Hello, As you are probably aware, I and many of my co-workers in FAA’s Airports Division, in Alaska and nation-wide, were part of the approximately 4,000 workforce that was temporarily furloughed. The furlough affected a number of Alaska projects, including the Kodiak Airport EIS. The full impact of the work disruption on the EIS and other projects is hard to determine, but it certainly isn’t always limited to just a delay in schedule. Resources may get shifted to other priorities, contractors and consultants have to adapt their manpower allocations, contingency plans may have to be prepared to shut down work and, once a furlough is over, it takes extra time and energy to get back project momentum. The good news is, because their costs are allocated through a previously committed grant managed by Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF), our consulting team had some funding to continue work while I was away from the office. However, even the consultant’s work had to be somewhat limited in scope, primarily because at the time of furlough FAA staff was pushing to complete our comprehensive re-examination of runway safety alternatives. The consultants can’t go very far with their efforts until FAA decides which alternatives will be carried through a detailed analysis of possible environmental impacts. Although we still haven’t completed our analysis, involving personnel from both Alaska Region and FAA headquarters with critical input from ADOT&PF, Alaska Airlines, and U.S. Coast Guard, I can report that the range of alternatives to be included in the Draft EIS will be substantially different than was initially presented in the Preliminary Draft EIS. More will be forthcoming on that subject in the near future. On a different note. You may remember that after we had distributed the Preliminary Draft EIS and received comments from reviewing agencies, Stacy Studebaker, a biologist and Kodiak resident, alerted us to the presence of a potentially rare plant in the vicinity of the Airport. The sessile-leaved scurvy grass (Cochlearia sessilifolia) was found in the Buskin River estuary in late summer 2010. The sessile-leaved scurvy grass is not a federally listed species, and there are no state protections for the species, but it is listed on the Alaska Rare Plant List by the Alaska Natural Heritage Program. The Heritage rank for Cochlearia sessilifolia ( G1G2Q/S1S2) means the species is considered either critically imperiled or imperiled at both a global and state geographic level. During our meetings earlier this year and in other communications, a number of you encouraged FAA to undertake a more thorough investigation for the presence and distribution of sessile-leaf scurvy grass in the area on or around the Kodiak Airport. The EIS consultants will be conducting surveys for this plant later in August, in the EIS project area as well as in surrounding suitable habitats within Chiniak Bay. Other potentially rare plant species may be found in the project area, such as the Oriental Popcornflower (Plagiobothrys orientalis) and the Alaska Mistmaiden ( Romazoffia unalaschkensis), and the surveys will document these and other species of interest that may be found. I hope this information is helpful. Please don’t hesitate to call (271-5453) or write (Leslie.Grey@faa.gov) if you have questions or comments or just want to talk about the EIS. Thanks very much, Leslie Grey Environmental Protection Specialist FAA - Alaskan Region, Airports Division 907-271-5453
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