[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 134 (Friday, July 11, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40010-40011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-15209]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Hold Scoping Meeting; Gnoss Field, Novato, Marin County, CA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent and notice of scoping meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is issuing this 
notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) will be prepared and considered for the proposed extension of a 
runway, corresponding taxiway extension, associated levee construction 
and realignment of drainage, and reprogramming of the GPS Instrument 
Approach for the extended runway. To ensure that all significant issues 
related to the proposed action are identified, a public scoping meeting 
will be held.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barry Franklin, 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 614.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Lead Agency for the preparation of the 
EIS is the FAA. The FAA will prepare an EIS to evaluate the following 
development alternatives and the No Action Alternative as described 
below. The EIS will determine all environmental impacts, such as and 
not limited to, noise impacts, impacts on air and water quality, 
wetlands, ecological resources, floodplains, historic resources, 
hazardous wastes, socioeconomics, and economic factors.

Alternative One--Sponsor's Proposed Project

    Runway 13/31 would be extended 1,100 feet to the north from 3,300 
linear feet to 4,400 linear feet. This length would maintain the 
airport's ability to accommodate current and projected airport 
operations.
    To compliment the runway extension, the corresponding taxiway for 
Runway 13/31 would be extended to the north from 3,300 linear feet to 
4,400 linear feet. There would be associated levee construction and 
major realignment of drainage in order to protect the runway extension 
against flooding. The GPS instrument approach for Runway 13/31 would be 
reprogrammed to accommodate the extension of the runway.

Alternative Two

    Runway 13/31 would be extended 1,100 feet to the south from 3,300 
linear feet to 4,400 linear feet. This length would maintain the 
airport's ability to accommodate current and projected airport 
operations.
    To compliment the runway extension, the corresponding taxiway for 
Runway 13/31 would be extended to the south from 3,300 linear feet to 
4,400 linear feet. There would be associated levee construction and 
major realignment of drainage in order to protect the runway extension 
against flooding. The GPS instrument approach for Runway 13/31 would be 
reprogrammed to accommodate the extension of the runway.

Alternative Three

    Runway 13/31 would be extended to the north and to the south to 
bring the runway length from 3,300 linear feet to 4,400 linear feet. 
This length would maintain the airport's ability to accommodate current 
and projected airport operations.
    To compliment the runway extension, the corresponding taxiway for 
Runway 13/31 would be extended to the north and to the south to bring 
the total taxiway length from 3,300 linear feet to 4,400 linear feet. 
There would be associated levee construction and major realignment of 
drainage in order to protect the runway extension against flooding. The 
GPS instrument approach for Runway 13/31 would be reprogrammed to 
accommodate the extension of the runway.

[[Page 40011]]

Alternative Four--No Action Alternative

    Under this alternative the existing airport would be retained with 
no improvements. The county would not change the infrastructure of the 
existing airport and no extensions or associated improvements would be 
constructed.
    In addition to this Notice of Intent, the County of Marin, 
California is issuing a Notice of Preparation (NOP) of a Draft 
Environmental Impact Report (EIR), per California Environmental Quality 
Act (CEQA) of 1970 Guidelines. The FAA's EIS and the County's EIR will 
be produced concurrently.
    Public Scoping Meeting: To ensure that the full range of issues 
related to the proposed project are addressed and that all significant 
issues are identified, comments and suggestions are invited from all 
interested parties. A public scoping meeting will be conducted to 
identify any significant issues associated with the proposed project.
    One (1) Public Scoping meeting for the general public will be held 
on August 14, 2008, at the Marin Humane Society Auditorium, 171 Bel 
Marin Keys Blvd, Novato, California. The meeting will be held from 6:30 
p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). The FAA and the County 
will be accepting comments on the scope of both the EIS and EIR at that 
scoping meeting.
    Written comments concerning the scope of the EIS and EIR may be 
mailed to the individual named above under the heading FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT above, and must be received no later than 5 p.m. 
PDT, August 29, 2008.
    Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the 
heading, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Issued in Hawthorne, California on June 27, 2008.
Mark A. McClardy,
Manager, Airports Division, Western--Pacific Region, AWP-600.
 [FR Doc. E8-15209 Filed 7-10-08; 8:45 am]
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