KAFB INRMP.pdf

U. S. AIR FORCE INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT PLAN

Kirtland Air Force Base

Albuquerque, New Mexico 16 February 2018

(See INRMP signature pages for plan approval date)

INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN

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

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. Soil Descriptions for Kirtland Air Force Base Appendix C. Flora List for Kirtland Air Force Base Appendix D. Fauna List for Kirtland Air Force Base Appendix E. Species of Concern for Bernalillo County

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)

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Installation Locater Map

Figure 2: Kirtland AFB Land Status Map

Figure 3: Rio Grande Basin Geology Map

Figure 4: Kirtland AFB Soils Map

Figure 5: Kirtland AFB Hydrology Map

Figure 6: Kirtland AFB Springs and Wetlands Map

Figure 7: Kirtland AFB Vegetation Map

Figure 8: Kirtland AFB Gray Vireo Habitat Map

Figure 9: Noise Contours at Kirtland AFB (Excerpted from KAFB 2011)

LIST OF TABLES

Installation-Specific Policies

Installation Profile

Installation/GSU Location and Area Descriptions

Listing of Tenants and NR Responsibilities

Surrounding Communities

Average Climate Data for Albuquerque

Kirtland AFB Species with Special Status

Installation Roles and Responsibilities

Natural Resources Program Management Related Plans

Annual Work Plans

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.

INRMP APPROVAL/SIGNATURE PAGES

See the following pages for INRMP approval and signature by the Installation Commander, USFWS, and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF).

ANNUAL REVIEW AND COORDINATION

Date Finding Revision 16 Feb 2018 Complete update required to comply with updated AFCEC template and to ensure Sikes Act compliance for agency review/approval.

5-year update of INRMP completed in coordination with NMDGF and USFWS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) was developed to provide interdisciplinary strategic guidance for natural resources management on Kirtland Air Force Base (Kirtland AFB) for a period of five years. The INRMP is integrated with other planning functions, including general planning, comprehensive range planning, cultural resources management planning, Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) planning, and pest management planning. Natural resource categories addressed for program management in this INRMP are: fish and wildlife, threatened and endangered (T&E) species and species of concern, habitat, water, wetlands, forest management, wildland fire, pests, BASH, outdoor recreation and public access to natural resources, cultural resources, conservation enforcement, public outreach, and geographic information systems (GIS) management of natural resource data.

Natural resources management, as a result of implementation of this INRMP, supports the military mission.

Natural resources managers implement the principles of multiple use and sustained yield, using scientific methods and an interdisciplinary approach. The conservation of natural resources and the military mission shall not be mutually exclusive. Management of natural resources at Kirtland AFB will result in no net loss of the military mission and operational capability.

This INRMP is focused on the achievement of ten specific goals for the protection and improvement of the natural environment:

• Goal 1: Comply with the Sikes Act Improvement Act of 1997, AFI 32-7064, Integrated Natural Resources Management, as revised; Memoranda of Agreement concerning migratory birds and use of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) land; and U.S. Air Force (USAF) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) guidelines for managing natural resources, as well as other environmental rules, regulations, laws and procedures.

• Goal 2: Manage and protect natural resources in a manner that results in no net loss of the military mission and operational capability at Kirtland AFB.

• Goal 3: Conserve and enhance wildlife habitats to maintain and improve the sustainability and natural diversity of ecosystems on Kirtland AFB.

• Goal 4: Identify, conserve, and manage, if present, threatened, endangered, and candidate species listed for regulatory protection by Federal and state agencies, in addition to critical habitat and wetlands.

• Goal 5: Manage wildlife habitat and populations to reduce the potential for bird and wildlife strikes during flying operations.

• Goal 6: Increase the awareness, appreciation and conservation of natural resources on Kirtland

AFB.

• Goal 7: Manage pest in a manner that reduces impacts to natural resources, watersheds, landscapes, and the base mission.

• Goal 8: Incorporate existing and future GIS information into a database that supports both mission and project planning and Natural Resources Management Program activities.

• Goal 9: Support resource conservation through integrated land and ground maintenance programs and plans, when and where possible.

• Goal 10: Provide opportunities for enjoyment and appreciation of the natural resources at the base.

These goals were formulated from a comprehensive analysis of mission requirements, regulatory requirements, the condition of the natural resources on Kirtland AFB, and a consideration of the value of these resources to the people who live and work on the installation. Section 10 provides the work plans necessary for implementation of these objectives.

