Subject: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment and Draft General Conformity Determination for the Proposed Terminal Area Plan and Air Traffic Procedures at Chicago O’Hare International Airport

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment and Draft General Conformity Determination to evaluate the effects of the proposed Airport Terminal Area Plan and changes to air traffic procedures at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The FAA is seeking public comment from Federal, state, and local government agencies and officials, as well as members of the public regarding this Draft Environmental Assessment.

The Draft Environmental Assessment’s analysis will determine whether the proposed projects have the potential to significantly affect various environmental resources, such as noise, air quality, water resources, and historic facilities. 

A Public Notice regarding public workshops and public comment period for the Draft Environmental Assessment appears on or about June 2 – 8, 2022 in the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Daily Herald, Journal and Topics, La Raza, and Reflejos.

The Draft Environmental Assessment analyzed actions proposed by the Chicago Department of Aviation, including: terminal projects, on-airport hotels, airfield and taxiway improvements not required by the terminal projects, and support facilities that are not required by the terminal projects.

The Draft Environmental Assessment also evaluated air traffic actions proposed by the FAA of making permanent the previously approved temporary offset (angled) approaches to Runway 10R/28L. The offset approaches allow for the use of simultaneous approaches to three runways and enables previously approved simultaneous approaches to four runways in the future.

The FAA will host Public Workshops on the Draft document. An in-person Public Workshop on the Draft EA will be held at Monty’s Elegant Banquets at 703 South York Road, Bensenville, IL 60106 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm (Central Daylight Time) on July 12, 2022. A virtual Public Workshop will be held via Zoom at 6:00 pm (Central Daylight Time) on July 14, 2022. Registration for the virtual meeting is available on the FAA website, found here: https://www.faa.gov/airports/great_lakes/TAPandATEA/.

Representatives of FAA and its consultants provide information about the Draft EA.  Spanish language translators will be available at the Public Workshops. If you need the assistance of a translator, other than Spanish, please call (312) 374-1881 by July 5, 2022.

The FAA invites you to participate in the public comment process regarding this Draft Environmental Assessment and Draft General Conformity Determination. Copies of the Draft Environmental Assessment document and materials are now available at https://www.faa.gov/airports/great_lakes/TAPandATEA/. The public comment period occurs for 45 days and ends at midnight (Central Daylight Time) on July 18, 2022. You can submit public comments via:

Web: https://www.faa.gov/airports/great_lakes/TAPandATEA/

Email: ORD_TAPandATEA@hmmh.com

Mail:   FAA, care of HMMH
              ATTN: ORD TAP and AT EA Comments
              700 District Avenue, Suite 800
              Burlington, MA 01803
Comments must be postmarked or submitted online by midnight (Central Daylight Time) on July 18, 2022.
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