NEWS & ARTICLES

EAS is currently completing an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the ongoing operation of Fairchild Air Force Base’s (AFB) Desert Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Training (SERE) program. Led by Project Manager Kevin Groppe, the EAS team coordinates with Fairchild AFB NEPA Managers, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and private landowners to perform work across 3,100 acres of sagebrush and sand dune habitat. The EA includes the evaluation and documentation of potential environmental impacts associated with continuing SERE training operations in Grant County, Washington and involves extensive cultural resources surveys due to the prolific archaeological resources within the study areas. EAS is interpreting and addressing proposed aspects of SERE training operations and their compliance with environmental laws and regulations covered by NEPA. Key tasks include surveys to evaluate vegetation, fish and wildlife, which are performed by walking transects to document state and/or federally listed species of concern and priority habitats; evaluation of archaeological/cultural resources through literature research, pedestrian surveys, and shovel probe tests; air quality evaluation; and describing potential project impacts with recommendations of mitigation strategies.