CM Module 2 Airport Environmental Requirements and Processes

What do airports conduct environmental audits for?

1. Determine the baseline environmental conditions of a facility or operation 2. Determine potential environmental liabilities of a property before making acquisition decisions or initiating condemnation proceedings 3. Identifying potential problems that could stop or delay construction programs 4. Identifying tenant problems and to correct any noncomplying conditions

According to NEPA, what is the FAA responsible for in the Environmental Review Process?

1. Determining if an airport action is a categorical exclusion under NEPA 2. Reviewing environmental assessment prepared by the airport operator and consultants 3. Ensuring that environmental assessments meet FAA requirements 4. Preparing environmental impact statements

What are the three ways to maintain environmental compliance though the Environmental Management System?

1. Have sound employee and/or tenant training and informational programs 2. Have routine periodic reviews or audits of the airport's EMS and compliance programs 3. Have good record-keeping practices

Benefits of Environmental Management System

1. Increased overall efficiency and accountability 2. Reduced costs 3. Reduced potential liability 4. Increased employee awareness of environmental responsibilities 5. Improved community relations

What are the advantages and principles of Sustainable Development (SD)

1. Management strategy 2. Proactive approach 3. Improves airport profitability 4. Improves partnerships, community relations, and the image of an airport 5. Reduce the environmental and carbon footprint of an airport

Who can only apply pesticides and fungicides to treat ground water?

A Certified Applicator

Environmental Management System

A business management practice that serves as a strategic plan for addressing environmental matters

What does NEPA require federal agencies to the public?

A clear, accurate description of the potential environmental impacts that proposed Federal actions and reasonable to those actions would cause

Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)

A document based on the results reported in the EA where the impacts are not significant. It should list mitigation measures that are part of the preferred alternatives

Environmental Impact Statement

A document that identifies the effects the proposed actions might have on surrounding locations and discusses environmental impacts of the action, proposed action, no action, and other reasonable alternatives may cause, and ways to minimize environmental impacts

What is The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, the Superfund program?

A law that was passed that established the criteria for a Potentially Responsible Party designated person, a toxic waste cleanup fund if the person responsible can't be identified, and requires anyone dealing with hazardous chemicals to report the information to appropriate state and local officials.

What is a construction storm water permit?

A permit that is related to the rehabilitation or expansion activities that disturb one or more acres on an airport

Emergency Response Plan

A plan that includes methods for contacting emergency response personnel, and in the event of a spill, fire, explosion, or other release, methods for containing the waste and contacting the NRC. It also requires an individual who acts as an emergency coordinator to ensure appropriate procedures are carried out in event of a hazardous waster emergency.

Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures Plan (SPCC)

A plan that is aimed to reduce or eliminate oil discharges into U.S. navigable waters that identifies contacts in event of spill, describes the facility and layout of hazardous liquid storage tanks, drainage, etc, and spill training, security, and reporting procedures.

Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)

A plan where it addresses storm water discharge from various users and tenants at the airport and requires airport management to monitor all discharges, maintain records, and make reports in the event of an unusual discharge

What is the Voluntary Airport Low Emissions Program (VALE)?

A program where an airports participates in where it may receive credits for emission reductions achieved through VALE, where it can use those credits to offset emissions from development projects required to comply with the Clean Air Act requirements

What is an Environmental Assessment? Who prepares the EA?

A short document that takes a hard look at the expected environmental effects of a proposed action. The FAA, Airport Sponsor, or Airport Sponsor's consultant prepares the EA.

What's considered an emergency spill?

A spill that reaches the storm water system

Leadership in Environmental Energy and Design (LEED)

A third party environmental certification program that verifies whether or not a building or other infrastructure meets stringent environmentally safe building and related performance measures such as the level of sustainability a particular site or facility has attained. It's the national standard for the design, operation, and construction of facilities.

What laws require the preparation of environmental statements for all major federal airport development actions that will significantly affect the quality of the environment?

Airport and Airway Development Act of 1970 & NEPA

How can airport sponsors "go green" or seek accreditation as a "green airport"?

Airport has to go through the Green Airport Initiative offered by the Clean Airport Partnership, Inc.

What happens if an airport generate more than 100 kg of waste a month?

Airport must obtain EPA identification number

What is unconditional approval when the FAA approves a proposed development environmentally?

All items of the proposed development requiring environmental processing received environmental approval

What are wetlands?

Areas of land that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water sufficient to support a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soiled conditions. ie. swamps, marshes, and bogs

Why is incompatible land use a major concern for airports?

Because incompatible land use could cause safety issues and obstructions to flight operations such as noise-sensitive residential areas, parks & open space, and demand for available land to install telecommunication infrastructure

Why can an airport executive or other individuals be convicted of a crime if he violated environmental statutes even if he didn't intend to?

Because most environmental statutes carry strict liability provisions meaning without regard to fault

Why does land that attracts wildlife and biodiversity to airports is a major concern?

