Environmental Regulations and Their Impact on Airport Development

The Federal Aviation Administration has, as one of the major goals of its Airports Program, the protection and preservation of environmental quality in the expansion and improvement of the Nation's airport system. There are many environmental laws and regulations, the most outstanding being the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, which impose requirements on proposed airport projects and which must be complied with before Federal approval can be given. This paper is a survey of environmental regulations that affect airport development. It is primarily presented from the Federal viewpoint although regional, state, and local requirements are cited. The implications for airport development of each regulation is briefly described. The paper concludes with a general commentary on the impact of environmental values and requirements on airport actions.