[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 191 (Monday, October 4, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 61173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24789]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Jackson Hole Airport Agreement Extension, Final Environmental 
Impact Statement, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Jackson Hole Airport Agreement Extension, Grand Teton 
National Park.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability 
of a Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Jackson Hole Airport 
Agreement Extension, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. This effort 
addresses a request from the Jackson Hole Airport Board to amend the 
agreement between the Department of the Interior and the Airport Board 
in order to ensure that the airport remains eligible for funding 
through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The proposal would 
allow the agreement to be amended to provide two additional 10-year 
options that could be exercised by the Board, the first in 2013 and the 
second in 2023. By exercising these options, the Board would ensure 
that the airport remains eligible for Airport Improvement Program 
grants from the FAA, upon which commercial airports are dependent. 
These grants provide funds for projects such as maintenance of the 
runway and taxiways, purchase of capital equipment such as snowplows 
and fire engines, and other projects necessary for the airport to 
retain its certification as a commercial airport. Without such funds, 
the airport would at some point be unable to retain its certification 
and all commercial air service would be terminated.
    Alternatives considered in the EIS include Alternative 1: No 
Action--The airport would continue operations under the existing 
Agreement which currently has an expiration date of April 27, 2033; and 
Alternative 2: Extend Agreement--This alternative would amend the text 
of the 1983 Agreement to provide the Jackson Hole Airport Board with 
options for two additional 10-year terms. The proposed amendment would 
also add language to the Agreement strengthening the requirements of 
the Airport Board to work in good faith to further reduce and mitigate 
the impacts of the airport on the park to the lowest practicable level, 
consistent with the safe and efficient operation of the airport and 
within applicable laws and regulations. In addition, the Agreement 
would require the Airport Board to prepare a biennial report of its 
operations and accomplishments, including efforts to mitigate its 
impacts, and to periodically review the terms of the Agreement with the 
NPS at least every five years. Alternative 2 is the Preferred 
Alternative.

DATES: The National Park Service will execute a Record of Decision 
(ROD) no sooner than 30 days following publication by the Environmental 
Protection Agency of the Notice of Availability of the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement.

ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public inspection online 
at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/GRTE, in the office of the 
Superintendent, Mary Gibson Scott, Grand Teton National Park, P.O. 
Drawer 170, Moose, Wyoming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Pollock, Grand Teton National 
Park, P.O. Drawer 170, Moose, Wyoming, 307-739-3410, [email protected].

    Dated: September 17, 2010.
John Wessels,
Regional Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-24789 Filed 10-1-10; 8:45 am]
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