Public Notice of Preparation of a Program Environmental Impact Report and Scoping Meeting - Comprehensive Airport Master Plan

Public Notice of Preparation of a Program Environmental Impact Report and Scoping Meeting - Comprehensive Airport Master Plan

The City of Palm Springs owns and operates the Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), a commercial service Airport located within the central part of the city, north of Ramon Road, west of Gene Autry Trail, south of Vista Chino, and east of El Cielo Road (see Attachment 1, Project Location). In 2022, the City initiated a Comprehensive Airport Master Plan to present the community’s and Airport’s vision for strategic development plan based on the forecast of activity. The Airport Master Plan will be used as a decision-making tool and is intended to complement other local and regional plans. The Airport Master Plan consists of a report documenting existing conditions of the Airport, a forecast of activity, facility requirements (the Airport’s needs based on the forecast and compliance with Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] Design Standards for airports), an evaluation of proposed alternatives to meet those needs, and a funding plan for that development. The Airport Master Plan also includes an Airport Layout Plan (ALP) that depicts planned development during 20-year planning horizon identified in the Airport Master Plan (2025 to 2044). The ALP requires FAA approval, which will enable the Airport to be eligible to receive federal funding for Airport improvements and maintenance through the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program. The Airport Master Plan includes comprehensive improvements over a 20-year planning horizon. Projects included in the Airport Master Plan would be implemented in three phases: near-term projects (2025-2029), mid-term projects (2030-2034), and long-term projects (2035-2044). Near-term enhancements would include a total of nine landside and airside projects. Landside projects would include terminal improvements (phase 1), construction of a Rental Car Center (RCC) and property acquisition for the associated RCC Quick Turnaround Area (QTA), a relocated Fixed-based Operator (FBO) and associated facilities, and a 5-acre solar energy development project. Airside improvements would include taxiway reconfigurations to achieve FAA standards, aircraft fuel facilities, and the construction of an Airport maintenance building. Near-term projects will undergo project-level scrutiny under CEQA. Nineteen mid-term projects are proposed in the Airport Master Plan that will be evaluated at the program level in the PEIR. Mid-term projects include, but are not limited to, reconstruction of the Airport Rescue Firefighting Facility (ARFF), FBO improvements, the construction of a new vertiport and parking positions, and several other airfield improvements (taxiway reconfiguration, apron expansion, and hangar construction). Proposed long-term projects include additional terminal, RCC and maintenance facility improvements, as well as airfield improvements. Mid-term and long-term projects will be evaluated at the program level in the PEIR. Additional evaluation will be conducted on these projects as timing and funding become more certain.

Palm Springs

Riverside

Citywide

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy (CVMC), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), California Department of Transportation, District 8 (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics (DOT), California Department of Transportation, Division of Transportation Planning (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Energy Commission, California Fish and Game Commission (CDFGC), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Colorado River Basin Region 7 (RWQCB), Colorado River Board, Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 20, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights, State Water Resources Control Board, Divison of Financial Assistance, University of California Natural Reserve System (UCNRS), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Inland Deserts Region 6 (CDFW)

California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Inland Deserts Region 6 (CDFW)

Transportation:Air/Heliport

Master Plan

Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Energy, Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use/Planning, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, Utilities/Service Systems, Wildfire