Proposed Action

Proposed Solution
To solve the aircraft safety and efficiency problems created by the Airport's existing runway, the County of Marin has proposed the following actions:

• Extend Runway 13/31 from 3,300 to 4,400 feet with Runway Safety Areas (RSAs) that meet current FAA guidelines
• Extend the corresponding taxiway to the full length of the runway
• Extend the nearby levees to properly realign the drainage around the project site
• Re-program the pilot navigational aids to reflect the extended runway

What Is Being Studied
An independent consultant team has recently begun the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and a concurrent Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the proposed project.  The EIS and EIR will each provide impartial information about:

1. The actions proposed by Marin County as part of the Runway Extension Project
2. The potential environmental effects of those actions and the alternatives to them
3. Measures to avoid, control or reduce any potentially adverse environmental effects

Anticipated Schedule
This environmental study effort will be divided into four phases:

(1) Scoping Phase (7 – 9 months): This phase involves identifying the potential solutions and environmental issues to be studied.

(2) Draft EIS and EIR Phase (16 – 18 months): Consists of analyzing the potential environmental effects of the proposed project and its alternatives at a detailed level and circulating the preliminary results for public review and comment.

(3) Final EIS and EIR (5 – 7 months): Consists of revising the Draft EIS and Draft EIR, as appropriate, in response to the public comments received during the second phase

(4) Record of Decision/Certification (2 months): Involves the FAA and Marin County making a formal determination of whether the Final EIS and EIR contains the necessary information for making a decision about the best solution to Gnoss Field's runway inefficiency and safety problems.

Roles and Responsibilities
The FAA, as the responsible federal agency, is required by law to comply with the provisions of the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) before it can authorize funds for improvements at Gnoss Field.  These regulations necessitate the preparation by the FAA of the federal environmental review document, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  Similarly, Marin County, as a California jurisdiction, must comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and prepare the required State of California environmental review document, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), on the proposed runway extension and alternatives.

An agreement between the FAA and Marin County established the roles and responsibilities for these agencies in the preparation of the EIS and EIR. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is responsible for the safety and efficiency of aviation in the United States, and the County of Marin, which has responsibility for land use and management of the operations at Gnoss Field, agreed in April, 2006 to cooperate in preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the proposed Gnoss Field runway extension project. The environmental consultant will work directly for the FAA with Marin County serving as the entity responsible for contract administration. Pursuant to the April 2006 agreement between Marin County and the FAA, the draft and final EIS and EIR will also comply with the Marin County Environmental Impact Review guidelines of 1994.