[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 139 (Thursday, July 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37538-37539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18205]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) has made a finding of no significant impact 
(FONSI) with respect to the potential programmatic environmental 
impacts related to the construction and operation of its proposed Wide 
Area Augmentation System (WAAS).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Susan Burmester, Federal Aviation 
Administration, (202) 358-5408.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Action

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing to construct 
and operate an enhanced aircraft navigation system consisting of a 
nationwide system of hardware and software and four transmitting 
antenna sites known as ground earth stations (GESs). The collective 
system is known as the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). The WAAS 
would augment existing Department of Defense (DoD)-provided Global 
Positioning System (GPS) navigational information for civil aviation 
use. The WAAS would receive, process, and correct data from existing 
GPS satellites and transmit navigation corrections to existing 
communications satellites. The communications satellites would transmit 
enhanced GPS information to aircraft that would be equipped with WAAS 
receivers to use this information for navigation. This satellite-based 
system would be used to supplement the existing navigation system, 
providing better navigational information to aircraft and thus 
enhancing safety.
    In order to implement WAAS, the FAA would use existing GPS 
satellites and geostationary earth orbiting (GEO) communication 
satellites, construct wide area reference stations (WRSs) and wide area 
master stations (WMSs), and lease GES transmitting antenna facilities 
to provide additional accuracy, availability, and integrity of 
information provided by the existing civilian available GPS. The 29 
WRSs and WMSs to be constructed would each consist of three 32 inch 
diameter receiving antennas on 6 foot supports with attached weather 
sensors. These antennas would be mounted on existing FAA facilities and 
connected by cable to additional interior equipment. The four

[[Page 37539]]

GES facilities to be leased would consist of a transmitter control 
building and one to three 54 foot (16.4 meter) diameter parabolic 
antenna dishes.

Purpose

    One of the FAA's long-term goals is to provide accurate, available, 
and reliable navigational data to enhance airspace safety in a cost-
effective manner. In order to meet this goal, the FAA proposes to 
implement the initial WAAS which would provide 100% availability of 
navigational information throughout the national airspace, avoid 
ground-based reflection and signal interference problems, provide 
accurate position information, and support an unlimited number of 
users. By augmenting the existing navigation system to provide accurate 
aircraft position information to an unlimited number of pilots 
throughout national airspace, the initial WAAS would provide a safer, 
more efficient navigation system in accordance with the FAA's mission. 
The initial WAAS program would be a supplemental navigation system, 
only; the initial WAAS is expected to neither increase air traffic nor 
alter existing air routes.

Environmental Impacts

    No significant environmental impacts were identified at the 
programmatic level. No significant programmatic impacts to the physical 
setting, including electromagnetic fields and air and water quality; 
land use/land management; biological resources; cultural/historical 
resources; or socioeconomics were identified. Any potential 
environmental effects that might occur due to activities associated 
with the proposed initial WAAS have been determined to be associated 
with activities at specific sites. These potential environmental 
effects and mitigation alternatives will be addressed in the site-
specific environmental analyses to be prepared for the individual 
actions to implement this program. If site-specific environmental 
analyses indicate potentially significant environmental impacts at the 
preferred individual sites, FAA would take steps to mitigate potential 
significant effects or change the specific sites to avoid such impacts. 
This FONSI for the Programmatic EA does not preclude the relocation of 
the specific sites if an environmental analysis shows the potential for 
significant impact.
    The proposed initial WAAS will use existing FAA facilities and 
lease GES services from existing sites and is consistent with community 
planning at the programatic level.

Alternatives

    The FAA completed an analysis of various alternative navigation 
concepts with the potential to meet the FAA's long-term navigation 
goals. Alternatives other than the initial WAAS that were considered 
were the enhancement of the existing navigation system (very high 
frequency omnidirectional ranges, distance measuring equipment, and 
instrument landing systems); use of existing long-range, local-area 
differential GPS; and receiver autonomous integrity monitoring. None of 
these alternatives met the technical needs of the FAA. The ``no 
action'' alternative, the continued operation of the existing system 
without providing a supplemental navigation system, was also 
considered. It was found to have no significant environmental impacts. 
However, it does not meet the FAA's long-term goals of increased 
navigational accuracy, availability, and system integrity.

Conclusion

    After careful and thorough consideration of the facts contained 
herein, the undersigned finds that the proposed Federal action is 
consistent with existing national environmental policies and objectives 
as set forth in Section 101(a) of the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969 (NEPA) and that it will not significantly affect the quality of 
the human environment or otherwise include any condition requiring 
consultation pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of NEPA.

    Approved: Raymond J. Swider, Jr.

    Date: July 12, 1996.

Order

    The foregoing actions are directed to be taken, and determinations 
and approvals are made, under the authority of Title 49 U.S.C. 
44502(a)(1) (formerly Section 307 of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958) 
to acquire, establish, improve, operate, and maintain air navigation 
facilities.

Right of Appeal

    This order constitutes final agency action under 49 U.S.C. 46110, 
for construction and operation of the initial WAAS. Any party to this 
proceeding having a substantial interest may appeal the order to the 
Courts of Appeals of the United States or the District of Columbia upon 
petition, filed within 60 days after issuance of this order.

    Issued in Washington, DC on July 10, 1996.
Raymond J. Swider, Jr.,
WAAS Project Manager, Satellite Program Office, AND-510, FAA 
Headquarters.
[FR Doc. 96-18205 Filed 7-17-96; 8:45 am]
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