Opinion ID: 2155550
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Commencement of the Runways Project.

Text: The trial judge concluded on the basis of the regulations and the language of § 62 that the runways project did not commence until Massport entered into a binding agreement in its May 17, 1974, contract with Perini to construct the runway extensions and the STOL runway. Since this date is after the effective date of § 62, the judge held that the EIR requirements were applicable. Massport's principal argument is that the judge misinterpreted EOEA Reg. 13. [3] It is argued that the landfill operations, the dike and drain construction, and the surcharging qualify under the phrase undertaken a continuous program of action or construction. But the EOEA contends that the applicable phrase is the second one: entered into a binding agreement ... to undertake and complete a continuous program of action or construction. This interpretation would apply the first phrase only to activities undertaken by employees of the agency, where there would be no contractual obligation to carry through on the project. Even were we to apply the first phrase, however, we do not believe its purpose was to exempt all projects which might be related to some construction which took place prior to the effective date of § 62 and thereby deemed part of a continuous program. From the point of view of Massport, what is necessary here is the existence of a commitment entered into prior to July 1, 1973, which is irreversible in nature, and which has a clearly defined objective. We fail to find on what is before us that Massport had entered into such a commitment, perhaps best described in EOEA Reg. 13 as the point at which the agency is bound to the ultimate completion of a specifically planned activity. We describe further what leads us to our conclusion. From the record it is evident that a number of construction contracts were entered into at various times, going back into the early 1960's. In a sense there has been a continuous program since Massport began acquiring title to the Bird Island Flats in 1959 to expand the airport to the south. Given the nature of an airport, construction of runways would almost certainly be a part of that program. Massport focuses on May, 1969, when construction of the dike and the interceptor drain began, as the critical date. However, the work was simply part of the entire filling operation of Bird Island Flats, a 234 acre area, only a portion of which is to be used for runways. According to the various layout plans, other portions of the area enclosed by the dike are proposed to be used for fuel storage, airline hangars, cargo storage, aprons, and taxiways. Moreover, at the time of commencement of this work, the only runway extension proposal appearing on the then current Airport Layout Plan was an extension of runway 9. Since the nature of the environmental impact depends on the length of runway extensions and on which runways are to be extended or constructed, it would make no sense to interpret the statute in such a way as to deem the project to have commenced at this time. It is to be remembered that the decision as to when a project commences determines not only whether § 62 is inapplicable because of the retroactivity question, but also when in a post-July 1, 1973, situation the final EIR must be published, since a project cannot be commenced until sixty days after the publication of the final EIR. To say that the proper timing for a final EIR would have been sixty days prior to commencing work on the dike and the drain would obviously make little sense in terms of the statutory scheme. A more plausible possibility for the date of commencement is the time of execution of the fill contract with Barletta in February, 1972, since that contract included provisions for surcharging the area of the proposed runways. Unlike the dike and drain contracts, there was no justification for the surcharge aspect of the contract other than an intent to build runways in that area at some time. However, the following considerations apply to that contract. First, in so far as the regulations are to be relied on, it is evident that the surcharging contract did not actually commit Massport to construct the runways, and the judge so found. Surcharging is in fact simply an aspect of landfill operations in which additional materials are piled several feet above grade to compress the fill and increase its support capability. After the surcharging was completed, the resulting situation closely resembled what it would be if Massport had instead purchased dry adjacent land for contemplated future runway construction. An EIR generally would not be required prior to mere land acquisition. See United States v. Three Tracts of Land, 377 F. Supp. 631, 637-638 (N.D. Ala. 1974). Second, although the surcharging was clearly related to runway construction, the fact is that at the time of surcharging Massport had reached no final decision on the length of its proposed extension of runway 9. This appears from its 1973 bond issue statement, in which the proposed extension was listed as 1,400 feet, though it may be extended approximately an additional 400 feet. Under the present proposal, the extension would be approximately 1,800 feet. That the decision had not been made in 1972 is important, for the precise length of extensions directly affects the potential environmental impact by determining the possible altitude of planes approaching and leaving the airport. Finally, and most persuasively, a finding that the project commenced with the surcharge contract would ignore the significant events that followed. As set out in the chronology, in January, 1973, the chairman of Massport, in an official public notice, stated that [t]he Authority has neither approved nor disapproved the proposed improvements.... The testimony presented at the hearing, together with other information, will be considered by the Authority before it decides whether to approve all, some or none of the suggested construction. To say that Massport had commenced construction of the runways in February, 1972, would be to make a sham of this statement and the public hearing which followed. Certainly it could not be said that prior to this date Massport had committed itself to extending either runway or constructing the STOL runway, or had even made a decision on the question. Nor would it make sense to say that at some earlier time Massport should have filed a final EIR. We have already indicated that the final EIR contains the findings and conclusions of an agency that a specific project should get under way in a defined manner so as to minimize environmental impact. After publication of the final EIR, the EOEA and the public have their last chance to comment and bring legal proceedings if thought necessary. The final EIR becomes then the vehicle for review by the court in evaluating the agency's determination that the project, as designed, represents the best accommodation with the environment. Boston v. Massachusetts Port Authy. 364 Mass. 639, 660 (1974). We are confirmed in our analysis of what occurred by reference to the next chronological event. In June, 1973, the Massport board authorized a contract with an engineering firm for, among other things, [p]reparation ... of preliminary designs and drawings. Thus, the runway extensions and construction of the STOL runway were still in the planning and design phase. The language of § 62 makes clear that commencement does not include this sort of preliminary work. This contract was not executed by Massport until July 26, 1973, after the effective date of § 62. [4] Not until May 17, 1974, was a contract finally executed to provide for excavation, grading, and the laying of pavement for the runways. In sum, the issue of when the project commenced must be considered in the context of the statutory scheme. We emphasize that the date of commencement affects only the latest time when a final EIR can be filed. The statute expressly provides, as we have indicated, that preparation of a draft EIR is to be commenced during the initial planning and design phase. G.L.c. 30, § 62. See EOEA Regs. 7.1-7.10. The interpretation for which Massport has vigorously argued would require a final EIR at such an early stage that the agency could not possibly accord full consideration to the ultimate environmental impact of a given proposal. Its interpretation would also have the effect of exempting many long range activities of State agencies from the requirement of filing EIR's on a large number of projects which could be viewed as commenced years ago. To yield to such an interpretation would be to weaken greatly, if not to destroy, the thrust and objective of MEPA. We cannot accord the statute this interpretation in light of the legislative intent evident in its terms. The line must be drawn somewhere and it is quite obvious that the proper place to draw it in this case is well after the effective date of § 62. If it be argued that there is certain harshness in the retroactive application of the statute, this was surely taken care of by the Legislature's decision to delay the effective date of § 62 from July 18, 1972, when the statute was enacted, to July 1, 1973. St. 1972, c. 781, § 3. Thus, on this phase of the case we consider the judge's views and action to have been right.