Study NotesStuew RunwaysDulles New Runways

AUGUST 2005 NEWS ABOUT THE PROPOSED NEW RUNWAYS STUDY AT WASHINGTON DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

I N T H I S I S S U E

2 Public Participation Throughout the Study

Where We Are & What’s Next

Project Update

Final Environmental Impact Statement Published

3 FAA’s Preferred Alternative

How You Can Stay Informed

4 Where to Review the FEIS

This is the final edition in a series ofnewsletters that have reported on the status of the Washington DullesInternational Airport New RunwaysEnvironmental Impact Statement (EIS)study. This newsletter will give you a summary of the Public Hearings held inFebruary 2005, where we are in the EISprocess, and finally, information about the Final Environmental Impact Statement(FEIS) and the forthcoming Record ofDecision. Thank you to all who havestayed involved in the study and providedvaluable comments.

Public Hearings and Workshops Involve the Community

In February 2005, a series of public hearings and workshops detailed the results of the environ-mental analysis of two proposed runways and concourse developments at Washington Dulles

International Airport (IAD). The analysis, contained in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement(DEIS), evaluated 23 environmental categories including noise, land use, social impacts, wetlandsand threatened and endangered species.

Two public workshops and public hearings were conducted to share study results and garnerpublic comment on the DEIS. The public workshops/public hearings were held February 22,2005, between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Farmwell Station Middle School (Loudoun County) andFebruary 23, 2005, between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Ormond Stone Middle School (Fairfax County).

The public hearings and workshops drew 125 citizens who shared their thoughts and ideason the analysis, helping FAA and the study team members address public and agency concerns.Each meeting began with an informational workshop allowing attendees to discuss the projectalternatives and the DEIS with representatives from FAA, Metropolitan Washington AirportsAuthority (MWAA) and the URS consultant team. The public workshop was followed by a formalpublic hearing conducted by theHonorable Alfred D. Swersky.Attendees were encouraged toprovide written or verbal commentsat the meeting or to mail theircomment forms to the FAA ProjectManager. The public hearings drew18 public speakers before the publichearing officer, and a number ofwritten comments were received atthe hearings/workshops. The totalnumber of comment speakers andletters received on the DEIS wasapproximately 380.

What We HeardPublic participants at the workshops(held concurrently with the hearings)were able to ask questions and share various environmental concerns with representatives fromFAA, MWAA, and URS consultant team. Questions and comments were heard about aircraft noiseimpacts, air quality, wetlands and floodplains loss and other topics.

Comments were recorded on comment sheets, made to the hearing officer and capturedverbatim by a court reporter. The public and agencies also were provided a comment period of January 21 through March 7th, 2005 to provide written comments to FAA. Comments submitted during the public comment period are summarized and responded to in the FinalEnvironmental Impact Statement.

Public Participation Throughout the Study

In addition to the most recent public hearings and workshops, three sets of public workshopswere held throughout the study period. Each set of workshops were held in Fairfax and

Loudoun counties. All workshops offered an opportunity for the public to meet the study team,ask questions and provide comment. Court reporters also were available at meetings in order torecord verbatim verbal comments. Notifications of the hearings and workshops were featuredthrough local newspaper advertisements, newsletters, postcard mailings, e-mail, press releases,and radio advertisements. The following reflects the public participation throughout the study:

Scoping: The first phase in the EIS process included Scoping workshops with agencies andthe public held June 26 and 27, 2002. These meetings offered the public an opportunity to pro-vide their input on the proposed project ensuring that the full range of issues were identified.The public was asked to suggest ideas, alternatives, concerns and expectations for the study.Approximately 140 members of the public and agencies attended the Scoping workshops.

Preliminary Purpose and Need & Alternatives Development: Public workshops wereconducted on October 7 and 8, 2003 to present the Purpose and Need for the two new runways,Preliminary Alternatives under consideration, and the Affected Environment. Approximately 165members of the public attended the workshops.

Environmental Consequences: Public workshops were con-ducted April 20 and 21, 2004 to introduce citizens to the environmental consequences associated with the alternatives.The workshops were held to gather further public input in the EISprocess and to present the most up-to-date environmental evalu-ation. Approximately 135 people attended these workshops.

Draft EIS Public Hearings: Public hearings and workshopswere conducted February 22 and 23, 2005 to share study results and garner public commenton the DEIS. Approximately 125 members of the public and agencies participated in thehearings and workshops. Attendees were encouraged to provide written or verbal commentsat the hearings or to mail their comment forms to FAA.

Final Environmental Impact Statement Published

After many years of preliminary project development, environmental studies, and cooperationand input from the public and agencies, FAA has completed the Final Environmental

Impact Statement (FEIS). The August 2005 release of the FEIS is one of the final steps in recom-mending a project alternative to safely and efficiently accommodate aviation growth in themetropolitan Washington region. Preparation of this environmental document is required byFederal law under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA is required for most fed-erally funded projects to take into account project impacts on environmental factors such aswildlife, historic properties, noise, water quality, air quality and floodplains.

