CAA: Regulatory Update, "FAA Releases EIS Guidance"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Monday, July 16, 2001

FAA Releases Environmental Impact Statement "Best Practices" Guidance
AAAE Regulatory Affairs


On Friday, FAA headquarters released their promised "Guide to the Best
Practices for Environmental Impact Statement Management". The 17 page
guidance provides brief discussions and clarification on areas that have
been cited to add time and confusion to projects. A copy is attached in
Adobe PDF format.

The guide comes as a follow up to Congress as one of the action items
identified by FAA in their May "Report To The U.S. Congress On Environmental
Review Of Airport Improvement Projects". (AAAE Regulatory Advisory, May 24,
2001, http://www.airportnet.org/depts/regulatory/advise/010524.htm )

Areas where guidance is offered include: FAA EIS Project Management, Early
Project Planning, EIS Teams And Teamwork, Scoping An EIS, Interagency And
Intra-Agency Coordination, and Combining Federal And State Environmental
Processes. FAA is quick to point out that "The guide is intended to be
flexible.  Each and every practice may not be adopted for every EIS.  The
guide is not mandatory, and it is not a substitute for FAA environmental
guidance in FAA Orders 1050 and 5050."

BACKGROUND
In May 2001, the Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation
Administration issued a report to Congress on the environmental review of
airport development projects.  That report included six FAA initiatives to
improve and streamline the environmental process to reduce unnecessary
delays.  The complete "Report To The U.S. Congress On Environmental Review
Of Airport Improvement Projects" is available at
http://www.airportnet.org/depts/environmental/faaenvrpt.pdf.

The report states it's goal to "compile and issue a guide to best practices
for environmental impact statement (EIS) management and preparation.
Skilled approaches to EIS technical analyses, procedures, and coordination
can reduce problems and delays.  "Best Practices" include management
techniques, approaches, and actions that can make the environmental process
more streamlined and efficient."

EISBestP.pdf