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Page 36
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 6 Environmental Requirements for Procedures." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. NextGen for Airports, Volume 1: Understanding the Airport’s Role in Performance-Based Navigation: Resource Guide. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23574.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 6 Environmental Requirements for Procedures." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. NextGen for Airports, Volume 1: Understanding the Airport’s Role in Performance-Based Navigation: Resource Guide. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23574.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 6 Environmental Requirements for Procedures." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. NextGen for Airports, Volume 1: Understanding the Airport’s Role in Performance-Based Navigation: Resource Guide. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23574.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 6 Environmental Requirements for Procedures." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. NextGen for Airports, Volume 1: Understanding the Airport’s Role in Performance-Based Navigation: Resource Guide. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/23574.
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Page 39

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34 | UNDERSTANDING THE AIRPORT’S ROLE IN PERFORMANCE-BASED NAVIGATION Environmental Requirements for Procedures6 Implementation of PBN procedures must comply with government rules and regulations. This sec-tion provides a brief summary of the NEPA and environmental processing requirements governing airport operations and PBN procedures. These are the typical environmental requirements for the implementation of flight procedures. National Environmental Policy Act As per FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, the potential environmen- tal effects of the proposed flight procedures must be assessed to comply with NEPA. The FAA official responsible for overseeing the proposed procedures (e.g., the proposed action) ensures that the ap- propriate level of environmental review is completed for the implementation of the proposed airspace action. The level of environmental review is determined by the nature of the proposed change and the potential for adverse effects or a high level of public controversy. The three levels of environmental review are: • Categorical exclusion (CatEx); • Environmental assessment (EA); and, • Environmental impact statement (EIS). CatExs for Flight Procedures CatExs are categories of actions that normally do not individually or cumulatively have significant adverse effects on the human environment. However, actions that are normally categorically excluded may have extraordinary circumstances, that is, significant environmental effect in certain circumstances that would prevent the issuance of a CatEx. CatExs include administrative/general; certification; equip- ment and instrumentation; facility siting, construction and maintenance; procedural; and regulatory. Standard categorically excluded actions concerning flight procedures are specified in FAA Order 1050.1F, paragraph 5-6.5.i: i. Establishment of new or revised air traffic control procedures conducted at 3,000 feet or more Above Ground Level (AGL); procedures below 3,000 feet AGL that do not cause traffic to be routinely routed over noise sensitive areas; modifications to currently approved pro- cedures conducted below 3,000 feet AGL that do not significantly increase noise over noise sensitive areas; and increases in minimum altitudes and landing minima. For modifications to procedures at or above 3,000 feet AGL, the Air Traffic Noise Screening (ATNS) procedure should be applied. Congressional legislation under the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 has categorically ex- cluded PBN procedures from the environmental review process if they meet certain criteria, as per the

Environmental Requirements for Procedures | 35 evaluation and judgment of the FAA Administrator. Categorical exclusions identified as a result of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 are provided in FAA Order 1050.1F, paragraphs 5-6.5.q and 5-6.5.r: q. The following procedures taken in accordance with section 213 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, conducted at, above, or below 3,000 feet AGL, unless there is a determination that extraordinary circumstances exist: (1) Area Navigation/Required Navigation Performance (RNAV/RNP) procedures proposed for core airports and any medium or small hub airports located within the same metro- plex area considered appropriate by the Administrator; and (2) RNP procedures proposed at 35 non-core airports selected by the Administrator. r. Any navigation performance or other performance based navigation procedure that, in the determination of the Administrator, would result in measurable reductions in fuel con- sumption, carbon dioxide emissions, and noise, on a per flight basis, as compared to aircraft operations that follow existing instrument flight rules procedures in the same airspace. This CatEx may be used irrespective of the altitude of such procedures. Additional specific guidance is provided in FAA Order 1050.1F. The legislative categorical exclusions listed in paragraphs 5-6.5.q and 5-6.5.r of FAA Order 1050.1F have resulted in the implementation of PBN procedures that, in some cases, do not meet the needs of airport operators and the local communities, and have generated significant public controversy. The FAA is addressing some of these issues by incorporating environmental reviews into the PBN procedure design process for its Metroplex program and its standard 5-phase process and preparing EAs for the implementation of metroplex airspace redesigns. Extraordinary Circumstances to CatExs Extraordinary circumstances or factors may arise such that normally categorically excluded actions may have a significant environmental effect under certain circumstances. FAA Order 1050.1F section 5-2 lists the extraordinary circumstances that may exist. Those most commonly affecting the implementa- tion of flight procedures include, but are not limited to: • An adverse effect on cultural resources protected under the National Historic Preservation act of 1966, as amended. • An impact on properties protected under United States Department of Transportation (U.S.DOT) Section 4(f). • A significant noise impact on noise sensitive areas. • An impact on air quality or violation of federal, state, tribal, or local air quality standards under the Clean Air Act (CAA). • Impacts on the quality of the human environment that are likely to be highly controversial on envi- ronmental or other grounds. Significance thresholds are specified for different criteria to determine if extraordinary circumstances exist. For noise as a criterion, an increase of 1.5 decibels (dB) in the day-night average sound level (DNL) at or above 65 dB (for example, an increase from 63.5 to 65.0 dB) is considered significant. For air quality as a criterion, exceeding one or more national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) established by the EPA is considered significant. The NAAQs establish primary and secondary air qual- ity standards for 6 criteria pollutants comprising carbon monoxide (CO), lead (Pb), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). For each pollutant, the NAAQs specify each as primary or secondary to public health and specify the averaging time, level, and form of exposure standards.

