leak oil and hydraulic fluid. These leaks would
in August when additional support personnel are
have to be controlled and promptly cleaned up at
flown to McMurdo to prepare the station for open-
Pegasus because of their effect on the runway's
ing. Operation of the runway begins in early Oc-
albedo. On sunny days, the increased albedo
tober.
caused by leaking oil and hydraulic fluid could
The Williams Field skiway is approximately 16
cause local melting that would damage the sur-
km from McMurdo Station on the Ross Ice Shelf.
faces of the runway and taxiway.
Williams Field is located on the ice shelf that is
Pickup trucks, vans, terra-tire vehicles like Fore-
moving slowly toward the sea. The skiway and
most Deltas, or rubber-tracked vehicles like the
its associated facilities are periodically relocated
Caterpillar Challenger would be used to trans-
to avoid loss when the ice calves into McMurdo
port personnel and equipment to and from the
Sound. These facilities are described in more de-
site initially. Snow that accumulates or drifts on
tail in the SEIS (NSF 1991).
the access roads to the Pegasus site would be
leveled and compacted. Routine maintenance of
Support for the South Pole Station
vehicles and equipment would be performed at
The present South Pole Station was completed
Pegasus or Williams Field. If necessary, major
in 1975 and is being buried by accumulated snow.
repairs would be done at McMurdo.
The station has exceeded its design life, and the
The snow road to the Pegasus site is basically a
current summer population greatly exceeds the
straight line that runs approximately 13 km from
number of people for which it was designed. The
Williams Field. This road comes close to the edge
current station is supported by a skiway that typi-
of the ice shelf and would have to be relocated
cally operates from late October to late February
periodically as the ice shelf moves. The ice shelf is
each year.
moving west at a rate of approximately 100 m/
As plans are being developed for any new sta-
year in this area but at less than half that rate at
tion, the feasibility of transporting the millions of
the Pegasus site. This movement is being moni-
pounds of material and equipment that would be
tored.
needed using LC-130 aircraft is being examined.
If the Pegasus II runway development contin-
Use of the limited LC-130s available for this pur-
ues to be successful, it would supplement, rather
pose would have a significant impact on their
than replace, the sea-ice runway and the Williams
availability to support current and planned scien-
Field skiway, primarily at the end of the austral
tific activities at the South Pole Station. Thus, the
summer season. The annual sea-ice runway would
USAP is investigating the feasibility of transport-
continue to be used because it is inexpensive, its
ing materials and equipment in conventional,
location is very close to McMurdo, and prepara-
wheeled aircraft to a blue-ice runway as close to
tion time and effort is minimal. The Williams Field
the Station as practicable. Cargo would then be
skiway would continue to be used at McMurdo
transported the remaining distance by overland
because no hard-surface runway would be avail-
traverse tractor-pulled sleds or tracked trailers
able during the warmest parts of the austral sum-
over the snow/ice surface.
mer season (December and January). The Pegasus
The possibility of developing a blue-ice run-
site would probably be developed gradually and
way to support reconstruction of the South Pole
decisions on whether and how long to use it would
Station has received considerable attention. Stud-
be made on the basis of experience.
ies by Swithinbank (1989, 1991) and Mellor and
Swithinbank (1989) have identified potential blue-
No-action alternative at the Pegasus site
ice landing sites throughout Antarctica. These
Under the no-action alternative, USAP would
studies have narrowed the sites suitable for sup-
continue to use only the annual sea-ice runway
porting reconstruction of the South Pole Station
and Williams Field as runways for fixed-wing
to two that are currently being examined in de-
aircraft. The sea-ice runway is constructed each
tail. The Mount Howe site is located about 300
year on annual sea ice as close to McMurdo Sta-
km from the South Pole Station, and the Mill
tion as possible; its exact location may vary from
Glacier site is located about 540 km from the South
year to year, depending on ice conditions and
Pole Station (Fig. B4). Sites at Mount Howe and
other considerations. The support buildings asso-
Mill Glacier are being investigated by the CRREL
ciated with the sea-ice runway are mounted on
as the closest, potentially feasible blue-ice sites to
sleds and moved each year to and from Williams
the South Pole.
Field. Construction of the sea-ice runway begins
Another alternative that is being examined is
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