Public Input
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the FAA released and made available for public review an Environmental Assessment (EA) that was prepared to consider the potential environmental impacts associated with the implementation of the Washington D.C. Optimization of Airspace and Procedures in the Metroplex (DC OAPM) Project.
The Draft Environmental Assessment document for the DC OAPM project was released and made available for public review and comment on June 20, 2013.
The FAA encouraged interested parties to review the DC OAPM Draft EA, and provide written comments during the public comment period. Written comments were accepted by the FAA until July 20, 2013.
The FAA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision (FONSI-ROD) for the project on December 30, 2013. The FONSI-ROD includes as an attachment the comments received, responses to comments, and an errata sheet. The FAA received comments from eleven commenters (eight agencies, two individuals, and one tribe). The FAA carefully considered and addressed all substantive comments received and none warranted revision of the Draft EA. The attachment also includes letters of concurrence with the FAA’s findings of no adverse effect under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Concurrence letters were received from the State Historic Preservation Officers for the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, as well as from the Superintendent of the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. Letters were also received from the Director of Recreation & Parks for Henrico County, Virginia, and the Gettysburg National Military Park concurring with the FAAs findings that there would be no substantial change to the noise environment at the subject properties that would represent a constructive use under Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act.
The EA and FONSI-ROD are available here.
