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

T.F. Green Airport Improvement ProgramEnvironmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) Evaluation• DEIS Level 4 Screening – Refined Combined Alternatives (Section 3.6 of this chapter) – The Level 4screening refined the four Level 3 alternatives and added one additional alternative. Five on-Airportalternatives (Improvement Program Options A through E) were thus evaluated to determine if they werereasonable and feasible based on safety, environmental impacts, and cost and if they should be retained fordetailed environmental analysis. These Improvement Program (IP) Options were a combination of theeleven projects identified in the Purpose and Need facilities analysis.• DEIS Level 5 Screening – Further Refined Build Alternatives (Section 3.7 of this chapter) – The Level 5Screening modified the alternative advanced from the Level 4 Screening into Alternative B1 (runwayextension to 9,350 feet) and identified additional alternatives including Alternative B2 (runway extension to8,700 feet to the north), Alternatives B3 North and South (runway extensions to 8,300 feet), andAlternative B4 (runway extension to 8,700 feet to the south). Alternatives B1 and B3 North and South wereeliminated from further evaluation.• DEIS Level 6 Screening – DEIS Final Alternatives (Section 3.8 of this chapter) - The Level 6 Screeningcompared the remaining alternatives (Alternatives B2 and B4) with the No-Action Alternative. It alsoutilized an additional forecast scenario (2009 DEIS Forecast).• FEIS Analysis – Final Alternatives, the Preferred Alternative, and the Environmentally PreferableAlternative (Section 3.9 of this chapter) – The FAA performed updated environmental analyses in the FEISwith a forecast scenario consistent with the Draft 2010 TAF. 94 The FAA compared Alternatives B2 and B4with the No-Action Alternative to evaluate the Preferred Alternative identified in the DEIS (Alternative B4).The FAA also modified the design of Alternatives B2 and B4 to further minimize impacts to naturalresources.• The Preferred Alternative is identified and described in Section 3.9.4 of this chapter. RIAC confirmed thatAlternative B4 is its Proposed Action.94 The FAA also conducted an analysis while preparing the FEIS and confirmed that the actual aircraft activity counts from the Air Traffic Control Tower(ATCT) in 2010 agree with the Draft 2010 TAF for the same period. See Final 2010 TAF Analysis Memorandum in Section E.1, Updated Forecast ofAviation Activity of Appendix E, Purpose and Need and Alternatives Analysis.Chapter 3 – Alternatives Analysis 3-4 July 2011\\mawatr\ev\09228.00\reports\FEIS_Final_July_2011\PVD_CH03_Alternatives_JUL_2011.doc