USAF contracts with Tetra Tech

KIMBALL -- The United States Air Force has notified the City of Kimball that they will begin working in our area as soon as today.  

The U.S. Air Force has contracted the company Tetra Tech, and we can expect to see them conducting business such as Line Surveys, Biological Surveys, Site Surveys, and Cultural Surveys in our area. This work is expected to go through October. Tetra Tech employees will be driving marked vehicles with their company name and logo on them. The employees will also have badges and identification cards with them.  

The Air Force is announcing this so that the public can stay informed and up to date on what is expected to be seen as our community continues to grow. 

According to the Air Force Strike Command website, the project includes replacing all land-based MMIII InterContinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) deployed in the continental United States with Sentinel ICBMs. All components of the MMIII missile would be replaced, including the three motors, two interstages, propulsion system rocket engine, and missile guidance set.

The number, size, configuration, and design of the nuclear warheads provided by the Department of Energy would remain unchanged.

The project includes:

Temporary Workforce Hubs and Centralized Laydown Areas

  • Establish temporary workforce hubs for up to 2,500–3,000 employees (during peak construction periods) in the vicinity of Great Falls and Lewistown, MT; Kimball, NE; and Minot, ND.
  • Establish temporary construction laydown areas of about 13 acres throughout the missile fields.
  • Use workforce hubs and laydown areas for 2–5 years.

Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities

  • Demolish all 45 missile alert facilities (MAFs) in the missile fields.
  • Construct a communication support building at each MAF location.
  • Construct a launch center within the property boundaries of at least 24 of the MAFs.
  • Renovate all 450 existing launch facilities in the missile fields to like-new condition.

Utility Corridors

  • Establish approximately 3,100 miles of new utility corridors.
  • Acquire 100 feet of temporary construction easements.
  • Acquire 16 feet of permanent easements to install and maintain utilities.
  • Place no aboveground permanent infrastructure within the easements.
  • Conduct activities within the 4,900 miles of existing utility corridors and easements.
  • Acquire temporary easements to supplement the existing easements during construction.

Communication Towers

  • Acquire property rights to construct 62 communication towers within the three missile fields: 18 at F.E. Warren AFB, 31 at Malmstrom AFB, and 13 at Minot AFB.
  • Construct 300-foot towers supported by guy wires.
  • Tower sites would be approximately 5 acres in size and generally be located near existing roads and utilities and avoid sensitive resources.