Department of Transportation November 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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.