[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 188 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59158-59160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-21162]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Intentt To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, 
Initiate Section 106 Consultation, and Request for Scoping Comments

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, 
initiate section 106 consultation, and request scoping comments for the 
Proposed Airfield, Safety, and Terminal Improvement Project at West 
Virginia International Yeager Airport, Charleston, Kanawha County, West 
Virginia.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is issuing this 
notice under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, to advise the public that an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared to assess the potential impacts 
of the proposed Airfield, Safety, and Terminal Improvement Project and 
its connected actions (the Proposed Action) at the West Virginia 
International Yeager Airport (CRW or Airport). The Central West 
Virginia Regional Airport Authority (CWVRAA) is proposing to develop 
the project in phases to address various safety and operational 
deficiencies at the Airport. The immediate need is to improve the 
runway safety areas, meet existing runway length requirements for the 
Airport's runway, and replace aging and inefficient infrastructure in 
the terminal area. Phase 1 of CWVRAA's proposed development is intended 
to address these immediate needs. The long-term need is dependent on 
and in support of a potential change in the aircraft serving CRW and/or 
forecast destinations that are anticipated to occur by 2040. Phase 2 of 
CWVRAA's proposed development is intended to address these long-term 
needs. To ensure that all significant issues related to the Proposed 
Action are identified, two (2) in-person public scoping meetings, one 
(1) virtual public scoping meeting, and one (1) governmental agency 
scoping meeting will be held.

DATES: The effective date of start of FAA's EIS scoping period is 
September 30, 2022. The public and agency scoping comment period ends 
November 17, 2022. In-person public meetings will be held on November 
2, 2022 and November 3, 2022. A virtual public meeting will be held 
November 7, 2022. A governmental agency scoping meeting will be held 
November 3, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Andrew Brooks, Environmental 
Program Manager, Eastern Regional Office, AEA-610, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 1 Aviation Plaza, Jamaica, NY 11434. Telephone: 718-
553-2511.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this notice is to inform 
federal, state, and local government agencies and the public of the 
intent to prepare an EIS, to initiate the public and agency scoping 
process for the EIS, and to conduct public and agency scoping meetings. 
The purpose of the scoping process is to receive input from the public, 
as well as from federal, state, and local agencies that have legal 
jurisdiction and/or special expertise, with respect to any potential 
environmental impacts associated with the Proposed Action, as well as 
concerns, issues, and alternatives they believe should be addressed in 
the EIS. During the scoping process, questions regarding the scope and 
EIS process will be considered. More information about the Proposed 
Action, the EIS process, and the scoping meetings can be found at: 
www.yeagerairporteis.com.
    The scoping process for this EIS will include scoping meetings and 
a

[[Page 59159]]

