information listing total PICA acreage as roughly 6,500 acres.

Table 2.1. Picatinny Landscape Types and Acreage

Landscape Type Acreage Percent Total Landscape

FOREST: 4,082 70%

Upland (3,531) (60%)

Wet (551) (9%)

WETLAND: 1250 21%

Lakes & Shrub swamps (554) (9%)

Ponds/sloughs (41) (<1%)

Marsh (44) (<1%)

SEMI-IMPROVED: 109 2%

X-Storage (28) (<1%)

Open Testing (8) (<1%)

Roads/RoWs (33) (<1%)

IMPROVED: 994 17%

Offices/Buildings/Roads (601) (10%)

Urban Center (134) (2%)

Military Housing (63) (1%)

Golf Course (157) (3%)

Heliport (28) (<1%)

TOTAL 5,853* 110% *

* Forest / Wetland cover types overlap as well as overlapping Semi-improved, Improved areas

The vast undeveloped acreage provides the largest tract of forested public land in the New

Jersey Highlands Region.

2.3 Installation History and Acquisition

U.S. Army Garrison, Picatinny Arsenal (USAG PICA) officially dates from 1879 when

Congress authorized the purchase of 1,875 acres of land in Morris County, New Jersey, for the establishment of a powder depot. Unofficially, the history of the Picatinny region dates to the

Revolutionary War when local iron forges under private ownership, smelted iron that was further refined at the Mount Hope furnace to produce solid shot for the troops of General

Washington’s Continental Army.

Through the years, the Arsenal has come to be known as “the cradle of America’s ammunition industry.” During 1891, the Navy Department acquired 315 acres from the Army for the creation of the Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition Depot. In 1902, Picatinny started loading shells and in 1917 began making powder materials to accommodate munitions from 0.30 calibers to 16-inch rounds. In 1917, 56 acres of land were acquired and the Arsenal started the production of smokeless powder, TNT, and the loading of projectiles. Also at that time, the

Picatinny Arsenal Research and Development Group was founded. One of the group’s first missions was the development of pyrotechnic signals and flares. It was during this time period that the Picatinny Powder Depot changed its name to Picatinny Arsenal.

In 1926, lightning caused the explosion of nine ammunition bunkers at the Lake Denmark Naval

Ammunition Depot. The resulting explosion nearly leveled 1,000 acres of the Arsenal. It also sent unexploded ordnance across the landscape. This was the most significant event in the

Arsenal’s history and its effects remain today.

A major expansion period (1937 to 1944) occurred before and during World War II when 2,910 acres were added to the installation and 193 acres were transferred to the Navy. The installation at that time was converted into an “around the clock” production center for fuses, primers, propellant charges, and shell and bomb loading. The peak number of employees at the Arsenal was 18,000 in 1942.

Picatinny Arsenal was again called upon to accelerate its program during the Korean War. After that war, the Arsenal became the U.S. Army’s research and engineering center for nuclear and non-nuclear ammunition (other than arms). Between 1955 and 1958, the installation acquired

572 acres by fee and subjected 639 acres of adjacent land to restrictive easements. These lands were acquired to provide the necessary buffer zones specified by safety regulations. In June

1960, the installation acquired 784 acres by transfer from the Navy. This adjacent property, originally known as the Naval Air Rocket Test Station and part of the original Lake Denmark

Naval Ammunition Depot, is now called “Navy Hill.”

In January 1977, Picatinny Arsenal became the U.S. Army Armament Research and

Development Command (ARRADCOM) with Headquarters at Dover, NJ. It was a major Army subcommand of U.S. Army Materiel Development and Readiness Command (DARCOM). The mission of the facility was “to conduct or manage research, development, life-cycle engineering, initial acquisition, and acquisition through transition to DARCOM of assigned items/systems, including life cycle procurement and production of nuclear munitions; to execute assigned missions in support of other DARCOM or DOD elements having centralized management responsibility for specific weapons systems or items.” In July 1983, ARRADCOM became the

Armament Research and Development Center (ARDC), an organization of HQ, U.S. Army

Armament, Munitions and Chemical Command (AMCCOM). The mission remained essentially unchanged.

In 1986, ARDC became Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) and the mission remained unchanged. In 1994, ARDEC administration was transferred from

AMCCOM to HQ, U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM).

