[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 171 (Tuesday, September 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52367-52368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7421]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport, Clark County, NV, and To
Conduct Public Scoping Meetings
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
and to Conduct Public Scoping Meetings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) are issuing this notice to the public that an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared to consider the
construction and operation of a new supplemental commercial service
airport in southern Nevada. In accordance with Public Law 106-362,
titled: Ivanpah Valley Airport Public Lands Transfer Act, the FAA,
representing the Department of Transportation (DOT), and the BLM,
representing the Department of the Interior (DOI), will serve as joint
lead Federal agencies for the preparation of this EIS.
The Clark County Department of Aviation (CCDOA), the sponsor of the
project, has proposed to construct and operate a new supplemental
commercial service airport (the Ivanpah Valley Airport) 30 miles south
of the Las Vegas metropolitan area in the Ivanpah Valley (the Proposed
Action) in order to ensure sufficient commercial service capacity for
the metropolitan area. CCDOA propose that the new supplemental
commercial service airport would be operational by the year 2017, and
would supplement existing capacity at McCarran International Airport
(McCarran Airport). CCDOA's proposal to construct a supplemental
airport requires approval by the FAA. Such Federal action is subject to
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and requires preparation
of an EIS, which will evaluate the environmental impacts of the
proposed Ivanpah Valley Airport and other reasonable alternatives for
meeting the aviation needs of southern Nevada.
CCDOA has proposed to construct and operate a new supplemental
commercial service airport in response to the need for supplemental
commercial service to the Las Vegas metropolitan area. McCarran
Airport, which is owned and operated by Clark County, is currently the
primary commercial passenger and cargo airport that serves as a gateway
to the Las Vegas metropolitan area and southern Nevada. The number of
commercial service operations has increased substantially at McCarran
Airport over the past decade, largely as a result of the rapid growth
in tourism, convention business, and service industries associated with
the gaming and entertainment industry in Las Vegas, as well as an
increase in population. Forecasts predict continued growth in aircraft
operations at rates significantly exceeding the national average.
Although McCarran Airport will be able to accommodate passenger
demand in the next few years with the planned expansion and development
of new terminal facilities, parking lots, and roadways, FAA forecasts
indicate that by the year 2015, activity at McCarran Airport will reach
706, 684 annual aircraft operations (takeoffs or landings),
representing an approximate 15 percent increase over existing
operations. Without additional airfield, roadway, and terminal
capacity, this level of operations would result in unacceptable levels
of congestion and delay. Therefore, additional airfield, roadway, and
terminal facilities would be required to meet future operations and
passenger demand in the region.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew M. Richards, Manager, Federal
Aviation Administration, San Francisco Airports District Office, 831
Mitten Road, Room 210, Burlingame, CA 94010, Telephone: (650) 876-2778
and Jeffrey Steinmetz, Planning and Environmental Coordinator, Bureau
of Land Management, Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 North Torrey Pines
Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130, Telephone: (702) 515-5097. Comments on the
scope of the EIS should be submitted to the addresses above and must be
postmarked no later than Monday, November 6, 2006.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Ivanpah Valley Airport Public Lands
Transfer Act, Congress directed the Bureau of Land Management (BLM),
acting on behalf of the Secretary of the DOI, to transfer property in
Ivanpah Valley, Nevada to Clark County for the purpose of developing an
airport facility and related infrastructure. That transfer has been
completed. In accordance with the Ivanpah Valley Airport Public Lands
Transfer Act, should completion of the NEPA process lead to the
determination that an airport should not be constructed at the site, it
will be transferred back to BLM ownership.
The Ivanpah Valley Airport Public Lands Transfer Act also directed
the Departments of Transportation and Interior to prepare a joint EIS
``with respect to initial planning and construction'' prior to
construction of an airport facility and related infrastructure on the
proposed Ivanpah site. The FAA and BLM will prepare an EIS for what is
being called the Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport. The EIS will
address a range of alternatives that achieve the purpose and need and
that are reasonable. The range of alternatives identified during the
scoping process may include alternatives other than the Proposed
Action. The alternatives may include, but are not limited to, expansion
of McCarran Airport and use of other existing airports. The
alternatives will also include a no-action scenario as required by
NEPA.
The FAA and BLM intend to use the preparation of this EIS to comply
with applicable laws having public involvement requirements. Comments
addressing your issues should be addressed to the listed contact
persons
[[Page 52368]]
and must be postmarked no later than Monday, November 6, 2006.
Public Scoping Meetings: The FAA and BLM intend to conduct a
scoping process to gather input from interested parties to help
identify issues of concern associated with the Proposed Action. In
addition to this notice, Federal, State, and local agencies, which have
jurisdiction by law or have special expertise with respect to any
potential environmental impacts associated with the Proposed Action,
will be notified by letter of an agency scoping meeting.
To notify the general public of the scoping process, a legal notice
describing the Proposed Action will be placed in newspapers having
general circulation in the project area. The newspaper notice will
notify the public that scoping meetings will be held to gain their
input concerning the Proposed Action, alternatives to be considered,
and impacts to be evaluated. The public scoping meetings are scheduled
for 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3, 2006 at Jean Airport Special
Events Center, 23600 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Jean, NV; at 5 to 8
p.m. on Wednesday, October 4, 2006, at Panos Hall, 5300 South El Camino
Road, Las Vegas, NV; and 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Thursday, October 5,
2006 at Panos Hall, 5300 South El Camino Road, Las Vegas, NV. An agency
scoping meeting will be held specifically for governmental agencies on
Thursday, October 5, 2006 at Panos Hall, 5300 South El Camino Road, Las
Vegas, NV. The agency meeting will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Further information about the EIS and the Proposed Action will be
posted when available at the following Web site: http://www.snvairporteis.com. Written and oral comments will be accepted at
each of the meetings, or can be mailed to the BLM and FAA contact for
inclusion into the record. The purpose of the scoping meetings is to
receive input from the public regarding the scope and process related
to the EIS.
Issued in Lawndale, California, on Tuesday, August 29, 2006.
Brian Q. Armstrong,
Acting Manager, Airports Division, Western-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 06-7421 Filed 9-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M