comment period for interested agencies and members of the public to 
submit comments with respect to any potential environmental impacts 
associated with the Proposed Action, or comments representing the 
concerns, issues, and alternatives they believe should be addressed in 
the EIS. The public scoping meetings will provide the opportunity to 
provide written and/or oral comments. Additional written comments 
should be submitted to the FAA individual listed in FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT, or by email to [email protected], no 
later than 5 p.m. eastern time, Monday, November 17, 2022.
    The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the procedures 
described in the most recent version of applicable FAA orders and 
guidance, such as FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies 
and Procedures, and FAA Order 5050.4B, National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) Implementing Instructions for Airport Actions. The FAA 
intends to use the preparation of this EIS to comply with the 
concurrent statutory review process under section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA); section 4(f) of the Department of 
Transportation (DOT) Act; section 6(f) of the Land and Water 
Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act; section 7 of the Endangered Species Act; 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; section 
10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act; and section 401 and section 404 of 
the Clean Water Act. This notice of intent also serves to satisfy the 
public notice and comment requirements of section 106 of the NHPA; 
section 4(f) of the DOT Act; section 6(f) of the LWCF Act; DOT Order 
5610.2C, U.S. Department of Transportation Actions to Address 
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income 
Populations; Executive Order 11990, Protection of Wetlands; DOT Order 
5660.1A, Preservation of the Nation's Wetlands; Executive Order 11988, 
Floodplain Management; and DOT Order 5650.2, Floodplain Management and 
Protection.
    The Proposed Action would require a number of approvals from other 
federal, state, and local agencies. As the NEPA lead federal agency for 
the Proposed Action, the FAA invited several agencies to be a 
Cooperating or Participating Agency in the development of the EIS (40 
CFR 1501.8, 1508.1(e), and 1508.1(w)). Cooperating Agencies for the EIS 
include US Army Corps of Engineers, US Environmental Protection Agency, 
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, West Virginia 
Development Office, and Kanawha County Parks and Recreation Commission. 
Participating Agencies for the EIS include Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, National Park Service, West Virginia Air National Guard, West 
Virginia Division of Natural Resources, West Virginia State Historic 
Preservation Office, Kanawha County Department of Planning and 
Development, Kanawha County Commission, and City of Charleston Planning 
Department. Additional agencies may be identified throughout the EIS 
process.
    The Proposed Action, as put forward by the CWVRAA, the owner and 
operator of CRW, would include the shift and extension of Runway 5-23 
to the northeast (Runway 23 approach end), construction of a new 
terminal complex, relocation of Taxiway A and portions of Taxiway B, 
and connected actions and enabling projects to support the Proposed 
Action. To separately satisfy immediate and long-term needs of the 
Airport, the Proposed Project would be developed in two separate 
phases.
    Phase 1 of the Proposed Action would include the following 
components:
     shift the runway to the northeast by 1,125 feet and extend 
it by 285 feet, resulting in a total runway length of 7,000 feet;
     construction of standard 1,000-foot by 500-foot graded 
Runway Safety Areas (RSAs) on both ends of the runway;
     extension of Taxiway A parallel to the new portion of the 
runway at a standard 400-foot separation distance;
     construction of new entrance, exit, and connector taxiways 
to connect Taxiway A to the runway shift and extension;
     relocation of associated runway navigational aids 
(NAVAIDS);
     relocation of portions of the airport operation area (AOA) 
perimeter fence;
     construction of new vehicle service roads;
     demolition or marking as unusable existing airfield 
pavement;
     relocation of portions of Taxiway A, from the existing end 
of Runway 5 to Taxiway C;
     relocation of Taxiway B, extending from Taxiway A to 
Taxiway Connector B5;
     construction of a 166,000-square-foot replacement 
terminal, including a replacement concourse, with six total aircraft 
gates. The replacement terminal would comprise three levels and would 
include two pedestrian walkway systems, one connecting the replacement 
terminal to the rental car center/garage and one connecting the 
replacement terminal to the existing parking garage;
     demolition of the existing terminal facility including 
existing aircraft gates;
     construction of new apron pavement for the replacement 
terminal;
     construction of terminal roadway improvements, including a 
new roundabout at the airport entrance road to support reoriented 
entrance and exits from the parking areas, and construction of pavement 
to support a new truck loading dock;
     property acquisition of portions of Coonskin Park for the 
runway shift and extension;
     identification of replacement properties for Coonskin Park 
in accordance with section 6(f) of the LWCF Act;
     use of up to approximately 25.6 million cubic yards of 
fill, potentially utilized from borrow areas located in the adjacent 
Coonskin Park, necessary to fill in the valley floor for which the 
extended runway would be constructed and to remove terrain 
obstructions;
     use of up to approximately 60,000 cubic yards of fill to 
support the proposed terminal facility and apron expansion;
     construction of three retaining walls and a culvert for 
Coonskin Branch to facilitate the proposed fill material;
     removal of Coonskin Park facilities within the cut/fill 
areas; and
     new and relocated utilities to support construction of the 
Proposed Action.
    Phase 2 of the Proposed Action would include the following 
components:
     shift the runway to the northeast by an additional 280 
feet and extend it by an additional 1,000 feet to the northeast (along 
the existing alignment), resulting in a total runway length of 8,000 
feet;
     construction of standard 1,000-foot by 500-foot graded 
RSAs on both ends of the runway;
     extension of Taxiway A parallel to the new portion of the 
runway at a standard 400-foot separation distance;
     construction of new entrance, exit, and connector taxiways 
to connect Taxiway A to the runway shift and extension;
     relocation of associated runway NAVAIDS and installation 
of an approach lighting system for Runway 5;
     relocation of portions of the AOA perimeter fence;
     construction of new vehicle service roads;
     demolition or marking as unusable existing airfield 
pavement;
     relocation of the remaining portion of Taxiway A between 
Taxiway C and the existing Runway 23 end to the standard 400-foot 
runway to taxiway centerline separation distance;

