Draft Environmental Assessment for East Airfield ...

SECTION 1

Introduction and Proposed Action

1.1 Introduction

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) has prepared this Environmental Assessment (EA) to facilitate the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) review and consideration of the East Airfield as a site for future aviation development, the reduction of wildlife hazard attractants on the East Airfield, and the development of a secondary fuel supply at Orlando International Airport (MCO). This document was developed in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. ? 4321- 4370, as amended. The FAA, whose mission is to provide the safest, most efficient airspace system in the world, is responsible for ensuring compliance with NEPA with respect to FAA actions, including decisions regarding proposed Federal actions at federally-obligated airports. As such, the FAA is the lead Federal agency for NEPA compliance regarding the Proposed Action. The preparation of an Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONSI) or an Environmental Impact Statement/Record of Decision (EIS/ROD) documents FAA compliance with NEPA and reflects a thorough review of all relevant environmental issues, using a systematic, interdisciplinary approach.

1.1.1 Orlando International Airport Overview

Orlando International Airport's official designator code is "MCO," which is derived from the former McCoy Air Force Base, named after Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy. MCO is located in Orange County, Florida within the City of Orlando (see Figure 1.1-1). The airport property comprises approximately 13,430 acres, making it the fourth largest airport in landmass within the United States. MCO features two 12,000-foot by 200-foot runways (18L-36R and 18R-36L); one 10,000-foot by 150-foot runway (17R-35L); and one 9,000-foot by 150-foot runway (17L-35R). Runway 17L-35R, also called the "fourth runway," is the runway closest to the East Airfield site. The East Airfield site is approximately 1,342 acres in size.

The FAA has designated MCO as a large-hub airport, and commercial airline service is available from MCO to almost 100 cities world-wide. Currently, MCO averages approximately 785 flight operations (arrivals and departures) per day and accommodates almost 35 million annual passengers. In total, MCO is responsible for 18,000 jobs on airport, 267,800 direct and indirect jobs in the community and over $31.4 billion a year in regional economic impact.1

1 FDOT Aviation Office, The Economic Impact of Orlando International Airport [MCO]. August 2014.

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Winter Springs

426

438 435 Orlando

436 408

429

17

417

536

4

Kissimmee

Orlando International Airport

0

5

Miles

426 419

50

SEMINOLE 420

Wedgefield 528

VOLUSIA

ALABAMA

SOUTH CA RO LINA

GEOR G IA FLO RI DA

Atlantic Oc e an

Gulf of Mexico

406

Orange County

95 407

520 ORANGE OSCEOLA

405 3

1 528

401

Port Canaveral

515

BREVARD

192

SOURCE: ESRI, 2007; Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, 2008; and ESA Airports, 2012

Orlando International Airport EA ? East Airfield . 207524

Figure 1.1-1 Vicinity Map

1.1.2 History of Proposed Action

Conceptual Land Use Planning

GOAA began purchasing the East Airfield site in 1986 with the intention of developing the area for aviation uses adjacent to Runway 17L-35R. A land purchase summary timeline and graphic are provided in Appendix A. In 1999, the City of Orlando identified the Southeast Orlando Sector Plan Area (which includes the East Airfield site) as a Future Growth Center with the airport as the primary economic and employment generator for the area. The Southeast Orlando Sector Plan Map designated the vast majority of the East Airfield site as Airport Support District High Intensity.

GOAA originally developed a conceptual development plan for the East Airfield in 2005 to be responsive to large-scale aviation development opportunities. This concept plan, shown on the conditionally approved 2005 MCO Airport Layout Plan (ALP), identified high intensity aviation uses for the entire site and a fuel farm located on the south side of the site adjacent to Dowden Road. An EA process was initiated in June 2008 which led to ongoing coordination with Federal, state, and local government agencies and adjacent neighborhood groups. This included public workshops in 2008, a Public Hearing and comment period on a Draft EA in 2009, and multiple U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) permit commenting periods. In March 2011, GOAA and neighboring communities initiated the "GOAA Lake Nona Estates/ Northlake Park Neighborhood Partnership". Meetings with this group were held every six to eight weeks throughout 2011 and 2012, and were also attended by the City of Orlando Planning Department. These meetings included updates on the East Airfield development as well as topics such as review of the airport's master planning process, noise program, airport financing, traffic analysis, and review of the history of land acquisition at the airport.

Following the meetings, coordination with local and regional planning departments, and prior public outreach to stakeholder groups, GOAA initiated a series of revisions to the 2005 East Airfield Concept Plan. Major revisions made to the East Airfield concept plan since 2005 include:

Relocation of the proposed fuel farm from the south side of the site (in close proximity to residential areas) to the north side of the Proposed Action site near the Beach Line Expressway.

Creation of a land use buffer area between the residential areas and the high intensity aviation uses by modifying the proposed land use along the north side of Dowden Road from high intensity aviation use to a medium intensity use for the development of aviation-related office facilities. This office-related development would provide a transition from residential to the south with the high intensity aviation-industrial to the north.

