[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