This document analyzes the two project Build Alternatives and a No-Action Alternative.Based on this analysis and direct public comment on the DEIS, the FEIS identifies FAA’sPreferred Alternative and describes measures to mitigate project impacts.

Following a 30-day hold period for the FEIS, FAA will prepare and sign a Record of Decision(ROD) for the project. The ROD will document FAA’s findings and conclusions on the PreferredAlternative. (Locations where you can view a copy of the FEIS are found on page 4.)

WHERE ARE WE &WHAT’S NEXT?Developing a Final Environmental Impact Statement

Project UpdateSince the last public meetings,the project team has been:n Responding to comments on

the DEIS from Federal, State,and Local agencies as well asthe public.

n Developing mitigationstrategies to offset potentialenvironmental impacts

n Preparing the FEIS to bepublished in August 2005

Phase 1Notice to Proceed . . . . . . . . . Spring 2002

Scoping/Public Meetings: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summer 2002

Phase 2Purpose and Need: . . . . . . . Summer 2003

Alternatives Development: . . . Summer 2002- Fall 2003

Public Workshops: . . . . . . . . . . . . Fall 2003

Environmental Consequences Analysis: . . . . . . Fall 2003-Summer 2004

Public Workshops: . . . April 20 & 21, 2004

Development ofDraft EIS: . . . Summer 2004 -Winter 2004

Draft EIS Available . . . . January 13, 2005

Public Workshops/Public Hearings: . . . February 22-23, 2005

Close of DEIS Comment Period . . . . . . . . March 7, 2005

Phase 3Preparation of Final EIS and Comment Response . . . . . . . . Spring 2005

Publish FEIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August 2005

Record of Decision . . . . . . . . October 2005

s

2 August 2005

FAA’s Preferred Alternative

Build Alternative 3 has been identified as FAA’s Preferred Alternative. This alternativeincludes the construction of a new north-south runway approximately 9,473 feet in

length, separated by 4,300 feet from existing Runway 1L/19R and a new east-west runway10,500 feet in length, separated by 4,300 feet from existing Runway 12/30. The map belowprovides a detailed view of FAA’s Preferred Alternative.

Of the two Build Alternatives that meet the purpose and need for the project, FAAbelieves Build Alternative 3 could be considered to be the least environmentally damagingreasonable alternative pending concurrence by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. FAA'sfindings on the Preferred Alternative will be included in the Record of Decision scheduledfor publication in October 2005.

3August 2005

Thanks for Your InputFAA and the EIS study teamappreciates all the citizens andagencies that have participatedthroughout this process. All ofyour comments have beenreviewed by the team andincluded as part of the publicrecord. Responses to questionsabout the study have beendetailed in the FEIS.

Stay InformedTo read the FEIS online or forproject updates, visit our studywebsite atwww.mwaa.com/dulles/EnvironmentalStudies/RunwaysEIS.htm

Aerial view of Build Alternative 3

Tier 3 ConcourseImprovements andExtension of AutomatedPeople Mover.

New runway 1L/19R(9,473') with associatedtaxiway and NAVAIDimprovements.

New runway 12R/30L(10,500') with associatedtaxiway and NAVAIDimprovements.

Separation distance to be 4,300 feet between existing runways and new runways.

PresortedFirst Class Mail

U.S. Postage

P A I DPermit #508Norfolk,VA

4

Mr. Joseph Delia Federal Aviation AdministrationWashington Airports District Office23723 Air Freight Lane, Suite 210Dulles, VA 20166

August 2005

FAIRFAX COUNTYCentreville Regional Library14200 St. Germaine DriveCentreville, VA

Chantilly Regional Library4000 Stringfellow RoadChantilly, VA

Great Falls Library9830 Georgetown PikeGreat Falls, VA

Herndon Fortnightly Library768 Center Street Herndon, VA

Reston Regional Library11925 Bowman Towne DriveReston, VA

Fairfax City Regional Library3915 Chain Bridge RoadFairfax, VA

Tysons-Pimmit RegionalLibrary7584 Leesburg PikeFalls Church, VA

LOUDOUN COUNTYAshburn Library43316 Hay RoadAshburn, VA

Rust Library380 Old Waterford RoadLeesburg, VA

Middleburg Library101 Reed StreetMiddleburg, VA

Purcellville Library220 E. Main StreetPurcellville, VA

Sterling Library120 Enterprise StreetSterling, VA

Eastern Loudoun Regional Library21030 Whitfield PlaceSterling, VA

FAA & MWAA OFFICESCall to make an appointment forviewing at these locations:

Federal AviationAdministrationWashington Airports District Office23723 Air Freight Lane,Suite 210Dulles, VA(703) 661-1364

MWAAAirport Manager’s OfficeWashington Dulles International Airport Main TerminalBaggage Claim AreaDulles, VA (703) 572-2710

4M, 8/05

Where to Review the Final Environmental Impact StatementThe complete document and the technical appendices are available for your review on thestudy website at www.mwaa.com/dulles/EnvironmentalStudies/RunwaysEIS.htm and atthe following locations:

FAA Selects Preferred Runway Alternative – Details Inside