[[Page 59160]]

     construction of a seventh gate to the replacement terminal 
facility;
     use of up to approximately 4 million cubic yards of fill, 
potentially utilized from borrow areas located in the adjacent Coonskin 
Park, and construction of a retaining wall, to support the relocation 
of Taxiway A; and
     potential relocation of the Airport Traffic Control Tower 
(ATCT).
    The FAA will consider a range of alternatives that could 
potentially meet the purpose and need to enhance airfield safety, meet 
existing and forecast future runway needs, and improve efficiency in 
the terminal area at CRW. As part of the information submittal process, 
the CWVRAA provided an initial list of alternatives that they had 
considered. These alternatives, as well as additional identified 
alternatives, are included below. After considering the public and 
agency scoping process input, the FAA will identify a list of 
reasonable alternatives that will be evaluated through the EIS process.
    Runway Length of 6,715 Feet: Provide standard runway safety areas 
or standard EMAS on either or both ends of the runway considering the 
current physical runway length is 6,715 feet. These alternatives could 
result in shifting the existing runway.
    Runway Length of 6,802 Feet: Provide standard runway safety areas 
or standard EMAS on either or both ends of the runway considering the 
previous (pre-slope failure) runway length of 6,802 feet. These 
alternatives could result in extending and/or shifting the existing 
runway.
    Runway Length of 7,000 Feet: Provide standard runway safety areas 
or standard EMAS on either or both ends of the runway considering a 
runway length of 7,000 feet. These alternatives could result in 
extending and/or shifting the existing runway.
    Runway Length of 8,000 Feet: Provide standard runway safety areas 
or standard EMAS on either or both ends of the runway considering a 
runway length of 8,000 feet. These alternatives could result in 
extending and/or shifting the existing runway.
    Replacement Terminal: Construct a replacement terminal in a 
location and manner that improves the efficiency of both airfield and 
terminal building operations. These alternatives would identify various 
locations at the Airport for a replacement terminal.
    Construction of a New Airport: Construction of a new airport 
designed to meet all FAA standards.
    Transfer of Aviation Activity to Other Airports: Transfer or 
shifting of aviation activity to another existing public airport (or 
airports) in West Virginia.
    Use of Other Modes of Transportation: Use of other modes of 
transportation, including automobiles, buses, or existing passenger 
trains.
    No Action Alternative: Under this alternative, the existing airport 
would remain unchanged. The Authority would take no action to enhance 
airfield safety, improve Airport operations to meet the takeoff runway 
length needs, or improve passenger efficiency or experience within the 
terminal area.

Public Scoping and Agency Meetings

    To ensure that the full range of issues related to the Proposed 
Action are addressed and that all significant issues are identified, 
comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties. 
Public and agency scoping meetings will be conducted to identify any 
significant issues associated with the Proposed Action.
    A governmental agency scoping meeting for all federal, state, and 
local regulatory agencies which have jurisdiction by law or have 
special expertise with respect to any potential environmental impacts 
associated with the Proposed Action will be held on Thursday, November 
3, 2022. This meeting will take place at 1 p.m. eastern time, at the 
Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston Hotel located at 300 Court Street, 
Charleston, West Virginia, and will be available virtually via Zoom 
with a dial-in number to participate via web/telephone, if preferred. A 
notification letter will be sent in advance of the meeting.
    Three public scoping meetings for the general public will be held. 
The two in-person public scoping meetings will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 
p.m. eastern time on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, and from 6 p.m. to 8 
p.m. eastern time on Thursday, November 3, 2022. The public scoping 
meetings will be conducted at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston 
Hotel located at 300 Court Street, Charleston, West Virginia. A legal 
notice will also be placed in newspapers having general circulation in 
the study 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 in-person public scoping meetings will be open house 
format with project information displayed and representatives from the 
FAA and the CWVRAA available to answer questions. There will be no 
admission fee or other charge, including parking, to attend and 
participate.
    A virtual public workshop will also be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 
on Monday, November 7, 2022. The virtual public workshop will be held 
via Zoom and will provide the opportunity for interested members of the 
public to participate in a question-and-answer session with 
representatives from the FAA and the CWVRAA. Registration is required 
for the virtual public workshop, which is available on the project 
website at www.yeagerairporteis.com. Translation services, including 
sign language interpretation, can be made available during the public 
meetings and workshop, if requested 10 calendar days before the 
sessions.
    Written and oral comments will be accepted at each of the meetings. 
Comments submitted outside of the meetings should be addressed to the 
individual listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, or by email to 
[email protected]. The Scoping comment period is from 
September 30, 2022, through November 17, 2022. The public comment 
period on the scoping phase of the EIS will end at 5 p.m. eastern time 
on November 17, 2022.
    The FAA is aware that there are Native American tribes with a 
historical interest in the area. The FAA is interacting with them on a 
government-to-government basis, in accordance with all executive 
orders, laws, regulations, and other memoranda. The tribes have also 
been invited to participate in accordance with NEPA, section 106 of the 
NHPA, and FAA Order 1210.20, American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal 
Consultation Policy and Procedures.

    Issued in Beaver, West Virginia, September 26, 2022.
Matthew Digiulian,
Manager, Beckley Airport Field Office, Airports Division, Eastern 
Region.
[FR Doc. 2022-21162 Filed 9-28-22; 8:45 am]
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