Notice2021-15704
Availability of Record of Decision for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed LaGuardia Access Improvement Project at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), New York City, Queens County, New York
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 23, 2021
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
This notice is intended to advise the public that on July 20, 2021, the FAA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the federal actions reviewed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed LaGuardia Airport (LGA) Access Improvement Project and its connected actions (the Proposed Action). The ROD includes numerous environmental findings by the FAA, as well as environmental determinations related to funding opportunities that are subject to federal oversight. The Final EIS and ROD are available for download on the project website at https://www.lgaaccesseis.com.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 139 (Friday, July 23, 2021)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 139 (Friday, July 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39097-39098]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15704]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Availability of Record of Decision for the Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for the Proposed LaGuardia Access Improvement Project
at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), New York City, Queens County, New York
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of availability for Record of Decision.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice is intended to advise the public that on July 20,
2021, the FAA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the federal actions
reviewed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the
proposed LaGuardia Airport (LGA) Access Improvement Project and its
connected actions (the Proposed Action). The ROD includes numerous
environmental findings by the FAA, as well as environmental
determinations related to funding opportunities that are subject to
federal oversight.
The Final EIS and ROD are available for download on the project
website at <a href="https://www.lgaaccesseis.com">https://www.lgaaccesseis.com</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Andrew Brooks, Environmental
Program Manager, Eastern Regional Office, AEA-610, Federal Aviation
Administration, 1 Aviation Plaza, Jamaica, NY 11434. Telephone: 718-
553-2511.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA, as lead agency, has completed and
is publishing a ROD for proposed improvements identified at LGA. The
ROD was prepared pursuant to Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
1505.2.
The Final EIS for the proposed LGA Access Improvement Project was
published on the project website at <a href="http://www.lgaaccesseis.com">www.lgaaccesseis.com</a> on March 15,
2021 and two Notices of Availability in the Federal Register were
published; the first by the FAA on March 18, 2021 (86 FR 14796) and the
second by the Environmental Protection Agency on March 19, 2021 (86 FR
14908). The FAA prepared the Final EIS pursuant to: The National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 United States Code (U.S.C.)
4321 et seq.; the Council of Environmental Quality implementing
regulations, 40 CFR parts 1500-1508; FAA Order 1050.1F; and FAA Order
5050.4B. FAA assessed the potential environmental impacts of the
Proposed Action, as well as the No Action Alternative.
In the Final EIS, the FAA identified the Proposed Action as its
preferred alternative in meeting the purpose and need of addressing
unpredictable and increasing travel times to and from LGA and space
constraints for employee parking. The Proposed Action includes:
<bullet> Construction of an above ground fixed guideway automated
people mover (APM) system approximately 2.3 miles in length that
extends from the LGA Central Hall Building under construction to the
Mets-Willets Point Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and New York City
Transit Subway Flushing Line (7 Line) Stations;
<bullet> construction of two on-Airport APM stations (Central Hall
APM Station and East APM Station) and one off-Airport APM station at
Willets Point (Willets Point APM Station) that provides connections to
the Mets-Willets Point LIRR and 7 Line stations;
<bullet> construction of passenger walkway systems to connect the
APM stations to the passenger terminals, parking garages, and ground
transportation facilities;
<bullet> construction of a multi-level APM operations, maintenance,
and storage facility (OMSF) that includes up to 1,000 parking spaces
(500 for airport employees, 250 for Metropolitan Transportation
Authority (MTA) employees, 50 for APM employees, and 200 for
replacement Citi Field parking);
<bullet> construction of three traction power substations to
provide power to the APM guideway: One located at the on-Airport East
Station, another at-grade west of the proposed Willets Point Station
just south of Roosevelt Avenue, and the third at the OMSF;
<bullet> construction of a 27kV main substation located adjacent to
the OMSF structure on MTA property;
<bullet> construction of utilities infrastructure, both new and
modified, as needed, to support the Proposed Action, including a
permanent stormwater outfall into Flushing Creek and a temporary
stormwater outfall into Flushing Creek; and
<bullet> acquisition of temporary and permanent easements; no
private property will be acquired.
