Environmental Assessment

runway

In May 2022, Cape Cod Gateway Airport completed the development of a 20-year master plan to ensure that the facility can continue to safely and efficiently meet the aviation needs of the National Airspace System and the surrounding community. The preparation of an airport master plan is required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in order to plan for the future and highlight airport projects in need of future federal funding, including rehabilitation of existing infrastructure. The goal of the Airport Master Plan is to provide the framework needed to guide future airport development that will cost-effectively satisfy aviation demand, while considering potential environmental and socioeconomic issues.

The Master Plan is the first part of the planning process; environmental review is the second part of the process and finally implementation and development of the projects proposed.

Master Plan Timeline Graphic

Any expansion coming as result of the Master Plan will need to undergo an environmental review process which looks at both on airport and off airport impacts, this study will need to be conducted before any expansion will take place and can only begin after the master plan study is complete.

The Environmental Assessment (EA) will be conducted to meet state and federal environmental review requirements of the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  The Environmental Notification Form (ENF) and associated MEPA/NEPA site visit in January 2023, kickstarted the environmental process for proposed projects at the airport. Following the site visit, the community had 30 days to provide written comments (written comments are the only means the state and federal government will accept). Twenty-one (21 comments in total were received from the ENF process, which resulted in the Secretary’s Certificate issued on January 23, 2023). The ENF Certificate (See link below) provided a scope of work for the applicant (the Airport) to respond to comments received and outlines how the applicant will develop the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) based on those comments and to meet MEPA/NEPA regulations.  The applicant is obligated to respond to all comments made during the ENF process within the next prepared documents, the DEIR/DEIS.  The DEIR/DEIS will have a 30-day comment period before the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR)/Final Environmental Impact Statement  (FEIS) is completed. Soon after the FEIR/FEIS, the federal government will make a finding and decision on the proposed, the final analysis will be conducted under local Cape Cod Commission Development of Regional Impact (DRI) review.

The information below will give you access to technical reports, EA schedule, public participation and outreach information and comment periods.

  • Technical Reports:
  • Process & Schedule:
    • Environmental Review Process (November 2022 through 2024): 
      • Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act (MEPA): 
        • Environmental Justice (EJ) Assessment (Sent October 12, 2022) 
        • Environmental Notification Form (ENF)
        • Secretary Certificate on the Draft Environmental Impact report (DEIR)
        • Draft Environmental Impact report (DEIR) 
        • Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) 
      • National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): 
        • Environmental Assessment Finding – Federal Decision
        • Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
          • Draft EIS (Published for public review and comment for 45 to 60 days) 
          • Final EIS (Record of decision made after 30 days)
      • Cape Cod Commission (CCC):  
        • Development of Regional Impact (DRI) DRI public hearing period opens within 60 days of receiving the DRI referral from the Town, and closes within 90 days thereafter. A 60-day DRI decision period follows the public hearing period

 

      • January 5, 2023 – MEPA Site Visit & Public Meeting#2