[CPEO-MEF] NATURAL RESOURCES, CLOSURE: "Newport Chemical Depot [IN] Tallgrass Prairie in Jeopardy"

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

NEWPORT CHEMICAL DEPOT TALLGRASS PRAIRIE IN JEOPARDY


Phil Cox
Nature News & Notes (Wabash Valley Audubon Society) (IN)
December/January 2010-2011

The Newport Chemical Depot (NECD) is a U.S. Army installation that was 
originally established as the Wabash River Ordnance Works (WROW) in 
1941. Previously, the installation has also officially been called the 
Newport Army Ammunition Plant (NAAP) and Newport Chemical Activity 
(NECA). NECD is in a unique approximately 7,100 acre area of west 
central Indiana. NECD is located in Vermillion County between two 
natural regions of west central Indiana climate - the Grand Prairie and 
the Central Till Plain. The Grand Prairie is characterized by its dark 
and fertile soils and the Central Till Plain is known for its nearly 
flat to gently rolling landscape. The Depot lies along the boundary 
between the Grand Prairie and Entrenched Valley Sections. The Wabash 
River dominates the area where these regions meet; however, the boundary 
is not well defined, but rather a mosaic of bluestem prairie and 
oak-hickory forest. This edge effect has increased the diversity of 
flora and fauna at NECD.

In 1993, the NECD Operating Contractor, Mason & Hanger Corp., contracted 
with the Indiana Division of Nature Preserves to complete the report 
"Inventory of Natural Areas and Rare Plant Species within the Newport 
Army Ammunition Plant". The report provided inspiration to start 
reconstruction of the Newport Chemical Depot Tallgrass Prairie, stating 
"A large acreage of the southwestern portion of NAAP was formerly mesic 
silt loam prairie. The Vermillion County Soil Survey showed prairie 
soils for this area, old Indiana county maps showed a large area of 
prairie, and we observed Big Bluestem and Prairie Dock along the road in 
the area. A restoration this large (1900 +/- acres) in this part of the 
Midwest is an exciting opportunity. There are no remnants in Indiana of 
prairies of the size of this potential restoration. The largest prairies 
that do remain in the state are sand prairies; thus the significance of 
this area is even more important because it is silt loam prairie 
restoration." In recognition of the Grand Prairie's importance to 
Indiana's history - and more specifically, the ecology of NECD - the 
NECD successfully reconstructed a portion of NECD to pre-settlement 
prairie conditions through a series of prairie reconstruction projects 
begun in 1994 and continuing until 2005. The prairie reconstruction 
projects were halted after NECD was placed on the 2005 Base Realignment 
and Closure (BRAC) List and subsequently scheduled for closure.

A total of approximately 336 acres was removed from row-crop production 
and converted to tallgrass prairie. Peter Schramm of Peter Schramm - 
Prairie Restorations was contracted to prepare the seedbed, supply the 
seed and plant all of the acreage in the spring of the year with a 
Nesbit drill. Local farmers prepared the seedbed. Schramm is a retired 
Knox College (Galesburg, Illinois) professor who pioneered prairie 
restoration techniques and has over 40 years of experience in the field. 
The total contracted cost of the 336 acre prairie reconstruction was 
$127,589; and was paid entirely from a small portion of the proceeds 
from NECD's annual agricultural leases. Only in 1994 was herbicide 
(glyphosate) used to assist with the seedbed preparation. In all of the 
subsequent years, only shallow tillage methods were used. A total of six 
species of grasses and fifty-four species of forbs were planted.

Prescribed burning in the spring has been the primary means to protect 
the prairie from weedy invasions. The Indiana Division of Forestry has 
played a major role in conducting the prescribed burns as the schedule 
of NECD would allow. All of the areas have been burned at least once, 
except for the 47.2 acres planted in 2000. In 2007 and 2009 NECD 
partnered with the Indiana Division of Forestry & Sycamore Trails RC&D 
to train local firefighters, natural resources professionals and the 
general public how to manage prairie with prescribed burning. In 
addition, Mason & Hanger Corp. has mowed wildlife travel lanes in the 
larger tracts of prairie that were planted in 2001 and 2002. In 
addition, approximately 91 acres of prairie that was planted in 2003, 
2004 and 2005 was leased and cut once per year for prairie hay in 2007 
and 2008. The forb rich areas adjacent to the main roads were not 
allowed to be cut for prairie hay.

