
[Federal Register: September 16, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 179)]
[Notices]               
[Page 56653]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16se10-117]                         


[[Page 56653]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

 
Suspension of Preparation of Environmental Impact Statement for 
the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston, TX

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice suspending preparation of the Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

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SUMMARY: The FAA is issuing this notice to advise federal, state, and 
local government agencies and the public that the FAA has suspended 
preparation of the EIS for the proposed airport improvements at IAH. 
The Houston Airport System (HAS), the sponsor of the proposed project, 
has advised the FAA that significant changes in the aviation industry 
and at IAH warrant suspension of the on-going EIS in order to 
reevaluate development needs for the airport. HAS has determined that 
reevaluation of the Airport Master Plan (AMP) assumptions will provide 
the most current and reliable information on which to base decisions 
regarding future proposals for airport development.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: DOT/FAA, Southwest Region, Mr. Paul 
Blackford, ASW-650, 2601 Meacham Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 76137, (817) 
222-5607, or e-mail at paul.blackford@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 9, 2009, the FAA issued a Notice of 
Intent in the Federal Register (74 FR 16255-16256) to prepare an EIS 
for proposed airfield improvements at IAH. The purpose of these 
proposed improvements is to increase airfield capacity and to reduce 
projected delays. Based on the results of the AMP, the airfield 
improvements being analyzed in the EIS included the proposed 
construction of additional runway(s) at IAH. Preparation of the EIS was 
undertaken by the FAA in accordance with the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended.
    The FAA received a letter from HAS dated July 30, 2010 requesting 
that preparation of the EIS be delayed. Based on its letter, HAS 
believes that additional planning work is necessary to ensure that the 
assumptions used in the AMP remain valid. The letter points to the 
impacts of the potential United-Continental merger, the economic 
downturn, potential changes to aircraft fleet mix, and the need to 
update the existing terminal concept as reasons justifying their 
request to conduct additional planning. The FAA will issue another 
Federal Register notice when it determines that preparation of the EIS 
should resume.

    Issued in Fort Worth, TX on September 3, 2010.
D. Cameron Bryan,
Acting Manager, Airports Division.
[FR Doc. 2010-22869 Filed 9-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M

