6.0 INTRODUCTION
This section provides discussions on prospective environmental impacts touted to arise from implementing the recommendations under Section 5 (Alternatives Analysis). Officials at the federal, state and local levels and the general public would benefit from the environmental overview provided in this section, as it aims to give a clearer understanding on various environmental impacts that may arise from the proposal to develop Lafayette Regional Airport. The Environmental Assessment (EA) elaborated in the Airport Environmental Handbook, under FAA Order 5050.4A stands as the model from which the environmental overview in this section is derived (FAA, 1985).
Of the 22 impact categories listed in FAA Order 5050.4A, the following are discussed in this section to characterize the environmental overview for the proposed development of Lafayette Regional Airport (FAA, 1985):
- Social Impacts
- Air Quality
- Water Quality
- Wetlands
- Floodplains
- Coastal Zone Management Act
- Coastal Barriers
- Wild and Scenic Rivers
- Solid Waste
Although the environmental overview in this section does not constitute an official EA/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the 1982 Airport and Airway Improvement Act (AAIA), it nevertheless specifies key environmental impacts arising from the proposed development of Lafayette Regional Airport, which in turn may entail the need for conducting environmental studies prior to implementing the recommendations under Section 5 (FAA, 1985).
6.1 ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS
Compliance with NEPA, AAIA and other applicable laws via a thorough environmental assessment is required for airport development projects that receive federal actions and funding. Below are other relevant guidelines for the foregoing (Brown et al., 2010):
- FAA Order 1050.1D: Policies and Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts
- FAA Order 5050.4A: Airport Environmental Handbook
- 40 CFR 1500-1508 (of the Council on Environmental Quality): Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the NEPA
The FAA acts on any proposed action for airports by performing an initial environmental determination on it, which ascertains its potential environmental impacts. The following processes are used depending on the result of the initial environmental determination (Brown et al., 2010; FAA, 1985):
- EA – Applies to proposed actions on airport development projects with minor or uncertain significant potential environmental impacts; similar to EIS but with less detail and coordination; findings revealing no significant impacts lead to a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) result, while findings revealing significant impacts lead to the required accomplishment of an EIS
- EIS – Applies to proposed major federal actions or funding on airport development projects with known significant potential environmental impacts (ex. airport layout plan, airport location approval); systematically evaluates and documents the purpose and rationale behind proposed major federal actions, alternatives, environment involved and effects on the environment
- Categorical Exclusion (CE) – Applies to proposed actions on airport development projects that do not have significant potential environmental impacts, in turn followed by an EA or EIS; may necessitate supporting documents with brief descriptions of the airport development project and its potential environmental impacts
FAA Order 5050.4A serves as the primary guide for any environmental evaluation required by the FAA, subject to the findings of its initial environmental determination (FAA, 1985).
6.2 IDENTIFICATION OF PROPOSED ACTION
The entire master plan focuses on the development of Lafayette Regional Airport in terms of the expansion of its facilities to accommodate growing demands, as forecasted every five years from 2014 to 2034. Section 5 of the Alternatives Analysis requires the expansion of the following facilities of Lafayette Regional Airport: primary and terminal access roads, terminal curb frontage, automobile parking facilities, warehouse and office facilities, cargo apron, and air cargo acreage (Pan et al, n.d.).
6.3 EXAMINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT CATEGORIES
In this subsection, the potential environmental impacts attributed to the proposal to develop Lafayette Regional Airport subject to the recommendations under Section 5 are considered via a brief overview. Note that this subsection is not a formal submission to the FAA and therefore, not eligible to influence its official decision-making processes with regard to the proposed development of Lafayette Regional Airport (Pan et al, n.d.).
6.3.3 Social Impacts
According to FAA Order 5050.4A, the recommendations under Section 5 does not present significant social impacts because it does not involve any of the following: residential or commercial relocations, surface transportation pattern alterations, community disruptions, planned development divisions and appreciable environmental changes (Ashford et al., 2011; FAA, 1985; Pan et al, n.d.).
6.3.5 Air Quality
The requirement of an air quality assessment rests on the following factors stated under FAA Order 5050.4A: airport location changes, expansion of aircraft operations and expansion of passenger handling or parking facilities. Additionally, FAA-EE-82-21 (Air Quality Procedures for Civilian and Air Force Bases) must serve as a determinant for an air quality assessment, which states that airports that exceed 1.3 million annual passenger enplanements within the duration of the proposed development need to undergo an air quality assessment. The Lafayette Regional Airport, having a forecasted 410,455 enplaned passengers by 2034, does not require an air quality assessment, given that it did not exceed the foregoing threshold. Nevertheless, despite the fact that the Lafayette Regional Airport does not require an air quality assessment, the AIAA requires major runway extension projects to gain approval from the state governor first in order to guarantee compliance to applicable air quality standards (Ashford et al., 2011; FAA, 1985; Pan et al, n.d.).
