[Federal Register: November 5, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 214)]
[Notices]
[Page 62653-62654]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05no03-151]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment and
Conduct Scoping for Proposed Air Traffic Procedural Changes Associated
with the Omaha Airspace Redesign
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA).
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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Central Region, is
issuing this notice to advise the
[[Page 62654]]
public, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) that the FAA intends to prepare an
EA for the proposed Omaha Airspace Redesign (OAR). While not required
for an EA, the FAA is issuing this Notice of Intent to facilitate
public involvement. This EA will assess the potential environmental
impacts resulting from proposed modifications to air traffic routings
in the metropolitan Omaha and surrounding areas. Airports in this area
include Omaha, Eppley Airfield (OMA), Offutt Air Force Base, Lincoln
Airport (LNK), as well as smaller, primarily general aviation use
airports. All reasonable alternatives are being considered including a
no action alternative.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna O'Neill, Airspace Branch, ACE-
520, Air Traffic Division, Federal Aviation Administration, 901 Locust,
Kansas City, MO 64106; telephone: (816) 329-2560.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA is exploring new routing structures
that will improve the safety and efficiency of air traffic control
(ATC) operations in the Omaha Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON)
area. Preliminary operational concepts involve changes internal to the
Omaha TRACON airspace structure, as well as changes to Omaha and
Lincoln arrival and departure routes that would align with Minneapolis
Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) en route airspace routes.
Establishment of standardized, predictable routing reduces pilot and
controller workload, thereby increasing overall safety. This will be
accomplished by providing predictable and efficient procedural
separation for arriving and departing aircraft, reducing the need for
controller intervention. In addition, this concept will also allow
pilots to take advantage of improved aircraft navigational
technologies.
Potential alternatives will encompass new routing proposals that
would accommodate aircraft without Area Navigation (RNAV) capability,
and without changes to ground based navigational facilities. The Omaha
Airspace Redesign encompasses a geographic area of approximately 55
miles around the Omaha Eppley Airfield. The exact study area will be
identified in the draft EA.
The FAA will examine methods that will take advantage of new and
emerging ATC technologies, and improved performance characteristics of
modern aircraft, as well as improvements in navigation capabilities.
The proposal will address the merits of alternative airspace design
scenarios that safely and efficiently use regional airspace and
procedures in and around the Omaha Eppley Airfield and terminal
airspace controlled by the Omaha TRACON, as well as facility airspace
associated with portions of the Lincoln Airport Traffic Control Tower
and Minneapolis ARTCC airspace.
As part of the airspace redesign effort, the FAA will conduct
detailed analyses, which will be used to evaluate the potential
environmental impacts in the study area. Upon the publication of a
draft EA, the FAA will contact and coordinate with federal, state, and
local agencies, as well as the public, to obtain comments and
suggestions regarding the EA for the proposed project. The EA will
assess impacts of reasonable alternatives, including a no action
alternative, pursuant to NEPA; FAA Order 1050.1, Policies and
Procedures for Assessing Environmental Impacts; DOT Order 5610.1,
Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts; and the President's
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations implementing the
provisions of NEPA, 40 CFR parts 1500-1508, and other appropriate
guidance.
Scoping: While not required for an EA, the FAA will use the scoping
process as outlined in the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
Regulations and guidelines to facilitate public involvement. Concerned
individuals and agencies are invited to express their views in writing.
The purpose of the scoping process is: (1) To provide a description of
the proposed action, (2) to provide an early and open process to
determine the scope of issues to be addressed and to identify
potentially significant issues or impacts related to the proposed
action that should be analyzed in the EA, (3) to identify other
coordination and any permit requirements associated with the proposed
action, and (4) to identify and eliminate from detailed study those
issues that are not significant or those that have been adequately
addressed during a prior environmental review process.
The scoping period begins with this announcement. To ensure that
all issues are identified, the FAA is requesting comments and
suggestions on the project scope from all interested federal, state and
local agencies and other interested parties. In furtherance of this
effort, the FAA has established an Intenet Web site that can be
accessed at: http://www.faa.gov/ats/central/oar/oar.html. Additional
information about the Omaha Airspace Redesign can be found at this
internet site. Further, the FAA will be maintaining the following
telephone number for general information: (816) 329-2560.
DATES: The FAA will accept formal scoping comments through December 12,
2003. Written comments should be directed to the following address:
Federal Aviation Administration, 901 Locust, Attn: ACE-520-OAR, Kansas
City, MO 64106. Comments will also be accepted electronically via
http://www.faa.gov/ats/nar/central/oar/oar.html.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on: October 20, 2003.
Herman J. Lyons, Jr.,
Manager, Air Traffic Division, Central Region.
[FR Doc. 03-27757 Filed 11-4-03; 8:45 am]
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