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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) EvaluationProgram is to meet the travel needs for non-stop service from the T.F. Green Airport service area and,thereby, enhance the efficiency of the New England Regional Aviation System. Passenger rail service andhighway transportation were eliminated because the travel times were too long to be considered areasonable alternative to commercial air service.7.7 Measures to Minimize Harm and MitigationSection 4(f) defines a “feasible and prudent alternative” as one that “avoids using Section 4(f) property and doesnot cause other severe problems of a magnitude that substantially outweigh the importance of protecting theSection 4(f) property.”7.7.1 Historical PropertiesFAA and RIAC have consulted with the RISHPO and the Narragansett Indian Tribal Historic PreservationOffice (NITHPO) regarding the adverse effect of the project on historical properties and locally importanthistorical cemeteries. This consultation has resulted in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that includesstipulations to address and mitigate the adverse effect of the project. The executed MOA has been submitted byFAA to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (for filing) along with supporting documentation asspecified in 36 CFR Part 800.11(f). Refer to Appendix I, Historic, Architectural, Archaeological, and CulturalResources, for a signed copy of the MOA. These stipulations in the MOA include:7.7.1.1 Historical Properties Archival DocumentationThe FAA will consult with the Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record(HABS/HAER) to determine if Hangar No. 1 and the eligible airport historic district are appropriate subjects fortheir archives.RIAC will prepare appropriate documentation, either HABS/HAER or Rhode Island Historic ResourcesArchive (RIHRA) of the eligible airport historic district. The documentation will be completed by a qualifiedprofessional who meets the standards and regulations provided in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards andGuidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation, and shall include a narrative report, large formatphotographs, and other graphic materials, all prepared to meet archival standards. Unless otherwise agreed toby HABS/HAER or RISHPO, the FAA shall ensure that all documentary recording is completed and acceptedprior to the initiation of construction, and that copies of this documentation are made available to theappropriate federal, state and local archives designated by HABS/HAER or RISHPO.7.7.1.2 Interpretive DisplayRIAC, in consultation with the RISHPO, shall develop a display that interprets the historical significance of theeligible airport historic district to the public. The display will incorporate images of historical views, plans,and/or historical documents; archival documentation photographs; and narrative information describing thehistory and significance of the airport. Themes that will be addressed will include, but may not be limited to, theevents leading up to the establishment of the Hillsgrove State Airport as the first state airport in the nation, itsuse by the military during World War II and the Cold War; significant events in its physical evolution over time,Chapter 7 – Final Section 4(f)/Section 6(f) Evaluation 7-18 July 2011\\Mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH07_4(f)_JUL_2011.doc