[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 219 (Monday, November 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70530-70531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-29269]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Suspension of Preparation of Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Replacement General Aviation Airport, Mesquite, Clark 
County, NV

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of suspension of preparation of Environmental Impact 
Statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as the Lead Agency 
for the proposed project is issuing this notice to advise the public 
the FAA has suspended preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for a proposed Replacement General Aviation (GA) Airport in 
Mesquite, Clark County, Nevada. The FAA received a letter dated 
September 27, 2011, from the City of Mesquite, Nevada asking the FAA to 
suspend any further work on the EIS. The reasons for this action 
include the local economic conditions in Mesquite and other local 
fiscal and budgetary constraints.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David B. Kessler, AICP, Regional 
Environmental Protection Specialist, AWP-610.1, Airports Division, 
Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region, P.O. Box 
92007, Los Angeles, California 90009-2007, Telephone: 310/725-3615.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 8, 2004, the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) issued a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register 
(69 FR 71097) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for 
the proposed construction and operation of a proposed Replacement 
General Aviation (GA) Airport, for the City of Mesquite in eastern 
Clark County, Nevada. The City

[[Page 70531]]

of Mesquite proposed to build the replacement airport south of 
Interstate Highway 15 between Exit 108 and 109 on the Mormon Mesa, 
about 15 miles west of the existing Mesquite Municipal Airport. The 
City proposed to close the existing Mesquite Municipal Airport and 
change the airport land use to residential land use, including 
construction of a new arterial roadway through the existing airport 
property. To maintain access to the National Air Transportation System, 
the City also proposed to design, fund, and build a replacement GA 
airport at Mormon Mesa that would provide GA facilities and services to 
the flying public, support regional economic development at no cost to 
the FAA. The City proposed to build the replacement GA airport to meet 
FAA Airport Reference Code (ARC) B-II standards with a new runway 7,500 
feet long by 100 feet wide.
    On May 16, 2008, the Notice of Availability of FAA's Draft EIS was 
published in the Federal Register (73 FR 28461). The FAA received 34 
comment letters on the Draft EIS from federal, state and local 
agencies, as well as the general public. In March 2009, as FAA was 
preparing responses to comments received on the 2008 Draft EIS, FAA 
determined there were significant new circumstances or information 
relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the Proposed Project 
or its impacts. Consistent with Title 40 CFR 1501.9, FAA decided to 
prepare a Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIS).
    The FAA received a letter from the City of Mesquite, dated 
September 27, 2011, asking the FAA to suspend any additional work on 
the EIS for the proposed Replacement GA Airport EIS. The City of 
Mesquite explained the postponement was based on local economic 
conditions and other local fiscal and budgetary constraints. The FAA 
does not know how long the suspension of the EIS will last.
    Pursuant to Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 77, Objects 
Affecting Navigable Airspace, Sec.  77.29 Evaluating Aeronautical 
Effect, when a proponent files a Notice of Proposed Construction or 
Alteration (FAA Form 7460-1) for a proposal in the vicinity of the 
proposed Replacement General Aviation Airport for Mesquite, the FAA 
will conduct an aeronautical study to determine the impact of a 
proposed structure, an existing structure that has not yet been studied 
by the FAA, or an alteration of an existing structure on aeronautical 
operations, procedures, and the safety of flight including but not 
limited to the proposal's impact on existing and planned public use 
airports.

    Issued in Hawthorne, California, on October 28, 2011.
Mark A. McClardy,
Manager, Airports Division, Western--Pacific Region, AWP-600.
[FR Doc. 2011-29269 Filed 11-10-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P