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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) EvaluationThe first Coordination Group Meeting was held on March 15, 2005 (Table 8-2). The purpose of this meeting wasto discuss the role agencies would play and to come to consensus on an Inter-Agency/Tribal CoordinationAgreement (the Coordination Agreement). A Coordination Agreement was developed as part of theenvironmental review process for the EIS. The Agreement, which was drafted at the March 15, 2005Coordination Group Meeting, provides guidelines for working together as partners to coordinate and expeditethe environmental review process while also improving decision-making. At the conclusion of the firstCoordination Group Meeting, the initial Coordination Agreement was signed by agency representatives. At thesecond Coordination Group Meeting, held on April 27, 2005, federal and state agencies finalized the language tobe used in the Coordination Agreement. By the conclusion of the April 27, 2005 meeting, eight agencies hadsigned the Coordination Agreement to work together in a partnership on the environmental review for the T.F.Green Airport Improvement Program. The remaining six agencies signed the Coordination Agreement at a laterdate. The Coordination Agreement establishes a mutually agreed-upon environmental review process andschedule for agency review of the draft materials prepared in support of the EIS. This Coordination Groupprocess in no way supersedes the regulatory review requirements of the participating agencies and tribe.Twelve Coordination Group Meetings were held to discuss the Airport Improvement Program as the FAAprepared the EIS between 2005 and 2011. The Coordination Group participating in the EIS process consists ofthe following agencies and organizations:• FAA • USFWS • RIDOH• NITHPO • HUD • RI Rivers Council• FHWA • RICRMC • RI Statewide Planning• EPA • RIDEM • RIDOT• USACE • RIHPHC • RIAC• FTA • RI Office of the GovernorAfter the Coordination Agreement was signed, a third meeting was held on October 3, 2005, at which thefinalized Coordination Agreement was distributed to agencies. The Draft Purpose and Need Statement for theAirport Improvement Program also was shared with the Coordination Group members.The fourth Coordination Group Meeting was held on November 8, 2005. Thirteen agencies were represented atthis meeting. The Coordination Group reviewed the revised Purpose and Need statement and began to worktoward consensus on the wording of the statement.The next two Coordination Group meetings held on March 21, 2006 and July 25, 2006 focused on AirportImprovement Program Alternatives. The initial alternatives were reviewed in March 2006. Agencies submittedquestions and comments which were incorporated into a Supplemental Alternatives Analysis Report. TheSupplemental Alternatives Analysis Report was reviewed at the July 25, 2006 meeting.Chapter 8 - Coordination and Consultation 8-6 July 2011\\Mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH08_Consultation_JUL_2011.doc