CHAPTER 1.0 INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PROPOSED AIR SERVICE AND FAA RESPONSIBILITY This dcument is the Envirnmental Assessment (EA) prepared by the Twn f Mammth Lakes and United Airlines t analyze, dcument, and disclse ptential envirnmental impacts f the prpsed Operatins Specificatins Amendment apprval by the Federal Aviatin Administratin (FAA) related t the scheduled cmmercial air service int (MMH) by United Airlines using CRJ700 aircraft. This EA has been prepared based in large measure n, and incrprates by reference, the Final Envirnmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared by the FAA in 2008 fr the apprval f the Operatins Specificatins Amendment fr Hrizn Air that allwed the intrductin f cmmercial service t MMH by Hrizn Airlines using Q400 aircraft. 1.1.1 The Prpsed Air Service at MMH United Airlines prpses t cnduct daily flights frm San Francisc Internatinal Airprt (SFO) t MMH using CRJ700 aircraft. A depictin f a CRJ700 aircraft is presented in Figure 1.1-1. The CRJ700 prpsed fr use in the service can seat up t 66 passengers. United Airlines has prvided the FAA with a letter f intent (LOI) t initiate the winter ski seasn passenger service t MMH in December 2010 with ne flight per day fr a perid extending frm mid-december t mid-april. Appendix A-1 includes a cpy f the United Airlines letter f intent. 1.1.2 FAA s Respnsibilities Certificatin Respnsibilities Title 14 Cde f Federal Regulatins (CFR) Part 119 gverns the peratins f all U.S. air carriers and cmmercial peratrs in air cmmerce. A persn wishing t prvide air carrier services must btain an Air Carrier Certificate. Air Carrier Certificates include peratins specificatins that establish the authrizatins, limitatins, and certain prcedures under which each kind f peratin, if applicable, is t be cnducted; and certain ther prcedures under which each class and size f aircraft is t be perated. Prpsed amendments t an air carrier s peratins specificatins require apprval by the FAA. The Administratr f the FAA may amend any peratins specificatins issued under 14 CFR Part 119 if: The Administratr determines that safety in air cmmerce and the public interest require the amendment; r The certificate hlder applies fr the amendment, and the Administratr determines that safety in air cmmerce and the public interest allws the amendment. Envirnmental Respnsibilities This EA has been prepared t cnsider the ptential envirnmental impacts f FAA apprval f United Airlines Operatins Specificatins Amendment t accmmdate the prpsed scheduled air carrier 1-1

