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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) Evaluation7.9 Coordination and ConsultationThe FAA and RIAC have coordinated with the following agencies: City of Warwick, RISHPO, NITHPO, theRhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), and the National Park Service (NPS).Copies of this correspondence are included in Appendix C, Federal, State, City, and Tribal Coordination.FAA and RIAC have consulted with the RISHPO and NITHPO regarding the adverse effect of the project onhistorical properties and locally important historical cemeteries. This consultation has resulted in a MOA thatincludes stipulations to address and mitigate the adverse effect of the project (see Appendix I, Historic,Architectural, Archaeological, and Cultural Resources).Coordination with the City of Warwick included determining the use of Section 4(f) properties by the public.The FAA and RIAC met with the City of Warwick on January 20, 2011 to assess ways to minimize or mitigateimpacts to recreational resources and coordinate plans for replacing the impacted Winslow Park facilities. TheCity of Warwick did not have objections to the proposed relocation sites (Strawberry Field Road and CedarSwamp Road sites) but requested a traffic study of the proposed relocation sites to better determine thesuitability of each site. The City also requested that RIAC investigate an alternative access route from AirportRoad to one of the proposed sites at the Cedar Swamp Road location. In response to this request, RIAC hasrevised the Cedar Swamp Road access plan to include an alternative access route from Airport Road. The FAAconducted a qualitative analysis of access and parking to evaluate the relocation sites (refer to Appendix J,Section 4(f) and Section 6(f) Resources).RIAC consulted with the City of Warwick to develop an agreement regarding the relocation of non-impactedfacilities that are within the leased area of Winslow Park but no agreement was reached.The FAA has determined, and the Department of Interior (DOI) has concurred in its comment letter on the DEIS,that that there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the use of Section 4(f) resources. The DOI requested that acopy of the signed MOA be included as part of the Section 4(f) compliance documentation (see Appendix I,Historic, Architectural, Archaeological, and Cultural Resources).FAA and RIAC will continue to consult with the City of Warwick and the NPS, as needed in the development ofa Winslow Park mitigation plan.7.10 Least Overall Harm AnalysisAccording to Section 4(f) regulations, at 23 CFR section 774.3, Section 4(f) approvals, when there is no feasible orprudent avoidance alternative, the FAA must select an alternative from among those that use Section 4(f)properties that “causes the least overall harm in light of the statute’s preservationist purpose.” The sevenbalancing factors the FAA considers in determining the alternative that causes the least overall harm include: 515515 The FAA used the FHWA/FTA regulations set forth at 23 CFR Parts 771 and 774 as guidance to the extent relevant to the FAA programs.Chapter 7 – Final Section 4(f)/Section 6(f) Evaluation 7-22 July 2011\\Mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH07_4(f)_JUL_2011.doc