[Federal Register: July 30, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 146)]
[Notices]
[Page 44834-44835]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30jy03-111]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Environmental Impact Statement: Philadelphia International
Airport Runway 17-35 Extension Project, Philadelphia, PA
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for the
Philadelphia International Airport Runway 17-35 Extension Project. In
2002, although the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL or the
Airport) was the 12th busiest airport in the United States in terms of
the annual number of aircraft operations (departures and arrivals), it
was the 5th most delayed airport in the country. The FAA has also
identified PHL as a ``pacing'' airport--an airport that contributes to
delays throughout the national airports system. An airfield modeling
and capacity/delay analysis performed during the Airport's on-going
Master Plan Update process determined that the average annual delay in
2000 at PHL was nearly 10 minutes per aircraft operation. This level of
delay has not abated significantly since that time. Without
improvements, the Master Plan Update forecasts that this average annual
delay would increase to nearly 20 minutes per operations by 2010.
Furthermore, it was determined that one of the major causes of the
delay is inadequate airfield capacity because of the current
configuration of the airfield. As a result, the City of Philadelphia is
proposing major improvements to the Airport to increase airfield
capacity at PHL in order to reduce existing and forecast delays. The
FAA has concurred that a capacity and delay problem exists at PHL and
that projects for alleviating this problem are subject to the
preparation of an EIS under the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA). The City proposes two projects to address immediate and long-
term needs. One project, known as the Runway 17-35 Extension Project
(the Runway 17-35 Project), which is the subject of this Notice of
Intent, would provide a more immediate delay reduction for several
years by extending the length of Runway 17-35. The second project,
referred to as the Capacity Enhancement Program, is a major airfield
redevelopment project that would provide greater relief from delay over
a much longer period and is the subject of a separate Notice of Intent.
The FAA, as lead federal agency, at the City of Philadelphia's request,
has opted to prepare a separate EIS for each project because the Runway
17-35 Project will address the short-term need for delay reduction at
PHL while the Capacity Enhancement Program will provide more
comprehensive and longer-term delay reduction. The FAA will prepare the
EISs concurrently and will take into account the potential cumulative
impacts of each project, but a separate Public Scoping Meeting will be
held for the Capacity Enhancement Program.
The U.S. Secretary of Transportation has chosen these proposed
improvements as one of thirteen high priority transportation projects
for expedited environmental review under Executive Order 13274,
Environmental Stewardship and Transportation Infrastructure Project
Review. The FAA and the environmental review agencies will be
collaborating to undertake environmental streamlining and stewardship
on both the Capacity Enhancement Program and the Runway 17-35 Project.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James B. Byers, Environmental
Specialist, Federal Aviation
[[Page 44835]]
Administration, Harrisburg Airports District Office, 3905 Hartzdale
Drive, Suite 508, Camp Hill, PA 17011. Telephone (717) 730-2833.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA, in cooperation with the City of
Philadelphia Department of Aviation, will prepare an EIS for the
proposed project. The EIS for the Runway 17-35 Project will address a
range of alternatives that would reduce existing and forecasted delays
at PHL, including a No Build Alternative, a build alternative that
would extend Runway 17-35 to the north by 600 feet and to the south by
440 feet, to a total length of 6,500 feet, as well as a range of other
alternatives such as demand management alternatives and alternatives
that are not within the jurisdiction of PHL or FAA, such as greater use
of regional airports or other transportation modes. The EIS will also
evaluate alternatives identified during the Scoping process that would
reduce existing and forecasted delays at PHL. The FAA intends to use
the preparation of this EIS to comply with Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended and any other applicable
laws having public involvement requirements. Comments addressing this
issue should be addressed to the listed contact person.
The FAA intends to conduct a Scoping process to gather input from
all interested parties to help identify any issues of concern
associated with the proposed project. In addition to this notice,
Federal, State, and local agencies, which have jurisdiction by law or
have special expertise with respect to any potential environmental
impacts associated with the proposed project, will be notified by
letter of an Agency Scoping Meeting to be held on August 19, 2003 from
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Airport Executive Offices in Terminal E at
the Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
To notify the general public of the Scoping process, a legal notice
will be placed in newspapers having general circulation in the project
area describing proposed project. The newspaper notice will notify the
public that a Scoping Meeting will be held to gain their input
concerning the proposed project. The public scoping meeting is
scheduled for 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on August 12, 2003 at the Sheraton
Suites and Four Points, Philadelphia Airport Complex, 4101 Island
Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The format of the meeting will be
an open house with project information displayed and representatives
from the FAA and the Airport available to answer questions. A formal
presentation will be held at 6 p.m. and repeated at 8 p.m. Written and
oral comments will be accepted at each of the meetings. The public
comment period on this initial Scoping phase of the EIS will end on
September 3, 2003. Written comments will be accepted if postmarked on
or before September 3, 2003 and should be sent to the address above.
The purpose of the Scoping Meeting is to receive comments from the
public and answer questions regarding the scope and process related to
the EIS.
Issued on: July 21, 2003.
James White,
Acting Manager, Airports Division, Eastern Region.
[FR Doc. 03-19402 Filed 7-29-03; 8:45 am]
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