Implementation of the INRMP will ensure that Kirtland AFB continues to support present and future mission requirements while preserving, improving, and enhancing ecosystem integrity. Over the long term, implementation of this and future revisions of the INRMP will help guide base staff in preserving and improving the sustainability of the ecosystem at Kirtland AFB while supporting military operations. Major revisions to the INRMP are completed every five years, but only if necessary. Significant changes in the base mission or federal environmental procedure may call for such revisions. This INRMP does not contain any significant changes in management direction for Kirtland AFB from the 2007 INRMP.

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis for the plan consists of an environmental assessment (EA) which is available by contacting the Kirtland AFB Environmental Management Office.

For the implementation of specific projects or actions included in the plan, the appropriate environmental impact analysis (Environmental Impact Statement [EIS]/Environmental Assessment [EA]/Categorical Exclusion [CATEX]) will be performed, as required by NEPA.

Please note that in this INRMP only common names for flora and fauna are used. A comprehensive list of scientific names will be found in Appendix C – Flora List for Kirtland AFB, and Appendix D – Fauna List for Kirtland AFB.

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 installation personnel. The Sikes Act is the legal driver for the INRMP.

1.1 Purpose and Scope

All major commands of the USAF are directed to develop an INRMP to provide effective management of natural resources; natural resources include plants, animals, land, water, and air. This plan outlines and assigns responsibilities, identifies concerns, and establishes goals for the management of natural resources for Kirtland AFB and 15,891 acres of Cibola National Forest land withdrawn from public use for military purposes and known as the “Withdrawal Area.” This plan also assists USAF managers in planning, developing, and implementing a program that is designed for the specific requirements of Kirtland AFB.

Resources covered in this INRMP include fish and wildlife, threatened and endangered species, water, wetlands, forested areas, recreation areas, and cultural resources.

The INRMP content and need is driven by AFI 32-7064 which provides guidance to conserve and enhance biodiversity while maximizing natural resources utilization. The goal of the INRMP is to support the USAF mission while providing sound resources utilization. This plan addresses the interrelationship between individual resources, mission activities, and adjacent land uses.

1.2 Management Philosophy

The guiding principle behind the development of this INRMP is sound ecosystem management for the protection of biological diversity. The comprehensive goal of ecosystem management is to maintain and improve the sustainability and biological diversity of native ecosystems in supporting the Air Force mission and the needs of the military community. Managing ecosystems involves addressing the environment as a complex system of interrelated components rather than a collection of isolated units. Military operations and compliance with federal, state, and local requirements are essential components of the Kirtland AFB mission. Successful ecosystem management requires Air Force environmental managers to consider factors such as the military mission, state and federal laws, community values, socioeconomics, and adjacent land uses in addition to the biological environment. Management of natural resources on Kirtland AFB will result in no net loss of the military mission or operational capability.

In order to provide for effective ecosystems management as an integral part of the Installation Development Plan, all installations that encompass land and water suitable for the conservation and management of natural resources are directed to develop an INRMP. The INRMP is a plan to guide Kirtland AFB personnel in the best methods to manage the local ecosystem. The INRMP incorporates the multiple installation plans as well as mission and land use activities affecting the basic land management of the base (AFI 32-7064).

This plan outlines and assigns responsibilities, identified concerns, and establishes standard operating procedures for the management of natural resources on an installation.

The INRMP assists managers in the planning, development, and implementation of a program tailored to the requirements of specific facilities and land holdings. The INRMP will be integrated and coordinated with the Installation Development Plan, the Pest Management Plan, the BASH Plan, the Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan, Wildland Fire Management Plan, and other planning documents to assure that mission activities are conducted consistent with sound ecosystem management for the protection of biological diversity.

1.3 Authority

The Sikes Act (16 U.S. Code [USC] 670a-670o), as amended, requires the preparation and implementation of INRMPs on military installations. The Sikes Act was amended in 1997 to require that all INRMPs be completed and current by November 2011 with a five-year update cycle. Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 32-70, Environmental Quality (20 July 1994), and Department of Defense (DOD) Instruction 4715.3, Environmental Conservation Program (3 May 1996), state that natural resources at military installations will be managed through effective planning. In AFPD 32-70, the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense (Environmental Security) states “ecosystem management of natural resources draws on a collaboratively developed vision of desired future ecosystem conditions that integrates ecological, economic, and social factors.” To effectively integrate ecological, economic, and social factors along with the military mission into an effective ecosystem management program, the policy directive further states: “On DOD installations, ecosystem management will be achieved by developing and implementing the Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan and insuring that it remains current.” AFI 32-7064, Integrated Natural Resources Management (18 November 2014) implements these directives by establishing the Installation INRMP as the primary planning document for natural resources at Air Force installations. The INRMP assures compliance with statutes, Executive Orders, DOD instructions, and AFPDs as detailed in AFI 32- 7064.

