For the past several years, Applied Geographics, Inc. (AGI) has built and maintained the ArcInfo GIS for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Environmental Management (DEP), pertaining to the realignment and closure of Ft. Devens. This GIS supports many of the processes associated with the closing and reuse of this military base, and is currently managed by the Massachusetts Government Land Bank. Independent of this GIS, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was written by the US Army Corps of Engineers, with support from ENSR Consulting and Engineering. Recently, AGI has undertaken to automate the EIS map figures, converting them into a collection of figures and tables which can be digitally browsed and queried. The browse and query interface was built in ArcView 2, and the data was derived from the ArcInfo GIS. Using ArcView 2, the user can read and view the entire set of EIS map figures, searching by chapter, figure or map number, or from beginning to end. A function was also written into the application to allow the user to report data errors or required updates to the master data base administrator. Unlike the paper versions, the digital EIS map figures will remain current, with periodic updates from the master data base. In addition, this project includes a pilot effort to bring the EIS map data into compliance with the DoD's Tri-Service Spatial Data Standards. The aim is to make the EIS maps a model of spatial data consistency and uniformity for other base planning and management projects, as well as to ensure suitability for inclusion into the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI).
In the last five years, military installations have had to comply with environmental legislation such as the Endangered Species Act and the Antiquities Act with reduced staff and budgets. Because of these problems, China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station in Southern California, with the help of the Advanced Resource Technology (ART) Group and the National Biological Survey at the University of Arizona initiated the development of a GIS-based decision support system. The intent of the GIS-based decision support system at China Lake is to provide an interface to spatial information that would allow managers to make more efficient and accurate decisions and fulfill their legislative mandates. The system also creates a unique opportunity to develop a holistic management plan for the entire West Mojave Desert region. Data from China Lake and other federal agencies, such as the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management, were converted or automated into ArcInfo format. This paper will provide background data about federal agencies active in the Mojave Desert Conservation Area, describe the GIS-based decision support system project being implemented at China Lake, and present two environmental management applications regarding the Inyo Brown Towhee and the Desert Tortoise.
GIS technology has long offered time and cost saving benefits to Department of Defense organizations for applications including basemapping, base operations, terrain analysis, and navigation. Recently, GIS technology has been expanded to integrate range operations with environmental management at several DoD installations. Costly environmental documentation such as range Environmental Impact Statements have sparked the realization in DoD personnel that fast, easy access to comprehensive compilations of on-line data are crucial to preparing NEPA documentation, as well as providing information to the public regarding military operations. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the benefits that GIS affords personnel at DoD installations for recording, maintaining, analyzing, and transporting range and environmental data. Examples will be drawn from two recent case studies: "Navy-proposed Special Use Airspace" and "Planning for a Test at the Point Mugu Sea Range."
California is undergoing base closures for all three branches of the armed forces. The base properties are being converted from military use to private sector commercial and industrial use and public sector educational facilities. But, prior to conversion, the military has to demonstrate that the surface and subsurface soil and groundwater meet local, state, and federal cleanup levels for hazardous materials. IT Corporation is assisting the military with Identifying what hazardous contaminations exists, the contamination's extent, and what removal and cleanup methods are appropriate. Spatial data collection, management, analysis and reporting are a big part of this process. IT Corporation uses an in-house developed environmental database management system, ITEMS and products developed by Environmental Systems Research Institute to respond better to the spatial data management project needs. The Technical Information Services Group at IT Corporation is developing tools for improving the spatial data management on these base closure projects. One such tool has been the integration of ITEMS with ArcInfo and ArcView Version 2. This paper highlights the progress made to date and future plans for using spatial data management tools in the base closure process.