The comment period was extended to July 1 for the FAA’s draft environmental impact statement on proposed plans to redesign the airspace in the Northeast, which is intended to improve safety, reduce delays and handle growing air traffic. The comment period opened in January and was originally scheduled to end last Thursday, but the FAA decided to extend the comment period for an additional 30 days based on numerous requests it received from elected officials and others who sought more time to study and assess the noise impact of the project on their communities. The airspace redesign involves a 31,000-square-mile, five-state area encompassing 21 major airports. Four redesign alternatives are under consideration. A series of 30 public workshops were held throughout the five-state study area in February, March and April. For more information, contact Steve Kelley at
faa.deis@ngc.com.