
[Federal Register: October 12, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 196)]
[Notices]               
[Page 62627]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12oc10-149]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

 
Notice of Cancellation of Preparation of Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Pima County, AZ

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of cancellation of preparation of environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces that it 
has decided to discontinue preparation of an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the proposed relocation of Runway 11R/29L and 
associated development at Tucson International Airport. The FAA's 
decision to discontinue preparation of the EIS is based upon the 
results from a planning effort completed by the Tucson Airport 
Authority (TAA), the owner and operator of the airport. This planning 
effort reveled the project purpose and need has changed significantly. 
As a result, FAA has determined the new runway proposal at Tucson 
International Airport is not ripe for decision at this time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roxana Hernandez, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific 
Region, Los Angeles Airports District Office, P.O. Box 92007, Los 
Angeles, CA 90009-2007, Telephone: (310) 725-3614.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 13, 2005, the FAA, published in 
the Federal Register a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) and hold a Public Scoping Meeting at Tucson 
International Airport (Volume 70, Number 197, FR 59800-59801). The EIS 
and Public Scoping Meeting were to address the proposed relocation of 
Runway 11R/29L and associated development at airport.
    In 2005, the FAA based its decision to prepare the EIS on the 
procedures described in FAA Order 5050.4A, Airport Environmental 
Handbook, and FAA Order 1050.1E, Environmental Impacts: Policies and 
Procedures. FAA also based its decision to prepare a federal EIS 
primarily on TAA's proposal to relocate Runway 11R/29L, 450 feet to the 
southwest, creating a centerline to centerline separation of 1,156 feet 
between the existing Runway 11L29R. The length of the relocated Runway 
11R/29L would have been 11,000 feet long by 150 feet wide.
    Recently, the TAA completed a planning effort that reveled that the 
project's purpose and need changed significantly. Therefore, when the 
TAA submits a new Airport Layout Plan with a revised project depicted 
on it, the FAA will determine the appropriate National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) documentation necessary to assess the environmental 
effects of those improvements pursuant to FAA Order 5050.4B, National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Instructions for Airport 
Actions, and FAA Order 1050.1E, Environmental Impacts: Policies and 
Procedures.

    Issued in Hawthorne, California on September 30, 2010.
Debbie Roth,
Acting Manager, Airports Division, Western--Pacific Region, AWP-600.
[FR Doc. 2010-25483 Filed 10-8-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

