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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) Evaluationimprovements. The new Integrated Cargo Facility would not be completed by 2015, thus it was not included inthe 2015 analysis. For the full-build year (2020) and the full-build year plus five years (2025), all three sources ofprogram-related noise were analyzed: aircraft noise, cargo noise, and traffic noise.Total noise exposure was computed at representative noise-sensitive locations by logarithmically summing thenoise contributions of aircraft operations (arrivals and departures); aircraft ground operations (aircraft taxiingand queuing and engine run-ups); and vehicular traffic noise (off-Airport roadways improvements) to identifythe composite noise exposure at specific locations.Both HUD and the FAA define DNL 65 dB as the threshold of noise incompatibility with residential land uses. 285Thus, the DNL 65 dB contour is an important yardstick for population impact assessments. DNL noise exposurecontours show how the cumulative noise from T.F. Green Airport’s aircraft flight operations are predicted to bedistributed over the surrounding area on an average day. The DNL 65 dB contour also forms the basis for FAAeligibility for noise mitigation funding.The DNL 70 dB contour has been used at T.F. Green Airport as the basis of eligibility for the Part 150 VLAP. Allnon-compatible residential land use exposed to noise levels at or above DNL 70 dB would be acquired by 2015under the 2020 No-Action Alternative. The number of housing units on each acquired parcel was determinedthrough an analysis of computerized mapping data, or Geographic Information System (GIS). Then, using anestimated 2.35 persons per household, 286 the population counts for 2015, 2020, and 2025 were estimated. Thisdoes not include the total number of people and housing units that would be relocated part of theCompleted Part 150 VLAP and Current Part 150 VLAP, as described in Section 5.1.4, Land AcquisitionAssumptions. The DNL 60, 65, 70, and 75 dB noise contours for the No-Action Alternative are almost entirelywithin the City of Warwick, with a section of the DNL 60 dB contour extending into the City of Cranston.The noise analysis evaluated significant noise impacts due to aircraft noise on noise-sensitive land uses, (documentedby the number of impacted housing units and people), and forms the basis for assessing incompatible land uses(presented in Section 5.4, Compatible Land Use), impacts to historical sites (presented in Section 5.8, Historic,Architectural, Archaeological, and Cultural Resources), as well as impacts to public parks and recreation areas meetingSection 4(f) resources definitions (presented in Chapter 7, Final Section 4(f)/Section 6(f) Evaluation). 287As required by FHWA and RIDOT, the vehicular traffic noise analysis was performed for the loudest hour ofthe day which corresponded to the night-time (PM) peak hour for roadway traffic. Loudest-hour vehiculartraffic-noise levels were computed for the Baseline Condition, the No-Action Alternative, and Alternatives B2and B4 in the future forecast years of 2015, 2020 and 2025. It was assumed that the proposed roadwayimprovements would be constructed by 2020 for Alternative B2, and by the end of 2015 for Alternative B4, andthat any reasonable and feasible noise barriers would be constructed at the same time as the realigned orrelocated roadways. Per FHWA, noise impact occurs when the predicted design-year Build Alternative noiselevels in the project area "approach or exceed" the noise abatement criteria (NAC) during the loudest hour of theday. Noise-sensitive land uses potentially affected by the project are in Category B and consist of residential285 Environmental Criteria and Standards of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 24 CFR Part 51; 44 Federal Register 40861,Washington DC, July 12, 1979.286 An average from U.S. Census data for 2004 in the Project Area.287 Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966, codified at 49 U.S.C. section 303.Chapter 5 - Environmental Consequences 5-16 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH05_Environmental_Cons_JUL_2011.doc