Document ID: FAA-2010-0875-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Rule
Title: Environmental Impact Statements; Availability, etc.: Cal Black Memorial Airport, Halls Crossing, UT
Posted Date: 2010-08-26T04:00Z

[Federal Register: August 26, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 165)]
[Notices]               
[Page 52589-52590]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26au10-112]                         

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

 
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement (SEIS) for the Cal Black Memorial Airport at Halls Crossing, 
UT

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Northwest Mountain Region of the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) as lead agency and the Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM) as a cooperating agency announce that the FAA will prepare a 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address issues 
arising from the 1993 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Decision 
concerning the development of Cal Black Memorial Airport. This 
supplemental EIS does not involve any new development or project at the 
airport. The Cal Black Memorial Airport opened in April 1992. To ensure 
that all significant issues related to the action are identified, 
additional scoping comments are requested.
    Scoping Meeting: Scoping was conducted in 1990 concerning the 
development of this replacement airport and the transfer of land from 
the BLM to San Juan County. Subsequent to the 1993 10th Circuit Court 
Decision, additional scoping was conducted in 1995 and 1998. Additional 
scoping is being conducted prior to preparing the Supplemental EIS. A 
scoping meeting for agency representatives will be held at 2 p.m. MST 
and a scoping meeting for the general public will be held at 6 p.m. MST 
on Wednesday, September 22, 2010. The meetings will be conducted in 
Blanding, Utah at the College of Eastern Utah San Juan Campus: 639 West 
100 South, Blanding, Utah 84511.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Kevin Luey, Project Manager, 
Federal Aviation Administration, Northwest Mountain Region, Airports 
Division, Denver Airports District Office, 26805 E. 68th Ave., Suite 
224, Denver, CO 80249-6361 or via E-mail at: Kevin.Luey@faa.gov. 
Telephone--(303) 342-1253.
    Submit Written Comments, Send To: Mr. Kevin Luey, Project Manager, 
Federal Aviation Administration, Northwest Mountain Region, Airports 
Division, Denver Airports District Office, 26805 E. 68th Ave., Suite 
224, Denver, CO 80249-6361 or via E-mail at: Kevin.Luey@faa.gov.
    To be considered, written comments must be received on or before 
September 30, 2010.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Halls Crossing Airport was located within 
the boundary of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, a unit of the 
National Park Service (NPS). Due to safety issues with this airport, an 
EIS was undertaken concerning the development of a replacement airport. 
In 1990, the FAA issued a Draft and Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the development of a replacement Airport. In August 1990, 
the FAA issued a record of decision approving the development of Cal 
Black Memorial Airport. The FAA determined in the record of decision 
that the use of the BLM lands upon which the airport was built were 
reasonably necessary for the project. Accordingly, the BLM issued a 
Patent for the airport land to San Juan County on September 25, 1990. 
In reaching its approval, the FAA determined that no significant 
impacts would result from the new airport to the recreational 
experience of visitors to the recreational area.
    In 1990, the National Parks and Conservation Association (NPCA), et 
al brought suit against the FAA concerning the adequacy of the EIS and 
the adequacy of the BLM Plan Amendment and land transfer process. In 
its July 7, 1993, decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit, 
remanded the EIS decision back to the FAA for further environmental 
analysis of aircraft noise impacts to the recreational use of public 
lands and the BLM's plan amendment and transfer of land.
    On November 17, 2008 the BLM issued the Monticello Field Office 
Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan. The

[[Page 52590]]

document provides guidance for the management of Federal lands 
administered by the BLM in San Juan County and a small portion of Grant 
County in south-east Utah and includes provisions for the disposal of 
the Cal Black Memorial Airport property.
    Thus, the purpose of the Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement is to address the requirements of the U.S. Court of Appeals 
findings. The scope of the EIS will include: (1) The measurement of 
actual aircraft noise levels, (2) the evaluation of existing and future 
aircraft noise levels; and (3) if significant impacts are identified, 
the evaluation of alternative means of mitigating the significant 
impact. In addition, the Supplemental EIS will review the transfer of 
land from BLM to San Juan County for airport purposes.

    Issued in Denver, CO on Tuesday, August 17, 2010.
John P. Bauer,
Manager, Denver Airports District Office (Airports Division), Northwest 
Mountain Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-21211 Filed 8-25-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P