[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71923-71924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22935]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Availability of a Final Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration announces the availability 
of a Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact/Record of Decision for the Bipartisan Infrastructure 
Law-funded Airport Traffic Control Tower Replacement Program.

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 Final Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment (PEA) considers the conditions and potential environmental 
impacts from the Proposed Action to replace numerous FAA-owned airport 
traffic control towers (ATCT) with modern facilities under the 
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)-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outdated and operating past their design life.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 with modern 
ATCTs while providing uninterrupted air traffic control services. The 
FAA has prepared the Final PEA and Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI)/Record of Decision (ROD) 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 Final 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 Final PEA reflects 
consideration of comments received during the public comment period for 
the Draft PEA, which was open from June 28, 2023 through July 31, 2023.
    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 determined there will not be a 
significant impact to the human environment from implementation of the 
Proposed Action and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not 
required. The FAA intends for

[[Page 71924]]

this 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 the 
PEA.
    The Final PEA and FONSI/ROD are available on the project website 
(http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic_atf).

    Issued in Des Plaines, Illinois, on October 12, 2023.
Aaron W. Comrov,
Environmental Team Lead, FAA CSA ES EOSH Center, AJW-216E.
[FR Doc. 2023-22935 Filed 10-17-23; 8:45 am]
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