HAFB INRMP.pdf

U. S. AIR FORCE INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN

Holloman Air Force Base

(See INRMP signature pages for plan approval date)

HAFB Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan

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ABOUT THIS PLAN

This installation-specific Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is based on the U.S. Air Force’s (AF) standardized Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) template. This INRMP has been developed in cooperation with applicable stakeholders, which may include Sikes Act cooperating agencies and/or local equivalents, to document how natural resources will be managed. Non-U.S. territories will comply with applicable Final Governing Standards (FGS). Where applicable, external resources, including Air Force Instructions (AFIs); AF Playbooks; federal, state, local, FGS, biological opinion and permit requirements, are referenced.

Certain sections of this INRMP begin with standardized, AF-wide “common text” language that address AF and Department of Defense (DoD) policy and federal requirements. This common text language is restricted from editing to ensure that it remains standard throughout all plans. Immediately following the AF-wide common text sections are installation sections. The installation sections contain installation-specific content to address local and/or installation-specific requirements. Installation sections are unrestricted and are maintained and updated by AF environmental Installation Support Teams (ISTs) and/or installation personnel.

NOTE: The terms ‘Natural Resources Manager’, ‘NRM’ and ‘NRM/POC’ are used throughout this document to refer to the installation person responsible for the natural resources program, regardless of whether this person meets the qualifications within the definition of a natural resources management professional in DODI 4715.03.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ABOUT THIS PLAN

DOCUMENT CONTROL

INRMP APPROVAL/SIGNATURE PAGES

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.0 OVERVIEW AND SCOPE

1.1 Purpose and Scope

1.2 Management Philosophy

1.3 Authority

1.4 Integration with Other Plans

2.0 INSTALLATION PROFILE

2.1 Installation Overview

2.1.1 Location and Area

2.1.2 Installation History

2.1.3 Military Missions

2.1.4 Surrounding Communities

2.1.5 Local and Regional Natural Areas

2.2 Physical Environment

2.2.1 Climate

2.2.2 Landforms

2.2.3 Geology and Soils

2.2.4 Hydrology

2.3 Ecosystems and the Biotic Environment

2.3.1 Ecosystem Classification

2.3.2 Vegetation

2.3.3 Fish and Wildlife

2.3.4 Threatened and Endangered Species and Species of Concern

2.3.5 Wetlands and Floodplains

2.3.6 Other Natural Resource Information

2.4 Mission Impacts on Natural Resources

2.4.1 Natural Resource Constraints to Mission and Mission Planning

2.4.2 Land Use

2.4.3 Current Major Impacts

2.4.4 Potential Future Impacts

2.4.5 Natural Resources Needed to Support the Military Mission

3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

4.0 GENERAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

5.0 TRAINING

6.0 RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTING

6.1 Recordkeeping

6.2 Reporting

7.0 NATURAL RESOURCES PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

7.1 Fish and Wildlife Management

7.2 Outdoor Recreation and Public Access to Natural Resources

7.3 Conservation Law Enforcement

7.4 Management of Threatened and Endangered Species, Species of Concern and Habitats

7.5 Water Resource Protection

7.6 Wetland Protection

7.7 Grounds Maintenance

7.8 Forest Management

7.9 Wildland Fire Management

7.10 Agricultural Outleasing

7.11 Integrated Pest Management Program

7.12 Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH)

7.13 Coastal Zone and Marine Resources Management

7.14 Cultural Resources Protection

7.15 Public Outreach

7.16 Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

8.0 MANAGEMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

9.0 INRMP IMPLEMENTATION, UPDATE, AND REVISION PROCESS

9.1 Natural Resources Management Staffing and Implementation

9.2 Monitoring INRMP Implementation

9.3 Annual INRMP Review and Update Requirements

10.0 ANNUAL WORK PLANS

11.0 REFERENCES

11.1 Standard References (Applicable to all AF installations)

11.2 Installation References

12.0 ACRONYMS

12.1 Standard Acronyms (Applicable to all AF installations)

12.2 Installation Acronyms

13.0 DEFINITIONS

13.1 Standard Definitions (Applicable to all AF installations)

13.2 Installation Definitions

14.0 APPENDICES

Appendix A. Annotated Summary of Key Legislation Related to Design and Implementation of the

INRMP

Appendix B. Programmatic Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact for Ground

Based Training on Holloman Air Force Base

Appendix C. Programmatic Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact for

Management of the High Speed Test Track on Holloman Air Force Base

Appendix D. Memoranda of Agreement and Cooperative Agreements

Appendix E. Categorical Exclusion for the INRMP

Appendix F. Biocontrol of Salt cedar using Diorabdha spp. leaf beetles: associated documents ... 379

Appendix G. Approved Landscape Plants

Appendix H. HAFB Bird Species Inventory

15.0 ASSOCIATED PLANS

Tab 1 – Wildland Fire Management Plan

Tab 2 – Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) Plan

Tab 3 – Golf Environmental Management (GEM) Plan

Tab 4 – Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan (ICRMP)

Tab 5 – Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP)

