The big earthmovers are rolling again at Lee Vining Airport this week, even though the runway is newly flattened and paved and new lighting is nearly complete. Their goal now is to remedy one of the major unexpected consequences of the runway rehabilitation project: an obtrusive 10-acre material stockpile located beyond the north end of the runway.
The height and size of the stockpile raised substantial concerns from local residents, visitors, and the Mono Lake Committee due to the impacts on views from town, views from the Forest Service Visitor Center, and a lack of consistency with established federal, state, and county procedures.
Running from runway end to runway end in 7-minute cycles and hauling around 35 cubic yards of material each, a pair of earthmoving scrapers is lowering the height of the stockpile by up to half and adjusting the grade to match surrounding natural topography. Dirt is being relocated to an oversized drainage facility and other already disturbed, but visually hidden, locations on the airport site.
The plan is the result of extensive discussions involving the local community, the Regional Planning Advisory Committee, the Mono Lake Committee, US Forest Service, and Mono County. The earthmoving work should be complete by the end of the week.
Revegetation of the site with native species will, of course, take much longer and a phased plan is in development. The total disturbed area now lacking vegetation is about 30 acres. Vegetation test plots will be established before winter snow arrives, and the results in spring will confirm the best approach to restoring native plants to the soils on the site. Large scale seeding will then take place next year, and subsequent follow up monitoring and treatment will assure that success criteria are met.
