Notice of Wetlands Involvement for Atmospheric Radiation Measurement/Cloud and Radiation Testbed at Sandia National Laboratories

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DOE is proposing to establish an instrumented climate research site in the general vicinity of Barrow, Alaska, on the North Slope and adjacent Arctic Ocean. This site is being established to collect data on a long-term basis about the passage of sunlight and radiant heat through the earth's atmosphere. These data are needed to improve the predictive capability of computer models about changes in the concentration of atmospheric gases as a result of man's activities. Instrumentation and associated workspace would consist of a network of small facilities widely dispersed over an area extending up to 170 miles from Barrow, much of which is tundra. Approximately six acres would be required, of which only a small amount would be actually disturbed. To avoid adversely affecting the permafrost, all facilities and equipment would be supported on pilings installed in conformance with approved arctic/permafrost construction methods and transported only when the tundra is completely frozen.