The Proposed Action also includes various connected actions,
including: Utility relocation and demolition of certain existing
facilities; a temporary MTA bus storage/parking facility; relocation of
up to 200 Citi Field parking spaces; demolition and replacement of the
Passerelle Bridge; temporary walkway to maintain access between the
transit stations and Flushing Meadows-Corona Park; modifications to the
Mets-Willets Point LIRR Station, including new shuttle service on the
LIRR Port Washington Line; and the relocation of several World's Fair
Marina facilities, including a boat lift, finger piers and connected
timber floating dock, Marina office and boatyard facility, boat storage
and parking, and operations shed.
The ROD includes FAA's favorable environmental findings and
determinations needed for the Port Authority to pursue future funding
subject to FAA oversight pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 47106 and 47107 and 49
U.S.C. 40117. The findings included in the ROD are:
<bullet> The Proposed Action will conform with the Clean Air Act of
1970, as amended (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.);
<bullet> The Proposed Action includes all practicable measures to
minimize harm to endangered species as much as such harm may result
from implementation of the Proposed Action (Endangered Species Act of
1974, U.S.C. 1531, as amended);
<bullet> There is no prudent and feasible alternative to use of
lands containing publicly owned parks, recreation areas, national
wildlife refuges, or significant historic sites protected under Section
[[Page 39098]]
4(f) of the DOT Act, and the Proposed Action includes all possible
planning to minimize harm to resources protected under Section 4(f) of
the DOT Act (49 U.S.C. 303(c) and Section 106, National Historic
Preservation Act);
<bullet> Relocation assistance, if any, will be provided in
accordance with 42 U.S.C. 460, Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real
Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970;
<bullet> Further mitigation measures or alternatives that would
avoid or reduce the disproportionately high and adverse effects to
minority environmental justice populations are not practicable (DOT
Order 5610.2B and E.O. 12989);
<bullet> The Proposed Action would conform to all applicable state
and/or local floodplain protection standards (E.O. 11988);
<bullet> The Proposed Action complies with the enforceable policies
of New York State's approved coastal management program and will be
conducted in a manner consistent with such program;
<bullet> The Proposed Action conforms to the Avoidance,
Minimization and/or Compensation of Harm to Wetlands in Accordance with
E.O. 11990 and the Clean Water Act;
<bullet> The Proposed Action includes all practicable means to
avoid or minimize harm from the alternative selected (40 CFR
1505.2(a)(3)); and
<bullet> The FAA has given this proposal the independent and
objective evaluation required by the CEQ (40 CFR 1506.5).
The determinations included in the ROD are:
<bullet> The Proposed Action is reasonably consistent with existing
plans of public agencies for development of areas surrounding the
airport (49 U.S.C. 47106(a)(1)), and E.O. 12372;
<bullet> Appropriate action, including the adoption of zoning laws,
has been or will be taken as reasonable to restrict the land use next
to or near the airport to uses that are compatible with airport
operations (49 U.S.C. 47107(a)(10)); and
<bullet> The interest of the communities in or near where the
Proposed Action may be located were given fair consideration (49 U.S.C.
47106(b)(2)).
This ROD also presents the decision of the NPS, as cooperating
agency in the Final EIS, to approve a partial conversion of 0.5 acres
of parklands subject to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act
in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, as well as to approve a Temporary Non-
Conforming Use (TNCU) of 1.2 acres of parkland subject to the LWCF Act.
A copy of the ROD is available for public review at FAA's website:
<a href="https://www.faa.gov/airports/environmental/records_decision">https://www.faa.gov/airports/environmental/records_decision</a>; and the
LGA Access Improvement Project EIS website: <a href="http://www.LGAaccessEIS.com">http://www.LGAaccessEIS.com</a>.
Issued in Jamaica, New York, July 20, 2021.
Patricia Henn,
Manager, Planning and Programming Branch, Airports Division, Eastern
Region.
[FR Doc. 2021-15704 Filed 7-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on July 23, 2021.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.