DOCUMENT CONTROL

Record of Review – The INRMP is updated not less than annually, or as changes to natural resource management and conservation practices occur, including those driven by changes in applicable regulations. In accordance with (IAW) the Sikes Act and AFI 32-7064, Natural Resources Management, the

INRMP is required to be reviewed for operation and effect not less than every five years. Annual reviews and updates are accomplished by the base Natural Resources Manager (NRM), and/or an Installation

Support Team Natural Resources Media Manager. The installation shall establish and maintain regular communications with the appropriate federal and state agencies. At a minimum, the installation NRM

(with assistance as appropriate from the NR Media Manager) conducts an annual review of the INRMP in coordination with internal stakeholders and local representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife

Service (USFWS), state fish and wildlife agency, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA) Fisheries, where applicable, and accomplishes pertinent updates. Installations will document the findings of the annual review in an Annual INRMP Review Summary. By signature to the Annual INRMP

Review Summary, the collaborating agency representative asserts concurrence with the findings. Any agreed updates are then made to the document, at a minimum updating the work plans. Following update, the installation NRM obtains approval signatures on the updated document.

INRMP APPROVAL/SIGNATURE PAGES

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Department of Defense (DoD) is committed to the conservation and protection of biodiversity on military lands. Biodiversity conservation on United States Air Force (USAF) controlled lands and waters shall be promoted when consistent with the mission and practicable. Maintaining biodiversity is crucial to overall ecosystem integrity and sustainability. Failure to maintain ecosystem diversity may result in severe degradation of land and loss of public confidence in the USAF’s stewardship of land and natural resources.

If access to the land is subsequently denied to the USAF, this will negatively impact the USAF mission (AFI 32-7064). According to AFI 32-7064 (18 November 2014) and the Sikes Act, 16U.S.C § 670 et. seq., all DoD installations must prepare and implement an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) as the chief tool for managing natural resources in a coordinated manner.

This INRMP was developed to provide interdisciplinary strategic guidance for natural resource management on Holloman Air Force Base (HAFB) through an ecosystem management approach. The ecosystem management approach strives for sustainable use, consistent with operational readiness and military mission. Based on an interdisciplinary approach to ecosystem management, this INRMP ensures the successful accomplishment of the military mission by integrating all aspects of natural resource management with each other and with activities associated with the installation’s mission.

HAFB’s INRMP was developed in an interdisciplinary manner, based on previous INRMPs along with additional studies and information and involved military and/or civilian representatives of all relevant HAFB groups including the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF). This INRMP was prepared according to DoD Policy Directives and Instructions designating procedures to develop comprehensive ecosystem management plans (DoDI 4715.03, DoDD 4700.4) and complies with USAF Directive and Instructions AFPD 32-70, AFI 32-7064 and AFI 32- 7065. The plan incorporates information and guidance from the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy for New Mexico (CWCS) (NMDGF 2006) and the State Wildlife Action Plan for New Mexico (SWAP) (NMDGF 2016a).

This INRMP is focused on the achievement of 12 specific goals for the protection and improvement of the natural environment (See Section 8 Management Goals and Objectives for more detailed descriptions):

Goal 1: Maintain a Fully Staffed Natural Resources Program

Goal 2: Designate, Map, and Monitor Important Wildlife Habitats within the Chihauhuan Desert

Goal 3: Document and Monitor HAFB Species Diversity and Population Trends

Goal 4: Conserve and manage, if present, threatened, endangered, and candidate species listed for regulatory protection by federal and state agencies, as well as critical habitat and wetlands on HAFB main base, BWWSA, and geographically separated units (GSUs). Includes monitoring HAFB Species of Concern (SOC) for population trends and potential impacts.

Goal 5: All activities on base under HAFB jurisdiction and control conserve use of potable water to maintain sustainable quantities of high quality surface water and groundwater resources

Goal 6: Lake Holloman and the constructed wetlands are managed, consistent with the primary purpose of the constructed wetlands and BASH concerns, for shorebird and waterfowl habitat

Goal 7: Optimize the Wildland Fire Management Program for HAFB main base, BWWSA, and (GSUs)

Goal 8: Manage pests in a manner that reduces impacts to natural resources, watersheds, landscapes, and the base mission

Goal 9: Manage noxious weeds and invasive plants on HAFB main base, BWWSA, and GSUs

Goal 10: Reduce Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazards for HAFB

Goal 11: Increase awareness, appreciation and conservation of natural resources on HAFB

Goal 12: Maintain Natural Resource data for HAFB and associated properties to efficiently plan ground-based mission activities and various projects as well as performing INRMP updates and revisions; meeting mission objectives while protecting biodiversity on base

This document directs natural resource management policy for the next five-year planning period of 2018- 2022. This plan must be reviewed annually and updated every five years. The INRMP will be available in digital format on the HAFB website and the AF portal and is available through the 49th Civil Engineer Installation Management Flight (CES/CEI) on compact disk (CD). Making the plan available electronically will increase the user base and efficiency in implementing procedural guidelines. The plan follows a format that compiles analysis and information regarding specific and related resources in one section, within the context of USAF, USFWS, and NMDGF goals and policies.