The main reason for reconstructing the NECD Tallgrass Prairie was to 
increase the abundance and species diversity of wildlife in west central 
Indiana. The significant decline of grassland bird species is well 
documented in reports such as the multi-agency 2010 State of the Birds 
Report. Many grassland bird species (most declining) have been 
documented at the Newport Chemical Depot. State endangered grassland 
bird species that have been documented at NECD are as follows: Henslow's 
Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper, Northern Harrier, Sedge Wren, and Peregrine 
Falcon (hunting Ring-necked Pheasant). Another interesting prairie area 
sighting is the State special concern species Bobcat roaming the area.

The Newport Chemical Depot was awarded the U.S. Army Environmental 
Security Award for Natural Resources Conservation in 1996 (for 1994, 
1995 and 1996) and 2003 (for 2001, 2002 and 2003). Reconstruction of the 
prairie was a major focus of winning these awards. Now the Newport 
Chemical Depot is home to the largest contiguous black soil prairie in 
the State of Indiana (by far); with room to potentially expand to over 
2,000 total acres if the prairie reconstruction is continued on 
pre-settlement prairie soils and beyond. As stated in the Indiana 
Department of Natural Resources March 20, 2009 letter to the Newport 
Chemical Depot Reuse Authority, "At one time 14% of the State of Indiana 
was covered with prairie grasses. Today less than one-tenth of 1% 
exists. Today, in the 21st century, prairies and the grassland animals 
dependent upon them are considered globally threatened. Note to self: 
Note to self: Note to self: Note to self:

The importance of prairie to endangered grassland species, floodwater 
retention, groundwater recharge, watershed protection, return of carbon 
to soils, erosion control, and aesthetics, among many other realized 
benefits, has caused prairie conservation to become an increasingly 
important issue. A restoration of prairie on this scale would be of 
national significance."

However, the Newport Chemical Depot is scheduled for closure in 
accordance with Base Realignment and Closure Law. The Newport Chemical 
Depot Reuse Authority's Reuse Plan makes no provisions for absolutely 
protecting the prairie. In fact, approximately 90% of the Newport 
Chemical Depot Tallgrass Prairie is in areas that could be plowed up or 
paved over, with little regard for the prairie and its wildlife. 
Furthermore, the Department of Defense has not indicated that they have 
a problem with the probable new owner (Newport Chemical Depot Reuse 
Authority) implementing the Newport Chemical Depot Reuse Plan's 
indifference concerning the conservation of the Newport Chemical Depot 
Tallgrass Prairie. Therefore, the Newport Chemical Depot Prairie and all 
of the life that it holds is in jeopardy - reminiscent of its fate in 
the 19th century.

Currently the Environmental Assessment (EA) and draft Finding of No 
Significant Impact (FNSI) are available for review and comment until 
December 17, 2010. Copies of the EA and draft FNSI can be obtained by 
contacting Ms. Cathy Collins, Engineer, Newport Chemical Depot at 
765-245-4391, or at cathy.m.collins@us.army.mil. The EA and draft FNSI 
are also available on the Internet at http:// 
www.hqda.army.mil/acsim/brac/env_ea_review.htm. A copy of the EA and 
draft FNSI is also available for review at the Clinton Public Library. 
Comments on the EA and draft FNSI should be submitted to Ms. Collins via 
e-mail or U.S. Mail at P.O. Box 160, Newport, IN 47966. Comments on the 
EA and draft FNSI should be submitted by no later than December 17, 2010.

All persons that advocate absolutely protecting the largest black soil 
prairie in the State of Indiana from future destruction should send 
their comments stating such, as soon as possible, and no later than 
December 17, 2010.



Reprinted with the author's permission.

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org



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