service int MMH. The FAA is respnsible fr cmplying with the Natinal Envirnmental Plicy Act (NEPA) prir t taking any agency actin regarding United Airlines prpsed service t MMH. Several types f envirnmental dcumentatin are available t the FAA in meeting its NEPA bligatin under FAA Order 1050.1E, Plicies and Prcedures fr Cnsidering Envirnmental Impacts, including Categrical Exclusins (CatEx), Envirnmental Assessments (EA), r Envirnmental Impact Statements (EIS). Apprvals f Operatins Specificatins Amendments nrmally qualify fr a Categrical Exclusin pursuant t Paragraph 308d f the Order when the prpsed actin des nt significantly change the perating envirnment f the airprt. Hwever, pursuant t FAA Order 1050.1E, Sectin 401l (1), preparatin f an EA fr an Operatins Specificatins Amendment is required fr authrizing an peratr t use turbjet aircraft fr scheduled passenger r carg service int an airprt when that airprt has nt previusly been served by any scheduled turbjet aircraft. The envirnmental evaluatin f the Prpsed Actin within this EA is subject t a variety f laws, regulatins, and agency directives t assess the level f ptential impact t natural (e.g., fish, wildlife, plants), physical (e.g., water resurces, air quality), and human (e.g., land use, envirnmental justice) envirnments. Sectin 3.4 f this EA cntain a list f Federal laws and statutes, Executive Orders (EO), pertinent Federal Aviatin Regulatins (FAR), Department f Transprtatin (DOT)/FAA Orders, and FAA Advisry Circulars (AC) cnsidered in the develpment f this EA. 1.2 BACKGROUND 1.2.1 Descriptin f the Airprt The Twn f Mammth Lakes is the wner and peratr f MMH. The Twn hlds a Class I certificate fr MMH pursuant t 14 CFR Part 139. Under this classificatin, scheduled air carrier peratins can be prvided using aircraft capable f carrying 30 r mre passengers. The airprt is lcated apprximately six miles east f the Twn f Mammth Lakes and nrth f U.S. 395 in Mn Cunty with a field elevatin f 7,128 feet abve mean sea level (see Figures 1.2-1, 1.2-2, and 1.2-3). The airprt has ne east-west riented runway (9/27) with a parallel and cnnecting taxiway system. Runway 9/27 is paved with asphalt and is 7,000 feet lng by 100 feet wide. A Glbal Psitining System (GPS) nn-precisin instrument apprach is available t Runway 27. The airprt intermittently experiences crsswind cnditins that limit arrivals by light general aviatin (GA) aircraft r require avidance f a part f the runway. Hwever, these cnditins are nt prjected t substantially affect the peratin f heavier aircraft such as the CRJ700. United Airlines has indicated that the maximum crsswind limit fr the CRJ700 aircraft is 28 knts fr takeff and 30 knts fr landing n a dry paved runway (SkyWest, 2010). These limitatins are similar t thse fr the Q400 aircraft currently in use at MMH. Hrizn Air has nt experienced prblems with crsswind cnditins that have affected its air service at MMH. 1-2

H:\prjects\Mammth_Lakes\EA\12009122\Applicatins\Figures\Draft\Chapter 1\Figure 1.1-1, Phtgraph f CRJ700 Aircraft.mxd {rpf, hde, 02/09/10} Surces: www.skywest.cm, 2009 PHOTOGRAPH OF CRJ700 AIRCRAFT FIGURE 1.1-1

INSET O r e g n I d a h R e n 80 50 80 50 S a c r a m e n t S a c r a m e n t O a k l a n d S a n F r a n c i s c 680 Pacific Ocean. 50 0 50 152 Miles 50 99 101 R e n 5 F r e s n M a N m e m v a d t ha Y s e m i t e A i r p r t ( M M H ) C a l i f r n i a 14 58 L a s V e g a s 15 A r i z n a 40 H:\prjects\Mammth_Lakes\EA\12009122\Applicatins\Figures\Draft\Chapter 1\Figure 1.2-1, Vicinity Map.mxd {rpf, llp, hde, 12/15/09} 152 101 99 LEGEND 5 Urban Areas Majr Water Features State Line Interstate Highways Natinal Parks 25 0 25 1:2,400,000. Miles Y O S E M I T E N A T I O N A L P A R K F r e s n M a m m t h L a k e s M a m m t h Y s e m i t e A i r p r t ( M M H ) M n C u n t y C a l i f r n i a K I N G S C A N Y O N N A T I O N A L P A R K S E Q U O I A N A T I O N A L P A R K 58 B i s h p 395 VICINITY MAP 6 N e v a d a I n y C u n t y D E A T H V A L L E Y N A T I O N A L M O N U M E N T Surces: - USDA Frest Service, 2004 - ESRI, 2004 - URS Crpratin, 2004 FIGURE 1.2-1