1.0 OVERVIEW AND SCOPE

This INRMP was developed to provide for effective management and protection of natural resources. It summarizes the natural resources present on the installation and outlines strategies to adequately manage those resources. Natural resources are valuable assets of the United States Air Force. They provide the natural infrastructure needed for testing weapons and technology, as well as for training military personnel for deployment. Sound management of natural resources increases the effectiveness of Air Force adaptability in all environments. The Air Force has stewardship responsibility over the physical lands on which installations are located to ensure all natural resources are properly conserved, protected, and used in sustainable ways. The primary objective of the Air Force natural resources program is to sustain, restore and modernize natural infrastructure to ensure operational capability and no net loss in the capability of AF lands to support the military mission of the installation. The plan outlines and assigns responsibilities for the management of natural resources, discusses related concerns, and provides program management elements that will help to maintain or improve the natural resources within the context of the installation’s mission. The INRMP is intended for use by all base personnel. The Sikes Act is the legal driver for the INRMP.

1.1 Purpose and Scope

This INRMP will guide the Holloman AFB (HAFB) Natural Resources Manager (NRM) and base personnel in their efforts to protect and enhance the natural resources of HAFB for multiple use, biological diversity, ecological integrity, and sustainability in coordination with land uses for military readiness. Many of the standards and recommendations presented here are derived from Federal regulations; DoD mandates, directives, and instructions; professional peer-reviewed natural resource publications, and studies and monitoring conducted on HAFB. The INRMP takes a whole-system approach to the conservation of biodiversity on HAFB (DoDI 4715.03, 2011; AFI 32-7064, 2014).

The INRMP identifies resource management goals, objectives and strategies, including priority management actions base wide for HAFB. The goals and strategies have also been developed in cooperation with the USFWS and NMDGF within the context of the CWCS (2006) and SWAP (NMDGF

2016a), prepared by the NMDGF, in compliance with the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Act of 2001. We identified and prioritized HAFB goals with pertinent strategies for managing the base and its specific resources addressed in a framework of standards for the various resources and appropriate management actions.

HAFB has characteristic ecological and natural resource values within the unique, diverse, and large-scale

Tularosa Basin ecosystem. On the broadest scale, natural resources management focuses on these values within the context of military readiness. Human activities that conflict with these values create resource management issues, and management goals are broad strategies for addressing them. Management standards define a framework of criteria within which proposed activities can be evaluated for consistency with the stated goals and for which appropriate management actions can be developed. They are documented as desired future conditions – the desired management landscape and resulting conditions as foreseen within the stated goals. Conservation actions address specific management issues that arise from past, current, or proposed activities; they are designed to resolve, mitigate, and/or ameliorate management issues. Each management action should contribute to meeting one or more management goals in accordance with relevant management standards.

We developed all goals and standards/desired future conditions with the aim of meeting or exceeding

DoD and United States Air Force (USAF) mission and environmental stewardship goals and HAFB mission goals and objectives. Specific conservation actions are proposed for each management goal as defined by the standards/desired future conditions. This INRMP also identifies how these conservation actions will impact HAFB mission.

The conservation actions represent the heart of the INRMP. This INRMP provides the basis for requesting and obtaining funding for implementation of the identified conservation actions for meeting HAFB management goals. When implemented, these actions should satisfy DoD and USAF directives for ecosystem management. These actions also are driven by and in full compliance with the laws, regulations, and Executive Orders identified in Summary of Key Legislation Related to Design and

Implementation of the INRMP. Most importantly, they make real the integrated management of the abundant natural resources present on HAFB. Each management action is designated with a priority for implementation, an analysis on effect on mission, and federal and state laws and regulations, DoD and

USAF guidance, and memoranda of agreements identified in Summary of Key Legislation Related to Design and Implementation of the INRMP. These goals and management actions are shown in Section 8, Management Goals and Objectives.

A proposed action inconsistent with the management standards described here will move the ecological condition of the resource away from, rather than toward, the desired condition as defined by the management goals. These actions must either be modified or not be implemented, or the management goal and standards themselves modified. Proposed actions consistent with the standards will be formalized during the annual review of the INRMP or at its five-year revision.

Per the Sikes Act and AFI 32-7064, this INRMP will be evaluated using procedures pursuant to the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Many proposed conservation actions are administrative in nature.

Although they facilitate resource management, they do not directly impact the environment of HAFB.

Examples of administrative management actions are educating Team Holloman, residents, and the public about natural resource values and soliciting input from the NMDGF or the USFWS about wildlife management or continuing coordination with Federal and state agencies under Memoranda of

Agreement. Pursuant to NEPA, only management actions that directly impact the environment are required to be evaluated in the NEPA document prepared for the INRMP; administrative actions are categorically excluded under Appendix B to 32 CFR Part 989. In addition to the programmatic NEPA document for this INRMP as a whole, programmatic NEPA documents for management of all ground based training and for management of the High Speed Test Track (HSTT) have been prepared and the results are incorporated by reference into this INRMP. The INRMP:

Ensures the management of natural and cultural resources is consistent with the mission at HAFB and is within the larger context of DoD and USAF policies, guidance, requirements, and goals including DoD goals as documented in DoDI 4715.03 (2011) and USAF goals as documented in AFI

