NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY AND PUBLIC HEARING
U.S. Department of Transportation - Federal Aviation Administration
Release of Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for the Proposed Replacement General Aviation Airport
Mesquite, Clark County, Nevada
On May 7, 2008, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as lead agency, published a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to disclose the potential environmental impacts of the proposed relocation of the Mesquite Municipal Airport as well as reasonable alternatives to the Proposed Action, including the No-Action Alternative. The Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS will appear in the Federal Register on Friday, May 16, 2008. The public will have a minimum of 60 days to review the document. The public comment period will end at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, on Friday, July 18, 2008.
The FAA is also issuing this Notice of Availability to advise the public that a Draft EIS is available for review pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, including Executive Order 11593, Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment. FAA is currently coordinating with the Bureau of Land Management, Nevada State Historic Preservation Office, and interested stakeholders whether its action in approving the Proposed Project or reasonable alternative would result in a significant impact to Historic and Archaeological Resources. In accordance with Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management and Order DOT 5650.2, Floodplain Management and Protection, FAA evaluated whether the Proposed Project or reasonable alternative would impact base floodplain based on a 100-year flood. The results of this assessment indicate that the Proposed Project or reasonable alternative would result in unavoidable impacts to the base floodplain. FAA’s analysis has also determined that the base floodplain encroachment does not constitute a “significant” encroachment. In accordance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, FAA has developed and coordinated a Biological Assessment for this EIS. FAA has received the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Biological Opinion and has concluded formal consultation for this EIS.
DRAFT EIS Review and Comment Process: The FAA encourages interested parties to review the Draft EIS and provide their comments no later than 5:00 p.m., Pacific Standard Time, Friday July 18, 2008. Comments may be provided in any of three ways: (1) comments may be submitted in writing to Mr. Barry Franklin, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration – San Francisco Airports District Office, 831 Mitten Road, Room 210, Burlingame, California 94010; (2) written comments may be submitted at the Public Workshop or Public Hearing, and (3) oral comments will be recorded by a court reporter at the Public Hearing.
The FAA encourages all interested parties to provide comments concerning the scope and content of the Draft EIS. Comments should be as specific as possible and address the analysis of potential environmental impacts and the adequacy for the proposed action or merits of its alternatives and the mitigation being considered. Reviewers should organize their participation so that it is meaningful and makes the agency aware of the viewers’ interests and concerns using quotations and other specific references to the text of the Draft EIS and related documents. Matters that could have been raised with specificity during the comment period on the Draft EIS may not be considered if they are raised for the first time later in the decision process. This commenting procedure is intended to ensure that substantive comments and concerns are made available to the FAA in a timely manner so that the FAA has an opportunity to address them.
For the convenience of the public, the Draft EIS can be reviewed at the following locations: Administrative office of the Mesquite Municipal Airport; the City of Mesquite City Hall at 10 East Mesquite Boulevard, Mesquite, Nevada 89027; Federal Aviation Administration – San Francisco Airports District Office, 831 Mitten Road, Burlingame, California 94010; Federal Aviation Administration, National Headquarters, Planning and Environmental Division, 800 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20591.
The Draft EIS is also available at the following libraries: Mesquite Library, 121 W. First North Street, Mesquite, Nevada 89027 and Bunkerville Library, 150 West Virgin Street, Bunkerville, NV 89007.
Public Hearing: The FAA will hold one (1) Public Hearing on June 17, 2008 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm Pacific Standard Time to afford interested parties the opportunity to provide comments on the Draft EIS for the purpose of considering the environmental, economic, and social effects of the proposed replacement general aviation airport. The Public Hearing will also be held to provide the public an opportunity to comment on potential impacts to historic and cultural resources, floodplains, and threatened and endangered species. The Public Hearing will be held at the following location:
City of Mesquite
City Council Chambers, 2nd Floor
10 East Mesquite Boulevard
Mesquite, Nevada 89027
A Public Workshop to describe the project and answer the public questions will be held prior to the Public Hearing on June 17, 2008 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm Pacific Standard Time at the City of Mesquite City Hall.
For Further Information Contact: Mr. Barry Franklin, FAA Environmental Protection Specialist,
Telephone: (650) 876-2778, extension 614.
