Decision on East Coast Airspace Redesign

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a final decision for redesigning the New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia metropolitan area airspace. The formal Record of Decision (ROD) for the Airspace Redesign Study supports the FAA’s preferred alternative .The FAA held more than 120 public meetings in five states throughout the environmental process. The airspace redesign involves a 31,000-square-mile area over New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Connecticut. Twenty-one airports were included in the study. Late last year, the FAA released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on the study. In March 2007, the FAA identified the so-called Integrated Airspace Alternative as its preferred solution. On August 3, notice of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was published in the Federal Register. The FAA says the Alternative will simplify the current air traffic system while reducing fuel consumption, carbon emissions and aircraft noise. Flight delays should he reduced by 20 percent compared to the amount of delays the air traffic system would have without the changes. Half a million fewer people will be exposed to noise under this alternative compared to no change. The Alternative will allow more efficient separation standards and will permit the FAA to move more rapidly toward satellite-based technology.