Environmental Reviews

Environmental reviews are a critical element in FAA's efforts to manage airspace capacity and change aircraft routing while ensuring that environmental impacts, enhancements, and protection considerations are fully and properly analyzed. We provide environmental reviews for all of FAA's airspace redesign and procedure development projects concerning air space use and air traffic.

All environmental reviews of air traffic projects are conducted under the guidelines and regulations of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and related statutory and regulatory environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act and National Historic Preservation Act, as well as internal FAA environmental regulations:

• FAA Order 1050.1F (PDF) (Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures)
• FAA Order 7400.2M (Chapter 32) (PDF) (Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters)

Topics on this page

• Airspace Redesign Environmental Reviews
• Metroplex Environmental Reviews
• Performance Based Navigation (PBN) Environmental Reviews

Airspace Redesign Environmental Reviews

• Adoption of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision for the U.S. Army's Creation of Restricted Areas R-5601H and R-5601G at Fort Sill, Oklahoma (PDF) (November 2016)
• Adoption of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Establishment of Restricted Area Airspace (R-6604C/D/E) at Goddard Space Flight Center, Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia (PDF) (October 31, 2016)
• Adoption of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision for Wisconsin Air National Guard Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center; Redesign and Expansion of Military Operations Areas Complex and Special Activity Airspace (PDF) (September 13, 2016)
• Adoption of Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision for Military Readiness Activities at Naval Weapons System Training Facility, Boardman, Oregon (PDF) (August 29, 2016)
• FAA's Record of Decision to Adopt U.S. Air Force Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Powder River Training Complex (PDF) (signed March 24, 2015)
  • Federal Register Notice
• Las Vegas Area Optimization of Airspace and Procedures (Contact the Environmental Policy Team for copies of the document at 202-2678783)
  • Final Environmental Assessment (September 2012)
    • Cover & Table of Contents
    • Chapter 1: Background
    • Chapter 2: Purpose and Need
    • Chapter 3: Alternatives
    • Chapter 4: Affected Environment
    • Chapter 5: Environmental Consequences
    • Appendices
  • Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision (FONSI/ROD)
• New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia Airspace Redesign (Contact the Environmental Policy Team for copies of the document at 202-2678783)
  • Record of Decision Issued, September 5, 2007
  • Federal Register Notice, August 3, 2007
  • FEIS Completed, July 27, 2007
  • Includes LaGuardia, JFK, Philadelphia, Newark, and Teterboro airports (plus 16 additional)
  • Four stages of implementation starting in December 2007 and completing about 2011
• Houston Area Air Traffic System (HAATS) (Contact the Environmental Policy Team for copies of the document at 202-2678783)
  • The Houston Area Air Traffic System (HAATS) is a large-scale airspace redesign project that leverages Area Navigation (RNAV) procedures and capabilities. The Houston project was implemented in three separate phases to provide increased airspace efficiency, to support the extension of a runway 15R and accommodate a new runway 08L/26R. EA, FONSI/ROD signed March 2008

Metroplex Environmental Reviews

The goal of Metroplex is to ensure that, as NextGen is developed, procedures and resources are in place to ensure safe, expeditious, and cost effective methods of moving aircraft.

• About Metroplex
• Metroplex Environmental
• Final Environmental Assessment — Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Record of Decision (ROD) for the Charlotte Optimization of the Airspace and Procedures in the Metroplex (CLT Metroplex) (PDF) (signed May 19, 2015)
  • Additional documents for the CLT Metroplex EA
• Final Environmental Assessment — Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Record of Decision (ROD) for North Texas Optimization of the Airspace and Procedures in the Metroplex (North Texas Metroplex) (June 2013)
• Final Environmental Assessment — Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Record of Decision (ROD) for the Washington, DC Optimization of the Airspace and Procedures in the Metroplex (DC Metroplex) Project (signed December 30, 2013)
• Final Environmental Assessment — Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Record of Decision (ROD) for the Houston Optimization of Airspace and Procedures in the Metroplex (signed June 13, 2013)

CLT Metroplex EA

Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Record of Decision (ROD) and Agency Concurrence Letters, Public Comment Letters and Responses to Comments, and Environmental Assessment Errata (PDF, 14.9 MB) (June, 2015)

