[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 197 (Thursday, October 12, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60225-60226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8615]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Public Hearing and Availability of a Draft 
Environmental Assessment (DEA) for the Proposed Runway 22R/4L Offset 
ILS at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) Located in 
Romulus, Detroit

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice to Hold a Public Hearing and of Availability of a Draft 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Runway 22R/4L Offset ILS at 
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has prepared and is 
making available the Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) for the 
following proposed actions at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County 
Airport: the development and use of the offset ILS approach procedures 
for Runways 22R and 4L, the installation of two (2) offset localizers, 
the construction of localizer buildings and associated equipment, the 
construction of an access road, the installation of multilateration 
equipment including 32 precision runway monitors (Precision Runway 
Monitors), the installation of Airport Surveillance Detection Equipment 
(ASDE), the installation of the four Aerobahn multilateration subsystem 
components on airport property, the reissuance of aeronautical charts 
with the 22R/4L offset ILS approach information, the issuance of 
National Airspace System (NAS) Change Proposal (NCP) waivers associated 
with design and installation of the preceding, the development, 
issuance, and implementation of Air Traffic procedures, flight check 
and testing of proposed equipment, and funding for development and 
implementation of the proposed action.
    The Draft EA is being prepared in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, FAA Orders 
1050.1E, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures'' and FAA 
Order 505.4B, ``NEPA Implementing Instructions for Airport Actions''. 
The proposed development action is consistent with the National 
Airspace System Plan prepared by the U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
    A Draft Environmental Assessment will be available for public 
review 30 days prior to the Public Hearing during normal business hours 
at the following locations:
    (1) Romulus Public Library, 11121 Wayne Rd., Romulus, MI 48174, 
(734) 942-7589.
    (2) Wayne City Public Library, 3737 S. Wayne Rd., Wayne, MI 48184, 
(734) 721-7832.
    (3) Taylor Community Library, 12303 Pardee Rd., Taylor, MI 48180, 
(734) 287-4840.
    (4) Inkster Public Library, 2005 Inkster Rd., Inkster, MI 48141, 
(313) 563-2822.
    (5) Wayne County Library, 30555 Michigan Ave., Westland, MI 48186, 
(734) 727-7310.

Dates, Times and Place: Oral or written comments may also be given at a 
Public Hearing that will be held on Thursday, November 16, 2006, from 3 
p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Detroit Metropolitan Hotel, 31500 Wick Road, 
Romulus, Michigan 48174. Telephone number: 734-467-8000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments are encouraged from persons or interested 
parties unable to attend the public hearing or who do not wish to make 
public statements. Written comments concerning the Draft EA will be 
accepted until 5 p.m. CST, Wednesday, November 22, 2006. Written 
comments may be sent to: Ms. Virginia Marcks, Environmental Engineer, 
ANI-430, Federal Aviation Administration, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Des 
Plaines, IL 60018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Virginia Marcks, Environmental 
Engineer, ANI-430, Federal Aviation Administration, 2300 East Devon 
Avenue, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018. Telephone number; 847-294-7494.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The FAA proposes to provide for an offset to the DTW Runway 22R/4L 
Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach that would be used to reduce 
traffic delays at DTW by eliminating the need to stagger aircraft 
during inclement weather conditions thereby improving the Airport 
Acceptance Rate (AAR) during Instrument Meteorological Conditions 
(IMC). During Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) and times when 
triple simultaneous independent approaches during IMC are not necessary 
the airport would continue to operate as it does today with straight in 
approaches.
    The lateral distance from Runway 22R/4L to its nearest parallel 
runway, Runway 22L/4R, at DTW is not sufficient to safely conduct 
triple dependent/independent ILS approaches other than in visual flight 
conditions. During IMC, air traffic separation standards require 
greater distance between aircraft, this reduces the number of arrivals 
an airports is capable of accepting each hour.
    When weather conditions do not permit simultaneous visual 
approaches, increased air traffic delays could occur at DTW which could 
result in delays at other airports and significant costs to the airline 
industry.
    Precision runway monitoring is a function that supports Air Traffic 
in monitoring simultaneous closely spaced approaches to parallel 
runways separated by less than 4,300 feet. When used with the 
appropriate air traffic procedures precision runway monitoring enables 
operations in which aircraft are allowed to fly shorter separation 
distances than otherwise permitted during IMC. This reduction in 
separation during IMC would reduce delays at DTW by allowing Air 
Traffic to conduct triple independent simultaneous straight-in ILS 
approaches to Runways 22L/22R/21L using precision runway monitoring 
capability, and offset localizer approaches to Runway 22R/4L. This 
entails compliance with a combination of rules of FAA Order 7110.6P, 
Air Traffic Control.
    The DEA includes an assessment of the potential environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed ILS offset at DTW and reasonable 
alternatives pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. The 
analysis in the DEA disclosed that there would be a total of

[[Page 60226]]

5.14 acres of wetland impacts with the implementation of the Proposed 
Action. However, it would be possible to mitigate these impacts with 
the replacement of wetland functions through the creation or 
restoration of wetlands.

Meeting Procedures

    (a) Persons wishing to speak at the meeting are asked to limit 
their comments to five minutes. This cold be extended depending on the 
number of persons wishing to speak.
    (b) Persons wishing to make oral presentations will be required to 
identify themselves for the record.
    (c) A court reporter will be present to document and record the 
proceedings of the meeting and a transcript of the proceedings will be 
made. Any person who wishes to submit documentation or other written 
comments for the record may do so.
    (d) This meeting is designed for listening carefully to public 
statements. As such, there will be no rebuttal from persons 
facilitating the meeting.

    Issued in Des Plaines, Illinois October 2, 2006.
Art V. Schultz,
Acting Manger, Chicago NAS Implementation Center, ANI-401, Central 
Service Area.
[FR Doc. 06-8615 Filed 10-11-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M