Hearing raises doubts about plan for airport

The tension that exists between local, state and federal planning processes and goals was apparent at a May 12 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) public hearing held to take comments on the draft environmental assessment report of a proposed regional airport in Washington County. Approximately half of the 60 people at the Machias hearing submitted comments, none of which were positive. Lori Cole, a resident of Northfield, stated, "If the quality of the document is any indication of the quality of the assessment process, we're in a lot of trouble.

The environmental assessment for the Downeast Regional Airport reported the process and criteria used to select a site on Diamond Ridge Road, located fewer than 10 miles from Machias, in both Marshfield and Northfield. The report was created by the consultant team of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., which assessed 15 areas ranging from Addison to East Machias. Project Manager Lisa Standley provided a summary of the selection process and answered questions for an hour before the hearing. Ralph Nicosia-Rusin, FAA airport division capacity program manager, chaired the meeting.

A question of process and need

Comments were primarily concerned with two aspects of the process: the established need for the airport and local control of the project. "Who's pushing this; who's behind this?" questioned Northfield Selectman Richard Lamasney.

The need for a regional airport, upgraded to FAA National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) standards, was identified at the regional level in 2001 when Eastern Maine Development Corporation drafted a Cutler Navy Base reuse study and found that the existing Machias airport could not be expanded to this standard because of boundary constraints. The interest at the time was in an airport that could "accommodate the type of aircraft commonly used by corporations." A new Level I regional airport was discussed, meaning that it would adhere to a number of standards that do not currently exist at Washington County's airports and would be considered part of a national transportation system of links. Those standards would include a 5,000-foot runway that would be year-round, all-weather and 24-hour accessible. At the time, a Jonesboro site was considered, but that proposal met with strong opposition.

Ed Plissey, board chair of the Sunrise County Economic Council (SCEC), a member of the regional airport advisory group and a pilot for 20 years, suggests in an interview that the Princeton airport could have been upgraded but was "way out of the area for the central county." He also notes that he had felt that proposed Marion or East Machias sites offered better access to neighboring communities and better overall economics than the Diamond Ridge Road site.

During the hearing, Carrie Kumlin of Jonesboro suggested that the Deblois airport already has an adjacent industrial park, an added benefit recommended in the 2004 Cutler Airport Study created by SCEC. That report states, "The industrial park model offers the best option for generating enough non-airport revenue to support the operation and maintenance of the new facility."

At the May 12 meeting, Noah Dean, a new property owner in Marshfield, asked of the original site screening process, "Why was Jonesboro first chosen [in 2003] if Northfield/Marshfield is considered the best site now?" Standley replied, "The first FAA process was not as rigorous."

The 20-mile principle

The statement by both Standley and Nicosia-Rusin that FAA NPIAS standards require that a regional airport has to be within a 30-minute driving distance elicited a number of questions. Because Nicosia-Rusin characterized the proposed airport's use as being primarily for itinerant airplane use, it was unclear who the 30-minute drive-time was meant to benefit: county residents or itinerant plane passengers and operators. When asked, Nicosia-Rusin said, "It's both." This question is also contained in the environmental assessment's notes of a meeting held June 8, 2008, when Jessie Damon of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection asked if the 30-minute drive-time is a requirement for the airport's Level I selection. The report states, "Standley answered that it is not a requirement but it is an FAA standard. John Silva, FAA, noted that sites outside the 30-minute zone could be a problem because of competition."

Asked if the Eastport Municipal Airport, which is in the process of obtaining a self-service fuel station for both low-lead and jet fuels and has a 4,000-foot runway, was considered as a potential "upgrade" site, Nicosia-Rusin said, "It's quite a drive from here, and it's a distinct site." He also noted that he did not see Eastport's airport as a competing site. The assessment states that the Eastport and Princeton airports are beyond the Maine Aviation Systems Plan Update's (MASPU) "recommended 30 minutes, putting all these airports beyond the service needs of the Downeast region. These airports do not meet the purpose and need."

The nine guiding principles of the FAA's NPIAS were established by the Federal Airport Act of 1946 and according to that document have remained unchanged since then. The eighth principle states, "The airport system should be extensive, providing as many people as possible with convenient access to air transportation, typically not more than 20 miles travel to the nearest NPIAS airport." The environmental assessment states that "aviation demand for the Washington County area comes from transient activity."

In 2007 the three largest county airports, Machias, Eastport and Princeton, recorded total transient activity at 1,500, with Machias at 800. This number is the total number of landings and take-offs.

At the hearing, Barbara Drisko of Columbia Falls summed up the feeling of frustration with the apparent disconnect between NPIAS principles and local need. "My concern is for the four-season residents. What is the benefit?"

Plissey said during his interview that while there is no data that says the airport would bring jobs, as the alternative energy market develops the county could be well-served by such an airport. In particular he mentions the possibilities of tidal energy, currently being developed off Eastport.

Outdated data

During the meeting, Carrie Kumlin said, "The assessment appendix uses 2000 statistics. Is that relevant? The statistics look old to me." Nicosia-Rusin explained earlier in the meeting, "The Maine State Planning Office designates Machias as a service center, so the airport would support the service center. These were the 'top-down' issues that we are working with."

In 2006 the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) released an update of its 1996 aviation systems plan. The plan and update were created by the Office of Passenger Transportation as a response to MDOT's updated strategic plan. The mission of the strategic plan is to "provide a safe, efficient and reliable transportation system that supports economic opportunity and quality of life."

The aviation plan utilized information about Machias that was collected in 1998 by the Maine State Planning Office's task force on service center communities. The task force report explains that service centers were categorized in order for the planning office and other agencies to create economic strategies and funding support to "strengthen them as centers of job creation and for the delivery of critical services to surrounding areas."

At that time, Machias and Calais were considered "primary service centers," language that is referenced in the aviation plan update. "The planning process identified several voids, in terms of coverage, for primary service centers. The Project Advisory Committee set an objective to have a Level I airport in proximity" to such centers. But in 2002 the planning office changed its methodology for defining service centers. Machias, Calais, Lubec and Eastport were defined as "regional service centers," putting them on an equal footing.

The aviation systems plan specified that of all the targeted airports in the state that would need to be upgraded to Level I, only the Machias Valley airport "appears to be too physically constrained to meet its future Level I airport role."

The plan estimates that the new airport would cost $25 million. Airports using NPIAS standards are eligible to receive 95% of their funding from a federal aviation fund. The additional five percent would be split between state funds and the town of Machias. At the $25 million estimate, the local contribution would be $625,000. The plan also states, "There would be additional costs for the airport to meet recommended objectives for a Level I airport."

Others at the hearing raised doubts about data used in the environmental assessment draft, in particular the 33,000 "total operations" taking place annually from 1998 to 2006 at the Machias airport. These numbers are recorded on the FAA's terminal area forecast website. From 2006 through the last reporting year of 2007, total annual operations were recorded as 1,600 by current Machias Town Manager Betsy Fitzgerald, in office since 2006. Both Fitzgerald and Plissey do not know how the 33,000 number was calculated.

The draft environmental assessment also lists a lower number of 4,000 annual operations used by the updated aviation systems plan. The 33,000 and 4,000 numbers were used to forecast projections of increased use over time, even though those numbers are significantly higher than present-day use.

Joel Pratt of Roque Bluffs stated during the hearing that he had commented "two and one-half years ago about projected use and costs. Why weren't questions that were brought up about all this in 2006 looked at for the 2009 report?"