32-7064

Is developed in cooperation with the USFWS and NMDGF to ensure it is consistent with inventory, survey and monitoring needs, desired future conditions, and conservation actions as documented in the CWCS (NMDGF 2006) and SWAP (NMDGF 2016a)

Not all natural and cultural resources have all levels of the legal and guidance hierarchy; therefore, only those levels that exist are included. The HAFB INRMP has five stated purposes that apply to this update:

1. To create an easily accessible, well-used, integrated reference for use by Command, action proponents, base planners, and natural resources manager that would:

Identify locations and critical timing of natural resources and management actions

Identify locations and circumstances of potential conflicts and conflict resolution opportunities

Identify unique and sensitive areas

Provide resources for proactive planning by action proponents

Provide a basis for requesting and obtaining funding

Develop a “one-stop” planning document that incorporates and integrates goals, purposes, management direction, and management activities for each natural resource, fully consistent with each resource component plan and complementary with other component plans

2. To foster understanding of the jobs, roles, responsibilities, and needs of the various flights and functional operations as they relate to the protection, rehabilitation, maintenance, and enhancement of and interaction with natural resources on HAFB to:

Identify, coordinate, and clarify the cross-functional roles of the organizational representatives and action proponents within the base organization

Open lines of communication for more effective and timely planning, more efficient mission operations, and more pleasant, proactive, and cooperative relationships

Identify various Federal, state, and local agencies and Indian tribes, and public and private stakeholders and other interested parties, and provide appropriate means for participation in

HAFB planning and management of natural resources

3. To develop realistic management goals, management activities and programs, and funding levels for

HAFB natural resources that both support mission and increase the quality of work and recreation on the base.

4. To direct natural resources management policy on base for the planning period, through cross-functional consensus and Command approval, so that all functional activities on HAFB can move forward together to:

Identify areas dedicated to natural resource management

Determine primacy of goals and management activities when activities and natural resources conflict and provide rationale for changing existing natural resource management actions when necessary

5. To ensure consistency of HAFB programs and functions with environmental laws, regulations, Executive Orders, DoD Instructions and guidance, and USAF instructions. The process for the INRMP included collecting baseline information, GIS data, resulting in a baseline document incorporating the following information:

Ground-based training; Management of landscaped grounds, noxious and invasive plants, and pest management

Management of wildlife and plants and their habitats

Management of wetlands and the Lake Holloman area and constructed wetlands

Management of the Boles Wells Water System Annex (BWWSA)

Management of outdoor recreation involving natural resources

Management of the HSTT

Using this information and HAFB subject matter experts, we conducted and incorporated the following analyses into the INRMP:

Development of desired future conditions (management goals and objectives) for identified resources

Identification of existing problems and conflicts under current management strategies

Identification of proposed future activities and associated problems and conflicts

Identification of natural resources management opportunities

Identification of responsibilities for monitoring effectiveness and impacts associated with implementation of actions identified in the INRMP

The program for all military ground-based training and exercises was evaluated in a separate environmental assessment and incorporated into the INRMP upon approval of the Finding of No

Significant Impact (FONSI) dated 10 July 1998. Detailed analysis of tests conducted at the HSTT was also conducted, with best management practices applied to HSTT actions per the INRMP.

The current process for the HAFB INRMP revision involved 49th Civil Engineer Squadron, Asset

Management Flight (49 CES/CEI) and other base subject matter experts reviewing the information and the management goals, standards, and management actions in the 2015 INRMP and identifying:

Those actions that have been completed

Those action that are no longer appropriate

Necessary revisions to such actions

New Management actions

1.2 Management Philosophy

The INRMP is the chief tool for managing natural resources in a coordinated manner within the context of operational mission on DoD installations. Based on an interdisciplinary approach to ecosystem management, the INRMP ensures the successful accomplishment of the military mission by integrating all aspects of natural resource management with each other and with activities associated with the installation’s mission. Under this plan, the diverse environments under the jurisdiction of the DoD are maintained for present and future human use, and their natural systems are allowed to function normally.

49 CES/CEI partners with many agencies and organizations to fulfill various program areas critical to the ongoing success of environmental programs on HAFB. These efforts have been instrumental in building excellent working relationships with regulatory agencies, opening lines of communication and reducing potential for fines affiliated with Notices of Violation. Collaborative management efforts for environmental resources crossing administrative boundaries are achieved more efficiently, with less money, via partnering and outreach activities. HAFB works closely with the USFWS and NMDGF as well as other neighboring federal, state and local agencies and organizations to achieve management goals outlined in this INRMP.

USFWS & NMDGF

The USFWS and NMDGF provide guidance regarding their involvement with preparation of INRMPs by

DoD installations. HAFB shall notify the appropriate USFWS and NMDGF directors at least 60 days prior to delivering a draft INRMP for review.

