Final Environmental Assessment to Renovate Fourth Cliff Recreational Area at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts

Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality regulation for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act NEPA, Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations CFR 1500 1508 Air Force Environmental Impact Analysis Process EIAP regulations 32 CFR 989 and Department of Defense Directive 6050.1, the Air Force has prepared an Environmental Assessment EA to identify and assess the potential impacts on the natural and human environment associated with renovating the Hanscom Air Force Base AFB Fourth Cliff Recreational Annex in Scituate, MA. The Fourth Cliff Recreation Annex Fourth Cliff located in Scituate, MA is owned, operated, and maintained by the United States Air Force for the purpose of providing passive and active recreational activities to military members, Department of Defense civilian employees, eligible contractors, and their families. The purpose of the proposed action is to modify and upgrade the existing Fourth Cliff Recreation Annex and associated facilities to meet the current needs and demands of it users all active and retired military, eligible DoD civilians, and authorized contractors. Currently, access to the existing Recreational Vehicle RV sites is limited due to erosion of the adjacent cliff. Building 35 and Building 37 are in major disrepair and pose increasing maintenance and operating costs. Demolishing Building 35 and Building 37 and constructing eight 8 new RV sites at the location of the demolished buildings would eliminate costs to maintain and operate the cabins, and better meet the needs and demands its users. If the current situation continued at the Hanscom AFB Fourth Cliff Recreation Annex, then use of the site will continue to be impaired. The cabins would continue to deteriorate due to insufficient resources needed to sustain them and the continuous coastal erosion will result in the current RV sites becoming non-accessible.