[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 155 (Thursday, August 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49016-49017]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-19920]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Public Availability of the Final Environmental 
Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision 
(FONSI/ROD) Signed August 2, 2010, for the Evaluation of the Potential 
Environmental Impacts Associated With the Proposed Relocation of the 
Bowman County Airport (Airport) in Bowman County, ND.

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of availability of a final EA and FONSI/ROD for the 
evaluation of the potential environmental impacts associated with the 
proposed relocation of the Bowman County Airport in Bowman County, 
North Dakota.

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SUMMARY: The FAA has made available the final EA and FONSI/ROD for the 
proposed relocation of the Bowman County Airport. The EA was prepared 
in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, as amended, FAA Orders 1050.1E, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies 
and Procedures'' and FAA Order 5050.4B, ``NEPA Implementing 
Instructions for Airport Actions.''
    Point of Contact: Ms. Patricia Dressler, Environmental Protection 
Specialist, FAA Bismarck ADO, Building 23B, 2301 University Drive, 
Bismarck, North Dakota 58504. Telephone number (701) 323-7380.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA has issued a final EA and FONSI/ROD 
that evaluated the potential environmental impacts associated with the 
proposed relocation of the Bowman County Airport located in Bowman 
County, North Dakota. Based on the analysis contained in the final EA, 
the FAA has determined that the selected alternative has no associated 
significant impacts to resources identified in accordance with FAA 
Order 1050.1E, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures and FAA 
Order 5054.4B, National Environmental Policy Act Implementing 
Instructions for Airport Actions. Therefore, no environmental impact 
statement will be prepared. The current Bowman County Airport has 
deficiencies in meeting current and future large aircraft demand (60, 
000 pounds or less with 75 percent of these large aircraft at 60 
percent useful load), the Runway Protection Zone, Runway Objective Free 
Area, wind coverage, and surrounding incompatible land use. Eight 
alternatives were studied for airspace feasibility and meeting the 
purpose and need. Five of the eight alternatives (three on site and two 
new locations) were reviewed, analyzed, and discarded due to the degree 
of environmental impacts or not meeting airspace requirements. A 
detailed discussion is in the Alternatives Discarded Section of the 
FONSI/ROD. The selected alternative is one of three (a no action and 
two off site locations) considered in the final EA. The selected 
alternative consists of addressing the identified deficiencies and 
relocating the Bowman County Airport. The new airport location is 
approximately 3.5 miles east of Bowman and just south of US Highway 12. 
The Bowman County Airport Authority will construct, operate, and 
maintain the new airport. Decommissioning of the existing airport will 
occur upon activation of the new airport. The selected alternative 
includes the: (1) Unconditional approval of the Airport Layout Plan 
(ALP) for the development listed in the EA and the decision document. 
(2) Issue

[[Page 49017]]

final airspace determinations for the development on the ALP. (3) 
Eligibility for Federal grants-in-aid funds for eligible items. (4) FAA 
Finding of ``No Historic Properties Affected'' for the proposed action. 
(5) FAA Finding of ``No Effect'' to threatened and endangered species. 
(6) FAA Finding of ``No Impact'' to floodplains. (7) Wetland finding 
that there is no practicable alternative to such construction and the 
proposed action includes all practicable measures to minimize harm to 
wetlands. (8) Environmental clearance for disposal of land no longer 
needed for airport purposes. (9) Appropriate permits and mitigation 
will be needed before disbursing Federal funds.
    These documents will be available for public review during normal 
business hours at Bldg. 23B, FAA Bismarck ADO, 2301 University Drive, 
Bismarck, North Dakota, Bowman Regional Public Library, 18 East Divide 
Street, Bowman, ND 58623, and at the Bowman County Airport Authority, 
14686 Highway 12, Bowman, ND 58623.

    Issued in Bismarck, North Dakota, August 2, 2010.
Steve Obenauer,
Manager, Bismarck Airport District Office FAA, Great Lakes Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-19920 Filed 8-11-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P