Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed LaGuardia Access Improvement Project at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), New York City, Queens County, New York, 14796-14797 [2021-05576]

Agencies

• Federal Aviation Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 51 (Thursday, March 18, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14796-14797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-05576]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the Proposed LaGuardia Access Improvement Project at 
LaGuardia Airport (LGA), New York City, Queens County, New York

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Final Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is issuing this notice under the provisions of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, to 
announce the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the proposed LaGuardia Airport (LGA) Access Improvement 
Project and its connected actions (the Proposed Action). The Proposed 
Action would provide direct access between LGA and the Metropolitan 
Transportation Authority (MTA) Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Mets-
Willets Point Station and the New York City Transit (NYCT) 7 Line Mets-
Willets Point Station. FAA is the lead federal agency in the 
preparation of the EIS, with cooperating agencies including National 
Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior); U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; New York State 
Department of Environmental Conservation; New York State Department of 
Transportation; and New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and 
Historic Preservation. The Final EIS was prepared to disclose the 
potential environmental impacts resulting from the Proposed Action, 
including real property transactions under the New York State Eminent 
Domain Procedures Law. The Final EIS is available for download on the 
project website at https://www.lgaaccesseis.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Andrew Brooks, Environmental 
Program Manager, Eastern Regional Office, AEA-610, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 1 Aviation Plaza, Jamaica, NY 11434. Telephone: 718-
553-2511.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice continues the EIS process 
announced in the Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) and Initiate Section 106 Consultation for the Proposed 
LaGuardia Access Improvement Project at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), New 
York City, Queens County, New York, 84 FR 19151, May 3, 2019, follows 
meetings associated with the EIS announced in the Notice of Public 
Information Sessions on Alternatives Analysis for the Proposed 
LaGuardia Airport Access Improvement Project at LaGuardia Airport 
(LGA), New York City, Queens County, New York, 84 FR 66438, December 4, 
2019, and follows release of the Draft EIS, which was made available 
for agency and public review as announced in the Notice of Availability 
of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Notice of Public 
Workshops and Hearings for the Proposed LaGuardia Access Improvement 
Project at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), New York City, Queens County, New 
York 85 FR 51142, August 19, 2020.
    This EIS was prepared in response to a proposal presented by the 
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (Port Authority). The Port 
Authority operates LGA under a lease agreement with the City of New 
York. FAA must decide whether to approve, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 47106 
and 47107 relating to the eligibility of the Proposed Action for 
federal funding under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and/or 
under 49 U.S.C. 40117, as implemented by 14 CFR 158.25, to impose and 
use passenger facility charge (PFC) revenue collected for the Proposed 
Action to assist with construction of potentially eligible development 
items shown on the Airport Layout Plan (ALP). FAA approval of the 
eligibility for federal funding under AIP or to impose and use PFCs is 
a Federal action that must comply with NEPA requirements. The Port has 
indicated it intends to submit an application to impose and use PFCs, 
and this EIS was prepared in order to inform the environmental 
determinations required as part of such an application. FAA, as lead 
federal agency, invited the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency; New York State Department of 
Environmental Conservation; New York State Department of 
Transportation; and New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and 
Historic Preservation to participate as cooperating agencies, as 
described under 40 CFR 1501.6(a)(1), and the agencies accepted. 
Subsequent to release of the Draft EIS, the National Park Service (U.S. 
Department of the Interior) requested to become a cooperating agency, 
and FAA accepted this request.
    The Final EIS presents the purpose and need for the Proposed 
Action, analysis of reasonable alternatives, discussion of impacts for 
each reasonable alternative, comments received on the Draft EIS, 
responses to comments received on the Draft EIS, and supporting 
appendices. The Proposed Action includes:
     Construction of an above ground fixed guideway automated 
people mover (APM) system approximately 2.3 miles in length that 
extends from the LGA Central Hall Building under construction to the 
Mets-Willets Point LIRR and NYC Transit 7 Line Stations;
     construction of two on-Airport APM stations (Central Hall 
APM Station and East APM Station) and one off-Airport APM station at 
Willets Point (Willets Point APM Station) that provides connections to 
the Mets-Willets Point LIRR and 7 Line stations;
     construction of passenger walkway systems to connect the 
APM stations to the passenger terminals, parking garages, and ground 
transportation facilities;
     construction of a multi-level APM operations, maintenance, 
and storage facility (OMSF) that includes up to 1,000 parking spaces 
(500 for airport employees, 250 for MTA employees, 50 for APM 
employees, and 200 for replacement Citi Field parking);
     construction of three traction power substations to 
provide power to the APM guideway: One located at the on-Airport East 
Station, another at-grade

