Essay - An Assessment of Airports and Their Effects on the Environment...

An Assessment of Airports and Their Effects on the Environment

Airports are a necessary part of today's fast-paced global environment. It goes without saying that our world would certainly be a different place without them. Millions depend on them every day to get them ***** their destinations. However, airports have many negative effects as well, especially to the local environment. Airports are a s*****ce ***** smog, contaminate waterways, contribute to global warming through the emission of greenhouse g*****es, and generate significant amounts of noise pollution (NADC, 1996).

According to the National Airport Defense Council, many airports rank among the top 10 pollution sources in the city where they ***** located. Although, airport ***** only contributes about 1 percent of total smog-forming gases in the United States, these numbers will continue to grow as the need for travel increases (NADC, 1996). This is the *****sue the Federal Aviation Administration and other government agencies must work together to try to solve. To this date, several guidelines and procedures ***** been developed to tackle this issue. This report will examine the current ***** and issues facing ***** and the relation ***** *****ir local environments.

***** an Environmental Impact Study

Chapter 8 of FAA Publication APP-600 recommends a st*****ndard format, which should be used for all *****s Program environmental impact statements. Aside from setting down a st*****ndard form for these reports, this publication also sets down specific guidelines, which should be followed. The environmental impact statement must include any findings, mitigation plans, or monitoring which sh***** be done. In addition it ***** identify environmentally friendly alternatives to those being proposed. It must ***** the *****'s preferred alternative as well ***** the reasons for ***** choice. The reason for this ruling is in order to keep the reports and meetings foc***** and to assure that all issues are addressed in a proper manner. Fac*****rs, which are to be considered when deciding on an action, include looking at ***** of safety, policy, environmental, social, or economic consequences. Under the Airport Improvement *****, the FAA shall take no actions, which have an adverse effect (*****, *****).

In cases where a wetland is involved, there ***** be no practical alternative for a construction ********** to proceed. All ***** are to be compared for both the long and short-term effects ***** the ***** action. Any special consultation as in the Endangered Species Act Amendments, National Historic Preservation Act, or the Fish and Wildlife Coord*****ation Act will be *****. Several elements must be examined prior to construction approval. Noise must be analyzed for "Time above threshold." ***** proposed action must *****t ***** an ***** effect on hearing, communicati*****, or sleep. It must be evaluated for ***** indoors and outdoors effects. Mitigation techniques for sensitive areas include noise abatement ***** ***** land acquisition (FAA, APP-600).

Paragraph 47, subpart e, paragraph 5 s*****ts the standards for assessing the ***** of the proposed construction on air quality. If the ***** c*****struction will cause carbon monoxide levels in excess ***** current standards, studies *****