UPDATE 25 May 2012 from Leslie Grey, FAA

Good Morning,

In keeping with our recent practice, I’m sending you this monthly update for the Kodiak Airport EIS.  We skipped April because we had face-to-face meetings with some agencies.  I much prefer those in-person conversations, but since we don’t have the time and budget to meet very often I’ll get back on schedule with our regular update.

As you are aware, it is typical although not required for federal agencies to identify a preferred alternative in draft NEPA analyses, for both environmental assessments and environmental impact statements.  There are many reasons why identification of a preferred alternative can be helpful, to the agencies and public, but for projects involving complicated alternatives or sensitive environmental resources the preference isn’t always easy to determine.  That is the case for proposed runway safety area improvements at Kodiak Airport. FAA and our consulting team needed to work through many challenging issues, including constraints on aviation operations at Kodiak.  Further, we realized (with help from many of you) that the environmental analysis for some resources needed to be more rigorous.

I’m pleased to report that we are now in a position to identify what FAA intends to include in the Draft EIS as preferred alternatives for runway safety area improvements to Runways 07/25 and 18/36.  They are:

·        Runway 07/25 - Alternative 2. This alternative would improve runway safety area on the primary, east-west runway by placing fill into marine waters east of Runway end 25.  A 600-foot long RSA would be constructed that includes an EMAS (engineered materials arresting system) bed measuring 340 feet long by 170 feet.  The EMAS would provide a 70-knot stopping capability for the B737-400, design aircraft.

·        Runway 18/36 – Alternative 7.  This alternative would improve runway safety areas on both ends of the north-south Runway 18/36.  At the north, Runway end 18, no additional disturbance would occur beyond the current airport boundary but an EMAS bed measuring about 155 feet long by 170 feet wide, offering a 40-knot stopping capability for the B737-400 would be installed on the existing pavement.  At the south, Runway end 36 the runway would be shifted about 240 feet further south, and a 360-foot RSA would be constructed for a combined 600 linear feet of new fill beyond the existing runway threshold.
The preferred alternatives and other build alternatives that will be evaluated in the Draft EIS are shown in the figure Kodiak RSA Alternatives Comparison on the EIS web site at http://www.kodiakairporteis.com/documents/Kodiak%20RSA%20Alternatives%20Comparison.pdf
Now that we have preferred alternatives we can move forward with some final work necessary to the environmental evaluations and compliance with other state and federal laws.  For example, we recently met with USFWS and NOAA Fisheries to re-initiate consultation required by the Endangered Species Act.  FAA will be submitting draft biological assessments to both of these agencies concurrent with publication of the Draft EIS.  Similarly, concurrent with the Draft EIS ADOT&PF will be submitting to the U.S. Coast Guard and USFWS an application for an ANILCA Title X permit.  The Draft EIS will serve as the requisite NEPA documentation supporting their application.
We still have much other work to be completed, including further consultation and coordination with many of you, but I fully expect the Draft EIS will be released to the public later this summer.  As I mentioned in the last project update, FAA will provide 60 days for everyone to review the Draft EIS and submit comments, and at least one public hearing will be held in Kodiak during the review period.
I will keep you informed as we get closer to release of the Draft EIS.  In the meantime, let me know if you have questions, comments or concerns.   My phone number is 271-5453 or you can email Leslie.Grey@faa.gov.  

Best regards, Leslie

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

UPDATE: 30 September 2011 from Leslie Grey FAA

Good morning,
 
 
I just wanted to give you a quick heads-up concerning progress on the
Kodiak Airport EIS.  FAA has completed our examination of the factors that
may constrain or influence runway safety area design for the north-south
(18/36) and east-west (07/25) runways at the airport.  We’ll provide much
more detail in the near future on how we conducted this review and
analysis, but for now I’ll note that factors considered included:
 
 
1) operational requirements such as aircraft use and approach and departure
procedures,
 
 
2) landing aids such as the Runway 36 VASI and the Runway 25 glide slope,
 
 
3) runway utilization patterns,
 
 
4) federal safety requirements for the design aircraft, and
 
 
5) opportunities to avoid or minimize environmental impacts.
 