36 | UNDERSTANDING THE AIRPORT’S ROLE IN PERFORMANCE-BASED NAVIGATION Regarding documentation of the assessment of extraordinary circumstances, the FAA may formally or informally document CatEx determination for record-keeping purposes or in anticipation of litiga- tion. Paragraph 5-3.b.(4) of FAA Order 1050.1F identifies that known controversy and public opposi- tion to a project may warrant the preparation of additional CatEx documentation or an EA. Given the level of public controversy related to the implementation of PBN procedures and the perception that regulations have not been followed, it is anticipated that additional FAA disclosure, as well as a closer working relationship with airport sponsors in the development of the procedures, may be required in the future. EAs and EISs As per FAA Order 1050.1F paragraph 3-1.2.b.(12), actions regarding flight procedures normally requir- ing an EA include: b. New air traffic control procedures (e.g., instrument approach procedures, departure procedures, en route procedures) and modifications to currently approved procedures that routinely route aircraft over noise sensitive areas at less than 3,000 feet AGL (unless other- wise categorically excluded under Paragraphs (procedures category) 5-6.5.q and 5-6.5.r). The EA scoping process includes a 30-day period for resource agencies, industry groups, and affected communities to review the scoping package describing the proposed action and to address the issues of greatest concern to them. The comments and concerns raised during the scoping process are con- sidered in the preparation of the EA. The EA includes: • The purpose and need for the proposed action; • An identification and evaluation of alternatives to the proposed action; • The environment potentially affected by the proposed action; • The potential environmental consequences (including cumulative impacts) of implementing the proposed action, prudent and feasible alternatives to the proposed action, and the no action alternative; • The identification of measures to mitigate any adverse effects to below significance criteria, as ap- propriate; and • Agency and public coordination. After a draft EA is prepared, it is circulated for a minimum 30-day public and agency review period. The FAA then prepares a final EA, which includes responses to comments received during the public and agency review process. The responsible FAA official determines whether a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) can be issued, or that an EIS is needed. In some cases, a FONSI record of decision (ROD) is prepared by FAA to document FAA’s compliance with NEPA, present the FAA’s decision on the proposed action, and to identify mitigation and monitoring measures for the proposed action. An EIS is required when the proposed FAA actions and their reasonable alternatives would cause po- tential significant individual or cumulative environmental impacts such that a FONSI cannot be issued. The EIS has similar content to the EA, however additional agency and public coordination is required.

Environmental Requirements for Procedures | 37 Summary of Requirements The United States Government Accountability Office provides a succinct, comprehensive summary of the environmental review requirements for new and revised flight procedures in its report titled Next- Gen Air Transportation System: FAA Has Made Some Progress in Midterm Implementation, but Ongoing Challenges Limit Expected Benefits. These are listed in Table 6-1. Table 6-1. FAA Environmental review process for new and revised procedures. ALTITUDE REGIME REQUIREMENT 18,000 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) and above Changes to flight procedures can be implemented using a categorical exclusion (CatEx), with no screening or analysis required. 10,000–18,000 feet AGL Changes to flight procedures can be implemented using a CatEx. Fuel burn and CO2 emissions analyses are required. Noise screening is required for special circumstances. 3,000–10,000 feet AGL Changes to flight procedures can be implemented using a CatEx. However, while eligible for a CatEx, significant controversy has been associated with PBN implementations including operations above 3,000 feet. In proposing to use a CatEx to implement a change, care should be taken to understand the potential impacts on and/ or reaction of the community. Fuel burn and emissions analyses are required. Noise screening is required, and certain noise increases may require an environmental assessment (EA). Noise and emissions analyses are required for changes to arrival procedures within 3,000–7,000 feet AGL, and for changes to departure procedures within 3,000–10,000 feet AGL. 3,000 feet AGL and below Changes to flight procedures typically require an EA. Fuel burn and emissions analyses are required, and air quality analysis under the CAA is required. Changes may be made using a CatEx if they occur over a non-noise sensitive area or if they are part of a legislative CatEx. Any potential adverse significant impact on noise sensitive areas requires an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and noise screening. Source: Government Accountability Office.

Next: Chapter 7 Stakeholders and Challenges in PBN Implementation »
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TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 150: NextGen for Airports, Volume I: Understanding the Airport’s Role in Performance-Based Navigation: Resource Guide, the first report in this series, provides comprehensive information to practitioners concerning all aspects of Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) and how implementation affects overall airport operations. This Resource Guide encompasses background information, description of effects on short- and long-term airport development, impacts on safety and performance measures, and other critical factors affecting future airport operations. In addition to providing guidance to users on available resources for additional assistance, this volume also includes lessons learned and best practices based on findings from case studies that examined the airport operator’s role in PBN implementation.

The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) refers to the federal programs (predominately airspace, air traffic, or avionics related) that are designed to modernize the National Airspace System (NAS). ACRP’s NextGen initiative aims to inform airport operators about some of these programs and how the enabling practices, data, and technologies resulting from them will affect airports and change how they operate.

View the suite of materials related to ACRP Report 150: NextGen for Airports:

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