[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 126 (Thursday, July 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35707-35708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-16756]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

FeEderal Aviation Administration


Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and 
Hold Scoping Meetings for Proposed Runway Reconfiguration at San 
Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Francisco, CA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice to prepare an EIS and conduct three (3) public scoping 
meetings and one (1) scoping meeting for interested Federal, state and 
local agencies.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is issuing this 
Notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement will 
be prepared to evaluate a proposed reconfiguration of the runways at 
San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California. To 
ensure that all major and/or substantial issues related to the proposed 
action are identified three (3) public scoping meetings and one (1) 
scoping meeting for interested Federal; state and local agencies will 
be held.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Camille Garibaldi, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, SFO-613, Planning and Programming Section, 
Federal Aviation Administration, San Francisco Airports District 
Office, 831 Mitten Road, Room 210, Burlingame, CA 94010-1303, 
Telephone: (650) 876-2927. Comments on the scope of the EIS should be 
submitted to the address above and must be received no later than 
September 9, 1999.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 
cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), and U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service (FWS), will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement for the proposed reconfiguration of the runways at SFO. The 
need to prepare a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is based on the procedures 
described in FAA Order 5050.4A, Airport Environmental Handbook: SFO is 
a commercial service airport located within a standard metropolitan 
statistical area and the proposed runway reconfiguration includes 
construction of reconfigured runways to accommodate air carrier 
aircraft arrival and departure operations. FAA approval of the Airport 
Layout Plan for the airfield design will impact the area around the 
airport that has existing non-compatible land uses in terms of aircraft 
noise; and the proposed development is likely to be controversial on 
several other significant environmental categories.
    The City and County of San Francisco, pursuant to the California 
Environmental Quality Act of 1970 (CEQA) will also prepare an 
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed development.
    The FAA is the Federal Lead Agency responsible for preparing the 
EIS in cooperation with ACOE and FWS. The City and County of San 
Francisco, Office of Environmental Review is the State Lead Agency 
responsible for preparing the EIR. The lead agencies anticipate that 
separate EIS and EIR documents will be prepared on a parallel course. 
The EIS will meet the requirements of NEPA, while the EIR will meet 
CEQA requirements.

ALTERNATIVES: The EIS will evaluate multiple alternatives including 
various runway configurations at SFO, off airport alternatives, and a 
no action alternative. The proposed Runway Reconfiguration project 
alternatives will include one or more of the components listed below. A 
range and/or combination of construction methodologies will be 
considered. Methodologies may include fill in San Francisco Bay. 
Examples of potential construction methodologies include placement of 
fill in the San Francisco Bay (up to approximately 1,500 acres) and/or 
piling to support the runway(s).
Potential Runway Reconfiguration Project Components
     Construction of a new Runway 28R/10L parallel to and north 
of existing Runway 28R/10L.
     Construction of a new Runway 1/19 parallel to and either 
east or west of the existing Runway 1/19 system.
     New/revised instrument approach/departure flight 
procedures.
     Lengthening and northerly relocation of existing Runway 
19R/1L.
     Construction of Runway Safety Areas for new and existing 
runways per the latest FAA requirements.
     Reconstruction and relocation of taxiway system to support 
the newly reconfigured runways.
     Reconstruction and relocation of airfield access roadways 
to support the new runway configuration.
     Reconstruction and relocation of navigation, communication 
and aircraft control facilities as required to support the reconfigured 
runways.
     Reconstruction of Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting 
facilities as necessary to support the runways.

[[Page 35708]]

     Potential removal and/or relocation of hangar and 
airfreight facilities to support the runway configuration.
     Reconstruction of ancillary support facilities such as 
drainage facilities, utilities and seawalls, etc to support the runway 
reconfiguration.
     Potential borrow site for fill material.
     Mitigation projects, as required, for the runway 
reconfiguration and associated actions.

PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS: The FAA will hold three (3) public and one (1) 
governmental agency scoping meetings to solicit input from the public 
and various Federal, state and local agencies to ensure that the full 
range of issues related to the proposed project are addressed and all 
major and/or substantial issues are identified. The first public 
scoping meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 4, 1999, from 7 p.m. 
to 10 p.m. at the South San Francisco Conference Center, 225 South 
Airport Boulevard, South San Francisco, California. The second public 
scoping meeting will be held on Saturday, August 7, 1999, from 12 p.m. 
to 4 p.m. at the San Mateo City Council Chambers, 300 West 20th Avenue, 
San Mateo, California. The third public scoping meeting will be held on 
Tuesday, August 10, 1999, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the City of San 
Francisco Board of Supervisors' Legislative Chamber, Room 250 at City 
Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, California. A 
scoping meeting will be held specifically for governmental and public 
agencies on Tuesday, August 10, 1999, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. In the City 
of San Francisco Board of Supervisors' Legislative Chamber, Room 250 at 
City Hall, for those agencies which have jurisdiction or special 
expertise on any environmental issue that should be addressed in the 
EIS being prepared for the project.
    Comments and Suggestions: Written comments and suggestions 
concerning the scope of the EIS may be mailed to the FAA informational 
contact listed above and must be received no later than September 9, 
1999.

    Issued in Hawthorne, California on June 24, 1999.
Herman C. Bliss,
Manager, Airports Division, AWP-600, Western-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 99-16756 Filed 6-30-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M