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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) EvaluationTable 6-5Alternative B4: Residential Units Eligible for Participation in aVoluntary Land Acquisition Program under Part 150 1,2Analysis YearResidential Units Newly Eligiblefor Participation in an Acquisition Program2015 3 22020 4 672025 5 6Total 75Source: RIGIS: Field verification by VHB, Inc., 2005; City of Warwi ck Assessor’s Parcel Data.Note: May incl ude homes already sound insulated.1 For the purposes of the EIS, it is assumed that for Alternative B4 residential properties would be acquired between 2015 and 2020 for noise impacts beginning in 2015, and between 2020 and 2025 for noise impacts beginning in 2020.However, it is RIAC’s intention to acquire residential parcels as soon as 2012, subject to availabili ty of funding.2 Subject to the provisi ons of the Part 150 Program.3 Based on the FEIS Alternati ve B4 2015 DNL 70 dB noise contour.4 Based on the FEIS Alternati ve B4 2020 DNL 70 dB noise contour wi th neighborhood rounding.5 Based on the FEIS Alternati ve B4 2025 DNL 70 dB noise contour.The FAA and RIAC closely reviewed the Project-related noise contours in order to maintain neighborhoodcohesion and limit community disruption due to land acquisition. The FAA can only fund noise mitigation(sound insulation or land acquisition) on properties where noise levels caused by a project meet specific federalcriteria. If a residential property is located within the DNL 65 dB noise contour then it is considered anincompatible land use and federal funds can be used for noise mitigation on that property. Most airportsmitigate noise between the DNL 65 and 69 dB noise contours by offering sound insulation, and mitigate fornoise above the DNL 70 dB noise contour by offering to acquire the residential properties and relocate theoccupants. FAA Order 5100.38 provides the following guidance to the FAA on how it may consider additionalproperties eligible for noise mitigation: “...projects within DNL 65 dB may be expanded beyond the DNL 65 dBcontour to include a reasonable additional number of otherwise ineligible parcels contiguous to the ProjectArea, if necessary to achieve equity in the neighborhood. Neighborhood or street boundary lines may helpdetermine what is reasonable, in addition to numbers of properties.” 475 For the purposes of this FEIS, thisconcept of "neighborhood equity,” also referred to as "neighborhood rounding”, has been applied where theFAA identified some residential parcels outside the DNL 70 dB noise contour as eligible for federal noisemitigation funding. This includes homes where any portion of the lot was included inside the DNL 70 dB noisecontour, homes that would have been the few remaining residences on the block (or dead-end street) after theproject, homes that would be left isolated or surrounded by non-residential land use, etc.6.2.4.3 Residential Sound InsulationRIAC will provide a future sound insulation program for residences exposed to noise levels betweenDNL 65 dB and 69 dB (in accordance with Part 150 requirements). Table 6-6 shows the number of newly eligibleresidential units after taking previously sound insulated residences into account. Refer to the ‘Sound InsulationProcess’ presented in the previous section for a description of how residences and non-residential noise­475 FAA Order 5100.38C, Airport Improvement Program Handbook, U.S. Department of Transportation, Chapter 8, section 810.b, page 137, effective June 28,2005.Chapter 6 – Mitigation 6-13 July 2011\\Mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH06_Mitigation_JUL_2011.doc