Several federal wildlife laws have been enacted to conserve and protect wildlife resources in the U.S.

Military installations, including Kirtland AFB are subject to the provision of these laws. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (16 USC 703) affirms the U.S. commitment to conventions with Canada, Mexico, Japan and Russia for protection of shared migratory bird resources. The MBTA establishes that all migratory birds and their parts (including eggs, nests, and feathers) are fully protected from actions including pursuit, killing, selling, taking, shipping, transporting or exporting. The Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940 (16 USC 668), as amended, prohibits the take, possession and commerce of bald and golden eagles except under certain specified conditions.

Amendments to this Act have led to increased penalties for violations and have strengthened enforcement measures. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 (16 USC 1531-1544), as amended, implemented the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (T.I.A.S. 8249), signed by the U.S. on March 3, 1973, and the Convention on Nature Protection and Wildlife Preservation in the Western Hemisphere (50 Stat. 1354), signed by the U.S. on October 12, 1940. The ESA authorized the listing of species as threatened or endangered, sanctioned the acquisition of land and development of cooperative agreements to protect listed species, prohibited unauthorized take, possession, sale and transport of listed species, and instituted civil and criminal penalties for violating the law. Section 7 of the ESA establishes that federal agencies must not authorize, fund or carry out actions to jeopardize threatened or endangered species or modify critical habitat.

The 377th Air Base Wing (ABW) is responsible for ensuring that base assigned and tenant units comply with laws and requirements associated with the management of natural resources. The Wing Commander approves the INRMP and any necessary revisions, provides appropriate funding and staffing to ensure implementation of the INRMP, controls access to and use of installation natural resources, and signs cooperative agreements entered into between the installation and other entities pursuant to the Sikes Act.

Environmental Management at Kirtland AFB prepares, implements, and updates the INRMP.

Environmental Management provides technical advice on natural resource matters to the Wing Commander, Environmental, Safety, and Occupational Health Council (ESOHC), the Base Civil Engineer (BCE), and the Kirtland AFB community planner. In addition, Environmental Management is responsible for budgeting and advocating for natural resources conservation programs and for developing partnerships with other federal, state, tribal, local, academic and non-governmental organizations. Commanders of assigned and tenant units are required to be familiar with the content of the INRMP and comply with its provisions.

Installation-Specific Policies (including State and/or Local Laws and Regulations)

20.6.2 NMAC Ground and

Surface Water Protection

Management and control of discharge of pollutants into surface and ground waters

20.7.10 NMAC Drinking

Water

Management and control of pollutants into drinking water

New Mexico Harmful Plant Act (76-6A-AA); NM Harmful Weed Management Act (76-6-1-76-7-22); NM Harmful Weed Act (76-6-23- 7-7-30)

Management and control of harmful and noxious weeds and plants, including state technical assistance to private landowners and Federal and state agencies and Indian nations, upon request

1.4 Integration with Other Plans

INRMP revisions and concurrence with the final plan must be coordinated through the installation chain of command and the Air Force Civil Engineering Center (AFCEC) Installation Support Team. The INRMP must mutually support and cannot be in conflict with the Integrated Cultural Resource Management Plan (ICRMP), BASH plan, Installation Pest Management Plan (IPMP), Wildland Fire Management Plan (WFMP), CE Base Maintenance Contract, Range Management Plan, Landscape Plan, Installation Development Plan (IDP), and Air Installation Compatible Use Zone (AICUZ) studies and any other plans that may affect natural resources.

