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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) EvaluationIn 2015, Alternative B2 would result in a slight decrease in the amount of residential land uses exposed to DNL 65 dBand above (by one parcel representing a less than one percent decrease) compared to the No-Action Alternative. Asdiscussed in Section 5.3, Noise, the shifting in noise contour is due to changes in runway thresholds due toconstruction of the runway safety area enhancements to Runway 16-34. No non-residential noise-sensitive siteswould be newly exposed to noise levels of DNL 65 dB and above under Alternative B2 in 2015.In 2020, Alternative B2 would result in an increase in the amount of residential land uses exposed to DNL 65 dBand above by 25 parcels totaling approximately eight acres (representing a four percent increase in land area)compared to the No-Action Alternative. This increase is due to an increase in operations and because theresidential acquisitions for the Future Build VLAP for noise mitigation would not be completed before 2020(acquisitions assumed to occur between 2020 and 2025). In 2020 under Alternative B2, one non-residentialnoise-sensitive site, Baha’i Faith (PW039), would be exposed to noise levels that would make the site eligible forsound insulation (DNL 65 dB and above when compared to the No-Action Alternative); however, this site hasbeen sound insulated as part of a previous sound insulation effort under the Part 150 NCP (Table 5-10).In 2025, Alternative B2 would decrease the amount of residential land uses exposed to DNL 65 dB and above by79 parcels totaling approximately 18 acres compared to the No-Action Alternative (representing a seven percentdecrease). This decrease is a result of the residential acquisitions for noise mitigation (to be acquired between2020 and 2025) as well as for construction and RPZ-clearing associated with Alternative B2. Alternative B2would not newly expose any non-residential noise-sensitive sites to noise levels of DNL 65 dB or above in 2025.Significant Impacts: There are no significant noise impacts for any residential areas or non-residentialnoise-sensitive sites for Alternative B2 in 2015 because runway use and number of operations would not changefor Alternative B2 in 2015 compared to the No-Action Alternative, as discussed in Section 5.3, Noise. UnderAlternative B2, residential land uses would experience a significant increase in noise levels (increase of at leastDNL 1.5 dB at or above DNL 65 dB) in 2020 and 2025. As discussed in Section 5.3, Noise, residences on theseparcels would be eligible for sound insulation mitigation. Table 5-41 presents residential land uses affected bysignificant increases in noise due to Alternatives B2 and B4 when compared to the No-Action Alternative.Figure 5-18 shows the areas of significant noise impacts for Alternative B2 in 2020 and 2025.Table 5-41Alternatives B2 and B4: Significant Noise Impacts to Residential Land Uses201520202025Alternative Parcels AcresHousingUnits Parcels AcresHousingUnits Parcels AcresHousingUnitsAlternative B2 0 0 0 71 11.5 74 48 7.0 49Alternative B4 180 32.0 184 169 30.0 174 108 18.5 108Sources: RIGIS; Field verification by VHB, Inc., 2005; City of Warwick Assessor’s Parcel Data.Notes: All land uses fall within the City of Warwick. The total number of residential parcels and acres exposed to a significant increase in noise levels were determinedafter first excluding the non-project-related residential land acquisitions that would be acquired under the Completed and Current Part 150 VLAPs, and projectrelatedresidential land acquisitions (for construction, noise mitigation, and RPZ clearing).Chapter 5 - Environmental Consequences 5-57 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH05_Environmental_Cons_JUL_2011.doc