Statement of Findings for Wetlands Runway 4-22 and Runway 15-33 Safety Area Enhancements

In order to comply with FAA safety orders, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) has determined enhancements to its Runway Safety Areas (RSAs) is required. As part of this proposal, MWAA will need to extend Runway 15-33 into the Potomac River, which will require approximately 5.3 acres of fill. Of those 5.3 acres owned by the United States Government, approximately 2.4 acres of river bottom is administered by the National Park Service (NPS). As a result, the NPS would be required to transfer the administrative jurisdiction of that portion of river bottom to the FAA for the purposes of safety improvements. Of the 2.4 acres being transferred, 1.94 acres is being impacted. This acreage is considered riverine wetlands by the NPS and therefore is subject to the NPS Director's requirements to protect and preserve wetlands (D.O. 77-1). Because the proposal would result in adverse impacts on wetlands, D.O. 77-1 directs that a Statement of Findings (SOF) be completed. The NPS has drafted and is seeking public input on this SOF.

As mitigation for the impacts to these wetlands, MWAA presented the NPS with a proposal to fund the initial phase of the Dyke Marsh Restoration Project as mitigation for the impacts caused by the proposed expansion of Runway 15-33. The first phase of this restoration project would be the construction of a continuous breakwater located along the edge of the historic promontory along the southern limits of the project area. The NPS is currently preparing an EIS for the restoration of Dyke Marsh (see http://parkplanning.nps.gov/dykemarshrestoration).

Please comment on the SOF using the "Comment on Document" button above. The document will be available for public review and comment through midnight on April 25, 2013.

Document Content:

SOF_032613_FINAL   (2.3 MB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.