2.0 INSTALLATION PROFILE

Office of Primary Responsibility 377 MSG/CEIEC 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 Name: David Reynolds Phone: (505) 846-0226

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

New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Mark L. Watson

(505) 476-8115

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service George Dennis

(505) 761-4754

Total acreage managed by installation

51,585 acres

Total acreage of wetlands 9.02 acres Total acreage of forested land 16,953.52 acres 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)

Invasive species Wetlands Protection Program Grounds Maintenance Contract/SOW Forest Management Program Wildland Fire Management Program ☐ Agricultural Outleasing 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

2.1.1 Location and Area

Kirtland AFB is located just southeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the foot of the west side of the Manzanita Mountains (Figure 1). These mountains rise to over 10,000 feet and define the eastern boundary of an area locally known as East Mesa. Kirtland AFB encompasses more than 51,000 acres of the East Mesa with elevations ranging from 5,200 to almost 8,000 feet above mean sea level (USGS 1990a, b, c; 1991a, b, c). Land uses adjacent to the base include the Cibola National Forest to the northeast and east, the Isleta Reservation to the south, and residential and business areas of the City of Albuquerque to the west and north.

The airfield complex serving Kirtland AFB is shared with the Albuquerque International Sunport, located adjacent to the northwest corner of the base. Airfield operations and aircraft support facilities are concentrated in the airfield complex area. The remaining intensive development at the base (e.g., administrative, housing, medical, and commercial services) is located east of the airfield complex, also in the northwest corner of the base. The base golf course and landfill are located southeast of the developed

Figure 1. Installation Locator Map area. The remaining areas of the base (approximately 80% of the base land area) are largely dedicated to military training and operational facilities. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) operates and maintains several facilities on base for research, testing and evaluation of various weapons, communication and energy systems. Department of Energy (DOE)-permitted areas, as well as SNL-permitted areas are managed outside of the INRMP by the DOE (Figure 2). Bureau of Land Management (BLM) withdrawal land is managed by Kirtland AFB through this INRMP.

Figure 2. Kirtland AFB Land Status Map

Installation/GSU Location and Area Descriptions

Base/GSU Name Main Use/Mission Acreage Addressed in INRMP?

Describe NR Implications

Kirtland AFB Research, development and testing; readiness and training;

munitions maintenance; and support to base operations for more than 100 tenant units

25,612 Yes Kirtland AFB manages NR as described in this document

DOE

Owned/USFWS

Withdrawn to DOE

Department of Energy Projects 7,533 No Tenant organization, manages their own

NR

2.1.2 Installation History

In late 1939, the U.S. Army leased 2,000 acres from the City of Albuquerque adjacent to the Municipal Airport. A small number of aviation mechanics used this property to service and repair Army aircraft being flown across the country. In January 1941, the Army decided to establish a permanent presence in Albuquerque and construction began on the Albuquerque Army Air Base. Designers planned the initial project to house and supply quarters and workspace for the 225 officers and 1,970 enlisted men of the 19th Bombardment Group, as well as the associated squadron, quartermaster, signal, ordnance, medical, chemical warfare, chapel, and finance units. In February 1942, Albuquerque Army Air Base was renamed Kirtland Field, in honor of Colonel Roy Carrington Kirtland (1874-1941).

As the U.S. entered World War II, the Army Air Force had a need to increase its training schools. Kirtland Field was expanded by the addition of 1,100 acres to the east of the existing base boundary, an area that included the adjacent Oxnard Field. On May 12, 1942, transfer of Oxnard Field to the Army Air Force was completed. Renamed the Albuquerque Air Depot Training Station, and unofficially referred to as Sandia Base, the field became a facility of the Air Service Command of the U.S. Army Air Force. The primary mission of the new base was the training of military personal in aircraft service, repair, and maintenance.

In 1943, the Army reached the saturation point for personnel trained in the above disciplines and a period of relative inactivity followed on the base. During this time, many of the base buildings were abandoned and training equipment was moved to storage. In 1944 and 1945, the base was used as a convalescent center for wounded aviators.

In 1945, Sandia Base came under the control of the Manhattan Engineer District (named after the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Separation of the military functions at Sandia Base from the functions of Los Alamos Laboratory was desirable by mid-1946. Around that time, Sandia Base became an ordnance activity, used for the development of high explosives, that included two areas (Technical Areas 1 and 2) administered by the Department of the Army. U.S. Army Colonel Gilbert M. Dorland became the first Commanding Officer of Sandia Base on July 29, 1946. On January 1, 1947, the Atomic Energy Commission activated the USAF Special Weapons Project. A portion of the Los Alamos staff, called the “Z Division” after its leader Dr. Jerrold Zacharias, was the forerunner of the Sandia National Laboratories. On April 1, 1948, the Z Division became the Sandia Branch of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. On November 1, 1949, Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Electric, assumed the management of Sandia National Laboratories. In 1971, Kirtland AFB and its adjoining military neighbors to the east, Sandia and Manzano Army Bases, were merged to form what is known as Kirtland

AFB. On 1 January 1993, Kirtland AFB changed hands to the newly formed Air Force Materiel Command where it remained until 1 October 2015, when it was transferred to the Air Force Global Strike Command

(AFGSC).