According to the Sikes Act Improvement Act (SAIA) (1997, 16 U.S.C. 670), USFWS, NMDGF and USAF policies, if adequate special management or protection is provided by a legally operative plan such as an

INRMP that addresses the maintenance and improvement of the primary constituent elements important to a species that would otherwise be listed (such as the White Sands pupfish on HAFB), and the agreement manages for the long-term conservation of the species, habitat identified as essential to the protection and recovery of a species may be omitted from federal critical habitat designation. The USFWS, NMDGF and the USAF use the following criteria to determine if an INRMP provides adequate special management or protection. The plan provides:

A conservation benefit to the species, including maintaining or providing for an increase in a species’ population, or the enhancement or restoration of its habitat within the area covered by the INRMP

Certainty that the management plan will be implemented, including appropriate staffing, funding, and authority, with an implementation schedule

Confidence that the conservation effort will be effective, through:

o Measurable goals and objectives o Identifying quantifiable, scientifically valid parameters to monitor and demonstrate achievement of the objectives o Monitoring and where appropriate adaptive management o Reporting progress on implementation and effectiveness o Sufficient duration to implement the plan and achieve the benefits of its goals and objectives

Although the SAIA requires “no net loss in the capability of military installation lands to support the military mission of the installation” to the extent appropriate and applicable, a “net loss” may be unavoidable to fulfill regulatory requirements other than the Sikes Act, such as complying with an

Endangered Species Act Biological Opinion or protection of wetlands under the Clean Water Act. The

INRMP will identify these circumstances and discuss measures being taken to recapture that net loss.

Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS) and State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP)

The USFWS and NMDGF provide an invaluable service for guidance on listed threatened and endangered species, as well as information on sensitive mammals, reptiles and amphibians, fish, birds, and some invertebrates. HAFB’s INRMP incorporates pertinent guidance and recommendations from the NMDGF

CWCS (NMDGF 2006) and SWAP (NMDGF 2016a) prepared in compliance with the State and Tribal Wildlife

Grants Act of 2001. The SWAP is based on a review and revision of the 2006 CWCS and incorporates significant changes. This INRMP makes reference to the most updated information in the SWAP unless otherwise noted. The CWCS and SWAP:

Are non-regulatory planning documents that rely on the best available science, including the expert opinion of Department biologists, to provide a high level view of the needs for and opportunities to conserve New Mexico’s wildlife and their habitats

Focus on species that warrant heightened attention (Species of Greatest Conservation Need -

SGCN), key wildlife habitats, challenges affecting conservation, and outlining approaches to overcome these challenges. The desired outcome is for key habitats to persist in the condition, connectivity, and quantity necessary to sustain viable and resilient populations of resident SGCN while allowing for a variety of land uses with reduced resource use conflicts.

Identify problems or “threats” which may adversely affect SGCN or their habitats:

o Significant habitat alteration is attributed to off-road vehicle and other recreational uses as well as military activities. Although access restrictions on military lands provide substantial benefit to wildlife, military land uses may also destroy or fragment existing habitats.

o Emphasize the need to control invasive and nonnative species, which, once established, have the ability to displace native plant and animal species, disrupt nutrient and fire cycles, and alter the character of the community by enhancing additional invasions.

Noxious weed infestation is the second leading cause of native species being listed as threatened or endangered.

Highlight the need for management and conservation of riparian and aquatic environments which contain key habitats, have a high diversity of SGCN, are subjected to a moderate to high magnitude of multiple habitat-altering factors, and may lack legal constraints or long-term management plans protecting them from habitat conversion

Call for monitoring the impacts of actions that modify natural processes and ecological drivers, such as drought, fire management, and ecological sustainability (maintenance or restoration of the composition, structure, and processes over space and time), and ecological integrity (the function and resilience of an ecosystem, including maintaining viable populations, preserving ecosystem representation, maintaining ecological processes, protecting evolutionary potential, and accommodating human use), and loss of ecological keystone species

State that one of the highest priority conservation actions for both terrestrial and aquatic key habitats statewide is to partner with federal, state, and private organizations, research institutions, and universities to design and implement research, survey, and monitoring projects to enhance our understanding of SGCN and their key habitats, particularly SGCN abundance and distribution and the connectivity and condition of key habitats

NM SGCN (NMDGF 2016a) that are documented on HAFB, including the BWWSA, include 26 bird species, two bat species, one reptile species, and one fish species. The following list highlights species HAFB defines as Species of Concern (SOC) based on federal or state listing status, frequency of sightings on base, and/or documented breeding on base. Vagrant bird species are not included in this list but are discussed further in Sections 2.3.4 & 7.4. For a comprehensive list of NM SGCN detected on base as well as more detailed descriptions for the species listed below see Sections 2.3.4 & 7.4.