6.3.6 Water Quality
Implementing the recommendations for the proposed development of Lafayette Regional Airport under Section 5 require the installment of new pavements to accommodate the expansion of its facilities. Such entails small storm water runoff increases, which can still be accommodated sufficiently by the six discharge racks of Lafayette Regional Airport, as those discharge water into two borrow pits – the Vermillion River and the smaller Bayou Tortue. FAA Order 5050.4A provides for the requirement of a water quality assessment for any proposed development, which in turn relies on agency consultation results involving regulating, permitting and reviewing agencies (Ashford et al., 2011; Pan et al, n.d.).
Approval by the state governor of the recommendations under Section 5 would require a water quality certification, as mandated by the AIAA. The Lafayette Regional Airport should also consult with the relevant state environmental bureau with regard to the coverage of the storm water runoff permit to see whether the slight increases in storm water runoff resulting from the implementation of the recommendations under Section 5 is still covered and valid. Consultations with the relevant federal and state bureaus on water wildlife are also important to ensure that storm water runoff resulting from the implementation of the recommendations under Section 5 would not adversely affect water resources. Overall, despite anticipated increases in storm water runoff, the implementation of the recommendations under Section 5 must conform to federal and state requirements on storm water runoff to avoid adverse impacts or minimize the occurrence thereof (Ashford et al., 2011; Pan et al, n.d.).
6.3.11 Wetlands
Although Lafayette Regional Airport is located within Lafayette Country, which was not adversely affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Executive Order 11990 urges the implementation of the recommendations under Section 5 to proceed without inflicting damage on adjacent wetlands. To prevent the pollution of nearby wetlands, Lafayette Regional Airport conducts thorough evaluation of construction and maintenance materials – one that stands as an integral practice in implementing the recommendations under Section 5. Moreover, further considerations owing to the prospective exposure of Lafayette County to future hurricanes in light of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita must be taken in pushing through the proposed development of Lafayette Regional Airport (Ashford et al., 2011; Pan et al, n.d.).
6.3.12 Floodplains
Under Executive Order 11988 and based an ongoing watershed study in Louisiana conducted in light of Hurricane Katrina, the implementation of the recommendations under Section 5 must proceed cautiously to prevent the adverse effects of acquiring floodplains through the expansion of Lafayette Regional Airport (Ashford et al., 2011; Pan et al, n.d.).
6.3.13 Coastal Zone Management Act
Lafayette Regional Airport is located in the West Gulf Coastal Plain - a coastal zone under the Coastal Zone Management Act. Therefore, the proposed development of the Lafayette Regional Airport must proceed in consideration of the Louisiana Coastal Management Program in order to prevent adverse impacts on coastal resources (Ashford et al., 2011; Pan et al, n.d.).
6.3.14 Coastal Barriers
Given that the West Gulf Coastal Plain, within which Lafayette Regional Airport is located, is lined with coastal barriers mostly in the form of islands, the implementation of the recommendations under Section 5 must proceed in consideration of preventing or minimizing damage to coastal barrier resources (Ashford et al., 2011; Pan et al, n.d.).
6.3.15 Wild and Scenic Rivers
In accordance to PL 90-542 (Federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act), as amended, the implementation of the recommendations under Section 5 must consider protected rivers and waterways that may gain adverse impacts on its duration. However, given the physical separation of the nearest protected waterway – Saline Bayou, from Lafayette Country, the implementation of the recommendations under Section 5 may proceed prudently (Ashford et al., 2011; Pan et al, n.d.).
6.3.19 Solid Waste
The expansion of Lafayette Regional Airport would not affect any site listed under the National Priorities List (NPL), which covers sites containing hazardous wastes. Thus, it is safe to implement the recommendations under Section 5 within the areas Lafayette Regional Airport would cover as part of its facilities expansion agenda, for it is not adjacent to any NPL-listed site (Ashford et al., 2011; Pan et al, n.d.).
References
Ashford N., Mumayiz, S, & Wright, P.(2011). Airport engineering: Planning, design and development of 21st century airports. Canada: John Wiley & Sons.
Brown, L. et al. (2010). Airport passenger terminal planning and design. Volume 1: Guidebook. Washington, D.C. ACRP Report 25.
Federal Aviation Authority (FAA). (1985). Airport environmental handbook (FAA Order 5050.4A). Washington, DC: FAA.
Pan, Z. Reger, D., Shata, H., Valencik, J., & Valencik, M. (n.d.). Airport Master Plan: Lafayette Regional Airport. USA. Intair Consulting.