In 2003, ARDEC retained its mission and role at PICA, yet was reorganized under the new

Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM). RDECOM is a major subcommand under the long standing Army Materiel Command (AMC). In 2006, Army

(administrative) transformation continued with the establishment of a new Direct Reporting Unit

(DRU) known as Installation Management Command. IMCOM is headed by a 3-star General officer and functions through the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management (ACSIM).

The Army Environmental Command (AEC) is a major subcommand under IMCOM. IMCOM oversees 157 installations Army-wide; 32, including PICA, in the Eastern States (formerly

Atlantic Region). Garrison Commanders (usually Colonels or Lieutenant Colonels), not unlike a town mayor, typically oversee the day to day management of the infrastructure, as well as the stewardship of the land and property at an installation. USAG-PICA houses at least ten other tenant organizations in addition to ARDEC.

Six are also subordinate organizations to AMC and/or Office of the Assistant Secretary of the

Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (OASA (ALT)). Two tenants are subordinate organizations to DOD, one is a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve unit, and the newest one is a research and development unit of the Department of the Navy. Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decisions in 2005 mandated that PICA be a receiving installation for a few Navy facilities around the country that would be physically closed, yet their mission and some staff re-stationed or consolidated here. Approximately 200 civilian and some military Navy personnel have become part of the PICA community. Picatinny is shifting from just an Army-focused facility to being a critical hub for armaments development to benefit all branches of the U.S. military and DOD (PICA 2012). The present workforce is about 5000 employees; comprising 3900 federal civilian employees, 100 military personnel, and 1000 contractors. Approximately half of these employees are engineers and scientists.

2.4 Neighbors

Other public lands administered by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJDFW), the

New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry (NJDPF), and the Morris County Park System adjoin the Arsenal. A Forest Legacy Tract purchased by the USDA Forest Service is located to the north of the Berkshire Valley Wildlife Management Area and is close to the Arsenal along State

Route 15 (see the map of public lands adjacent to Picatinny in Appendix F). The Arsenal is also part of New Jersey Watershed Management Area #6 (WMA 6). Approximately 15 percent of

WMA 6 is public open space. Although the Arsenal is the largest tract of public land within this watershed, public access is not permitted for safety and security reasons. Appendix A describes

WMA 6 in greater detail and the map in Appendix F shows the public open space in WMA 6.

The Borough of Wharton, population 6,500, is located about 1 mile south of the installation, while the town of Dover, population 18,160, is located about 3 miles south of the installation.

Rockaway Borough, population 6,440, is located 5 miles to the southeast of the installation.

Many employees commute from eastern Pennsylvania. The Delaware Water Gap is 45 miles west on Interstate-80.

Chapter 3 – Military Mission

3.1 Overview

As mentioned previously, U.S. Army, Picatinny Arsenal is home to a number of tenant organizations besides the long established ARDEC mission. Other key AMC missons based at

PICA include Program Executive Office for Ammunition (PEO-AMMO), PEO for Ground

Combat Systems, Program Manager for Soldier Weapons, and Joint Munitions & Lethality- Life

Cycle Management Command. The main objectives of these interrelated missions are to execute and manage life-cycle engineering processes required for research, development, production, field support, and demilitarization of ammunition, weapons, fire control, and associated items; also to provide procurement and management of initial production quantities and technical support to soldiers and equipment in the field, and to maintain a technology base to facilitate the design, development, procurement, production, and life-cycle support of assigned material or transitioned technologies. These objectives support the ARDEC vision:

“Innovative Armaments Solutions for Today and Tomorrow.”

Picatinny Arsenal develops 90 percent of the Army's armaments, ammunition, and advanced weaponry (including non-lethal types). As the nation’s Joint Center of Excellence for

Armaments and Munitions, PICA is a critical hub for weapons development for all branches of the U.S. military across DOD. These high level activities are administered and integrated by a Senior Mission Commander, typically a Brigadier General.

Currently, the design and development functions are paramount. Production is essentially limited to creating prototypes for evaluation and procurement. As a part of the development and testing process, the installation stores various types of ammunition and explosives in specially designed storage magazines. The storage of ammunition and explosives creates safety and security issues that limit access and restrict the use of certain parts of the land base.

