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US Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Great Lakes Region Chicago Airports District Office MIDAMERICA ST. LOUIS AIRPORT AVIATION DEVELOPMENT Draft Short Form Environmental Assessment This Short Form Environmental Assessment is intended to be used when an airport project: cannot be Categorically Excluded (CATEX); when the environmental impacts of the proposed project are expected to not be significant; and when a detailed Environmental Assessment (EA) would not be appropriate. Accordingly, this form is intended to meet the Federal regulatory requirements of an EA. Resource guidance used in preparation of this form comes from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Order 5050.4B, “National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Instructions For Airport Actions” or subsequent revisions, which incorporates the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as well as the US Department of Transportation environmental regulations (including FAA Order 1050.1F or subsequent revisions), and other federal statutes and regulations designed to protect the nation's natural, historic, cultural, and archeological resources. Short Form Environmental Assessment Page 1 Revision: 2007-10-01 A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION SHORT FORM ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT An Environmental Assessment (EA) is based upon the guidance in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 5050.4B, "National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Instructions For Airport Actions" or subsequent revisions, which incorporates the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as well as the US Department of Transportation environmental regulations (including FAA Order 1050.1E, “Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures” or subsequent revisions), and many other federal statutes and regulations designed to protect the Nation's natural, historic, cultural, and archeological resources. This environmental (Short Form EA) format is intended to be used when a project cannot be categorically excluded (CATEX) from formal environmental assessment, but when the environmental impacts of the proposed project are expected to not be significant and a detailed EA would not be appropriate or needed. Applicability This format should be used if the sponsor's proposed project meets the following criteria: The proposed project involves conditions ("extraordinary circumstances") identified in FAA Order 5050.4B, Paragraph 602a (Actions Unlikely To Involve Extraordinary Circumstances); Paragraph 602b (Actions That May Involve Extraordinary Circumstances); Paragraph 604 (Categorical Exclusions Unlikely To Involve Extraordinary Circumstances); Paragraph 605 (Categorical Exclusions That May Involve Extraordinary Circumstances); or Paragraph 606 (Extraordinary Circumstances), and the sponsor shall demonstrate that involvement with, or impacts to, the extraordinary circumstances are not notable in number or degree of impact, and that any significant impacts can be mitigated below threshold levels. Short Form Environmental Assessment Page 2 Revision: 2007-10-01 A Complete the following information: 1. Project Location: Airport Name: MidAmerica St. Louis Airport Address: 9656 Air Terminal Drive City: Mascoutah County: St. Clair State: Illinois 2. Airport Sponsor Information: Point of contact: Bryan Johnson Address: 9656 Air Terminal Dr, Mascoutah, IL 62258 Telephone: 618-566-5240 Fax: E-mail: [email protected] 3. Short Form EA Preparer Information: Point of contact: Julie Car, Managing Consultant, Ricondo & Associates, Inc. Address: 20 N. Clark Street, Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60602 Telephone: 312-606-0611 Fax: E-mail: [email protected] 4. Identify all attachments to this Short Form EA. Supporting exhibits, ordered as they appear in the text: 1) Proposed Project Elements 2) Proposed Aviation Development 3) Alternatives 4) Airport Location 5) Airport Layout 6) 2019 Noise Exposure Contours 7) 2024 No Action Alternative Noise Exposure Contours 8) 2024 Proposed Project Noise Exposure Contours 9) 2024 and 2029 Proposed Project Differential Noise Exposure Contours 10) 2029 No Action Alternative Noise Exposure Contours 11) 2029 Proposed Project Noise Exposure Contours 12) Water Resources 13) Taxiway Alternative Alignment 1 14) Taxiway Alternative Alignment 2 15) Proposed Tree Removal Supporting attachments, ordered as they appear in the text: A) Aircraft Noise Analysis, December 2020 B) Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, MidAmerica Airport (BLV) Aerospace Development Traffic Impact Study, October 2020. C) Air Quality Analysis, December 2020 D) State and Federal Species and Habitat Assessments, September 