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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) EvaluationFor the purposes of the Alternative B4 FEIS analysis, it is assumed that residential properties would beacquired between 2015 and 2020 for project-related noise impact mitigation in 2015, and between 2020and 2025 for noise impact mitigation in 2020. However, it is RIAC’s intention to begin to acquireresidential parcels as soon as 2012, subject to availability of funding.The FAA and RIAC closely reviewed the project-related noise contours in order to maintainneighborhood cohesion and limit community disruption due to land acquisition. The FAA can onlyfund noise mitigation (sound insulation or land acquisition) on properties where noise levels caused bya project meet specific federal criteria. If a residential property is located inside the DNL 65 dB noisecontour then it is considered an incompatible land use and federal funds can be used for noisemitigation on that property. Most airports mitigate noise between the DNL 65 and 69 dB noise contoursby offering sound insulation, 275 and mitigate for noise at or above a level of DNL 70 dB by offering toacquire the property and relocate the occupants. FAA Order 5100.38 provides the following guidance tothe FAA on how it may consider additional properties eligible for noise mitigation: “...projects withinDNL 65 dB may be expanded beyond the DNL 65 dB contour to include a reasonable additionalnumber of otherwise ineligible parcels contiguous to the project area, if necessary to achieve equity inthe neighborhood. Neighborhood or street boundary lines may help determine what is reasonable, inaddition to numbers of properties.” 276 For the purposes of this FEIS, this concept of "neighborhoodequity," also referred to as "neighborhood rounding," has been applied where the FAA identified someresidential parcels outside the DNL 70 dB noise contour as eligible for federal noise mitigation funding(voluntary participation in a land acquisition program) as part of the FEIS. This includes homes whereany portion of the lot is within the DNL 70 dB noise contour, homes that would have been the fewremaining residences on the block (or dead-end street) after the project, or homes that would be leftisolated or surrounded by non-residential land use.For the purposes of the FEIS analysis, it is assumed that there would be 100 percent participation byresidential property owners in the VLAPs. 277• For the purposes of this FEIS analysis, voluntary full land acquisitions for RPZ areas would occur when a parcelfully or partially is within the limits of the newly created RPZs, as recommended by the FAA after considerationof mandatory construction-related acquisitions and land acquisitions for Future Build VLAPs. Under AlternativeB4, a newly created RPZ would be located at the Runway 5 End only. 278 (All residential properties identified aseligible for land acquisition as part of RIAC’s Part 150 NCP updates, specifically the Completed and Current Part150 VLAPs, are assumed to have been acquired by 2015 as part of the No-Action Alternative.)For Alternatives B2 and B4 RPZ-related acquisitions would be completed by the time the runwayextension is online and operational; however, this RPZ land acquisition timing is an estimate only. Landacquisition for RPZ clearing is recommended by the FAA and not considered required project mitigationand, therefore, contingent upon FAA funding availability.275 Includes residential units and non-residential noise-sensitive sites exposed to noise levels up to DNL 69.9 dB.276 FAA Order 5100.38C, Airport Improvement Program Handbook, U.S. Department of Transportation, Chapter 8, section 810.b, page 137, effective June 28, 2005.277 Under RIAC’s previous Part 150 VLAP efforts, participation was as high as 96 percent. More recently, as evident under the Current Part 150 VLAP,participation has declined slightly to approximately 90 percent. This decrease is due to the current economic conditions, including more stringent guidelinesfor obtaining mortgages. For the purposes of the EIS, 100 percent participation is assumed in order to disclose all potential land use changes related to landacquisition, and because property owners that initially elect not to participate in a VLAP continue to be eligible and could voluntarily participate at any time,contingent upon funding availability.278 For Alternative B4 only, since no changes are planned for the Runway 23 End, no additional acquisition of parcels in the Runway 23 RPZs is assumed.Chapter 5 - Environmental Consequences 5-8 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH05_Environmental_Cons_JUL_2011.doc