3.2 Natural Resources Needed to Support the Military Mission

The vast acreage of the Arsenal provides a buffer for armament testing and associated noise mitigation for the surrounding neighbors. It also provides a safety zone for the various research and testing facilities located on the Arsenal. Being located in a long valley with relatively steep sidewalls provides additional protection to surrounding areas. No training is conducted on the

Arsenal except for infrequent, short duration Marine and Army reserve exercises having negligible impacts. For the most part, the mission, does not depend on, nor directly affect natural resources. Research and development occurs primarily in indoor laboratories or offices;

whereas storage, testing, and some demilitarization of munitions, is performed in specific outdoor areas, mainly in unimproved grounds.

3.3 Military Mission and Natural Resources Impacts

The presence of unexploded ordnance from the 1926 explosion, superfund restoration investigations and remediations, restrict or preclude recreational opportunities in many areas of the installation. The Arsenal is closed to public use due to the sensitive nature of the mission.

Consequently, the Arsenal mission has had the effect of preserving resources throughout much of the undeveloped areas of PICA. On the other hand, the management of natural resources has not had an adverse effect on mission activities.

Given guidelines in this INRMP, and since no major expansion of facilities is anticipated outside the current developed areas, impacts to mission are likely to be minimal. Implementation of the

Indiana Bat Endangered Species Management (Plan) Component (in 2007) has not hampered mission activities. Due to current and prior mission activities (e.g. potential presence of UXO) prescribed burning as a management tool is essentially disallowed.

Since PICA is a small installation, within a very densely populated and suburbanized landscape and isolated spatially from other DOD installations, there is no Missionscape plan. The missionscape at PICA is essentially our few small scale outdoor test ranges, and our indoor labs and research facilities. The unimproved grounds (natural landscape) essentially serve as a noise and safety buffer from our very close-in neighbors on all sides. The Army Compatible Use

Buffer program has been discussed as a possible cooperative initiative to enhance or expand the scope of our rather limited missionscape, but is now abandoned.

3.4 Environmental Stewardship and Compliance Oversight

Picatinny Arsenal is committed to stewardship of the environment based on the following principles:

Accomplishing the military mission while preventing future liability.

Protecting and enhancing ecologically sensitive areas.

Implementing an installation wide Environmental Management System.

Aggressively promoting and instilling proper environmental management through awareness training.

Ensuring the accountability of all affected (environmental & cultural) media through management plans.

In 2009 the Picatinny Environmental Management System (PEMS) was implemented in conformance with ISO 14001 and Army guidance. Besides commitment to continual improvement of the PEMS, the Garrison, through the Environmental Affairs Division, also promotes and administers a pollution prevention program and installation restoration program.

All of these programs are intrinsically interrelated to Natural Resources Management at multiple levels. Many of the goals and objectives, standards and guidelines, and best management practices outlined in this INRMP are reinforced and implemented through the use of the PEMS which can track the environmental implications or requirements of every task or project conducted on post.

Chapter 4 - Facilities

4.1 Improved Areas

The improved and semi-improved grounds are the areas where most of the Arsenal’s human activities occur, such as work, residency, intensive recreation, and traffic. Picatinny has more than 800 buildings, including 64 laboratories. Approximately one fifth of the installation consists of developed land. The cantonment area is the primary developed portion of the installation, which includes administrative, operational offices; research and development buildings/labs; as well as military housing areas. The cantonment area is approximately 800 acres. Most of the facilities on the Arsenal are concentrated in the central and southern portion of the installation as indicated on the map in Appendix F. Facilities include:

Mission Facilities Support Facilities

Advanced Warhead Development F.

Ballistic Rail Gun

Ballistic Evaluation Center

Armament Software Engineering Center

Armament Technology F.

Precision Munitions Development F.

High Explosive Propellant Formulation

Pyrotechnics

Explosive Research, Development, Loading F.

Propellant Surveillance F.

Explosive Magazines (storage)

Nano Technology Lab

Precision Armaments Lab

Fuze Engineering Complex

Packaging, Handling, Storage & Transportation

(Army and Navy)

Guns & Weapons Technology (Navy)

Power Generation Plant *

Aquatic Center

Post Chapel

Commissary and Post Exchange

Child Development Center (3)

Fire Station

Ball Fields

Family Housing

Cafeteria

Museum #

Golf Course

Emergency Services Center

Conference Center

* This facility was abandoned and razed circa 2009.

