Notice of Additional Public Comment Period—Notice of Availability of a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Notice under New York State Eminent
Domain Procedure Law for the Proposed LaGuardia Access Improvement Project
at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), New York City, Queens County, New York
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is issuing this notice under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as
amended, to announce a 15-day extension of the public comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed
LaGuardia Airport (LGA) Access Improvement Project and its connected actions (the Proposed Action). The Draft EIS was prepared to disclose the
potential environmental impacts resulting from the Proposed Action, including real property transactions under the New York State Eminent
Domain Procedures Law. This notice announces the extension of the public comment period to solicit public comments on the Draft EIS and
provides notice pursuant to the New York State Eminent Domain Procedure Law (NYS EDPL).
FAA provides the following notices:
• Pursuant to 36 CFR § 800.8(c) that it is using the NEPA process to notify the public of FAA’s finding that the proposed undertaking would
adversely affect properties listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and is seeking public comment on the
measures proposed to avoid, minimize, or mitigate such effects disclosed in the Draft EIS. A Draft Memorandum of Agreement to resolve
adverse effects to historic properties is included in Appendix K.11 of the Draft EIS.
• Pursuant to Section 4(f) of the DOT Act, FAA has prepared a Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation (see Appendix I of the Draft EIS).
• Pursuant to DOT Order 5610.2(a), DOT Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, the
Proposed Action would have a significant impact on minority environmental justice populations and is seeking public comments on impacts and
proposed mitigation disclosed in Chapter 3.14 of the Draft EIS.
• Pursuant to Executive Order 11990, Protection of Wetlands, that the Proposed Action would temporarily affect less than 1 acre of jurisdictional
wetlands in Flushing Creek and less than 1 acre of temporary and permanent impact in Flushing Bay. Impacts to these aquatic resources are
disclosed in Chapter 3.16 of the Draft EIS.
• Pursuant to Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management, that the Proposed Action would not result in a significant encroachment on
floodplains. Impacts to floodplains are disclosed in Chapter 3.16 of the Draft EIS.
• Pursuant to NYS EDPL, the NYSDOT is using the NEPA process to notify the public of the public use, benefit and purpose to be served by the
proposed public project; the approximate location for the proposed public project and the reasons for the selection of that location; the general
effect of the proposed project on the environment and residents of the locality and other factors considered relevant.
The public comment period on the Draft EIS started on August 21, 2020 and now ends on October 20, 2020.
Oral comments on the Draft EIS may be presented by leaving a voicemail at (855) LGA-EIS9 or (855) 542-3479. Written comments on the Draft EIS
may be submitted via the following methods:
• Online on the project website at www.lgaaccesseis.com/formal-comment
• Email to comments@lgaaccesseis.com
• U.S. Mail to Mr. Andrew Brooks, Environmental Program Manager, Eastern Regional Office, AEA-610, Federal Aviation Administration, 1 Aviation
Plaza, Jamaica, NY 11434
All comments must be received by no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
Comments on the Draft EIS will help FAA in making an informed decision about the proposal. If you choose to include your name, address and
telephone number, email, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment – including your
personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal
identifying information, FAA cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
The Draft EIS is available for viewing and downloading from the project website at www.lgaaccesseis.com. If hard copies of the document are
needed, please contact Maria Bernardez at mgbernardez@ricondo.com.
FAA encourages all interested parties to provide comments concerning the scope and content of the Draft EIS. Comments should be as specific
as possible and address the analysis of potential environmental impacts and the adequacy of the assessment of the Proposed Action or merits of
its alternatives and the mitigation being considered. Reviewers should organize their participation so that it is meaningful and makes the agency
aware of the viewers’ interests and concerns using quotations and other specific references to the Draft EIS and related documents. This
commenting procedure is intended to ensure that substantive comments and concerns are available to FAA in a timely manner so that FAA has
an opportunity to address them. Matters that could have been raised with specificity during the comment period on the Draft EIS may not be
considered if they are raised for the first time later in the decision process.
Following the public comment period, FAA will prepare a Final EIS and Record of Decision pursuant to 40 CFR § 1503.4(c) CEQ regulations and FAA
Orders 1050.1F and 5050.4B. The FAA may issue a single document that consists of the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of
Decision pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 304a(b) unless the FAA determines that statutory criteria or practicability considerations preclude issuance of such
a combined document.
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