Birds

Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)

Cassin’s Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii)

Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus)

Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)

Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

Loggerhead shrike (Lanius luduviaianus)

Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)

McCown’s Longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Sagebrush Sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis)

Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata)

Snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrius)

Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)

Virginia’s Warbler (Oreothlypis virginiae)

Western Bluebird (Sialia Mexicana)

Western Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia hypugea)

White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi)

Mammals

Pale Townsend's Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)

Spotted Bat (Euderma maculatum)

Reptiles & Fish

Desert Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus)

White Sands pupfish (Cyprinodon Tularosa)

Other

Arthropods, mollusks, and crustaceans are not presently actively managed on HAFB as part of the natural resources program conducted by the 49 CES/CEIE

Other Neighboring Federal, State and Local Agencies and Organizations

In addition to the USFWS and the NMDGF under the Sikes Act, working partnerships include other military installations located within the Tularosa Basin, such as White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), Ft. Bliss, and other federal, state and local agencies and organizations. These partnerships provide unique opportunities to approach common land use issues particular to military activities. White Sands National

Monument (WSNM) and the San Andres National Wildlife Refuge (SANWR) are also valuable partners that help support conservation efforts of plants and animals endemic to the basin, as well as providing seasonal migratory habitat for birds.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) shares responsibilities with HAFB in a portion of the BWWSA. This partnership helps define activities within this area that meet the needs of both the mission of the base and BLM. Lincoln National Forest manages lands east of the BWWSA and provides information on resource issues germane to the Sacramento Mountain foothills. Other agencies such as U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Jornada Experimental Range and the

Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) provide data on environmental processes specific to resources within the Tularosa Basin. Non-profit groups such as the New Mexico Audubon Council, Mesilla

Valley Audubon Society and New Mexico Native Plant Society are partners in conservation issues and provide volunteers for project-oriented tasks to improve wildlife habitat within HAFB. University groups such as Texas A&M University (TAMU), Natural Heritage New Mexico (NHNM) of the University of New

Mexico (UNM) provide database information on many of the endemics occurring on HAFB and have conducted numerous field studies on the base and within the Tularosa Basin.

The Department of Defense (DoD), Secretary of the Air Force, and/or HAFB have entered into Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) and Cooperative Agreements with various agencies (see Appendix A. Annotated

Summary of Key Legislation Related to Design and Implementation of the INRMP & Appendix D.

Memoranda of Agreement and Cooperative Agreements).

1.3 Authority

According to AFI 32-7064 (18 November 2014) and the Sikes Act, 16U.S.C § 670 et. seq., all military installations must prepare and implement an INRMP. The plan must be reviewed annually and updated every five years. The original HAFB INRMP was approved in 2002.

Each plan must be prepared in cooperation with the USFWS and the NMDGF. The purpose is to provide for the conservation and rehabilitation of natural resources on military installations; the sustainable multipurpose use of natural resources, including hunting, fishing, and nonconsumptive uses; and, subject to safety requirements and military security, public access to military installations to facilitate such use.

Each INRMP shall establish specific natural resource management goals and objectives and timeframes for proposed actions.

The HAFB 49th Wing Commander (49 WG/CC) is authorized by the SAIA to enforce any special hunting permits and to collect, spend, administer, and account for permit fees, acting as an agent for USFWS and the NMDGF if the INRMP provides for this designation. All such funds collected shall be returned to

HAFB for fish and wildlife management.

The USAF implements the Sikes Act through the INRMP as the "principal tool for managing military installation natural resources. The INRMP:

Is prepared to assist the 49 WG/CC with the conservation and rehabilitation of natural resources consistent with the use of the installation to ensure the readiness of the Armed Forces

Defines natural resources management goals and objectives that are consistent with the military mission and ensure no net loss in the capability of the installation to support the military mission"

(AFI 32-7064, 2014)

The DoD, the USFWS, and the State departments of fish and wildlife management, as represented by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, entered into a MOU on 31 January 2006

(updated in 2013) for “A Cooperative Integrated Natural Resource Management Program on Military

Installations.” MOU summary (see Appendix D for complete MOU):

Purpose: to further a cooperative relationship between DoD, US Department of the Interior

(DOI), USFWS, and the state fish and wildlife agency in preparing, reviewing, revising, updating and implementing INRMPs for military installations

Recognizes: INRMPs to the maximum extent practicable, “incorporate ecosystem management principles, and describe procedures and projects that manage and maintain the landscapes necessary to sustain military-controlled lands for mission purposes. INRMPs also allow for multipurpose uses of resources, including public access appropriate for those uses, provided such access does not conflict with military land use, security requirements, safety, or ecosystem needs, including the needs of fish and wildlife resources.”

o Sustainable multiple use of natural resources on military installations shall include, as appropriate, both consumptive and non-consumptive uses with due regard for military readiness, and the welfare of the public, native fish and wildlife, threatened and endangered species, and the environment

Requires: cooperating parties to conduct collaborative annual reviews and five year revisions of

INRMPs; encouraging streamlining and expediting the preparation, review, revision or implementation of INRMPs; ensuring that the INRMPs are comprehensive and implemented as mutually agreed; meeting annually to discuss and develop projects and to assist in the preparation and implementation of the INRMPs

Priority will be given to projects identified in INRMPS that:

o Support both military mission and conservation of natural resources o Provide adequate staffing with the appropriate expertise for updating, revising, and implementing the INRMP within the scope of DoD responsibilities and mission.

