FAA UPDATE: 13 September 2010

Leslie.Grey@faa.gov
Subject: Kodiak Airport EIS project update                

All,
This message is to inform agencies and other interested parties of
the status of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) being prepared by
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  I think you are all aware
the purpose of the EIS is to evaluate actions proposed by the Airport
operator, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
(ADOT&PF) to bring the facility into compliance with the most current
national aviation safety standards for runway safety areas.


First, I would like to thank many of you for attending our various
Anchorage and Kodiak meetings in late June.  My consulting team and I found
them very informative, particularly as we were able to further explore
comments from agencies concerning the Preliminary Draft EIS (PDEIS), and
discuss some of our proposed changes to the document in response to your
concerns.


As I informed meeting participants earlier this summer, our efforts to
complete the Draft EIS (DEIS) are focused in two areas.  At this time, FAA
is conducting a comprehensive review of the alternatives to affirm that the
EIS includes a suitable range of practicable and feasible runway safety
area enhancements for the runways in consideration.  I can tell you the
Draft EIS will include some different alternatives than were evaluated in
the PDEIS.  Second, we are thoroughly reviewing and, in some cases,
revising our impact analyses not only to consider the new alternatives but
to address substantive comments made by those of you who reviewed the
PDEIS.  We are also working on all other aspects of the EIS to respond to
comments and assure an appropriate level of disclosure when the DEIS is
released for public review.


I plan to schedule another round of meetings in the near future with as
many of you as possible.  Our intent will be to present you with a detailed
explanation of the alternatives, including the physical and operational
factors that limit or even prevent consideration of some options and other
rationale used to screen impracticable alternatives or those not feasible.
We will spend time reviewing the alternatives that are undergoing a full
environmental analysis, and I hope to be able at that time to present you
with FAA's preferred alternatives.


The current schedule for the project has the Draft EIS being released
during the first half of 2011.  As we get closer to completion of the
analysis and documentation, I will provide additional updates to inform you
of our progress and next steps.

Let me know if you have questions or concerns, at the contact information
below.  Additionally, the project website (kodiakairporteis.com) has
background information about the project.


P.S.  Please let me know if you should no longer be on our e-mail
distribution list, or if your contact information has changed. In addition,
if there are others in your organization who should receive these updates
and other information concerning the Kodiak Airport EIS, please forward
this message.  Thanks, Leslie


Leslie A. Grey
Environmental Protection Specialist
FAA - Alaskan Region, Airports Division
907-271-5453