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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) EvaluationOn-Airport impacts are generated by a combination of passengers and operations. Overall, future total (annual)aircraft operations are projected to decline under the No-Action Alternative in 2015, 2020, and 2025 whencompared to the Baseline Condition operations (2004), based on the FAA’s Draft 2010 TAF for T.F. GreenAirport (as directed by FAA Order 5050.4B section 504 b). This decline in projected future airport operations isdue to continuing changes in the aviation industry associated with the national economic downturn (aspreviously discussed in Section 5.1.3, Operations Forecast Update). Therefore, there would be a decline in directjobs, wages, and business revenue in most airport-related business sectors in 2015, 2020, and 2025. However,off-Airport visitor spending (indirect or secondary impacts) is based on passengers (not operations) which isprojected to decrease in 2015, but increase in 2020 and 2025 under the No-Action Alternative compared to theBaseline Condition. This increase is because forecast passenger activity levels are anticipated to increase at ahigher rate than operations due to more efficient utilization of aircraft by airlines (resulting in decreased“capacity”, or operations) while still accommodating greater passenger demand resulting in higher aircraft loadfactors (greater percentage of seats filled by paying passengers on each flight).Direct Aviation Activity ImpactsDirect impacts as a result of aviation activities would include the actual on-Airport effects of air operations andpassenger activity. Based on a projected decline in aircraft operations in 2015, 2020 and 2025, there would be lossesin annual jobs, wages and business sales for passenger airlines, airport operations, and support services whencompared to the Baseline Condition. Overall, in 2015, 2020, and 2025, total direct economic impacts would benegative for most airport-related business sectors (for Warwick and Rhode Island also), as presented in Table 5-50.Table 5-50No-Action Alternative: Aviation Activity-Related Direct Impacts from On-Airport EconomicImpacts (Losses and Gains)Jobs Wages Business SalesBusiness Sector 2015 2020 2025 2015 2020 2025 2015 2020 2025Passenger Airlines -91 -72 -52 -$4,860,000 -$3,853,000 -$783,000 -$8,488,000 -$6,729,000 -$4,851,000Airport Operations -126 -100 -72 -$6,744,000 -$5,346,000 -$1,086,000 -$17,591,000 -$13,945,000 -$10,054,000Car Rental -41 10 8 -$986,000 $251,000 $1,635,000 -$2,879,000 $733,000 $4,774,000Support Services -96 -76 -55 -$2,676,000 -$2,121,000 -$431,000 -$5,098,000 -$4,041,000 -$2,914,000Terminal businesses -19 5 4 -$340,000 $87,000 $563,000 -$814,000 $207,000 $1,350,000Parking, Bus and Taxi -14 3 3 -$263,000 $67,000 $436,000 -$550,000 $140,000 $912,000Total Direct 1 -387 -229 -163 -$15,868,000 -$10,916,000 -$5,528,000 -$35,420,000 -$23,634,000 -$10,782,000Warwick Total Impact 2 -538 -322 -229 -$21,515,000 -$14,752,000 -$7,392,000 -$43,389,000 -$28,643,000 -$12,551,000RI Total Impact 2 -739 -451 -322 -$27,759,000 -$19,088,000 -$9,654,000 -$52,231,000 -$34,322,000 -$14,772,000Sources: Rhode Island Airport Economic Impact Study, Wilbur Smith Associates, June 2006; IMPLAN; EDR Group.1 Direct impacts refer to the actual on-Airport effects of additional air operations and passenger activity generated by the Alternative.2 The “total impact” for the City of Warwick and Rhode Island include indirect impacts added to the direct impacts.Indirect Aviation Activity ImpactsOff-Airport expenditures in visitor-related industries, or visitor spending, including hotels, restaurants andbars, entertainment, retail, and local transportation is based on the number of projected passengers. Under theNo-Action Alternative in 2015, the number of passengers is projected to decrease when compared to theChapter 5 - Environmental Consequences 5-86 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH05_Environmental_Cons_JUL_2011.doc