Avoidance and minimization of wetland impacts within the Proposed Action site.

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 Relocation of a stormwater outfall away from Lake Nona into the airport drainage system.

Reduction in future vehicular access from the project by allowing only one access point from Narcoossee Road.

Addition of a natural landscape buffer west of Northlake Park.

Addition of a linear landscape buffer along Dowden Road.

Elimination of the Airport Support District High Intensity (ASD-2) at the southwest corner of the East Airfield site.

Accommodation of a +/- 30 acre park provided as mitigation and additional buffer for the project (to be constructed by others).

Wildlife Hazard Management

GOAA has had a formal wildlife hazard management program in place for over 17 years. In 1997, GOAA established the first operations staff position designated to wildlife hazard management. At that time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services was retained to conduct a Wildlife Hazard Assessment (WHA) at MCO. The WHA was completed in 1999 and reviewed by the FAA. The airport was subsequently required to prepare a Wildlife Hazard Management Plan (WHMP). GOAA received FAA approval of its first WHMP in 2000. The WHMP was incorporated into the airport's Airport Certification Manual (ACM) and is required to be reviewed and updated on an annual basis. In addition, the WHMP is reviewed and, if necessary, updated more frequently in the case of a "triggering event" as required under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) Part 139.2

The MCO wildlife hazard management program includes a dedicated GOAA Wildlife Biologist and three Operations Agents who conduct wildlife observations, implement active and passive management techniques, document strikes, document wildlife deterrent and removal activities, review and revise the WHMP as needed, and work with airport stakeholders such as airport staff, airlines, airport tenants, and pilots to address wildlife hazard issues. Currently, the wildlife hazard management staff implements the following techniques to reduce wildlife hazard at MCO:

Habitat modification including vegetation management, turf management, surface water management system modifications, and tree removal

Harassment of wildlife including pyrotechnics, sound cannons, fogging (Methyl Anthranilate), vehicles, and falconry

Removal of wildlife when necessary (including trap and relocation, and lethal control)

2 Title 14 CFR Part 139.337 (b) (1) An air carrier aircraft experiences multiple wildlife strikes; (2) An air carrier aircraft experiences substantial damage from striking wildlife. As used in this paragraph, substantial damage means damage or structural failure incurred by an aircraft that adversely affects the structural strength, performance, or flight characteristics of the aircraft and that would normally require major repair or replacement of the affected component; (3) An air carrier aircraft experiences an engine ingestion of wildlife.

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The overall goal of GOAA's wildlife hazard management program is to decrease the risk of wildlife strikes with aircraft operating at MCO.

Fuel Storage and Distribution Facility

Since the development of the 2005 MCO ALP, a second fuel farm has been proposed to provide the airport and ancillary users with a second operationally redundant fuel supply. Currently, the airport and its users have access to one fuel farm on the west side of the property. That facility is supplied by refinery sources from the gulf coast via barges across the Gulf of Mexico, a port facility in Tampa and a pipeline from the port to central Florida, and overland via a trucking operation from a recently completed fuel farm at Port Canaveral. During the past ten years, the impacts of hurricanes and other petroleum supply disruptions have caused the airport to nearly run out of fuel on several occasions. If not for the exceptional measures to "tanker" fuel to the airport via aircraft, the airport would have exhausted its fuel supply. In January 2006, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) advanced Florida's Energy Plan to Governor Bush that included recommendations to promote fuel diversity to the State of Florida (see Appendix B). Development of a second fuel farm is consistent with the 2006 FDEP plan.

1.2 Proposed Action

The Proposed Action includes the following three near-term projects:

Approval of the East Airfield as a large contiguous site at MCO for development of high and medium intensity aviation and aviation support facilities, medium intensity land uses, and related infrastructure. This element of the proposed action is for site selection and is programmatic in nature. Any future development on the selected site (other than the two specific projects reviewed for unconditional ALP approval in this EA) will require project-specific NEPA review and approval.

Reduction of existing wildlife hazard attractants on the East Airfield site through removal of wetlands and non-stormwater management surface waters and active wildlife hazard management. Necessary associated activities will include construction of temporary access roads, stormwater management facilities and staging areas, clearing vegetation, de-mucking wetlands, filling wetlands, and grading.

The development of a secondary fuel storage and distribution facility that provides a redundant fuel supply at MCO to improve security from fuel supply disruptions related to storm events or other disruptions. Necessary associated activities will include construction of temporary access roads, stormwater management facilities and staging areas, clearing vegetation, installation of utilities, and grading.

The location of the East Airfield site is shown on Figure 1.2-1. GOAA has prepared a 2014 Conceptual Development Plan for the East Airfield to facilitate environmental analysis in this EA. The 2014 Conceptual Development Plan is shown on Figure 1.2-2. The figure identifies

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