Because while many wildlife control measures are focused on aircraft safety, many wildlife control measures also negatively affect wildlife such as eliminating, scaring, or relocating them. Wildlife strikes cost expensive damage to aircraft but it's real hazard is if wildlife strikes cause an aircraft to crash, causing human fatalities.

Environmental Capacity

Building environmental networks and communities-of-practice by stakeholders of the airport and implement processes to be proactive in managing environmental concerns and enhancing the effectiveness of their EMS program.

In general, how can the FAA and airport operators comply with NEPA?

By considering ways to enhance environmental quality or avoid or minimize adverse environmental impacts resulting from proposed actions and their reasonable alternatives

What are significance thresholds?

Certain projects ie. those involving air quality that is normally categorically excluded woudn't be categorically excluded if it exceeded a certain level aka significance threshold

What law protects water from pollution?

Clean Water Act/U.S. Code Title 33 Chapter 26 Water Pollution Prevention and Control

What's a way to address the concerns of incompatible land use and wildlife issues at airports?

Community partnerships in land use planning and incorporating green space into future developments

3 categories of hazardous waste generators

Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators - generate less than 100 kg/month of waste Small Quantity Generators - create more than 100 kg/month but less than 1,000 kg/month of waste Large Quantity Generators - generate more than 1,000 kg/month of waste

What are the requirements that new and existing underground storage tanks have to meet?

Corrosion protection, spill and overfill prevention devices, and leak detection devices

What activity is considered the primary concern for protecting water quality at an airport?

Deicing activities

Ignitability Waste

Easily combustible or flammable waste

What is conditional approval when the FAA approves a proposed development environmentally?

Environmental processing has not been completed for all of the items of proposed development requiring it

What is the best way for tenants and contractors to comply with environmental laws?

Establish specific criteria, responsibilities, and requirements for all parties in any initial bid specifications, requests for proposals, or tenant lease agreements and then ensuring compliance by conducting periodic inspections and audits.

4 types of storm water permits

General, individual, multi-sector general, and construction permits

What are some examples of Best Management Practices in a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan?

Good Housekeeping, Inspections, Preventative Maintenance Program, Spill Prevention and Response, Personnel Training and Awareness, Record Keeping and Internal Reporting System, use Safety Data Sheets for products used

Why do Airport Executives violate environmental laws?

He might not be aware of their environmental obligations or they may be unaware of the practice of his tenants

Safety Data Sheet

Information shown on products related to hazardous materials effect on health and the environment, storage issues, handling and spill response procedures, and disposal options

How can storm water discharge cause water pollution and how can it be mitigated?

It can cause overflow, discharge, and the removal of chemicals and toxins located at many point sources in the airfield. This can be mitigated by installing and maintaining storm water drainage systems.

What happens if environmental issues during the airport planning process are not considered?

It can delay the FAA environmental decision-making process that must occur before the start of a federally funded project since the FAA would be unable to meet its NEPA obligations

What happens if wetlands were contaminated?

It can drastically affect the wetland ecosystem

What is airport environmental management and what is the airport operator's role in it?

It is about protecting the environment and protecting the airport and its management from liability stemming from violation of environmental laws. The role for airport operators is to implement and sustain a systematic program for ensuring regulatory compliance with environmental laws.

What is sustainable development (SD)/sustainability?

It's a management ethic that proactively and continuously seeks to define and implement policies, strategies, and tactics for addressing environmental concerns, in order to establish procedures benefitting future societies.

What is a State Implementation Plan (SIP)

It's a plan that the NAAQS requires where states have detailed description of the regulations, programs, and measures used to reduce air pollution and fulfill its responsibilities under the Clean Air Act to attain NAAQS for all criteria pollutants

Record of Decision (ROD)

It's issued along with the FONSI for the circumstances relevant to the actions to include mitigation necessary to reduce potential significant impacts below significance thresholds or actions that are highly controversial

When the FAA releases land or property for an airport that no longer needs them for aeronautical use, what kind of environmental action usually occurs?

It's usually categorically excluded but might require an environmental assessment

What is airport sustainability according to the Transportation Research Board?

Meeting the transportation needs of the present without compromising the future generations to meet their needs, where airport sustainability is a holistic approach to managing an airport so as to ensure the integrity of the Economic viability, Operational efficiency, Natural Resource Conservation, and Social responsibility (EONS) of the airport.

What did the Environmental Protection Agency established as a result of the Clean Air Act?

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

What's considered a hazardous substance?

On any hazardous waste lists in CFR Title 40 CFR 261, or if not on the list, still considered hazardous if it has the 4 characteristics Ignitability, Corrosiveness, Reactivity, or Toxicity

What is a categorically excluded (CATEX) project and what form must airports complete for those federally funded projects?

Projects that by they very nature, will not have or unlikely to have an environmental impact. Airports must complete the CATEX form.

What are extraordinary circumstances in categorically excluded actions?

Situations where normally categorically excluded action may cause significant adverse environmental impacts

What is mixed approval when the FAA approves a proposed development environmentally?