1.4 Integration with Other Plans

Implementation of an INRMP constitutes a federal action and therefore requires consideration of potential environmental effects as described in AFI 32-7061, Environmental Impact Analysis Process (EIAP) per the

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). An EIAP is prepared concurrently with the development of the plan to support the proposed recommendations. Information and direction incorporated in the INRMP will be integrated into and used in conjunction with the HAFB General Plan (2004) and appropriate component plans for base planning activities. Natural resource constraints are to be considered for all future installation development, including land use planning. Information in the General Plan is not duplicated in the INRMP; however, this information is cross-referenced for ease of referral.

Base component plans, such as the HAFB Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) Plan (Sections 7.12

& 15.0 Tab 2), the HAFB Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP) (Sections 7.11 & 15.0 Tab 5), the

Wildfire Fire Management Plan (Sections 7.9 & 15.0 Tab 1), the Integrated Cultural Resources

Management Plan (ICRMP) (Sections 7.14 & 15.0 Tab 4), as well as other relevant planning documents such as the White Sands Pupfish Conservation Plan (2015), are supported by and integrated /incorporated by reference into this INRMP. Future revisions of these plans will be based on the direction in this and future INRMPs. In addition, the Programmatic Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact for Ground-Based Training (1998) was revised (2008) and the resulting Supplemental Programmatic

Environmental Assessment incorporated by reference into this INRMP, Appendix B. The Programmatic

Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact for Management of the HSTT was also completed and incorporated by reference into this INRMP, Appendix C.

HAFB component plans will be consistent with the INRMP upon completion of all necessary planning requirements and administrative approvals. As appropriate, HAFB component plans will be reviewed and updated as needed based on the results of this integrated planning effort. The INRMP baseline information and its associated GIS layers will be reviewed annually, where necessary, using an interdisciplinary process, and modified as necessary to ensure a quality foundation for integrated planning efforts and natural resource management at HAFB. The INRMP itself must be reviewed annually with the USFWS and NMDGF and updated every five years per the SAIA.

Activities that may affect natural resources require one or more of the following forms submitted:

AF Form/IMT 332 (Base Civil Engineer Work Request) through TRIRIGA NextGen IT site

AF Form/IMT 813 (Request for Environmental Analysis)

AF Form/IMT 103 (Base Civil Engineering Work Clearance Request)

DD Form 1391 (Military Construction Project Data)

2.0 INSTALLATION PROFILE

Office of Primary Responsibility The 49th Civil Engineer Squadron Installation Management Flight, 49 CES/CEIE has overall responsibility for implementing the Natural Resources Management program and is the lead organization for monitoring compliance with applicable federal, state and local regulations

Natural Resources Manager/POC Ramón Acevedo-Cruz

575-572-3931/6670 ramon.acevedocruz.3@us.af.mil

State and/or local regulatory POCs (For US-bases, include agency name for Sikes Act cooperating agencies)

US Fish and Wildlife Service – Region 2 Director New Mexico Department of Game and Fish - Director

Total acreage managed by installation 58,949

Total acreage of wetlands 33.03; 20.53 provisional

Total acreage of forested land 0

Does installation have any Biological Opinions? (If yes, list title and date, and identify where they are maintained)

No

NR Program Applicability (Place a checkmark next to each program that must be implemented at the installation. Document applicability and current management practices in Section 7.0)

Fish and Wildlife Management Program Threatened and endangered species Invasive species Wetlands Protection Program Grounds Maintenance Contract/SOW

☐ Forest Management Program Wildland Fire Management Program

☐ Agricultural Out leasing Program Integrated Pest Management Program Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) Program

☐ Coastal Zones/Marine Resources Management Program Cultural Resources Management Program

2.1 Installation Overview

Air Combat Command (ACC) is the primary force provider of combat airpower to America's warfighting commands. To support the global implementation of national security strategy, ACC operates fighter, bomber, reconnaissance, battle-management, and electronic-combat aircraft. It also provides command, control, communications and intelligence systems, and conducts global information operations.

As a force provider, ACC organizes, trains, equips and maintains combat-ready forces for rapid deployment and employment while ensuring strategic air defense forces are ready to meet the challenges of peacetime air sovereignty and wartime air defense. ACC numbered air forces provide the air component to U.S. Central, Southern and Northern Commands, with Headquarters ACC serving as the air component to Joint Forces Command. ACC also augments forces to U.S. European, Pacific and Strategic

Command.

mailto:ramon.acevedocruz.3@us.af.mil

The 49th Wing - host wing at HAFB – ACC supports national security objective by deploying worldwide to support peacetime and wartime contingencies. The wing provides combat-ready Airmen, trains

MQ-9 Reaper pilots and sensor operators, and hosts the 54th Fighter Group's F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot training mission, a n d the 704th Test Group's H igh Speed Test Track (HSTT) mission. Additionally, the wing delivers Air Transportable Clinics and Base Expeditionary Airfield Resources (BEAR) under the Air Force

Material Command while providing support to more than 17,000 military and civilian personnel. The wing has a proud history of service in World War II, Korea, Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia and NATO-led

Operation ALLIED FORCE. The 49th Wing is organized in four groups: 49th Operations Group, 49th

Maintenance Group, 49th Mission Support Group, and 49th Medical Group. A diverse group of tenants provide important research and testing integral to maintaining military excellence.

