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POLICY AND PRACTICE OF WETLANDS MITIGATION FOR AIRPORTS

TRISAL, SHILPA
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1022860785

Abstract Details

2002, MCP, University of Cincinnati, Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning : Community Planning.
Air travel has grown manifold in the last two decades (more than double), and so has the associated need to expand operations to meet the increased demand. Many airports in the past have been located on or near wetlands. In the light of these issues, this thesis explores wetland mitigation approaches employed by various large airports, considering increased capacity due to runway construction or expansion. Federal policy on wetlands requires "no net loss" of wetlands in acreage or ecological function. The Clean Water Act is the principle act protecting the wetlands in this country. Under the Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, wetland loss is to be avoided; if unavoidable, then impacts are to be minimized and, lastly, if neither of these options is possible, compensated for through mitigation. In the case of airports, where capacity increases must be made and the project site cannot be shifted, compensatory mitigation is usually required. Airports are interesting cases to study with regards to wetlands mitigation as they are governed by many regulations and regulatory bodies like the FAA, the EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers - each of whom has a say in the mitigation process. The objectives of this study were to investigate the a) trends in wetlands mitigation as carried out by large airports around the country; b) identify factors that influence mitigation plans in these areas; and c) to recommend or make suggestions for preferred mitigation approaches to be employed by airports in the future. The study uses two approaches to research wetlands mitigation. One, a general survey of 17 large hub airports, was carried out; and for the second 3 airports - Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and Seattle Tacoma International Airport - were chosen for a case study analysis. They were chosen because they were large and medium hub airports that had in the past prepared Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) or were in the process of preparing the same. The findings of the analysis clearly point towards five major factors that influenced mitigation plans: 1) the total wetland area on site, 2) the role of agencies, 3) the economics and politics of the specific situations, 4) possible partnership and associations and 5) airport initiative. The recommendations are made in three areas: dealing with 1) streamlining the permitting process, 2) essentials of a mitigation plan and finally 3) wetlands policy itself. The recommendations suggest a focus on minimizing the time and effort spent in the permitting process, providing greater pre-permit guidance and ensuring that the goals of the federal government with regard to wetlands policy are achieved.
Dr. David Edelman (Advisor)
1 p.
Urban and Regional Planning
wetlands; wetlands mitigation; airports; Section 404, Clean Air Act; permit process

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • TRISAL, S. (2002). POLICY AND PRACTICE OF WETLANDS MITIGATION FOR AIRPORTS [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1022860785

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • TRISAL, SHILPA. POLICY AND PRACTICE OF WETLANDS MITIGATION FOR AIRPORTS. 2002. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1022860785.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • TRISAL, SHILPA. "POLICY AND PRACTICE OF WETLANDS MITIGATION FOR AIRPORTS." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2002. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1022860785

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1022860785
© 2002, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.