 
As a result of this effort, we’ve established a range of alternatives that
will be subject to a full examination of environmental impacts in the EIS.
 
 
Our consultants are at this time preparing materials that will depict the
details of these new alternatives (and I emphasize “new,” because most of
them were not included in the Preliminary Draft EIS).  My plan is to
schedule meetings with all of you sometime in November, in Kodiak and
Anchorage, to present these new alternatives and explain the work behind
our decisions.  Due to continuing uncertainty over the 2012 budget for
FAA’s Airports Program, unfortunately I can’t yet confirm that meetings
will take place, let alone times and dates.  But I hope to get approval
sometime in the next week or so, and will then notify you all of the
relevant details.
 
 
In the meantime, 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 A. Grey
Environmental Protection Specialist
FAA - Alaskan Region, Airports Division
907-271-5453

20 July 2011: Update from Leslie Grey, FAA

Hello,
It’s been some time since I’ve provided all of you with information
concerning the Kodiak Airport EIS.  This message will give you a sense of
the work we’ve been doing since our meetings in Anchorage and Kodiak last
February.  I’ll also take the opportunity to let you know of a new approach
I’ve implemented to keep the public, tribes, agencies and other
stakeholders informed of our efforts.  First though, a summary of what is
happening with the EIS.
 
 
Most of our effort right now is being consumed by a comprehensive
examination of possible alternatives.  Last February I organized meetings
with tribal and agency representatives during which we held some of the
very good discussion concerning operational factors that can control or
constrain what could be done with runways at Kodiak Airport.  For example,
a common question asked was whether the north-south Runway 18/36 could be
shifted to the south, so that runway safety area could be installed on the
south runway end without adding new land that would affect the Buskin
River.  We are conducting a rigorous evaluation of the aviation
requirements for that runway to determine what, if any, degree of runway
shift would be possible without bringing obstructions such as trees or
terrain into the glide slopes for approaching aircraft.  Other factors also
have to be considered, such as impacts to critical navigational aids.  So
that all possible combinations of alternatives are being considered, a
similar analysis is being conducted for the east-west Runway 7/25.  We are
also considering other questions and options raised during those meetings
involving engineered materials arresting systems, side slope angles and
other construction requirements.
 
 
All of this analysis and re-examination of alternatives is taking more time
than any of us working on the EIS would have liked, but I’m satisfied that
the results will stand up to the very close scrutiny needed for such
important decisions.  In the meantime, I want to remind you that ADOT&PF is
still planning to initiate construction work this summer on a project
unrelated to the EIS or safety areas.  A contractor has been hired to
re-pave Runway 18/36, and at the same time replace lighting within and
along that runway.   Although much of the work will be on the surface, with
little new disturbance, there will have to be some excavation along runway
shoulders and for utility crossings.  Once ADOT&PF establishes a work
schedule we will make sure to pass that and other relevant information
along.
 
 
After the February meetings I promised to start sending periodic project
updates, not only to keep you better informed of our work and progress, but
also to provide responses to the more substantive questions and concerns.
I’m sorry for the delay in getting that started – and I won’t bore you with
details of the contracting issues we had to resolve or other seemingly
minor bureaucratic issues to sort through – but this message serves notice
that in the coming weeks and months, the updates will be regular and
informative, even if the answers aren’t always what you would prefer to
hear.  I plan on using these communications to address a variety of topics,
but particularly the areas that seem to generate the most interest among
agency and tribal representatives, and the public.
 
 
These updates will not always come directly from me.  Certain senior
members of my EIS consulting team, depending on their particular expertise
and experience, will also be responsible for putting together the updates.
I hope you will feel comfortable calling them directly or sending a reply
e-mail if you have questions or concerns.  Of course, please call or write
me at any time, and if I can’t immediately provide the information you need
I’ll make sure we get it to you as soon as possible.
 
 
Thanks very much for your patience.  On behalf of FAA, I truly appreciate
your continued interest in the work we are doing and the necessary
processes we must follow to reach a decision concerning proposed runway
safety area improvements at Kodiak Airport.
 
 
Leslie Grey
Environmental Protection Specialist
FAA - Alaskan Region, Airports Division
907-271-5453

http://kodiakairporteis.com/