OP 167 M n L a k e N e v a d a OP 120 ( L e e V i n i n g OP 120 B e n t n ( ") H:\prjects\Mammth_Lakes\EA\12009122\Applicatins\Figures\Draft\Chapter 1\Figure 1.2-2, Airprt Lcatin Map.mxd {rpf, llp, hde, 12/15/09} OP 41 OP 203 Mammth ( LEGEND Ysemite Airprt Lcal Twns Water Features Twn f Mammth Lakes Natinal Park Rads US Rute State Line. 6 0 6 OP 168 Miles 1:600,000 Surces: - USDA Frest Service, 2004 - ESRI, 2004 - URS Crpratin, 2004 T w n f M a m m t h L a k e s C a l i f r n i a INSET & ( INSET T w n f M a m m t h L a k e s 0 1 2 3 M n C u n t y 6 M a m m t h 395 Y s e m i t e Miles 395 A i r p r t ( M M H ) AIRPORT LOCATION L a k e C r w l e y ( T m s P l a c e O w e n s R i v e r I n y C u n t y Mamm th Y semi te Airp rt FIGURE 1.2-2 (

HO T C R E EK H AT C H ERY R D AIR PO RT RO AD AIRCRAFT HANGARS Fixed Base Operatr (FBO) 7,0 Airprt Features 395 00 ' x 10 0 AIRCRAFT HANGARS ' R D Runway 9-27 IN G Taxiway R O S S Aprn O N C Rads E N T Existing Building Water Strage Facility Airprt Bundary 1,000 0 EXISTING AIRPORT FACILITIES LEGEND B H:\prjects\Mammth_Lakes\EA\12009122\Applicatins\Figures\Draft\Chapter 1\Figure 1.2-3, Existing Airprt Facilities.mxd, {rpf, hde, 04/19/10} TERMINAL BUILDING 1,000 Feet Scale: 1" =1,000' (at 11"x17") Surces: -Mn Cunty, 2005 -Airprt Layut Plan, 2006 FIGURE 1.2-3

The airprt prvides facilities that can accmmdate cmmercial airlines, cmmuter airlines, and supprt/maintenance fr unscheduled peratins. The airprt als accmmdates GA aircraft activity including aircraft hangars and utdr tiedwns. The airprt has six based aircraft and accmmdates apprximately 12,800 annual aircraft peratins. Over the past 30 years, scheduled cmmercial service has been prvided at the airprt. Frm 1973 t 1980, MMH accmmdated cmmercial airline service frm Sierra Pacific Airlines using Cnvair 440 aircraft. In 1985, Trans Wrld Express began cmmuter service t Ls Angeles and San Francisc using 19-seat Beechcraft 1900 aircraft. During the 1987 ski seasn, service was prvided by Ryal West Airlines. During the winter seasns f 1992 and 1993, United Express perated 19-seat Jetstream 31 turbprp aircraft. 1.2.2 Current Air Service at MMH Hrizn Air began prviding cmmercial air service between LAX and MMH in December 2008, fllwing apprval f an Operatins Specificatin Amendment fr Hrizn Air t accmmdate that service. The Hrizn Air service began with ne flight per day fr a 16-week seasn frm mid-december 2008 t mid- April 2009 utilizing Bmbardier Q400 Dash 8 aircraft seating 76 passengers. The FAA prepared an EIS t cnsider the ptential envirnmental impacts f FAA apprval. The Final EIS was published in March 2008, and is included as a technical reference dcument fr this EA as explained in Chapter 4.0 (Affected Envirnment) and Chapter 5.0 (Envirnmental Cnsequences). During the 2008-2009 winter seasn Hrizn Air perated 110 flights between LAX and MMH. Ttal enplanements fr the perid were 5,148, with an verall lad factr f 62 percent. The term enplanements is used t measure airline passenger activity. An enplanement ccurs when a passenger bards an aircraft. The term lad factr refers t the percentage f available passenger seats ccupied n each flight. Fr the 2009-2010 winter seasn Hrizn Air expanded their service t include fur flights per day fr 115 days frm mid-december 2009 t mid-april 2010. During this perid service included tw flights per day between MMH and LAX, and ne flight per day between MMH and bth Ren (RNO) and San Jse (SJC). In additin, Hrizn Air has agreed t initiate summer service in April 2010 with ne flight per day between MMH and LAX fr 202 days ver a perid extending frm mid-april 2010 t mid- December 2010. All flights have, and will cntinue t be, cnducted during daylight hurs. 1.3 AVIATION FORECASTS The Twn f Mammth Lakes has develped a revised frecast f future cmmercial aircraft peratins and enplanements at MMH. The frecast was prepared based n the existing and prjected air service prvided by Hrizn Air, alng with United Airlines intent t prvide scheduled cmmercial air service t MMH. The cmmercial frecast is summarized in Table 1.3-1. The FAA has reviewed this frecast and apprved it fr use in preparing this EA. A cpy f the frecast apprval letter is included in Appendix D. The Terminal Area Frecast (TAF) fr MMH updated by FAA in 2009 prvides a prjectin f future ttal activity at MMH and is als included in Appendix D. 1-11