2020. E) Horner & Shifrin, “Wetland Delineation,” Memorandum, November 19, 2020. F) Horner & Shifrin, “FEMA Flood Maps for MidAmerica Airport,” Memorandum, June 30, 2020. G) Horner & Shifrin, “Environmental Due Diligence Audit – MidAmerica Airport,” July 1, 2020. H) Public and Agency Coordination Materials Short Form Environmental Assessment Page 3 Revision: 2007-10-01 A 5. Proposed Development Action (describe ALL associated action that can be deemed one complete project): The St. Clair County Public Building Commission (PBC) proposes to lease MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV or Airport) property for the construction and operation of an aviation development with airfield access. The proposed project would revise the Airport Layout Plan (ALP) approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on August 31, 2010 (2010 Approved ALP).1 As shown on Exhibit 1, the location of the proposed project is previously disturbed, undeveloped land southeast of Airport Boulevard and southwest of Illinois Route 4. The proposed project area is approximately 235 acres and includes rights-of-way along IL Route 4 for intersection improvements at Airport Boulevard and the proposed entrance to the project. The proposed aviation development would be constructed on approximately 34 acres of Airport property and would include multiple structures, paved parking lot, new taxiway for access to the proposed development, utility extensions, and access to IL Route 4 (refer to Exhibits 1 and 2). The proposed aviation development would support the production of aircraft and flight testing/operations. Airport property would be leased to the tenant, which would be a source of revenue for the Airport. The proposed aviation development would include a range of 5 to 8 metal-sided structures to be used for aircraft manufacturing, painting, and storage, and office, maintenance, and support spaces. Structure heights would be a maximum of 70 feet. The proposed project would include construction/installation of: • Main aircraft manufacturing facility—approximately 200,000 square feet (SF) • Aircraft Hangar—up to approximately 40,000 SF with 3 indoor aircraft parking positions • Paint Hangar—30,000 SF • Aircraft Shelter—16,000 SF • Miscellaneous support structures—up to 10,000 SF for each structure; maximum total for all structures of 40,000 SF • Paved parking lot—200,000 SF with up to 500 spaces • Apron pavement—200,000 SF with 4 outdoor aircraft parking positions • Taxiway— approximately 362,000 SF; 3,000 linear feet designed to accommodate Aircraft Design Group IV with taxiway bridge over Crooked Creek • Dry Detention Basin—vegetated, dry bottom basin approximately 163,000 SF (3.7 acres) • Paved Airport service road— approximately 84,000 SF; 3,500 linear feet, 24 feet wide • Security fence—would be installed around the perimeter of the proposed aviation development, approximately 3,500 linear feet, 8 feet tall The proposed aviation development would operate 5 days per week with three 8-hour shifts for up to 400 employees, 250 employees for production and 150 employees for support. The proposed aviation development, connector taxiway, and Airport service road, would have approximately 27 acres of impervious surface. 1 The ALP was submitted to the FAA June 1, 2010 and approved August 31, 2010. Short Form Environmental Assessment Page 4 Revision: 2007-10-01 A In conformance with Section 163 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, a determination on the ability of the FAA to take federal actions on the proposed project was completed in December 2020. The FAA retains ALP authority over the elements of the proposed project dealing with the direct manufacturing of aircraft (i.e., aircraft manufacturing facility, hangars, and shelters), that may impact the safe and efficient operation of aircraft (i.e., dry detention basin partially within the runway protection zone (RPZ) for Runway 14L-32R), and airfield improvements (i.e., taxiway). The FAA does not have authority over those elements of the proposed project that are considered non-aeronautical, which includes the Airport service road, parking, roadwork, and other buildings not housing aircraft (i.e., support structures and guard shack). Because the non-aeronautival elements of the proposed project would not be constructed without the aircraft manufacturing facilites and airfield improvement elements of the proposed project, they are being evaluated in this environmental assessment pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Construction is proposed to begin in second quarter 2021 and anticipated to be complete by the end of 2022 with aircraft manufacturing commencing in second quarter 2023. 6. Purpose of and Need for the Project: The purpose of the proposed project is to develop a manufacturing facility that