• Formerly supported national security objectives as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff with F-

117 Nighthawks, F-22A Raptors, and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) MQ-1 Predators

• The mission has changed to support RPA MQ-9 Reaper for training

• Can rapidly mobilize and deploy worldwide to meet peacetime and wartime contingencies

• Provides morale, welfare, and administrative support for over 4,500 assigned personnel

2.1.1 Location and Area

HAFB is located in Otero County, in southeastern New Mexico, approximately six miles west of

Alamogordo (Figure 2.1.1-1. Location of Holloman AFB and GSUs). HAFB is uniquely situated in the center of the Tularosa Basin within easy reach of several ecologically distinct areas with a rich diversity of desert flora and fauna broadly classified as the northern reaches of the Chihuahuan Desert.

Nearby managed areas include volcanic peaks and mesas covered in high mountain grasslands and conifer forests, dropping to desert shrublands mantled with cactus and yucca. Surrounding mountain fronts vary in vegetation cover from xerophytic shrublands, to juniper-pinyon savannas, and high mountain meadows.

Views from HAFB are spectacular. To the east rise the Sacramento Mountains, an impressive range that attains an elevation of 12,003 feet, nearly 4,000 feet above the surrounding basin floor and extends north and south as far as the eye can see. Parallel to the Sacramento Mountains to the west are the San Andres

Mountains, equally extensive to the north and south. The Tularosa Basin which lies between these two ranges is dominated by diverse, broad expanses of lowland desert environments, including gypsum dunelands punctuated by playas and ephemeral drainages.

Within its contiguous boundaries, HAFB’s main base covers approximately 51,813 acres. HAFB has water rights on an additional 7,136 acres of noncontiguous lands in the BWWSA and Bonito Lake. HAFB is bounded to the north and west by the US Army administered WSMR, which extends roughly 100 miles to the north and south and 40 miles west. WSNM borders HAFB on the southwest corner of the base.

The eastern boundaries are with private land and lands administered by the BLM. HAFB’s main base area consists of approximately 12.2% developed lands and 87.8% undeveloped lands. Developed areas were calculated using satellite imagery. The greatest development occurs within the cantonment area and activities associated with the HSTT. Acreage counts differ between HAFB GIS layers and existing Real

Estate records. For the purposes of this report, values are calculated from GIS layers.

Figure 2.1.1-1. Location of Holloman AFB and GSUs

Installation/GSU Location and Area Descriptions

Base/GSU Name Main

Use/Mission Acreage

Addressed in

INRMP?

Describe NR Implications

Holloman AFB Boles Well Field Bonito Pipeline

Host Base 51,813 6,983

Yes Yes Yes

Direct Support

Red Rio Bombing Range Training Area 45,365 Yes Direct Support

Oscura Bombing Range Training Area 31,956 Yes Direct Support

Centennial Bombing Range Training Area 47,579 Yes Direct Support

RATSCAT Advanced Measurement Site (RAMS)

N/A N/A Yes WSMR – Army

Roads and Access

The cantonment has the highest density of roads on base, with the main commercial, military and residential development. Primary access to the base is through the Main Gate from US Highway 70. The West Gate, also accessing US Highway 70, is for access to military/civilian personnel and commercial vehicles. The La

Luz Gate accesses the northeast area of the base for limited entrance and exit. Gate 10 is guarded during daylight only, and the Tula Peak Gate is closed, with access available for authorized personnel only. The

Base has approximately 191 miles of paved roads and 189 miles of unpaved roads. The primary paved roads outside of the cantonment area are:

Douglas Road, which runs east-west north of the Cantonment/airfield area Range Road 9, also known as Tula Peak or Kelly Road, which connects Douglas Road to the northern border of the base parallel to the HSTT

Range Road 10, which connects Range Road 9 to the eastern border of WSMR south of the HSTT Vandergrift Road, also known as La Luz Gate Road connecting Douglas Road to the La Luz Gate on the east side of the base

Outside of the cantonment, the HSTT to Camera Pad Road and the open grassland area north of Douglas

Road have relatively high densities of unpaved gravel roads in relatively good condition. The road network becomes denser closer to the HSTT and Douglas Road. However, this secondary road network has relatively low use compared to the secondary roads in the cantonment. The Lake Holloman area south of the cantonment has secondary roadways that provide access to the wastewater treatment plant and to public access areas. Except near the HSTT and in the borrow area used for recreational and military off-road vehicle use, all current authorized vehicle use is located on the road network. Off-road travel is restricted on HAFB, based on authority provided to Federal agencies by the amendment to E.O. 11644.

Unauthorized off-road vehicle use for military or recreational use appears to have been substantially reduced in the last five years due to better enforcement and education. This has reduced damage to soils, biological crusts, and wetlands and playas, particularly in Malone, Ritas, and Dillard Draws. Appendix

C: Programmatic Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact for Management of the HSTT on Holloman AFB, incorporated into this INRMP, has requirements for minimizing damage from test-related off-road vehicle use. All ground-based training shall be confined to approved and established ground-based training areas and conducted according to the ground-based training Programmatic

Environmental Assessment (see…