The Airport and the Environment

    The Airport and the Environment

        Funding authorization for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) programs expired in FY2007's end. During this current process of reauthorization, methods for addressing every environmental impact associated with airport expansion as well as operations, are being debated. The issue is crucial to different stakeholders, especially those whose property and health values might be affected by these impacts (Greer, Rakas & Horvath, 2020). Such concerns of different community members, along with tribal, local, and state agencies regarding the environmental impact, have led to delays and cancellation of a few airport expansion projects. To address such issues, airports might be needed to implement projects which will minimize every environmental impact of all operations. In addition, a few such projects also qualify for federal funding (Santa et al., 2020). Funds might be used on projects to minimize the impact of water quality and reduce every airport-controllable air emission. Funds can also be authorized to research a new technology of aircraft that will reduce air and noise emissions.

            An airport’s operations involve different activities which could affect the environment. Additionally, the impact on the water as well as air quality, and noise levels of aircraft might affect life quality or property values in all nearby communities. Specific projects or activities addressing every airport's environmental impact might qualify for this federal funding. Air travel's anticipated growth has also heightened the complexity as well as the significance of every environmental regulatory issue. In addition, many new requirements can be expected to affect all airport operations regarding potential investment in the infrastructure and procedural changes (Choi, 2021). The most efficient changes involve all modifications to the standards of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) applicable to deicing all operations along with prevention procedures of the oil spill and local as well as state agency directives for monitoring and controlling air pollution, especially every toxic air pollutant. The FAA has also proposed legislation to reauthorize FAA funding. These bills involve provisions which will fund research related to the environment and programs of fund grants for mitigating environmental impacts, helping every airport with some environmental regulatory compliance, and amending every existing noise requirement (Liebe, Preisendörfer & Enzler, 2020). All bills include environmental provisions that will fund projects intended to minimize every environmental impact or help every airport in complying with some regulatory obligations.

 

References:

Choi, J. H. (2021). Changes in airport operating procedures and implications for airport strategies post-COVID-19. Journal of Air Transport Management, 94, 102065.

Greer, F., Rakas, J., & Horvath, A. (2020). Airports and environmental sustainability: A comprehensive review. Environmental Research Letters, 15(10), 103007.

Liebe, U., Preisendörfer, P., & Enzler, H. B. (2020). The social acceptance of airport expansion scenarios: A factorial survey experiment. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 84, 102363.