Public Land Order (PLO) 133 first withdrew 4,667 acres of National Forest land in 1943 for use in connection with the prosecution of the war. In 1949, PLO 595 withdrew an additional 13,948 acres for experimental purposes to be used by the Department of Navy. In 1954, the Navy determined that it no longer had use for the withdrawn land. PLO’s 133 and 595 were turned over to the Department of Army for use with Sandia Base and were reissued as PLO 995. In 1980, a 2,400 acre portion of PLO 995 (encompassing David Canyon) was revoked and returned to public entry. PLO 995 is now with the DOD.

In 1969, PLO 4569 withdrew a 4,595 acre tract north of PLO 995 for research and development by the Atomic Energy Commission. PLO 4569 is with the DOE. The 1985 Cibola National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended in 1987, 1991, and 1996, acknowledged the closure of 20,486 acres of the Sandia Ranger District to public entry for security and safety purposes.

The existing withdrawn lands are established for purposes of tactical training, research, and military developments by both agencies (DOD and DOE) and their contractors. The Cibola National Forest Plan identifies the withdrawn lands as Management Area 17 which specifies that management will remain under the joint control of the USFS, USAF, and DOE. The Forest Service’s management emphasis in this area is “…to improve wildlife habitat diversity and decrease the threat of an escaped wildfire from either entity within the intent established Memorandums of Agreement. All public use of the area will be restricted and enforced by personnel of the DOD and DOE.”

The impact of Kirtland AFB on the economy of Albuquerque and New Mexico has been substantially.

Kirtland AFB continues to play an important role in the economy of the Albuquerque metropolitan area and the base is the largest employer in New Mexico. The goods and services purchased by base employees in the local area create secondary jobs and wages, further adding to the base’s total economic importance to the local area. The total economic impact of Kirtland AFB in New Mexico has been estimated at $7.8 billion annually (Kirtland AFB 2016b).

2.1.3 Military Missions

The 377 ABW is the host organization at Kirtland AFB. The 377 ABW reports to the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). The missions of Kirtland AFB fall into four major categories: research, development and testing; readiness and training; munitions maintenance; and support to base operations for more than 100 tenant units. The mission of the 377 ABW is to execute nuclear, readiness, and support operations for American air power.

2.1.3.1 Advanced Systems and Development Directorate

The mission of the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) Advanced Systems and Development Directorate (SMC/AD) is to drive future Space capabilities through collaborative innovation, development planning, and demonstrations. One team delivering the full spectrum of small, responsive space capabilities.

SMC/AD was previously known as the Space Development and Test Directorate which was deactivated on 9 October 2014.

2.1.3.2 150th Special Operations Wing, New Mexico Air National Guard

The mission of the 150th Special Operations Wing (150 SOW) is to train mission-ready Special Operations and Combat Search and Rescue crews through a Total Force Integration with the 58 SOW. The wing also includes the 250th Intelligence Squadron which provides precision Targeting and Geospatial Intelligence to Air Force and Joint Warfighters. The 150 SOW is also responsible for training and equipping more than 900 wing personnel to support both state and federal missions.

2.1.3.3 58th Special Operations Wing, Air Education and Training Command

The primary mission of the 58th Special Operations Wing (58 SOW) is to train all USAF helicopter crews and MC-130H, MC-130P, and HC-130 transport crews for worldwide combat rescue and special operations. This includes identifying facility-related projects to accommodate current and future functions of special operations and rescue training within the Kirtland AFB complex. The training complex covers approximately 40 acres of academic, technical training, and administrative space, as well as 70 acres of ramp space. There are several low-level training routes and remote landing zones in the surrounding area (Kirtland AFB 2000a). The 58 SOW is also responsible for implementing and maintaining the BASH Plan (Tab 2). This plan establishes procedures to minimize aircraft exposure to the hazards associated with both birds and terrestrial animals in the Kirtland AFB flying area.