[[Page 14797]]

west of the proposed Willets Point Station just south of Roosevelt 
Avenue, and the third at the OMSF;
     construction of a 27kV main substation located adjacent to 
the OMSF structure on MTA property;
     construction of utilities infrastructure, both new and 
modified, as needed, to support the Proposed Action, including a 
permanent stormwater outfall into Flushing Creek and a temporary 
stormwater outfall into Flushing Creek; and
     acquisition of temporary and permanent easements; no 
private property would be acquired.
    The Proposed Action also includes various connected actions, 
including: Utility relocation and demolition of certain existing 
facilities; a temporary MTA bus storage/parking facility; relocation of 
up to 200 Citi Field parking spaces; demolition and replacement of the 
Passerelle Bridge; temporary walkway to maintain access between the 
transit stations and Flushing Meadows-Corona Park; modifications to the 
Mets-Willets Point LIRR Station, including new shuttle service on the 
LIRR Port Washington Line; and the relocation of several World's Fair 
Marina facilities, including a boat lift, finger piers and connected 
timber floating dock, Marina office and boatyard facility, boat storage 
and parking, and operations shed.
    FAA provides the following notices:
     Pursuant to 36 CFR 800.8(c) that it used the NEPA process 
to notify the public of FAA's finding that the proposed undertaking 
would adversely affect properties listed or eligible for listing on the 
National Register of Historic Places. An executed Memorandum of 
Agreement to resolve adverse effects to historic properties is included 
in Appendix K.13 of the Final EIS.
     Pursuant to Section 4(f) of the DOT Act and Section 6(f) 
of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act, FAA has prepared a 
Final Section 4(f) and Section 6(f) Evaluation (see Appendix I of the 
Final EIS). The Proposed Action would have a significant impact on 
Section 4(f) resources and would require the conversion of 
approximately 0.5 acres of LWCF-obligated property, and a temporary 
non-conforming use of approximately 1.2 acres of LWCF-obligated 
property. These impacts and proposed mitigation are disclosed in 
Chapter 3.8 and Appendix I of the Final EIS.
     Pursuant to DOT Order 5610.2(b), DOT Actions to Address 
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income 
Populations, the Proposed Action would have a significant impact on 
minority environmental justice populations. These impacts and proposed 
mitigation are disclosed in Chapter 3.14 of the Final EIS.
     Pursuant to Executive Order 11990, Protection of Wetlands, 
that the Proposed Action would temporarily affect less than 1 acre of 
jurisdictional wetlands in Flushing Creek and less than 1 acre of 
temporary and permanent impacts in Flushing Bay. Impacts to these 
aquatic resources and proposed mitigation are disclosed in Chapter 3.16 
of the Final EIS.
     Pursuant to Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management 
that the Proposed Action would not result in a significant encroachment 
on floodplains. Impacts to floodplains are disclosed in Chapter 3.16 of 
the Final EIS.
    Following a 30-day wait period, FAA may issue Record of Decision 
pursuant to 40 CFR 1503.4(c) [Council of Environmental Quality 
regulations] and FAA Orders 1050.1F and 5050.4B. FAA and the National 
Park Service (U.S. Department of Interior) may prepare a joint Record 
of Decision.

    Issued in Jamaica, New York, March 12, 2021.
Evelyn Martinez,
Manager, New York Airports District Office, Airports Division, Eastern 
Region.
[FR Doc. 2021-05576 Filed 3-17-21; 8:45 am]
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