[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]


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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.

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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]
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