Opinion ID: 186101
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: AAIA-Related Claims

Text: 36 In order for the FAA to approve funding for the project under the AAIA, Massport must certify to the Secretary of Transportation that the communities in which the project is located have been advised that they have the right to petition the Secretary about the project. See 49 U.S.C. § 47106(c)(1)(A)(ii). CARE's claim that the FAA violated this requirement by failing to include this certification as part of the Record of Decision is not yet ripe for review. The Record of Decision did not approve funding or determine the project's eligibility for funding, and the FAA consequently had no obligation to include the certification. 37 The Record of Decision does include several other determinations necessary in order for the project to be eligible for AAIA funding, including that the project is reasonably consistent with existing plans of public agencies for the development of the area, as required under 49 U.S.C. § 47106(a)(1), and that [f]air consideration has been given to the interest of communities in or near the project location, as required under 49 U.S.C. § 47106(b)(2). ROD at 29, J.A. 1448. CARE claims that these determinations were arbitrary and capricious. While the effects of the determinations will be manifest only if and when federal funding for the project is approved, the determinations are final and all parties agree that CARE's challenge to them is ripe for review. CARE's claims present[] a concrete legal dispute; no further factual development is essential to clarify the issues ... [and] nothing would be gained by postponing [their] resolution. Payne Enters., Inc. v. United States, 837 F.2d 486, 492 (D.C.Cir. 1988). We resolve these claims without hesitation in favor of the FAA. 38 CARE argues that the FAA's plan-consistency determination was arbitrary and capricious because the FEIS considered only the project's consistency with zoning requirements in East Boston and failed adequately to address Boston's comments during the EIS process that increased noise might negatively affect developments planned for South Boston and East Boston. The FAA responded to these comments by explaining that the project would not significantly alter overall patterns of runway use at Logan, J.A. 1283-84, and concluded that the project will in fact reduce noise impacts on most of the area near the airport, including South Boston and East Boston, see FEIS at 3-101 - 3-104, 3-113, J.A. 822-25, 832. We find, on this basis, that the FAA's determination is adequately supported by the record and satisfies the requirements of the AAIA. See Town of Stratford v. FAA, 285 F.3d 84, 90 (D.C.Cir.2002) (finding that local permitting requirements would be sufficient to meet the AAIA's requirement that the project be reasonably consistent with local plans). 39 Finally, the extensive participation of local communities in the environmental review process, which is documented in the FEIS, see FEIS at 5-2, J.A. 908, amply supports the FAA's determination that fair consideration was given to local interests. See Town of Stratford, 285 F.3d at 90 (finding that the town's extensive involvement in the decision making process satisfied the fair consideration requirement).