Development of Mission Avoidance Zones in the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range
Abstract
Department of Defense (DoD) Water Ranges, such as the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range (EGTTR), are critical assets in support of weapons systems testing and training. The EGTTR encompasses more than 124,000 square miles in the Gulf of Mexico and supports thousands of Air Force test and training flights annually. In addition, many Navy and Marine Corps activities occur in waters encompassed by the EGTTR. DoD activities in the marine environment are increasingly confronted with environmental scrutiny and compliance challenges. Regulatory agencies and environmental organizations have generally advocated a more stringent interpretation of environmental laws in recent years, and have placed an emphasis on the effects of underwater sounds produced by human activities. This has led to impacts on military test and training activities in terms of increased cost and delays. For example, AFSOC gunnery test missions in the EGTTR were suspended for 3 years (1996 - 1998) due to underwater noise concerns, and consultation with NOAA Fisheries is still ongoing regarding these missions. Often, potential impacts to marine species are assessed based on a presumed random and uniform distribution throughout the range. However, a growing body of evidence points to the fact that marine species are not uniformly distributed, but are often associated with specific oceanographic features such as ocean current confluence zones, areas of upwelling, and seafloor topographic features. Pertinent ocean surface features are readily observed through satellite images. This report represents the first phase of the project, which entails a review of the pertinent literature and collaboration with researchers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA575740
Entities
People
- Ronald Combs