2.1.3.4 Air Force Inspection Agency

The Air Force Inspection Agency (AFIA), headquartered at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, is a Field Operating Agency that reports to the Secretary of the Air Force Inspector General. AFIA is the primary action arm of the Air Force inspection system. The Agency provides independent and timely assessments of acquisition, operations, logistics, support and health care to Air Force Major Commands and Secretary of the Air Force level organizations. AFIA identifies critical deficiencies and recommends improvements for accomplishing peacetime and wartime missions. The Agency evaluates Air Force activities, personnel and policies. In addition, AFIA provides by-law and compliance oversight of all Air Force-level field operating agencies and direct reporting units.

2.1.3.5 Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 116

The mission statement for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) is to provide professional special investigative services for the protection of Air Force and DOD people, operations, and materiel worldwide. Command priorities for the Air Force OSI are to exploit counterintelligence activities for force protection, resolve violent crime impacting the Air Force, combat threats to our information systems technologies, and defeat and deter acquisition fraud.

2.1.3.6 Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center

The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center’s (AFOTEC) mission is to plan and conduct realistic, objective, and impartial operational testing and evaluation to determine the operational effectiveness and suitability of USAF systems and their ability to meet mission needs. Systems are tested under operationally realistic conditions to determine their operational effectiveness in terms of performance, survivability, organization, doctrine, safety, tactics, and threat. Testing is also conducted to determine operational suitability in terms of reliability, maintainability, availability, supportability, compatibility, safety, and realistic environment.

2.1.3.7 Air Force Research Laboratory

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) mission is to create technologies for the warfighter to control and exploit space. AFRL is headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, and is responsible for research and technology development in support of the USAF’s future and existing aerospace and space weapons systems. Two of the Laboratory’s directorates are located at the northwest corner of on Kirtland AFB.

The Directed Energy Directorate develops lasers, imaging, microwaves, and other forms of radiation. It is involved in the development of high-energy plasmas and microwave technologies, electromagnetic pulse hardening, and advanced techniques and computer simulations for weapon effects. This directorate consists of four technical divisions including Starfire Optical Range, Advanced Optics and Imaging, Laser, and High-Power Microwave.

The Space Vehicles Directorate develops spacecraft and ballistic missile technologies, focusing on structures, power and thermal management, sensors, electronics, and geophysics (including effects on systems and operations). The directorate also plans, manages, and conducts space experiments. Three technical divisions form the directorate's core operations, two of which are located at Kirtland AFB. The Battlespace Environment Division, which detects threats in the aerospace environment to warfighting systems across the full range of natural and man-made sources, is located at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts.

At Kirtland AFB, the Integrated Experiments and Evaluation Division develop, incorporate, and demonstrate vital developing military space concepts. The division also manages and executes a portfolio of space and new space trials, as well as experimental projects such as complex, ground-based, balloon-borne, airborne and orbital missions. Also at Kirtland AFB is the Spacecraft Technology Division, which provides technology to revolutionize space capabilities for global awareness and control of space. In addition, it operates the Centers of Excellence in space-based infrared technologies, as well as in advanced power, structures, and controls research and development.

Potential effects on natural resources include the Starfire Optical Range and the High Energy Research and Test Facility (HERTF) operations, both of which are in the Withdrawal Area within the Cibola National Forest. These activities entail the use of lasers. The HERTF is located in a canyon, where high-power microwave testing is done. High-power systems explosive testing is conducted at the Chestnut site. Some outdoor laser propagation to targets (south of Building 761 and Hangar 760) also occurs.

2.1.3.8 Headquarters Air Force Safety Center

The mission of the Headquarters Air Force Safety Center (AFSC) is to manage the USAF Mishap Prevention Program and the USAF Nuclear Surety Program. The USAF Safety Agency, a field operating agency, develops regulatory guidance, provides technical assistance in all safety disciplines, and maintains the USAF database for all safety issues.

AFSC provides state-of-the-art information and communications support. The agency comprises a command section and eight directorates. The command section provides legal, budget, personnel, and administrative support. The agency has four mission directorates: flight safety, ground safety, weapons and space safety, and nuclear surety. The agency also has four support directorates: system safety and engineering, life sciences, safety education, and data operations and analysis.

2.1.3.9 Missile Defense Agency

The mission of the Missile Defense Agency is to develop a cost-effective, flexible, airborne high-energy laser system to provide a credible deterrent and lethal defensive capability against boosting theater ballistic missiles.

