[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 141 (Monday, July 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41859-41860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6423]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Hold Scoping Meetings for Federal Aviation Administration Approval of 
Airline Operations Specifications To Accommodate Proposed Scheduled Air 
Service Into Mammoth Yosemite Airport, Mammoth Lakes, CA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION:  Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and to hold one (1) public scoping meeting and one (1) 
governmental and public agency scoping meeting for Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) approval of Airline Operations Specifications to 
accommodate proposed scheduled air service into Mammoth Yosemite 
Airport (MMH). This notice also serves as formal notice of FAA's 
termination and withdrawal of its Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS 
for the Proposed Expansion of MMH published in Federal Register (FR) 
Volume 68 Number 214 dated November 5, 2003. The Town of Mammoth Lakes 
has withdrawn its prior proposal to expand facilities at Mammoth 
Yosemite Airport and EIS is no longer required.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an 
EIS will be prepared for the proposed approval of Operation 
Specifications for Horizon Air to provide commercial airline service 
with regional jets into Mammoth Yosemite Airport, Mammoth Lakes, 
California utilizing Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400). The establishment of 
scheduled commercial service into Mammoth Yosemite Airport also 
necessitates a change in the airport's 14 CFR Part 139 Certification 
from Class IV to Class I.
    If the FAA determines the potential environmental impacts of the 
proposed actions are not significant, FAA may consider, after public 
notification and agency coordination, completing the NEPA process for 
this proposal as an Environmental Assessment and issuing a Finding of 
No Significant Impact and Record of Decision.
    To ensure that all significant issues related to the proposed 
action are identified, one (1) public scoping meeting and one (1) 
governmental and public agency scoping meeting will be held.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Camille Garibaldi, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, San Francisco Airports District Office, Federal 
Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region, 831 Mitten Road, Room 
210, Burlingame, California 94010-1303. Telephone: 650/876-2778 
extension 613. Comments on the scope of the EIS should be submitted to 
the address above and must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. Pacific 
Daylight Time, on Wednesday, August 30, 2006.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 
as the lead agency, will prepare an EIS that will disclose the 
potential environmental impacts of FAA approval of Airline Operations 
Specifications to accommodate proposed scheduled air service into 
Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH). Horizon Air has provided the FAA with a 
letter of intent to initiate passenger service into Mammoth Yosemite 
Airport using the Bombardier DHC 8-402 (Q400). The establishment of 
scheduled commercial service into Mammoth Yosemite Airport also 
necessitates a change in the airport's Operating Certificate from Class 
IV to Class I, pursuant to Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 
139.
    The FAA has determined that an EIS is the most appropriate NEPA 
document at this time. In making this determination, FAA has considered 
the injunction issued by the U.S. District Court for the Northern 
District of California for the Town of Mammoth Lake's proposed 
expansion of the airport, and the resources potentially affected by 
establishment of scheduled air carrier service.
    In November of 2005, the Town of Mammoth Lakes representatives 
withdrew their proposed runway expansion project to Mammoth Yosemite 
Airport in favor of a reduced proposal for resumption of scheduled 
regional air carrier service that would be accommodated within the 
existing configuration of the airport. As a result of this decision, 
the FAA has terminated preparation of an EIS for the proposed expansion 
of Mammoth Yosemite Airport. See FR Volume 68, Number 214. Should FAA 
identify potential impacts to any resource designated under 49 U.S.C. 
303(c) (commonly known as Section 34(f)), the EIS will also serve as 
FAA's Section 4(f) statement.
    Horizon Air is proposing to begin scheduled regional air carrier 
service using existing facilities at Mammoth Yosemite Airport beginning 
in December of 2007 with two flights per day from Los Angeles 
International Airport during the winter season, (December to April). 
Proposed winter service is projected to increase to a

[[Page 41860]]

maximum of eight flights per day by the year 2010. The aviation 
activity forecasts project the addition of two flights per day during 
the summer months beginning sometime in 2011. Horizon Air has provided 
the FAA with a written expression of interest to begin scheduled 
service utilizing Q-400 aircraft.
    The Town of Mammoth Lakes, sponsor for Mammoth Yosemite Airport, 
holds a Class IV (unscheduled service) certificate pursuant to 14 CFR 
Part 139. The airport is located approximately five miles east of the 
Town of Mammoth Lakes and north of U.S. Route 395 in Mono County, 
California. The airport has one east-west oriented runway (9/27) with a 
parallel and connecting taxiway system. Runway 9/27 is paved with 
asphalt and is 7,000 feet long by 100 feet wide. The airport has a 
field elevation of 7,128-feet above mean sea level. The airport 
currently accommodates unscheduled air carrier operations and general 
aviation aircraft operations and provides facilities including aircraft 
hangars and outdoor tiedowns.
     The following Alternatives will be evaluated in the EIS; 
additional reasonable alternatives may be evaluated in the EIS as a 
result of the scoping process.
    No Action Alternative: This alternative consists of no change to 
Horizon Air operation specifications and no change would occur to the 
current Part 139 Class IV (unscheduled) certificate status of the 
airport.
    Proposed Action: This alternative consists of FAA approval of 
operation specifications for Horizon Air for scheduled service to 
Mammoth Yosemite Airport using regional aircraft and approval of a 
Class I (scheduled service) Part 139 certificate for Mammoth Yosemite 
Airport. The proposed service would utilize existing Runway 9/27 and 
existing airport facilities without the construction of new facilities.
    Comments and suggestions are invited from Federal, State and local 
agencies, and other interested parties to ensure that the full range of 
issues, alternatives and impacts related to the proposed action and the 
alternatives are addressed and all significant issues are identified. 
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 5 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time, on Wednesday, 
August 30, 2006.
    Public Scoping Meetings: The FAA will hold one (1) public and one 
(1) governmental and public agency scoping meeting to solicit input 
from the public as well as various Federal, State and local agencies 
which have jurisdiction by law or have special expertise with respect 
to any environmental issue associated with the proposed project. A 
scoping meeting specifically for governmental and public agencies will 
be held on Thursday, August 24, 2006 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., 
Pacific Time, at the Minaret Village Shopping Center, Suite Z, Town 
Council Chambers, 437 Old Mammoth Road, Mammoth Lakes, CA. The public 
scoping meeting will be held at the same location on Thursday, August 
24, 2006, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

    Issued in Hawthorne, California, on July 17, 2006.
George Aiken,
Acting Manager, Airports Division, Western-Pacific Region, AWP-600.
[FR Doc. 06-6423 Filed 7-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M