Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a Replacement Airport Near Hailey, ID, 61945 [07-5424]

Agencies

• Federal Aviation Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 211 (Thursday, November 1, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 61945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-5424]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for a Replacement Airport Near Hailey, ID

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
and request for scoping comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is issuing this Notice of Intent to the public an EIS 
under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, as amended, will be prepared to consider the siting and 
construction of a replacement airport for the Friedman Memorial Airport 
(SUN), Hailey, Idaho. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is involved 
in the project as alternative sites may occur on BLM land. The BLM has 
not entered into a cooperating or co-lead agreement at this time.
    The Friedman Memorial Airport Authority, the sponsor of the 
project, has proposed to construct and operate a replacement airport 
for the Friedman Memorial Airport within Blaine County, Idaho.
    Friedman Memorial Airport is located in Hailey, Idaho and serves 
the Wood River region of South Central Idaho. The airport currently 
does not and cannot comply with FAA airfield design standards on the 
limited land owned by the airport. Further, the airport is close to 
numerous residences. Mountainous terrain on the east, west, and north 
sides of SUN precludes instrument approach procedures which would make 
SUN accessible in poor weather.
    All alternatives at the existing airport site are extremely costly 
and extend into residential areas. Further, they provide no benefit to 
reliability and safe operation in either good or adverse weather. 
Considering the limitations of the existing airport, elected and 
appointed officials in Blaine County, Idaho have decided to evaluate 
the environmental impacts of building and operating an airport meeting 
FAA design standards and supporting an instrument approach. Several 
alternatives, as well as the no-action alternative will be evaluated.
    The EIS will determine all environmental impacts, such as and not 
limited to, noise impacts, impacts on air and water quality, wetlands, 
fish, wildlife, and plants, farmlands, floodplains, historic/tribal 
resources, hazardous wastes, socioeconomics, and economic factors.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Cayla Morgan, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Seattle Airports District Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, 
SW., Suite 250, Renton, Washington, 98057-3356, (425) 227-2653.

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 and to conduct a public and agency scoping 
process. Information, data, opinions, and comments obtained throughout 
the scoping process will be considered in preparing the draft EIS.
    The scoping process for this EIS will include a comment period for 
interested agencies and parties to submit oral and/or written comments 
representing the concerns and issues they believe should be addressed. 
Please submit any written comments to Cayla Morgan no later than 
January 15, 2008.
    Public Scoping Meetings: To ensure that the full range of issues 
related to the proposed action is 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.
    An 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 December 4, 2007. 
This meeting will take place at 1 p.m. at the Community Campus, Fox 
Acres Road, Hailey, Idaho. A notification letter will be sent in 
advance of the meeting.
    Two public scoping meetings for the general public will be held. 
The first meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on December 3, 
2007. The second meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. December 
4, 2007. The meetings will be conducted at the Community Campus, Fox 
Acres Road, Hailey, Idaho. Each meeting will include an overview of the 
project, an informal open house period, and a question and answer 
session. To notify the general public of the scoping process, a legal 
notice will 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 FAA is aware that there are Native American tribes with a 
historical interest in the area. The FAA will interact on a government-
to-government basis, in accordance with all executive orders, laws, 
regulations, and other memoranda. The tribes will also be invited to 
participate in accordance with NEPA and Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act.
    Further information about the EIS and the proposed action will be 
posted when available at the following Web site: https://
www.airportsites.net/SUN-EIS.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, October 22, 2007.
Donna P. Taylor,
Manager, Airports Division, Northwest Mountain Region.
[FR Doc. 07-5424 Filed 10-31-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M