Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), Notice of Public Comment Period for the DEIS and Schedule of Public Information Meetings and Public Hearings for Proposed Development Activities at the Juneau International Airport, Juneau, AK, 19552 [05-7429]

Agencies

• Federal Aviation Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 19552]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-7429]



[[Page 19552]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS), Notice of Public Comment Period for the DEIS and Schedule of 
Public Information Meetings and Public Hearings for Proposed 
Development Activities at the Juneau International Airport, Juneau, AK

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Marine Fisheries Services 
(NMFS) and Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) are cooperating 
agencies, by virtue of their jurisdictional authority and/or resources 
management responsibilities.

ACTION: Notice of availability, notice of comment period, notice of 
public information meeting and public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration is issuing this notice to 
advise the public that a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for Proposed Development Activities at the Juneau International Airport 
(JNU) has been prepared and is available for public review and comment. 
Written requests for the DEIS and written comments on the DEIS can be 
submitted to the individual listed in the section FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT. Public information meetings and public hearings 
will be held on June 1 and June 2, 2005. The public comment period will 
commence on April 29, 2009 and will close on June 30, 2005.
    Public Comment and Information Meetings/Public Hearings: The start 
of the public comment period on the DEIS will be April 29, 2005 and 
will end on June 30, 2005. Two combined public Information meetings and 
public hearings will be held on June 1 and June 2, 2005, at different 
times to accommodate differences in availability of interested parties. 
The public information meeting on Wednesday, June 1 will begin at 3 
p.m. (ADT) and will last until 5 p.m. (ADT). The public hearing on that 
date will begin shortly after the public information meeting, at 5:30 
p.m. (ADT). The public information meeting on Thursday, June 2 will 
begin at 5 p.m. (ADT) and will last until 7 p.m. (ADT). The public 
hearing on that date will begin shortly after the public information 
meeting, at 7:30 p.m. (ADT). The location for both of the Public 
Information Meetings/Public Hearings is Centennial Hall, 101 Egan 
Drive, Juneau, AK 99801.

DEIS Availability and Review

    Copies of the DEIS may be viewed during regular business hours at 
the following locations:
    1. Federal Aviation Administration, Airports Division, 222 W. 7th 
Avenue 14, Anchorage, AK 99513-7504. (907) 271-5454 or (907) 
271-3813.
    2. Juneau International Airport, Airport Managers Office, 1873 
Shell Simmons Drive, Juneau, AK (907) 789-7821.
    3. Valley Branch Public Library, Mendenhall Mall, Juneau, AK 99801. 
(907) 789-0125.
    4. Downtown Juneau Public Library, 292 Marine Way, Juneau, AK 
99801. (907) 586-5249.
    The Juneau International Airport, Airport Managers Office has a 
limited number of CDs of the entire DEIS and Executive Summaries 
available for public distribution. Please contact the Airport Managers 
office at (907) 789-7821 for a copy.
    Comments from interested parties on the DEIS are encouraged and may 
be presented verbally at the public hearings. Written comments may be 
submitted to the FAA during the public information meetings and 
hearings and at the address listed in the section entitled FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT. On-line comments may be submitted using the form 
provided at the project Web site https://www.jnu-eis.org by following 
the links to Public Comment Form.
    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 of the proposed action or merits 
of alternatives and the mitigation being considered. Reviewers should 
organize their participation so that it is meaningful and makes the 
agency aware of the viewer's 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 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This DEIS discloses the environmental 
consequences associated with proposed development activities at the 
Juneau International Airport (JNU). JNU and the FAA have proposed a 
number of actions designed to enhance operational safety, facilitate 
aircraft alignment with Runway 26, and improve Airport facilities, 
including:
     Bring the Airport into compliance with FAA standards for 
runway safety area,
     Improve navigational alignment with Runway 26 at night and 
during poor weather,
     Construct and use a new, larger snow removal equipment and 
maintenance facility,
     Developed an improved, safer, and more secure access route 
to the fuel farm,
     Construct new aircraft parking and storage facilities to 
meet existing and future demands, and
     Implement an improved wildlife hazard management program 
that will reduce potential for aircraft collisions with wildlife.
    The proposed Airport improvements would be completed during the 
2005-2015 time period and, depending on the alternatives implemented, 
may result in temporary or long-term impacts to wetlands, water 
quality, wildlife habitat, vegetation, essential fish habitat, visual 
quality, socioeconomics, air, noise and two DOT 4(f) properties, the 
Dike Trail and the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge.
    The purpose and need for these improvements is reviewed in the 
DEIS. All reasonable, prudent and feasible alternative are being 
considered, including the no-action alternative.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patti Sullivan, Environmental 
Specialist, Federal Aviation Administration, Alaskan Region, Airports 
Division, 222 W. 7th Avenue 14, Anchorage, AK 99513-7504. Ms. 
Sullivan may be contacted during business hours at (907) 271-5454 
(phone) and (907) 271-2851 (facsimile).
    The comment period will close on June 30, 2005.

    Issued in Anchorage, Alaska on April 5, 2005.
David G. Wahto,
Acting Manager, Airports Division, Alaskan Region.
[FR Doc. 05-7429 Filed 4-12-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M