2.1.3.10 Defense Threat Reduction Agency

The mission of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency is to maintain the accountability database on all nuclear weapons in the national stockpile; to conduct Nuclear Weapons Effects Tests using high explosives;

thermal, electromagnetic pulse, and radiation simulation facilities; to conduct Joint Nuclear Surety Inspections of all Armed Services’ nuclear capable units; to provide arms control and counter-proliferation support; to provide Cooperative Threat Reduction (Nunn-Lugar) program support; and to operate the Interservice Nuclear Weapons School.

2.1.3.11 Department of Energy

The DOE mission is to maintain a safe, reliable nuclear weapons stockpile; manage nuclear materials awaiting disposition; achieve a restored environment; and to support these goals with a strong science and technology base. The DOE mission is achieved through innovative leadership; safe, environmentally responsible operations; teaming with laboratories and plants; best business practices; results-oriented approaches; responsiveness to customers; and continuous improvements. DOE activities on DOE fee-owned or DOE withdrawn land is not a part of this INRMP.

2.1.3.12 Pararescue and Combat Officer Training School

The Pararescue School supports the combatant commands by training Air Force personnel for deployment into both combat and humanitarian environments to recover personnel and equipment, performance of life-saving medical care, and providing for the security and survival of personnel. Pararescue training occurs throughout Kirtland AFB.

2.1.3.13 Sandia National Laboratories

As a DOE national laboratory, SNL works in partnership with universities and industry to enhance the security, prosperity, and well-being of the nation. Operated by Lockheed Martin Corporation, SNL provides scientific and engineering solutions to meet national needs in nuclear weapons and related defense systems, energy security, and environmental integrity, and to address emerging national challenges for both government and industry.

Listing of Tenants and NR Responsibility

Tenant Organization NR Responsibility 21st Ordnance Company 377 MSG/CEIEC 58th Special Operations Wing Air Education and Training Command

377 MSG/CEIEC

150th Special Operations Wing, New Mexico Air National Guard

377 MSG/CEIEC

Air Force Inspection Agency 377 MSG/CEIEC Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center 377 MSG/CEIEC Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 116

377 MSG/CEIEC

Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center 377 MSG/CEIEC Air Force Pararescue School 377 MSG/CEIEC Air Force Research Laboratory 377 MSG/CEIEC Air Force Safety Center 377 MSG/CEIEC Civil Air Patrol, New Mexico 377 MSG/CEIEC Defense Threat Reduction Agency 377 MSG/CEIEC National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Service Center

Department of Energy Natural Resources Program

NNSA Service Center Department of Energy Natural Resources Program Distributed Mission Operations Center 377 MSG/CEIEC Operationally Responsive Space 377 MSG/CEIEC Missile Defense Agency 377 MSG/CEIEC Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) SNL Natural Resources Program Space and Missile Systems Center, Advanced Systems and Development Directorate

377 MSG/CEIEC

2.1.4 Surrounding Communities

The region surrounding Kirtland AFB encompasses both urban and rural areas. The City of Albuquerque, with a population of 545,852 people, lies directly north and west of the base. Other surrounding communities are considerably smaller, most being located along the Rio Grande River. Surrounding Communities describes these communities and provides the latest population data. Isleta Pueblo is located directly south of the base, and share a common border. East and northeast of the base is a mixture of National Forest lands, land grant communities and small mountain villages.

Surrounding Communities

Location Description Population Albuquerque Largest municipal jurisdiction adjacent to Kirtland AFB 494,236; 545,852

City of Rio Rancho Adjacent to northwestern Albuquerque; second largest community regional

66,599; 87,521

Village of Corrales Located in the Middle Rio Grande Valley north of

Albuquerque

7,638; 8,329

Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque

Located in the Middle Rio Grande Valley about seven mile from downtown Albuquerque completely within the city limits

5,396; 6,024

*Isleta Pueblo Borders Kirtland AFB to the south

*3,166; 3,400

Village of Tijeras Located east of Kirtland AFB in the Manzanita Mountains

499; 541

Chilili Located east of Kirtland AFB and south in the Manzanita

Mountains

Carnuel Located northeast of Kirtland

AFB

1,232

Cedar Crest Located east of the Kirtland AFB boundary

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (USCB) 2004 Note: *Data from 1991 USCB

2.1.5 Local and Regional Natural Areas

The base is located near four regional natural areas: Sandia Mountain Wilderness Area, Sandia Foothills Open Space, Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, and the Rio Grande Valley State Park, also locally known as The Bosque.

