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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) Evaluation• Alternative B4 would impact 26 fewer businesses.• Alternative B4 would impact 250 fewer jobs, including 50 fewer “most threatened” jobs. 144• Alternative B4 would introduce 782 total jobs in the City of Warwick in 2015. (Alternative B2 would notresult in job growth until 2020.)• Alternative B4 would remove 99 fewer housing units and 26 fewer businesses from the tax role preserving$606,476 more in annual City of Warwick property taxes in 2020.• Alternative B4 would preserve the Spring Green Neighborhood because it would not include FullyRelocated Airport Road.• Alternative B4 would expose 102 fewer residential units to roadway traffic noise impacts (when comparedto No-Action noise levels).• Alternative B4 would not have an adverse effect on Hangar No. 2.• Alternative B4 would impact 0.8 fewer acres of wetlands and would not impact Buckeye Brook.• Alternative B4 would cost $77 million less to construct and mitigate for impacts.The FAA therefore has identified Alternative B4 as the Preferred Alternative. Alternative B4 would have theleast environmental impacts and all significant impacts could be mitigated. No final FAA decision on thePreferred Alternative and associated mitigation has been or will be made until the issuance of the agency’s RODfollowing the FEIS.3.9.5 The Environmentally Preferable AlternativeThe CEQ regulations require that RODs specify the alternative which is considered to be environmentallypreferable. The FAA must identify the alternative that will promote the national environmental policy asexpressed in NEPA's Section 101. Typically, the Environmentally Preferable Alternative is the alternative that“causes the least damage to the biological and physical environment; it also means the alternative which bestprotects, preserves, and enhances historical, cultural, and natural resources.” 145In general, the Environmentally Preferable Alternative is the alternative resulting in the least adverse impact tothe biological and physical environment and which best protects natural and cultural resources. TheEnvironmentally Preferable Alternative is often found to be the No-Action Alternative. Although the FAA hasanalyzed all reasonable steps to minimize harm from significant adverse environmental impacts fromAlternative B4, the FAA recognizes that the No-Action Alternative would impose the least environmentalimpact when compared to the other alternatives. Therefore, the No-Action Alternative is the EnvironmentallyPreferable Alternative. Notably, the No-Action Alternative would avoid the impacts of land acquisition andrelocation of homes and businesses, and impacts on wetlands, floodplains, fish, wildlife, and plants, culturalresources, and water quality. Although the No-Action Alternative results in fewer overall environmentalimpacts, it is not considered a reasonable alternative. The No-Action Alternative is not capable of enhancingairport safety, or enhancing the efficiency of the Airport and the New England Regional Airport System, tomore fully meet the current and anticipated demand for aviation services. It thus does not meet the Purpose andNeed of the T.F. Green Airport Improvement Program.144 Businesses and jobs unlikely to relocate within the City of Warwick due to limited vacant/developable industrial lands.145 Council on Environmental Quality, Executive Office of the President, Forty Most Asked Questions Concerning CEQ's National Environmental Policy ActRegulations March 16, 1981.Chapter 3 – Alternatives Analysis 3-50 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH03_Alternatives_JUL_2011.doc