Draft EA Main Document — Volume I

• CLT Metroplex DEA Full Document (PDF, 19.9 MB)
• Chapter 1 — Background (PDF)
• Chapter 2 — Purpose and Need (PDF)
• Chapter 3 — Alternatives (PDF, 14.4 MB)
• Chapter 4 — Affected Environment (PDF)
• Chapter 5 — Environmental Consequences (PDF)

Appendices to the Draft EA — Volume II

• Appendix A — Agency Coordination, Agency Consultation, and Public Involvement (PDF)
• Appendix B — List of Preparers and Receiving Parties (PDF)
• Appendix C — References (PDF)
• Appendix D — List of Acronyms and Glossary (PDF)
• Appendix E — Basics of Noise (PDF)

Technical Reports

• Average Annual Day Flight Schedules (PDF)
• Aircraft Noise Technical Report (PDF)
• CLT Metroplex Study Team Final Report (PDF)
• CLT Metroplex Design and Implementation Team Technical Report (PDF, 33.5 MB)

Written comments on the Draft EA were accepted by FAA until February 2, 2015. The public comment period is now closed.

North Texas Metroplex EA

Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Record of Decision (ROD) and Agency Concurrence Letters, Public Comment Letters and Responses to Comments, and Environmental Assessment Errata (PDF, 32.2 MB) (June, 2014)

Attachment A (PDF)

Attachment B (PDF)

Draft EA Main Document — Volume I

• North Texas DEA Full Document (PDF, 113.9 MB)
• Chapter 1 — Background (PDF)
• Chapter 2 — Purpose and Need (PDF)
• Chapter 3 — Alternatives (PDF, 44.9 MB)
• Chapter 4 — Affected Environment (PDF, 74.3 MB)
• Chapter 5 — Environmental Consequences (PDF, 19.9 MB)

Appendices — Volume II

• North Texas DEA Appendices (A–G) (PDF)
• Appendix A — Agency Coordination, Agency Consultation, and Public Involvement (PDF)
• Appendix B — List of Preparers and Receiving Parties (PDF)
• Appendix C — References (PDF)
• Appendix D — List of Acronyms and Glossary (PDF)
• Appendix E — Basics of Noise (PDF)
• Appendix F — Section 4(f) Resources (PDF)
• Appendix G — Historic and Cultural Resources (PDF)

Technical Reports

• North Texas Metroplex Study Team Final Report (PDF)
• North Texas Design and Implementation Team Tech Report (PDF)
• Average Annual Day Flight Schedules (PDF)
• Aircraft Noise Technical Report (PDF)

The comment period is now closed. Please see EA Process Timeline for more information.

DC Metroplex EA

Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Record of Decision (ROD) and Agency Concurrence Letters, Public Comment Letters and Responses to Comments, and Environmental Assessment Errata (PDF, 34 MB) (December, 2013)

Draft EA Main Document

• DC Metroplex DEA Full Document (PDF, 105.8 MB)
• Chapter 1 — Background (PDF)
• Chapter 2 — Purpose and Need (PDF)
• Chapter 3 — Alternatives (PDF, 13.9 MB)
• Chapter 4 — Affected Environment (PDF, 55 MB)
• Chapter 5 — Environmental Consequences (PDF, 31.4 MB)

Appendices

• Appendix A — Agency Coordination and Public Involvement (PDF)
• Appendix B — List of Preparers and Receiving Parties (PDF)
• Appendix C — References (PDF)
• Appendix D — List of Acronyms and Glossary (PDF)
• Appendix E — Basics of Noise (PDF)
• Appendix F — Section 4(f) Resources (PDF)
• Appendix G — Historic and Cultural Resources (PDF)
• Appendix H — Reportable Noise Increases (PDF)

Technical Reports

• DC Metroplex Study Team Technical Report (PDF)
• DC Metroplex Design & Implementation Team Technical Report (PDF)
• Average Annual Day Flight Schedules (PDF)
• Aircraft Noise Technical Report (PDF, 46.3 MB)

The public comment period for the Environmental Assessment closed on July 20, 2013.