# This facility was decommissioned (2003), renovated and reutilized in 2012.

Many of the older (production era) buildings are being repaired and renovated to support the mission, especially since the research mission has overshadowed production of munitions. A few buildings are being decommissioned each year. Garrison Public Works Directorate is in the process of remediating and abating any hazardous or regulated materials in advance of the eventual demolition of nearly 250 bldgs on post through CY 2020.

There are also 35 earth-covered explosive storage magazines at scattered locations throughout the installation. These magazines are either 20 by 20 feet or 63 by 30 feet in size and are covered by 18 to 24 inches of soil. The earth cover on these magazines is in good condition and supports grassy vegetation. Per Major Command recommendations, Arsenal policy has been established to eliminate costly non-required mowing; the only exception being as a safety precaution at entranceways.

4.2 Partnership Program

Picatinny Arsenal has determined that in order to better perform its mission and provide the most effective and efficient services to its customers, the Arsenal must maximize the use of its real and intellectual property assets. Picatinny is therefore pursuing the possibility of joint military and commercial use of its real property assets to include, but not to be limited to, facilities and land for laboratories, light manufacturing, education/training, administration, and testing. In addition, the Arsenal is seeking to maximize its ability to transfer technology and intellectual property from military to commercial applications. In recognition of the need to maximize assets, IAW 10 USC 2667, the US Army Garrison Picatinny Arsenal entered into a

Master Agreement with InSitech, a NJ-based 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation to develop and lease out 100K sq. ft. of non-excess existing facility space and potentially lease out up to 120 acres of land in the southern part of the installation to create the Picatinny Applied Research

Campus (PARC). The lease of the land for the PARC is an option under the Master Agreement and has not been executed. Master Agreement and Leases for 100K sq. ft. of space were executed in FY06/FY07. InSitech owns the buildings while Government maintains ownership of the land. Insitech has invested ~$7M into leased property/project to date including:

demolishion of 50K sq. ft. of unusable/dilapidated administrative space; built 27.5K sq. ft. of new administrative/flex space for mission related tenants (Bldg 356); and internal demolition of

Bldg 353 (27K sq. ft.) to be developed in the future based upon tenant need.

4.3 Landscaped Areas

Planted areas at PICA occur generally on improved grounds or semi-improved grounds. The largest and most visible landscaped area on post is the centrally located golf course. Other areas planted for landscape purposes or that occur naturally adjacent to improved and semi-improved grounds consist of small areas, normally less than two acres in size that are maintained primarily for the purpose of beautification, screening, or slope stabilization.

Concieved and initiated on Armed Forces Day in 2005, memorial plantings of Red Oak (Quercus rubra), the state tree, have been made annually to commemorate those soldiers from NJ (resident) who have lost their lives in the Global War On Terrorism (GWOT). There are specific calendar year plots for each cadre of fallen service members. In the spring of 2006, plantings for Calendar Years

2001 through 2005 were planted near the main entrance and cantonment areas of downtown PICA.

This past spring (2012) another plot was dedicated to those NJ heroes who fell in 2011. To date (Fall

2012), 159 Red Oak have been planted in memorium in 12 specific plots.

The last installation-wide Landscape Planting Plan was revised in 1964. Since 1987, rejuvenation plantings, replacement plantings, and new plantings have been made at various sites. An updated

Landscape Planting Plan (per Annex I of Appendix C in TM 5-630) should be developed for the installation (see Chapter 8.14.3). An installation Design Guide is being prepared for PICA.

Landscaping on post includes quarters, administrative buildings, community facilities, and areas requiring vegetative screening, areas in danger of eroding, and roadside beautification. A map of the installation depicting key landscape sites, both old and new, including the various year by year memorial tree plots, should also be prepared.

