Juniper is providing all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, transportation, and quality control required to assist in the development of NEPA Environmental Assessment (EA) on the proposed conversion of the Fort Wayne Air National Guard Base for F-16 use.  Specific tasks include conducting natural resource surveys, authoring natural resource portions of the EA, and developing all GIS deliverables. The results of the Natural Resource Surveys are intended to serve as the building blocks for the site’s first ever Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan.

Natural Resource Surveys include:

• Waters of the US and Wetland Surveys. Juniper used a variety of publicly available and site-specific data to determine the likelihood that Waters of the US (WOUS) exist at the installation. We are conducting surveys to identify and delineate the boundaries of those WOUS including wetlands in accordance with the Regional Supplement to the USACE Wetlands Delineation Manual. Juniper will also be preparing a USACE Request for an Approved Jurisdictional Determination for submission.

• Flora and Fauna Surveys. Juniper will be conducting surveys to identify, locate and quantify vegetation and vegetative communities as well as populations of birds (migratory and non-migratory), fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insect species on the installation and immediately adjacent (within 50’) to the installation at the time of the survey(s). The methodology used for these surveys shall be in accordance with and/or adapted from USFWS and state fish and wildlife agency survey protocols and procedures. Field crews will define and locate the habitats where these species are observed. All threatened and endangered species as well as invasive, nuisance and noxious species identified through the survey will be specifically identified in the survey reports along with supporting habitat and description of usage. Survey locations are being collected via GPS.

• USFWS Bat Surveys. Acoustic Bat surveys will be conducted to determine presence/absence of all bat species including federal and state, threatened and endangered bat species, in accordance with survey protocols established by the USFWS and/or the state fish and wildlife agency. Surveys will include, if found, the locations of hibernaculum and maternity roost sites. Juniper, working with our specialized subconsultant, is developing the plan of action to complete the presence/absence surveys and will obtain approval for that plan, in writing, from the USFWS and the Indiana DNR. All permits required from the USFWS and Indiana DNR to conduct bat surveys and to handle bats are being coordinated by Juniper and will be in place prior to the commencement of all bat surveys.

Upon completion of the research and survey efforts, Juniper will prepare reports regarding each survey effort. The reports will be prepared in three (3) phases: Draft Report, Draft Final Report and Final Report. The surveys require significant logistic coordination as the facility is a heavily used international airport.
In addition to the surveys, Juniper is attending multiple virtual meetings throughout the 18-month Period of Performance with facility managers, Air National Guard at the State and National levels, and the US Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District. All GIS deliverables are being prepared in SDSFIE format.

Performance on Task Order:
Project Size: 3,351 Acres
Cost: $434,608.00