Order 1050.1F - Environmental Impacts: Policies and …

1 This Order serves as the Federal Aviation Administration s (FAA) policy and procedures for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and implementing regulations issued by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). The provisions of this Order and the CEQ Regulations apply to actions directly undertaken by the FAA and to actions undertaken by a non-Federal entity where the FAA has authority to condition a permit, license, or other approval. The requirements in this Order apply to, but are not limited to, the following actions: grants, loans, contracts, leases, construction and installation actions, procedural actions, research activities, rulemaking and regulatory actions, certifications, licensing, permits, plans submitted to the FAA by state and local agencies for approval, and legislation proposed by the FAA.

2 The Order was last revised in 2006. This Order updates FAA Order to: 1) provide a clear, concise, and up-to-date discussion of the FAA s requirements for implementing NEPA; and 2) clarify requirements in Order to facilitate timely, effective, and efficient Environmental reviews of FAA actions, including NextGen improvements. Rich Swayze Assistant Administrator Policy, International Affairs & Environment Effective Date: 7/16/15 SUBJ: Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures Order Distribution: Electronically Initiated By: AEE-400 7/16/15 Order TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Chapter 1: General .. 1-1 1- 1. Purpose of This 1- 1 1- 2.

3 Audience .. 1- 1 1- 3. Where to Find This Order .. 1- 1 1- 4. How to Cite This Order .. 1- 1 1- 5. Cancellation .. 1- 1 1- 6. Related Publications .. 1- 1 1- 7. The National Environmental Policy Act and the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations .. 1- 1 1- 8. Federal Aviation Administration Policy .. 1- 2 1- 9. Applicability and Scope .. 1- 3 1- 10. Explanation of Policy 1- 3 1- Appendix A .. 1- 3 1- Re-organization of Order .. 1- 3 1- Federal Aviation Administration Policy .. 1- 4 1- Roles of Lines of Business/Staff Offices .. 1- 4 1- Responsibilities .. 1- 4 1- Clarification of Policy that Applies to Environmental Assessments.

4 1- 4 1- Mitigation .. 1- 4 1- Environmental Management System .. 1- 4 1- Actions Normally Requiring an Environmental Assessment .. 1- 4 1- Actions Normally Requiring an Environmental impact Statement .. 1- 5 1- Programmatic National Environmental Policy Act Documents and Tiering .. 1- 5 1- NEPA Database. Adds a statement that .. 1- 5 1- Environmental impact Categories .. 1- 5 1- Significance Determinations .. 1- 5 1- Extraordinary Circumstances .. 1- 5 1- Categorical Exclusion Documentation .. 1- 6 1- Categorical Exclusion Public Notification .. 1- 6 1- Categorical Exclusions .. 1- 6 1- Environmental Assessment Format and Process.

5 1- 6 i 7/16/15 Order TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page 1- Use of Errata Sheets .. 1- 6 1- Privacy .. 1- 6 1- Termination of Environmental impact Statement Preparation .. 1- 6 1- Adoption of Other Agencies National Environmental Policy Act Documents .. 1- 6 1- Actions within the United States with Potential Transboundary Impacts .. 1- 6 1- Environmental Effects of Major Federal Aviation Administration Actions Abroad .. 1- 7 1- Emergency Actions .. 1- 7 1- Written Re-evaluations .. 1- 7 1- Review and Approval .. 1- 7 1- Authority to Change This Order .. 1- 7 1- Explanatory Guidance.

6 1- 7 1- Definitions .. 1- 7 1- 11. -1- 50. Reserved .. 1- 7 Chapter 2: National Environmental Policy Act Planning and Integration .. 2-1 2- 1. Applicability of National Environmental Policy Act Procedures to Federal Aviation Administration Actions .. 2- 1 2- Federal Aviation Administration Actions Subject to National Environmental Policy Act Review .. 2- 1 2- Federal Aviation Administration Actions Not Subject to National Environmental Policy Act Review .. 2- 1 2- 2. Responsibilities .. 2- 2 2- Responsibilities of the Federal Aviation Administration .. 2- 2 2- Responsibilities of Applicants .. 2- 6 2- Responsibilities of Contractors.

7 2- 7 2- 3. Planning and Integration .. 2- 7 2- Early Planning .. 2- 7 2- Initial Environmental Review .. 2- 7 2- Environmental Management System Approach .. 2- 9 2- Reducing Paperwork .. 2- 9 2- Reducing Delay .. 2- 10 ii 7/16/15 Order TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page 2- Mitigation .. 2- 10 2- 4. Coordination .. 2- 10 2- Internal Federal Aviation Administration Coordination .. 2- 10 2- Lead and Cooperating Agencies .. 2- 11 2- Intergovernmental and Interagency Coordination .. 2- 11 2- Tribal Consultation.. 2- 12 2- 5. Public Involvement .. 2- 12 2- Timing and Extent of Public Involvement.

8 2- 12 2- Federal Aviation Administration Requirements for Public Involvement .. 2- 12 2- Public Meetings, Workshops, and Hearings.. 2- 14 2- 6. Plain Language .. 2- 14 2- 7. Limitations on Actions Involving Real Property Prior to Completing National Environmental Policy Act 2- 15 2- 8. -2- 50. Reserved.. 2- 15 Chapter 3: Levels of National Environmental Policy Act 3-1 3- 1. Three Levels of National Environmental Policy Act Review .. 3- 1 3- Categorically Excluded Actions .. 3- 1 3- Actions Normally Requiring an Environmental Assessment .. 3- 1 3- Actions Normally Requiring an Environmental impact Statement.

9 3- 3 3- 2. Programmatic National Environmental Policy Act Documents and Tiering .. 3- 3 3- 3. FAA NEPA Database.. 3- 4 3- 4. -3- 50. Reserved.. 3- 4 Chapter 4: impact Categories, Significance, and Mitigation .. 4-1 4- 1. Environmental impact Categories .. 4- 1 4- 2. Consideration of Impacts.. 4- 1 4- 3. Significance and Significance Thresholds .. 4- 3 4- General .. 4- 3 4- Context and Intensity .. 4- 3 4- Significance Thresholds .. 4- 3 4- 4. Mitigation .. 4- 14 iii 7/16/15 Order TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page 4- 5. -4- 50. Reserved .. 4- 15 Chapter 5: Categorical Exclusions .. 5-1 5- 1. 5- 1 5- 2.

10 Extraordinary Circumstances .. 5- 1 5- 3. Categorical Exclusion Documentation .. 5- 3 5- 4. Public Notification .. 5- 4 5- 5. Other Environmental Requirements .. 5- 4 5- 6. The Federal Aviation Administration s Categorical Exclusions .. 5- 4 5- Categorical Exclusions for Administrative/General Actions.. 5- 5 5- Categorical Exclusions for Certification Actions .. 5- 7 5- Categorical Exclusions for Equipment and Instrumentation .. 5- 8 5- Categorical Exclusions for Facility Siting, Construction, and Maintenance .. 5- 10 5- Categorical Exclusions for Procedural Actions .. 5- 14 5- Categorical Exclusions for Regulatory Actions.