4.4 Urban Wildlife

The semi-improved grounds often provide habitat for, or are capable of being used by, a variety of wildlife species. Urban wildlife species are adapted or tolerant to the land conditions produced and dominated by the actions of man (Brocke 1979). Dominant features of the

Arsenal’s urban landscape include: lawns, composed of Kentucky blue grass (Poa pratensis), rye grass (Lolium perenne), bent grass (Agrostis spp.), and red fescue varieties (Festuca rubra sspp.) mowed on a varying schedule from one to four weeks during the growing season; asphalt areas such as roads, parking lots, and walkways; and buildings and storage facilities. Common ornamental trees and shrubs planted in the improved grounds are: spruces (Picea spp.), pines

(Pinus spp.), Norway maple (Acer platinoides), dogwoods (Cornus spp.), honey locust

(Gleditsia triacanthos), junipers (Juniperus. spp.), yews (Taxus spp.), rhododendrons

(Rhododendrons spp.), euonymous’ (Euonymous spp.), and forsythia (Forsythia app.).

Aspects of the urban landscape important to wildlife species include: (a) numerous food sources;

expanses of herbaceous plants, browse, as well as soft and hard mast, from ornamental shrubs and trees; and (b) diverse roosting, denning, and nesting sites afforded by buildings and foundations. Commonly observed birds on the urban landscape include exotic species such as rock dove, house sparrow, European starling, and house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus).

Indigenous birds include chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina), mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), American robin (Turdus migratorius), northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), and common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula). Common mammals on developed lands include woodchucks (Marmota monax), Norway rats, house mouse, striped skunk, and feral cats and pets. The burrowing activity of woodchucks also provides suitable den sites for many other wildlife species (Lee and Funderburg 1982). Other species of wildlife that frequently use the urban landscape as part of their habitat include white tailed deer, gray squirrel, eastern cottontail, and American crow.

Wildlife inhabiting the developed areas provides excellent viewing opportunities for recreational users of urban land. From a recreational viewpoint, the urban landscape provides the majority of wildlife viewing opportunities for most Arsenal personnel. Many species can be easily observed in transitional areas between developed and undeveloped lands. Wildlife in urban environments may also frequently cause nuisance problems as discussed in Chapter 8.13 of this plan.

Chapter 5 – Responsible and Interested Parties

5.1 Installation Organization

The Natural Resources Manager (NRM) presently works within the Directorate of Public Works

(IMPI-PWE) as part of the Environmental Affairs Division (EAD).

The following position is dedicated full time to the Natural Resources Program:

Natural Resources Manager (1).

There have been no summer seasonal positions for the past 10 years:

The following personnel provide occasional support and backup to the Natural Resources

Program:

Environmental Scientist (1).

The following personnel formerly considered government-in-nature (GIN) were contracted out under the A-76 program in 2002 and now perform services through the Arsenal’s Base

Operations Support Contractor (A-76 successor) known as Chugach Industries:

Installation Integrated Pest Management Coordinator (1). Hereafter referred to as IIPMC.

5.2 Other Defense Organizations

The Army Environmental Command under the co-located Installation Management Command

(IMCOM) at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX provides natural resources assistance to

Army posts worldwide. The Picatinny NRM occasionally receives guidance or assistance from the Army Environmental Command. The Army Corps of Engineers (Waterways Experiment

Station) has electronic and hard copies of various map products.

5.3 Federal and State Agencies

The USFWS and the NJDFW are cooperating and signatory agencies in the implementation of this plan, as required by the Sikes Act Improvement Act.

The following Federal agencies are consulted on an as needed basis and provide assistance or products:

US Army Corps of Engineers.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (soils maps and erosion control).

USDA Forest Service – State & Private Forestry Forest Health Protection.

US Geological Survey

USDI Fish & Wildlife Service (endangered species such as Indiana Bat & Bog Turtle).

The latter two agencies manage a web-based Information, Planning, and Conservation

(IPaC) system designed for access to information (and maps) about the natural resources for which the USFWS has trust or regulatory responsibility. The IPaC tool aids with regulatory consultation, permitting and approval processes administered by USFWS.

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife provides advice on hunting and fishing regulations.

They also can provide assistance on wildlife habitat improvement projects, and Species At Risk.

The New Jersey State Planning Commission has provided assistance with this planning document and the importance of Picatinny within the New Jersey Highlands Region. The New

Jersey Forest Fire Service provides assistance with wildfire suppression.

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is consulted regarding the effects of activities on the installation’s cultural and historical resources.