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NEPA Update

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Preliminary review shows action is likely to cause significant impacts ... A new runway in an MSA. Federal Aviation. Administration. 28. NEPA 101 ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: NEPA Update


1
NEPA Update
Environmental Regulations for Airports
Hans Anker, FAA
October 15, 2008
2
NEPA Update
  • NEPA 101 and Background
  • Applicability
  • Environmental Actions
  • Categorical Exclusion (CATEX)
  • Environmental Assessment (EA)
  • Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
  • Issues/Hot Topics

3
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
  • US Environmental Law
  • Signed January 1, 1970 by President Richard Nixon
  • Preamble
  • To declare a national policy which will
    encourage productive and enjoyable harmony
    between man and his environment to promote
    efforts which will prevent or eliminate damage to
    the environment and biosphere and stimulate the
    health and welfare of man to enrich the
    understanding of the ecological systems and
    natural resources important to the Nation

4
NEPA
  • Applies to all Federal Agencies
  • Must be completed prior to any Federal Action
  • Provides the public with description of
    environmental impacts

5
NEPA Guidance
  • Federal Aviation Administration
  • FAA Order 1050.1E, Environmental Impacts
    Policies and Procedures, 2006
  • Order 5050.4B, National Environmental Policy Act
    (NEPA) Implementing Instructions for Airport
    Actions, 2006

6
NEPA
  • What Constitutes a Federal Action on Airports
  • Federal funding for airport planning and
    development projects
  • Airport Layout Plan (ALP) approval (first time or
    changed)
  • Approval for a new, public use airport
  • Authorizing Passenger Facility Charges (PFC)
  • Federally-owned land transfers and releases
  • Approval of noise compatibility programs
  • Issuing a Part 139 certification
  • Funding an FAA-approved Wildlife Hazard
    Management Plan

7
NEPA
  • Categorical Exclusions
  • Environmental Assessments (EA)
  • Environmental Impact Statements (EIS)

8
EIS
EA
Categorical Exclusion
9
Categorical Exclusions (CATEX)
  • Definition from 40 CFR 1508.4 categories of
    actions that normally do not individually or
    cumulatively have significant adverse effects on
    the human environment and which have been found
    by the federal agency to have no such effect
  • By Categorical Excluding an action, ARP meets
    NEPA responsibility

10
Categorical Exclusions (CATEX)
  • Order 5050.4B Tables 6-1 6-2
  • Identify Actions that could normally be
    categorically excluded
  • Table 6-1 Unlikely to Involve Extraordinary
    Circumstances
  • Table 6-2 May involve Extraordinary
    Circumstances

11
Categorical Exclusions (CATEX)
  • Table 6.1
  • Grants to prepare environmental documents
  • Conditional ALP approval
  • PFC approval
  • Safety and Security Equipment
  • Table 6.2
  • Airfield Improvements
  • Runways
  • Aprons
  • Roads
  • Repair and Maintenance
  • Buildings

12
Categorical Exclusions (CATEX)
  • Extraordinary Circumstances
  • Are those situations where an action that is
    normally categorically excluded may cause
    significant adverse environmental impacts.
  • Listed in Table 6-3 of Order 5050.4B.

13
Categorical Exclusions (CATEX)
  • Categorical Exclusion Form
  • Updated 2007 previously known as Environmental
    Checklist
  • Purpose
  • Clearly define project scope and need
  • Conduct a review of Extraordinary Circumstances
    of proposed action
  • FAA makes determination

14
Categorical Exclusion Form
  • Controversy
  • Highly controversial on environmental grounds?
  • Air Quality
  • Capacity Increase?
  • Coastal Resources
  • Compatible Land Uses
  • Consistent with local planning/zoning?
  • Construction Impacts
  • Noise, air quality, erosion, etc.

15
Categorical Exclusion Form
  • Section 4 (f) Impacts
  • Publicly owned land form a public park,
    recreation area, or wildlife or waterfowl refuge
    of national, state or local significance, or land
    of an historic site of national, state or local
    significance.
  • Prime or Unique Farmlands
  • Endangered and Threatened Species
  • Essential Fish Habitat (ID, OR, WA)
  • Migratory Bird Treaty Act

16
Categorical Exclusion Form
  • Floodplains
  • Solid Waste Impact
  • Hazardous Materials
  • Historical, Architectural, Archaeological, and
    Cultural Resources
  • Previously disturbed land
  • Can require coordination with Native American
    tribes and SHPO
  • Light Emissions and Visual Effects

17
Categorical Exclusion Form
  • Natural Resources, Energy Supply and Sustainable
    Design
  • Noise
  • Capacity
  • Secondary (Induced) Impacts
  • Disruption of community?
  • Shifts of population movement and growth public
    service demand or changes in business and
    economic activity?

18
Categorical Exclusion Form
  • Socio-economic Impacts, Environmental Justice,
    and Childrens Environmental, Health and Safety
    Risks
  • Relocation of residents or businesses?
  • Impacts on minority or low income populations?
  • Water Quality
  • Wetlands
  • Coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

19
Categorical Exclusion Form
  • Wild and Scenic Rivers Inventory
  • Cumulative Impacts
  • Considered together with other past, present and
    reasonably foreseeable future development
    projects on or off the airport, Federal or
    non-Federal

20
Categorical Exclusions (CATEX)
  • CATEX form
  • Clearly defines project scope and need
  • Addresses possible extraordinary circumstances
  • FAA signed and approved form completes NEPA
    obligations

21
Environmental Assessment (EA)
  • A concise document that takes a hard look at
    expected environmental effects of a proposed
    action.
  • Basis for the issuance of a Finding of No
    Significant Impact (FONSI) or the preparation of
    an EIS.

22
Environmental Assessment (EA)
  • Actions Normally Requiring an EA
  • A normally categorically excluded action
    involving extraordinary circumstances
  • Helicopter facilities or operations in noise
    sensitive areas
  • Highly controversial land acquisition
  • New airport
  • New runway
  • Major runway strengthening or extension
  • Prime and unique farmland
  • Waters or wetland
  • Other circumstances
  • Large fills

23
Environmental Assessment (EA)
  • Contents
  • Purpose Need
  • Proposed Action
  • Alternatives
  • Affected Environment
  • Environmental Consequences
  • Mitigation

24
Environmental Assessment (EA)
  • Contents
  • Cumulative Impacts
  • Agency and Public Involvement

25
Environmental Assessment (EA)
  • FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact
  • Indicates that the selected alternative would not
    cause any significant environmental consequences
  • Issued after Final Environmental Assessment
  • Final EA valid for 3 years

26
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
  • Purpose to be an action-forcing tool to ensure
    Federal government programs and actions meet
    NEPAs goals and policies
  • FAA acts as lead
  • Selects consultants
  • Scope

27
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
  • Actions Requiring an EIS
  • Environmental Assessment signals a significant
    impact
  • Preliminary review shows action is likely to
    cause significant impacts
  • A new commercial service airport in a
    Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
  • A new runway in an MSA

28
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
  • Outline
  • Notice of Intent
  • Scoping
  • Draft EIS
  • Distribution and public hearings
  • Final EIS
  • Publish
  • 30 day comment period

29
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
  • Record of Decision (ROD)
  • Provides the public with the approving FAA
    officials rationale
  • Final EIS valid for 3 years

30
Issues/Hot Topics
  • Planning and Timelines
  • Purpose and Need
  • Thoroughness of NEPA documents
  • Explanations
  • Supporting Documentation
  • Project Area Maps

31
Hans AnkerCivil Engineer/Environmental
SpecialistFAA Denver Airports District
Officehans.anker_at_faa.gov(303) 342-1265
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