Houston Metroplex EA

Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision (FONSI-ROD) dated June 13, 2013, Concurrence Letters, Comments Received, and Response to Comments, and Errata Sheet (PDF)

Environmental Assessment for Houston Optimization of Airspace and Procedures in the Metroplex — January 2013 (PDF, 36.5 MB)

• Chapter 1 — Background (PDF)
• Chapter 2 — Purpose and Need (PDF)
• Chapter 3 — Alternatives (PDF, 15.6 MB)
• Chapter 4 — Affected Environment (PDF, 10.3 MB)
• Chapter 5 — Environmental Consequences (PDF)
• Chapter 6 — Agency and Public Coordination (PDF)
• Appendices A–D — Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Glossary of Terms, References, List of Preparers, National Airspace System
  Guidebook (PDF)
• Appendix E — Houston Metroplex Study Team Documents (PDF, 11.5 MB)
• Appendix F — Houston Metroplex Design and Implementation Team
  Documents (PDF, 29.1 MB)
• Appendix G1 — Aircraft Noise Analysis — Basics of Noise (PDF)
• Appendix G2 — Aircraft Noise Analysis — Noise Modeling Technical
  Report (PDF, 47.2 MB)
• Appendix H — Inventory of Potential of Department of Transportation Act, Section 4(f) and Noise Exposure (PDF, 11.5 MB)
• Appendix I — Inventory of Historic Resources and Noise Exposure (PDF)
• Appendix J — Coordination and Consultation (PDF, 16.1 MB)
• Appendix K — List of Receiving Parties (PDF)

The public comment period for the Environmental Assessment closed on February 19, 2013.

Performance Based Navigation (PBN) Environmental Reviews

PBN provides a basis for the design and implementation of automated flight paths as well as for airspace design and obstacle clearance. The two main components of PBN framework are Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP).

• Boston Logan International Airport Runway 33L RNAV SID
  • Memorandum — Post-Implementation Review for the BOS Runway 33L RNAV SID Procedure (PDF) (December 2014)
  • BOS Runway 33L RNAV SID One-Year Post Implementation Report — Figure 1-3: Runway 33L LOGAN SIX Jet Departures Compared with Proposed Action (PDF) (September 2014)
  • BOS Runway 33L RNAV SID One-Year Post Implementation Report — Figure 4-6: Runway 33L Flight Tracks with Altitudes (PDF) (September 2014)
  • Memorandum — Post-Implementation Review for the BOS Runway 33L RNAV SID Procedure (PDF) (April 2014)
  • Final Environmental Assessment (May 2013)
    • Cover Page, FONSI/ROD, Table of Contents, Chapters 1 through 6, Appendices A and B (PDF, 19 MB)
    • Cover Page, FONSI/ROD and Table of Contents (PDF)
    • Chapter 1, Project Background and Purpose and Need for the Action (PDF)
    • Chapter 2, Alternatives (PDF)
    • Chapter 3, Affected Environment (PDF)
    • Chapter 4, Environmental Consequences (PDF)
    • Chapter 5, Public and Agency Involvement Summary (PDF)
    • Chapter 6, List of Preparers (PDF)
    • Appendix A, Noise Modeling Technical Report (PDF)
    • Appendix B, Public and Agency Involvement (PDF)
  • Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision (PDF)
• Chicago-Midway PBN
  • Final Environmental Assessment (May 2013)
    • Midway Air Traffic Procedural Changes Environmental Assessment (PDF, 21.6 MB)
    • Midway Air Traffic Procedural Changes Environmental Assessment — Appendices (PDF)
  • Additional Resources for Chicago-Midway PBN
• Denver PBN
  • Final FAA RNAV and RNP Procedures at Denver International Airport, Centennial Airport and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)/Record of Decision (ROD), August 2012 (PDF)
  • Denver PBN Environmental Assessment Study Area Map (PDF)
• Greener Skies Over Seattle
  • Final Environmental Assessment (October 2012)
    • Volume 1 — Main Document (PDF, 20.1 MB)
    • Volume 2 — Appendices (PDF, 96.3 MB)
  • Reports
    • Report on Status of Greener Skies Project (October 2013) (PDF)
    • Greener Skies Seattle RNP/ODP Presentation (PDF)