[Federal Register: August 31, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 170)]
[Notices]
[Page 53072-53073]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31au00-130]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Notice of Intent To Conduct Environmental Scoping for an
Environmental Assessment To Be Prepared by the City of Chicago for Its
Proposed O'Hare World Gateway Program at O'Hare International Airport
in Chicago, Illinois
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice to hold a public scoping meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is issuing this
notice to advise Federal, State and local agencies, and the general
public, that an opportunity will be given to provide input as to the
scope of an Environmental Assessment to be prepared by the City of
Chicago for its proposed O'Hare World Gateway
[[Page 53073]]
Program (WGP) for Chicago O'Hare International Airport in Chicago,
Illinois. The WGP is a comprehensive effort by the city of Chicago to
provide improved terminal space, additional parking, taxiway
improvements, cargo support facilities, and Airport roadway access
improvements. The City of Chicago Department of Aviation has made a
decision to initiate the preparation of an Environmental Assessment.
The FAA has offered to facilitate the environmental review process by
soliciting scoping comments form Federal, State and local agencies. If
during the environmental review process the FAA finds that no
significant adverse environmental impacts are associated with the
proposed actions, then a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) would
be issued. If the FAA finds that significant adverse impacts would be
associated with the proposed actions, an Environmental Impact Statement
will be prepared.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
City of Chicago Department of Aviation--Carol Wilinski, City of
Chicago Department of Aviation, Chicago O'Hare International Airport,
P.O. Box 66142, Chicago, Illinois, 60666. Ms. Wilinski can be contacted
at (773) 894-6900 (voice), (773) 686-3743 (facsimile), or by e-mail at
WGP__ENVIRONMENT@OHARE.COM.
Federal Aviation Administration (for informational purposes)--
Prescott C. Snyder, Airports Environmental Program Manger, Federal
Aviation Administration, Chicago Airports District Office, Room 320,
2300 East Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018. Mr. Snyder can be
contacted at (847) 294-7538 (voice), (847) 294-7046 (facsimile) or by
e-mail at 9-AGL-ORD-WGP-ENV@FAA.GOV.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: At the request of the City of Chicago, the
FAA will be reviewing an Environmental Assessment to be prepared by the
City of Chicago that will evaluate the environmental impact of the City
of Chicago's O'Hare World Gateway Program (WGP). The WGP will address
the operational pressures posed by changing airline industry conditions
and efforts by the City of Chicago to address these pressures and
improve convenience and amenities for the flying public at O'Hare
International Airport.
The major physical elements of the overall WGP include proposals
for the following terminal development, airside improvements, and
landside improvements:
Terminal development components include two new terminals
(TD/T6), the reconstruction of an existing concourse facility (T2,
Concourse E/F), extension of Concourse K, utility systems/Heating &
Refrigeration plant modifications, and replacement cargo facilities.
Airside improvements include construction and
reconfiguration of taxiways, aprons, and taxilanes in conjunction with
new and reconfigured terminal facilities. This would include
construction of an extension to Taxiway B and partial reconstruction of
Taxiways A and B.
Key landside components include improvements to terminal
access roads and curbfronts, extension of the O'Hare airport transit
system (ATS), additional parking, and consolidated rental car
facilities.
In addition to the planned improvements in the WGP, the City of
Chicago will review for purposes of assessing cumulative impacts any
other clearly defined projects for the years 1997 through 2012.
Included are renewal and replacement projects, rehabilitation needs and
on-going capital reinvestment. Also, the Airport is marketing
undeveloped or underutilized parcels of the northeast portion of the
airport to attract private commercial development. Some of the projects
have already been evaluated from the environmental perspective and work
has begun or is about to begin. Others are awaiting environmental
evaluation.
To ensure that all significant issues related to the proposed
actions are identified, two scoping meetings will be held as part of an
ongoing comprehensive public outreach effort by the City of Chicago.
Copies of a scoping document with additional detail can be obtained by
contacting the City of Chicago Department of Aviation informational
contact person identified above. Federal, State and local agencies and
other interested parties are invited to make comments and suggestions
to ensure that the full range of issues related to these proposed
actions are addressed and all significant issues identified. All
reasonable alternatives will be considered including the no-action
option. Additional public outreach opportunities will be provided in
the future for the public to review and comment on the draft
Environmental Assessment.
Comments and suggestions should be received by the City of Chicago
Department of Aviation contact person, identified above, by close of
business Friday, October 20, 2000. Informational copies of comments may
also be sent to the FAA Contact identified above.
Public Scoping Meetings
To facilitate receipt of comments, two public scoping meetings will
be held on Thursday, October 5, 2000. An Agency Scoping Meeting will be
held for Federal, State and local agencies from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
in the Michigan Conference Room at the Federal Aviation
Administration's Great Lakes Region Office, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Des
Plaines, Illinois. All persons planning to attend the agency scoping
meeting which is during office hours should bring picture
identification and if possible call ahead to acknowledge their expected
attendance. This will facilitate issuance of a building security pass.
A Public Scoping Workshop will be held for members of the public
and other interested parties between 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. on the same
day, Thursday, October 5, 2000. This meeting will be held at the
Fountain Blue Banquets, 2300 S. Mannheim Road, Des Plaines, Illinois
60018.
Issued in Des Plaines, Illinois on August 24, 2000.
Philip M. Smithmeyer,
Manager, Chicago Airports District Office, FAA, Great Lakes Region.
[FR Doc. 00-22366 Filed 8-30-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M