[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41997-41998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-13739]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No.: FAA-2023-1368]


Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; requests for comments.

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

SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration announces that a Draft

[[Page 41998]]

Programmatic Environmental Assessment for the Bipartisan Infrastructure 
Law-funded Airport Traffic Control Tower Replacement Program is 
available for public review and comment.

DATES: Comments on or before July 31, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2023-1368 to 
the Federal Regulations portal at www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical questions concerning 
this notice, contact Aaron W. Comrov, Environmental Team Lead, FAA CSA 
ES EOSH Center (AJW-2C16E), 2300 East Devon Avenue, Room 450, Des 
Plaines, IL 60018; telephone (847) 294-7665, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment (PEA) considers the conditions and potential environmental 
impacts from the Proposed Action to replace numerous FAA-owned airport 
traffic control towers (ATCTs) with modern facilities under the 
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded ATCT Replacement Program. Many 
existing ATCTs at municipal or general aviation airports are outdated 
and operating past their design life. The purpose and need for the 
proposed program is to replace select FAA-owned ATCTs across the nation 
with modern ATCTs while providing uninterrupted air traffic control 
services. The FAA has prepared the Draft PEA in conformance with the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) 
and FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures. 
The Draft PEA analyzes the potential environmental impacts that may 
result from construction and operation of the proposed new ATCTs and 
decommissioning and removal of the existing ATCTs (the Proposed 
Action), as well as the No Action Alternative (i.e., not constructing 
and operating the proposed new ATCTs).
    The Proposed Action would provide for modern, operationally 
efficient ATCTs, which would be designed to meet the energy and 
sustainability requirements of FAA's Terminal Facilities Design 
Standard while adhering to the Council on Environmental Quality's 
Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings and Associated 
Instructions. The proposed replacement ATCTs would enable the 
installation of modern air traffic control equipment, provide adequate 
space and an enhanced work environment for FAA personnel, lower 
operating costs, and improve environmental performance resulting in 
energy savings, water efficiency, reduced carbon emissions, and 
improved indoor air quality while meeting applicable FAA requirements.
    Based on this analysis, the FAA has preliminarily determined there 
will not be a significant impact to the human environment from 
implementation of the Proposed Action. The FAA intends for the PEA to 
create efficiencies by establishing a ``tiering'' framework, where 
appropriate, to project-specific actions that require additional 
analysis. As decisions on specific project sites are made, to the 
extent additional NEPA analysis is required, environmental reviews 
would be conducted to supplement the analysis set forth in this PEA.
    The Draft PEA is available for review on the project website 
(https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/atf), and the Federal Regulations 
portal (www.regulations.gov) with Docket No.: FAA-2023-1368. The FAA 
will address comments received on the Draft PEA within the Final PEA.

    Issued in Des Plaines, Illinois, on June 23, 2023.
Aaron W. Comrov,
Environmental Team Lead, FAA CSA ES EOSH Center, AJW-216E.
[FR Doc. 2023-13739 Filed 6-27-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P