[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 9, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-19415] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: August 9, 1994] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration [Docket No. 27649] Environmental Impact Statement (EIS); Effects of Changes of Aircraft Flight Patterns Over State of New Jersey AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of intent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The FAA is issuing a supplement to the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the Expanded East Coast Plan (EECP) on the effects of changes in aircraft flight patterns over the State of New Jersey. The FAA believes that issuance of a supplemental DEIS will best serve the public interest and promote the purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Due to the complexity of this EIS and the high degree of public interest in the issue, the FAA afforded the public a period of 369 days to comment on the DEIS. This is well in excess of requirements under NEPA. The supplement is intended to afford the public an opportunity to comment on information generated after the DEIS was issued, including: (1) A measure developed by the FAA to mitigate the noise impact of the EECP in its existing form; (2) the agency's analysis of the New Jersey portion of the proposal by the New Jersey Coalition Against Aircraft Noise (NJCAAN) to route aircraft departing Newark International Airport over the water twenty-four hours a day; and (3) other new and updated information that has been developed in response to public comments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Mr. William J. Marx, FAA Office of Air Traffic System Management, Environmental Issues Program Office, ATM-700 Washington, DC 20591, telephone (202) 267-7900. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS was issued November, 1992, presenting four alternatives for further consideration. These alternatives are:Alternative A. Maintain the current (as defined in 1991) EECP structure. (Proposed action and no action) Alternative B. Return to 1986 air traffic routes and procedures using 1991 traffic. (Rollback) Alternative C2. Route Newark south flow departure traffic from over Raritan Bay to over the ocean (at night only) via a specific path defined by the Solberg and Colts Neck navigational aids. (Nighttime only oceanic/military routing) Alternative D3. Spread aircraft departing Newark runways 22L and 22R to three different headings. (Spreading or fanning) During the process of developing a final EIS (FEIS), the FAA has identified a potential mitigation measure to minimize the impacts of the EECP. The FAA believes that the public would benefit from the opportunity to comment even though not required to do so. The FAA has also studied the routing proposal developed by the NJCAAN and submitted to the FAA during the comment period on the DEIS. While the FAA rejected a similar concept--Oceanic/Military Routing (24 hours per day)--in the DEIS because it was not operationally feasible, the FAA conducted a detailed analysis of the operational and noise effects of the NJCAAN proposal in consideration of the public interest in the proposal and the fact that the NJCAAN comments on the DEIS were funded in part by Federal funds. The FAA analysis of the NJCAAN proposal will be included in the supplement for public review and comment. Finally, the supplement will include other information developed in response to comments on the DEIS, including a more detailed explanation of noise metrics, a further explanation of the Expanded Integrated Noise Model, an analysis of noise complaints, and an appendix that indentifes noise levels by census block for alternatives, the proposed mitigation measure, and the NJCAAN routing proposal. This notice is published to inform the public that the FAA intends to issue a supplemental DEIS by September 30, 1994. The public will be afforded a 45-day period to comment after release of the supplement. The agency's intent is to move expeditiously to develop a FEIS after consideration of comments received in response to the supplemental DEIS. Copies of the supplement will be mailed to all individuals who requested a copy of the DEIS. The supplement will be made available for review at public libraries in select locations throughout New Jersey. Issued in Washington, DC on Thursday, August 4, 1994. Jacqueline L. Smith, Acting Deputy Administrator for Air Traffic. [FR Doc. 94-19415 Filed 8-5-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-13-M