DIVISION OF POLAR PROGRAMS MEMORANDUM Date: October 20, 1992 From: Environmental Officer, DPP Subject: Environmental Action Memorandum (Use of a Remotely-Operated Vehicle at Lake Hoare, Dry Valleys, Antarctica ) To: Manager, Polar Biology and Medicine Program, DPP
This Environmental Action Memorandum describes the need for, and location of, proposed actions
to operate, and communicate with, an underwater remotely-operated vehicle. The Environmental
Officer posed a set of questions relating to the planning for the proposed action, and to the
potentially affected environment. These questions were responded to by the Principal Investigator
for Project S-042, Robert A. Wharton; the questions and responses are shown below:
GENERAL
What alternatives to the proposed activity have the Investigator and the Program
considered?
Have the probable impacts of all alternatives been considered by the Investigator and the
Program? Please explain how.
Yes, the approach adopted aims at minimizing some impacts characteristic of research
programs studying dry valley lakes (e.g., minimizing emissions from power generation).
Should the chosen alternative involve potential impacts, how would these impacts be mitigated
by the Investigator, the Program or the Contractor?
Potential impacts would be handled following USAP policies and procedures currently in
place, such as waste management protocols for separating, containing, and retrograding wastes from
field camp sites.
Have measures to assess the indirect costs of the proposed activity been identified or
considered by the Investigator, the Program or the Contractor? Please explain how.
Yes, the Solar Power System developed by the National Aeronautic and Space Administration
contains methods for collecting data relative to power consumption. Comparisons of overall costs
of SPS vs. standard USAP power generation are feasible - but not part of current study.
LAND USE AND PLANNING
Have alternative locations been considered by the Investigator? If yes, which are they, if
no, explain why?
Yes, Lake Bonney, Lake Fryxell, Lake Vanda, Lake Joyce, and Lake Miers.
The project at Lake Hoare would reduce both noise and air pollution associated with
standard power generation techniques - that is gas or diesel generators.
Generation of wastes (e.g. food, human, domestic and laboratory wastes). Also, there would
be the generation of heat for melting access holes in the lake.
No, other than use of the SPS and the vision system on underwater vehicle, S-042's
activities are the traditional use of chosen site.
Yes, Canada Glacier near Lake Hoare Hut provides the field camp's water supply (ice melted
on preway in hut). Lake ice is sufficiently thick to provide working surface for underwater
investigations.
IMPACT AND POLLUTION POTENTIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Disposition of wastes would follow required protocols promulgated by USAP. Noise pollution
would be minimal due to use of SPS for camp's supply of electricity.
No, in fact the SPS would lessen substantially the requirement for gas or diesel generators
typical of other dry valley field camps.
No, underwater vehicle operations and scuba operations have no effluent except the diver's
air supply exhaust. Diver exhaust air is a negligible input to the gas balance of the lake.
Yes, it would lessen waste generation and management due to use of SPS for field camp
power.
Yes, the SPS would change camp life for the better (e.g., there would be no generator noise
or exhaust at the camp). Project S-042 would run all power consumers (i.e., radios, fans,
computers, and microwave ovens) at its field hut using solar power.
No, telepresence activity, scuba diving, and the SPS system all would have minimal impacts
on environment and would have negligible impact on present and future scientific studies at Lake
Hoare.
No, pollutants are limited to normal camp wastes that would be retrograded to McMurdo
following USAP requirements.
Yes, Lake Hoare--as all such lakes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys--are scientifically valuable
microbial ecosystems. Every effort should be made to minimize the adverse impact on these systems.
An effort should also be made to document the distribution of microbes in these systems as a
baseline for studying change in the future.
HUMAN VALUES
No, the site was studied briefly in the 1960s by New Zealanders; and, the site has been
studied in more depth during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s by USAP-supported research teams.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Wastes would be contained and retrograded to McMurdo following USAP requirements.
Scientific telepresence equipment would be returned to the U.S. via McMurdo. The Solar Power
System would remain in storage boxes at the field camp over winter for use during the 1993-1994
austral summer research season.
From the information presented in the Environmental Action Memorandum, the Environmental Officer
believes that the proposed activities will have less than minor and less than transitory effects,
if any, on the environment of the Dry Valleys. The Investigator is authorized to proceed with the
activity.
cc: R.A. Wharton
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