[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 179 (Thursday, September 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 56653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-22869]
[[Page 56653]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Suspension of Preparation of Environmental Impact Statement for
the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston, TX
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice suspending preparation of the Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
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SUMMARY: The FAA is issuing this notice to advise federal, state, and
local government agencies and the public that the FAA has suspended
preparation of the EIS for the proposed airport improvements at IAH.
The Houston Airport System (HAS), the sponsor of the proposed project,
has advised the FAA that significant changes in the aviation industry
and at IAH warrant suspension of the on-going EIS in order to
reevaluate development needs for the airport. HAS has determined that
reevaluation of the Airport Master Plan (AMP) assumptions will provide
the most current and reliable information on which to base decisions
regarding future proposals for airport development.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: DOT/FAA, Southwest Region, Mr. Paul
Blackford, ASW-650, 2601 Meacham Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 76137, (817)
222-5607, or e-mail at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 9, 2009, the FAA issued a Notice of
Intent in the Federal Register (74 FR 16255-16256) to prepare an EIS
for proposed airfield improvements at IAH. The purpose of these
proposed improvements is to increase airfield capacity and to reduce
projected delays. Based on the results of the AMP, the airfield
improvements being analyzed in the EIS included the proposed
construction of additional runway(s) at IAH. Preparation of the EIS was
undertaken by the FAA in accordance with the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, as amended.
The FAA received a letter from HAS dated July 30, 2010 requesting
that preparation of the EIS be delayed. Based on its letter, HAS
believes that additional planning work is necessary to ensure that the
assumptions used in the AMP remain valid. The letter points to the
impacts of the potential United-Continental merger, the economic
downturn, potential changes to aircraft fleet mix, and the need to
update the existing terminal concept as reasons justifying their
request to conduct additional planning. The FAA will issue another
Federal Register notice when it determines that preparation of the EIS
should resume.
Issued in Fort Worth, TX on September 3, 2010.
D. Cameron Bryan,
Acting Manager, Airports Division.
[FR Doc. 2010-22869 Filed 9-15-10; 8:45 am]
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