Leistiko/Environmental Assessment6
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i. ItKalispell City Airpo anager
i your information, theattachedletter was prepared ;#ourairport
consulting engineersRobert Peccia w Associates.
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white lines, so to speak. If you have any questions, please feel frel
to contact me. M
February 20, 2009
Mr. Fred Leistiko, Airport Manager
Kalispell City Airport
PO Box 1997
Kalispell, Montana 59903-1997
Re: Kalispell City Airport — Environmental Assessment
Dear Mr. Leistiko;
It is my understanding there is some question about the applicability of the Environmental
Assessment (EA) prepared by Robert Peccia and Associates that was completed in cooperation
with the City of Kalispell and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as part of the Airport
Improvement Project (AIP) 3-30-0043-02.
To summarize, the EA contained an evaluation of the existing environment conditions associated
with the preferred airport location selected through the Kalispell City Airport - Site Selection
Study. The document describes the purpose and need for undertaking the airport improvements
and examines a range of alternatives that could possibly be implemented to address the identified
aviation -related needs at the facility (including the "Sponsor's Proposed Action" —
redevelopment and expansion at the existing airport). The EA then discusses the potential
environment effects (impacts) of implementing the Sponsor's Proposed Action over fourteen
categories identified in the FAA's regulations at the time for ensuring compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other policies.
The Sponsor's Proposed Action listed in Section 2.4 and shown in Figure 2-9 shows a new
runway rotated from the existing runway alignment with its northern threshold displaced to keep
the runway protection zone within the airport property. It shows a shortest possible first stage
development length of 3,500 feet and the longest ultimate runway length of 4,700 feet. The EA
discussion is applicable to runway development in the above described configuration at any
length between the shortest and ultimate lengths. Figures in the EA clearly indicate that lands
and avigational easements for the ultimate runway length were considered in the impact analysis
and planning for the facility.
The EA would be applicable to the general configuration of the aprons and taxiways shown on
the west side of the runway within the bounds of Ashley Creek.
HELEM - COUOWE OFFICE
KAMMELL
BUTTE
P.O. Box 5653
PO. Bose 5100
Thomion Building
825 Custer Aveewe
102 Cooperdrve Way, Suite 300
65 East BmKK6eay
Helena, MT 59604
KdispA, MT 59903
Bob, MT 59701
(406) 447-5000
(406) 752-5025
(406) 533-6770
FAX (406) 447-5036
FAX (406) 752-5024
FAX (406) S33-6830
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The FAA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on December 12, 2002 and took
ownership of the document. The FONSI provided the necessary environmental clearance to
enable improvements at the airport to begin. The EA generally remains valid as long as the
Sponsor continues to make steady progress towards implementing the proposed action. If no
major actions to implement the proposal are initiated within 3 years, then the Sponsor and the
FAA may be obligated to review the EA to determine if environmental conditions or other
factors have changed substantially enough to affect the decision made on the original EA. If such
a determination were made, the EA would need to be re-evaluated in some manner.
L 0 - 1 717 FAA funding, a re-evaluation of the EA will have to be done. Re-evaluation efforts are typically
focused on the following considerations:
I Whether or not the project, as described in the original FONSI/EA, is substantially
different or changed.
2. Whether or not there will be an environmental impact that is substantially different
changed or that was not previously identified and discussed.
3. Whether or not regulations or laws have changed and if there are new requirements
that were not addressed in the approved environmental document. I
LTMMYTH T Eyin WnaT is MUNN
through the document review process. It would make sense to do this re-evaluation as soon as
the radio towers are mitigated.
Under the FAA's guidance, the Airport Layout Plan (ALP) has recently been revised and refined
with survey data. Any review of the EA would incorporate the changes in those drawings. I do
not believe these changes would have any affect on the outcome of an EA update.
Sincerely
ROBE PE CIA & A
zz;;; SSOCIATES
Rick Donaldson, P.E.
Vice President
Airport Division Manager
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