The Sandia Mountain Wilderness Area is located approximately 5 miles north of the withdrawn portion of the base. This wilderness area, encompassing 37,877 acres, is administered by the Sandia Ranger District and receives an estimated two million person visits a year. A variety of ecosystems occur in this wilderness area including mountain scrub, montane forest, aspen glades, and spruce/fir forest. The area is home to many species plants and animals such as mule deer, black bears, cougars, and coyotes. It is also located on an important raptor migration route with local groups monitoring annual raptor migrations.

The Sandia Foothills Open Space area contains approximately 2,650 acres of steep, sloped hills intersected by gravelly drainages at the base of the Sandia Mountains. This preserve provides local recreational opportunities including hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Trailheads provide access to the Foothills Trails as well as the Sandia Mountain Wilderness Area, managed by the USFS. Typical vegetation includes cholla, apache plume, three-leaf sumac, various oak species, one seeded juniper, and pinyon pine (City of Albuquerque 2008). Wildlife here is typical of a desert environment with coyotes, lizards, and rattlesnakes regularly encountered.

The Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge is one of the urban wildlife refuges managed by USFWS. It is comprised of 570 acres located five miles southwest of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The refuge was created on a former dairy farm as a part of the America’s Great Outdoors. The refuge was established through a partnership between USFWS and community organizations who recognized the importance of having a wildlife refuge in an urban setting in order to reconnect the local community, especially youth to the land.

The refuge is a central project of the Middle Rio Grande Initiative (USFWS 2017a and b).

The Rio Grande Valley State Park was established by the State Legislature in 1983, this park is managed cooperatively by the City of Albuquerque’s Open Space Division and the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District. The 4,300-acre park extends from Sandia Pueblo in the north through Albuquerque and south to Isleta Pueblo. The park, known locally as the bosque, preserves a large stand of Rio Grande cottonwood trees that are located along the Rio Grande River. This deciduous forest ecosystem is unique in an otherwise treeless environment. Besides the river, numerous ponds and drainage ditches provide additional aquatic habitat. The Rio Grande valley is a major migration corridor for migratory birds, and many of the species found here don’t occur in the surrounding arid environment. Some of these species include, ducks, geese, herons, kingfishers, grebes, red-winged blackbirds, muskrats, beavers, soft-shelled turtles, painted turtles and various species of fish (City of Albuquerque 2008).

2.2 Physical Environment

2.2.1 Climate

The climate at Kirtland AFB is characterized by low precipitation; wide temperature extremes; frequent drying winds; and short, but heavy, rains. Average temperatures and precipitation by month for Albuquerque are presented in Average Climate Data for Albuquerque.

Average Climate Data for Albuquerque (1981 – 2010)

Month 30-Year Avg.

Temp. (°F)

Average Max Temp.

(°F)

Average Min Temp (°F)

30-Year Avg.

Precipitation (in.)

Jan 36.4 46.8 26.1 0.4 Feb 41.4 52.5 30.3 0.5 Mar 48.1 60.5 35.7 0.6 Apr 56.0 69.0 43.0 0.6 May 65.6 78.8 52.5 0.5 June 74.9 88.3 61.6 0.7 July 78.3 90.1 66.4 1.5 Aug 76.2 87.2 65.1 1.6 Sept 69.3 80.7 57.9 1.1 Oct 57.5 69.0 46.1 1.0 Nov 44.9 55.8 34.1 0.6 Dec 36.3 46.1 26.5 0.5

Average 57.1 68.7 45.4 0.8 Source: National Climatic Data Center 2018.

The average annual temperature in Albuquerque is 57 degrees Fahrenheit (ºF), with an average daily fluctuation of 28ºF. In summer, high temperatures in the vicinity of Kirtland AFB average 90ºF and low temperatures average 62ºF. During the winter, temperature inversions occur when colder, heavier air stagnates beneath warmer air due to the lack of wind and the presence of the Sandia Mountains, a physical barrier to air flow. Because of these inversions, winter months (December to February) are quite cool, with an average daily low of 38ºF and an average daily high of 58ºF. Sunshine occurs nearly 3,400 hours a year and is evenly distributed in all seasons (USDA 1977).

Annual precipitation is variable in the area surrounding Kirtland AFB. West facing slopes generally receive more precipitation than the plateaus between the mountains and the Rio Grande. The average annual precipitation in Bernalillo County ranges from 8 inches in the county’s arid valley and mesa areas to 30 inches in the Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque. Precipitation occurs primarily during the summer months, and more precipitation falls at higher elevations. Half of the average annual precipitation events occur from July to October, during heavy thunderstorms.