T.F. Green Airport Improvement Program - FEIS Chapters - PVD

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) Evaluation3.9.3.1 Socioeconomic ImpactsAs documented in Chapter 5, Environmental Consequences, neither Alternative B2 nor B4 would result insignificant adverse socioeconomic impacts. Economic benefits would be derived from on-Airport businessactivities, increased visitor spending, and development of spin-off Airport-related businesses as a result of theT.F. Green Airport Improvement Program. The Runway 5-23 extension for Alternative B4 would be completedfive years in advance of Alternative B2, which would result in 80 percent greater economic gains between 2015and the end of 2020 than Alternative B2 because of the expedited construction schedule. Potential economicgains for Alternative B4 between 2015 and the end of 2020 would total $385 million in business revenues in theCity of Warwick and $816 million for the State of Rhode Island, and $13 million in state tax revenue (sales andincome taxes). This is before Alternatives B2 would begin to generate economic gains due to the runwayextension. By the end of 2020, Alternative B2, potential economic gains would total $63 million in businessrevenues in the City of Warwick and $136 million for the State of Rhode Island, and $2 million in state taxrevenue (sales and income taxes) due to the runway extension being completed by the year 2020.Alternatives B2 and B4 would realize the same projected increases in operations, passengers, and cargo activitydue to extending Runway 5-23 to 8,700 feet. By 2020, each would result in the same anticipated number ofadditional jobs within the City of Warwick and the state, the same increases to personal income and businessrevenue, and the same gains in state sales and income taxes.Alternatives B2 and B4 would impact the City of Warwick tax base annually in 2020 (losses in commercial andresidential property taxes) by $1,173,997 and $567,521, respectively starting in 2020 due to land acquisition(mandatory and voluntary). These losses in property tax revenue represent less than one percent of the City orWarwick’s tax base for 2010 ($204,173,339). Alternative B2 has the greater impacts to businesses and jobsthrough acquiring 38 businesses and their associated loss of 309 jobs. Alternative B4 would impact 12 businessesand their associated 59 jobs.The Alternative B2 Runway 16 End configuration would severely compromise the functioning of the rental carprocessing and maintenance facility east of Post Road, would eliminate the entire Airport Plaza shopping centeron the corner of Post Road and Airport Road including 23 Airport Plaza businesses, and would eliminate otherbusinesses in the vicinity of the Runway 16 End. Altogether, 32 businesses on the Runway 16 End would beacquired. In comparison, the Alternative B4 RSA projects and Partially Relocated Airport Road would impact12 businesses. Alternative B2 would require a larger number of mandatory residential land acquisitions(67 units) compared to only 11 units for Alternative B4. Mandatory and voluntary residential land acquisitions,when combined, would total 237 units for Alternative B2 and 140 units for Alternative B4.Fully Relocated Airport Road would accommodate the Alternative B2 efficiency enhancement projects andimprove traffic flow, but it would also cause significant impacts to the residential community north of theairport. Between 2015 and 2020, RIAC would have to acquire 66 residential units and four businesses toconstruct Fully Relocated Airport Road. The land acquisition for the construction of the road would causefragmentation of the Spring Green Neighborhood and significant community disruption. Fully RelocatedAirport Road would also reduce the Farmland of Statewide Importance north of Airport Road by overChapter 3 – Alternatives Analysis 3-43 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH03_Alternatives_JUL_2011.doc