Operatins Hrizn Air is prjected t cntinue t ffer fur flights per day during the 2010-2011 winter seasn. The prpsed United Airlines service wuld add ne flight per day during the same perid. The Twn frecast prjects the additin f tw winter seasn flights per day in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 up t a maximum f eight flights per day. The ttal daily flights wuld nt increase beynd eight due t the cnstraints f the ne-gate terminal at MMH. The frecast als prjects the cntinuatin f the ne flight per day summer seasn service thrughut the frecast perid. Which airlines prvide a specific service wuld depend n cmmercial cnsideratins such as which airline can mre successfully fill aircraft seats. Enplanements The first year f winter service experienced a ttal f 5,148 enplanements, and an average lad factr f 62 percent. Based n the experience f the first year and prjected numbers f flights and lad factrs, it is anticipated that the ttal annual enplanements will increase t apprximately 65,000 t 70,000 ver the frecast perid. These levels are similar t thse prjected in the March 2008 EIS fr the current Hrizn Air service. 1.4 ORGANIZATION OF THIS DOCUMENT This EA is arranged by sectin and has several attached appendices that prvide detailed technical infrmatin t supplement material in the bdy f the dcument. The sectins and appendices, alng with their primary subject area, are listed belw: Chapter 1.0 Intrductin Chapter 2.0 Purpse and Need Chapter 3.0 Alternatives Chapter 4.0 Affected Envirnment Chapter 5.0 Envirnmental Cnsequences Chapter 6.0 List f Preparers Chapter 7.0 Crdinatin and Public Invlvement Chapter 8.0 References Chapter 9.0 List f Abbreviatins and Glssary Appendix A Agency Crdinatin Appendix B Nise Appendix C Infrmatin Cncerning Species f Elevated Cncern Appendix D Aviatin Frecast Appendix E Public Invlvement 1-12

TABLE 1.3-1 MMH COMMERCIAL AVIATION FORECAST 1 2 3 N-Actin Prpsed Actin Year Winter Days Flights Summer Days Flights Ttal Flights Ttal Seats 3 Lad Factr Winter Days Flights Summer Days Flights Ttal Flights Ttal Seats 3 Lad Factr 2008-2009 1 110 1 110 8360 62% 110 1 110 8360 62% 2009-2010 2 115 4 202 1 662 50312 70% 115 4 202 1 662 50312 70% 2010-2011 115 4 202 1 662 55312 75% 115 5 202 1 777 57902 75% 2011-2012 115 5 202 1 777 59052 80% 115 6 202 1 892 66642 80% 2012-2013 115 7 202 1 1007 76532 83% 115 8 202 1 1122 82972 83% 2013-2014 115 8 202 1 1122 85272 83% 115 8 202 1 1122 82972 83% 2014-2015 115 8 202 1 1122 85272 83% 115 8 202 1 1122 82972 83% 2015-2016 115 8 202 1 1122 85272 83% 115 8 202 1 1122 82972 83% 2016-2017 115 8 202 1 1122 85272 83% 115 8 202 1 1122 82972 83% Actual. Underway and prjected. Assumes 76-seat Q400 and 67-seat CRJ 700; assumes Q400 fr summer service; 75% Q400 and 25% CRJ fr winter service. 1-13