[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 250 (Friday, December 27, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 68327]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-33003]



[[Page 68327]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Seattle, Washington

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Northwest Mountain Region of the Federal Aviation 
Administration (``FAA'') and the Port of Seattle (``Port'') announce 
that the FAA and the Port, acting as joint lead agencies, intend to 
prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for a 
proposal by the Port to develop a new parallel runaway and other 
airport facility improvements to be examined in an update to the 
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac Airport) Master Plan.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 24, 1995, the FAA published in the 
Federal Register, a Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (DEIS) [60 FR 20149] for a proposal by the Port to 
develop a new parallel runway and other airport facility improvements 
at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac Airport). Public 
comments were taken on the DEIS from the date of its release until 
August 3, 1995. During the comment period, two public hearings were 
held, on June 1, 1995 and June 14, 1995. Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS) Appendix T, located in Volumes 5, 6, and 7, contains 
the transcript from the public hearings, and letters commenting on the 
DEIS which were received from the public and government agencies. FEIS 
Appendix R contains responses to the issues presented during the 
comment period.
    The FEIS, approved by the FAA on February 1, 1996, was released to 
the public on February 9, 1996, (see 61 FR 5056). The FEIS addressed 
areas of public concern by way of modifications to the DEIS text and 
specific responses to public comments. The U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) published a notice of the availability of the 
approved FEIS, pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.10 (61 FR 6243) in the Federal 
Register on February 16, 1996.
    Although the FAA did not solicit public comments on the FEIS (on 
issues other than air quality conformity), several public agencies, 
community groups, and citizens have nevertheless submitted written 
comments for agency consideration since issuance of the FEIS. An FAA 
Record of Decision was never issued for the proposed development.
    During the intervening months, both the FAA and the Port have 
determined that the forecasts of aircraft activity and enplaned 
passengers used in the above referenced draft and final EIS's did not 
adequately account for the actual growth which has taken place at 
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the past year nor the potential 
for faster growth rates than expected in the EIS's. New forecasts have 
been prepared which will be used to determine: (1) changes in the 
timing of when certain development projects will be needed to meet the 
needs of the airport and (2) potential environmental impacts from 
proposed development.
    The requirement for preparing the proposed SEIS is governed by 
Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR Part 1502.9(c)) 
which defines two circumstances requiring the preparation of 
supplements to draft or final impact statements, as follows: (1) ``The 
agency makes substantial changes in the proposed action that are 
relevant to environmental concerns''; or (2) ``There are significant 
new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns and 
bearing on the proposed action or its impacts''. The FAA and the Port 
believe both conditions new exist, therefore SEIS will be prepared.
    The FAA and Port of Seattle have identified the following key areas 
for discussion in the SEIS including, but not limited to: noise and 
land use, social and socio-economic impacts, biotic communities, 
construction, earth, transportation and air quality.

    Issued in Renton, Washington on December 20, 1996.
Lowell H. Johnson,
Manager, Airports Division, Federal Aviation Administration, Northwest 
Mountain Region, Renton, Washington.
[FR Doc. 96-33003 Filed 12-26-96; 8:45 am]
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