Some near-term projects in the ALP have been completed NEPA reviews while long-term projects have not. The projects that completed NEPA reviews are granted unconditional approval while projects that haven't completed NEPA reviews are given conditional approval and cannot go forward until the reviews are completed

What are some examples of sustainability measures?

Sustainable site, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation in design, and regional priority

What are airports prohibited from doing with endangered species?

Taking any endangered species including killing them or modifying their habitat

What are the environmental requirements in the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982?

That certain types of airport projects require an environmental review, either an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement, before the FAA can issue grants

What should airport management be aware of about environmental suits and penalties?

That environmental suits and penalties can extend to employees of organization and that individuals can personally be held liable for clean costs and remediation

What does the EPA require USTs owners and operators to do?

That tank owners and operators meet leak detection requirements and make sure they have enough funds to pay for cleanup in case a leak or spill occurs

What is EPA's policy in responding to environmental violations?

The EPA's policy will respond to every violation and in a method associated with the gravity or circumstance of the violation. Then the EPA will seek a remedy or penalty as a result of enforcement action and the penalty is either civil or criminal.

Which organization administers LEED standards?

The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI)

Whats a major challenge for airports utilizing LEED standards?

The US Green Building Council doesn't currently incorporate airport considerations into LEED standards so a lot of airports cannot receive LEED credits for their airport projects

According to NEPA, how can airports satisfy NEPA requirements before starting on capital improvement construction projects?

The airports must fully consider the environmental impacts before those projects are funded and require airports to coordinate with federal agencies before they issue a permit and also with the public involvement in the planning and environmental review process

How can airport management be liable by Superfund when acquiring or selling airport property?

The current owners of the contaminated property are required to clean up the site or they may be liable for cleanup costs. When selling airport property, the airport has to clean up the site even if another party caused the contamination.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The primary agency responsible for nationwide enforcement of environmental regulations

National Response Center (NRC)

The primary communication center for reporting hazardous substances into the environment

What are Best Management Practices (BMP) in a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan?

These are methods used to prevent and control pollution of storm water associated with industrial activities at an airport. They emphasize prevention rather than treatment and are more cost effective.

How can airports in nonattainment areas obtain regulatory approval for those measures to mitigate air pollution?

They must show that growth will conform to air quality plans for the region and that enforceable programs will be established to offset increases in air pollution

How does a person achieve a high LEED accreditation rating?

They obtain points out of a total of 100 points through 6 sustainability credit categories and the points are based on the potential environmental impacts and human benefits of each credit

What are some ways where groundwater gets contaminated at airports?

Through storage and handling and disposal of wastes, through leaking petroleum storage tanks, and through the leeching of uncovered salt or sand stockpiles, landfills, septic tanks, and through agricultural practices

What is the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)?

Through the authority of the Clean Water Act amendments of 1987, it's a permitting program from the Environmental Protection Agency that regulates discharges of potentially contaminated wastewater and storm water into the waters of the U.S.

What is FAA's responsibility under the National Environmental Policy Act?

To comply with the procedures and policies of NEPA and other environmental laws, regulations, and orders applicable to FAA actions

What's the fundamental aim of environmental enforcement?

To convince those who are regulated that compliance is preferable to enforcement action and that enforcement causes a deterrent effect and motivates compliance

What's the best way for airports to seek long-term protection from environmental liability?

To create and routinely update an EMS that systematically addresses all major areas of each airport's domain

What does the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund provide money for in regards to Underground Storage Tanks?

To oversee cleanup by responsible parties, enforce cleanups by recalcitrant parties, pay for cleanup at sites where the owner or operator is unknown, unwilling, or unable to respond, or which require emergency action, and conduct inspection and other release prevention activities.

Where are environmental regulations found in?

Various areas of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. It's not in one section of regulations like Part 139 or TSR Part 1542.

Corrosive Waste

Waste that burns the skin or dissolves metal or other materials

Toxic Waste

Waste that contains high concentration of heavy metals or specific pesticides

Reactive Waste

Waste that is unstable or undergoes rapid or violent chemical reaction with water or other material

non-point source pollution

Water pollution resulting from land runoff, precipitation, or seepage into a body of water, rather than from a specific single location. These kind of discharges are not regulated by the EPA.

What are some environmental effects the airport can affect?

Water pollution through deicing fluids, storm runoff and usage, air quality from aircraft and ground vehicle emissions, landfills from construction material and demolition waste, and the biodiversity of animal nesting and migration patterns through wildlife control

How does surface and groundwater get polluted?

When precipitation leaches pollutants from products or waste on the surface or when pollutants are buried underground and seep down to groundwater

How must hazardous material waste be tracked?

from cradle to grave - from generation to disposal

How much percentage of U.S. airports are in nonattainment areas ie. areas that don't meet federal air quality standards?

over 25 percent

What are the 4 types of Superfund hazardous substances? What happens if these substances were released greater than or equal to their specific reportable quantities?

toxic, flammable, corrosive, or environmentally harmful substances. Report to the National Response Center for released substances greater than minimum reportable levels