STL Hosts Public Scoping Meeting on Environmental Review Process for Proposed Projects

Today, St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) is hosting a public meeting at the airport as part of the STL Master Plan implementation process.

The STL Master Plan is a roadmap for potential airport development and serves as a critical planning tool to ensure STL is in the best possible position to serve the needs of its passengers. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires updates to the plan every eight to ten years, and the document enable STL to continue receiving federal funding.  

As the STL Master Plan wraps up, two proposed sets of projects – the Consolidated Terminal Program (CTP) and West Airfield Program (WAP) – are moving forward into the next phase. The CTP will combine the existing passenger terminal operations into a modern single terminal, improving the passenger experience. The single terminal would provide adequate space and facilities to accommodate current and expected passenger demand while ensuring continued efficient operations at STL. 

The West Airfield Program (WAP) serves to enhance safety and improve airfield maintenance operations by providing sufficient space for indoor maintenance, repair, and storage of snow removal and maintenance equipment. The WAP would also improve the efficiency of the aircraft deicing process. 

Because the CTP and WAP would be partially funded by federal grants, the FAA is responsible for conducting an environmental review in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of today’s public scoping meeting is to share information with the public about the environmental review process for CTP and WAP while gathering public input about which environmental impacts and alternatives should be studied. 

Some of the environmental impacts that may be studied as part of NEPA are noise; socioeconomic, environmental justice and children’s environmental health and safety risks; air quality; biological resources (fish, wildlife, plants); climate; parks and recreational resources; hazardous materials, solid waste, pollution prevention; historical, architectural, archaeological, cultural resources; natural resources and energy supply; visual effects; and water resources. 

During the NEPA scoping process, the public can learn more about the proposed projects and can comment on which environmental impacts should be studied and the alternatives to the proposed projects. The FAA will review and consider all public comments before the official NEPA review begins. Public comment forms will be available on site at the 12/15/22 public scoping meeting and online starting on 12/15/22 on the flystl website. All comments must be received by the close of the scoping period on 1/16/23.

The official NEPA process will begin once the scoping period is complete, likely in early 2023. It will take one to two years to complete.  A schedule for the CTP and WTP NEPA processes will be on the STL website in early March.   

Once the FAA completes and documents the NEPA analysis, a Draft NEPA document will be posted on the STL website, and a 30-day comment period and public information meeting will be held. The document will be considered a “Draft” because FAA will review and consider public comments on the document before it is finalized. Check the STL website in early March to find out the time frame for when this comment period will occur. 

After the environmental review/NEPA process is complete and the FAA’s NEPA document is final, approved projects may then advance to the architectural and engineering design phase, followed by construction. 

Similar to the Master Plan process, no general City or local tax dollars will be used for the environmental review process. The airport funds its own operation entirely with aviation-generated funds and the same is true for ongoing and future capital improvement projects. 

Related Resources

• https://www.flystl.com/about-us/stl-airport-layout-plan/airport-layout-plan-update-and-master-plan-stl-environmental-review-public-scoping-meeting