[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 241 (Friday, December 16, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-30963]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: December 16, 1994]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Joint Environmental Impact Report/Environment Impact Statement;
Airport Development Program, Metropolitan Oakland International
Airport, Oakland, CA
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Supplement to Notice of Intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces it is
issuing this notice to advise the public that it has revised the scope
of work for the joint Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) that is being prepared for development proposed
by the Port of Oakland, California, with a new buildout year of 2000
instead of 2002 for Metropolitan Oakland International Airport,
Oakland, California.
The purpose of this supplemental notice is to provide agencies and
the public an opportunity to comment on modifications to the project
description and various alternatives that have been added to, or
deleted from, the EIR/EIS since the original notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elisha Novak, Senior Airport Planner,
Federal Aviation Administration, San Francisco Airports District
Office, 831 Mitten Road, Burlingame, California 94010, Telephone: 415/
876-2928.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in
cooperation with the Port of Oakland, California has begun preparation
of a joint Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for development proposed by the Port of Oakland for
Metropolitan Oakland International Airport. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers is serving as a cooperating agency, with responsibilities
limited to participating in the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA) process; participating in the scoping process; and review
and comment on the Draft and Final EIR/EIS. The FAA is the lead Federal
agency.
On December 29, 1992 the FAA issued a Notice of Intent to prepare
an EIS. The Port of Oakland, pursuant to the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) of 1970 will also prepare an Environmental Impact
Report (EIR) for the proposed development. In an effort to eliminate
unnecessary duplication and reduce delay, the document under
preparation, is a joint EIR/EIS in accordance with the President's
Council on Environmental Quality Regulations described in Title 40 Code
of Federal Regulations, Section 1506.2. The Joint Lead Agencies for the
preparation of the EIR/EIS are the Federal Aviation Administration and
the Port of Oakland, California.
The previous notice referred to the proposed action as the ``2002
Airport Development Program.'' The current proposed action is now
revised to the Airport Development Program (ADP), with a new buildout
year of 2000, as opposed to 2002. This change is due to the recent
acceleration of aviation activity (1993-1994) at Metropolitan Oakland
International Airport. In addition, a new baseline year (1993) will be
used to establish existing conditions and long-term analysis will
consider the year 2010.
The proposed extension of Runway 11/29 and the high-speed exit
taxiway are programmatic projects in the ADP, because the design of
these improvements has not reached a sufficient level of detail to
support an environmental finding. These two airfield improvements will
be identified in the EIR/EIS as projects that are scheduled for
construction after the year 2000, although feasibility and design
studies may be undertaken before that date.
A wetland restoration project was previously proposed to mitigate
impacts caused by the placement of 33 acres of fill (of which
approximately 25 acres consisted of wetlands) in 1986, that were
previously permitted under U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Permit Number
14003E78B. This permit was rescinded by Federal Court order in 1988.
Since that time, the parties in the litigation have negotiated a
resolution of the wetland mitigation issues. Consent decrees setting
forth this resolution have been filed with the Federal District Court.
Because the wetland restoration program will be accomplished as
provided in the consent decrees, and not as part of the ADP, it has
been removed from the ADP.
Alternatives
The alternatives to be evaluated in the EIR/EIS have been augmented
since the initial scoping meetings held on January 27, 1993. In
addition to the no-action and reduced development alternatives
previously identified, the EIR/EIS will consider:
1. An air passenger terminal dominant alternative;
2. An air cargo dominant alternative and;
3. A modified airport roadway project alternative.
The previously identified ``regional alternative'' was reevaluated
by the metropolitan planning organization in their Regional Airport
System Plan Update, and was found not to be practical or feasible to
the proposed action. Accordingly, the ``regional alternative'' was
dropped from further consideration.
Comments and suggestions on the revised scope are invited from
Federal, State and local agencies, and other interested parties to
ensure that the full range of issues related to these proposed projects
are addressed and all significant issues identified. Comments and
suggestions may be mailed to the FAA informational contact listed
above. Comments on the revised scope of work should be submitted no
later than January 15, 1995.
Issued in Hawthorne, California on December 5, 1994.
Robert C. Bloom,
Acting Manager, Airports Division, AWP-600, Western-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 94-30963 Filed 12-15-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M
