FAA releases study on aircraft noise

ST. GEORGE — The overall level of noise generated by aircraft flying over Zion National Park will increase only slightly if St. George builds a new airport on the southeast side of town, according to an environmental study prepared by the Federal Aviation Administration.

"The construction of the proposed replacement airport would meet the needs identified by the sponsor (St. George) and the FAA without any significant environmental impacts to the built or natural environment," according to conclusions reached in the lengthy draft environmental impact statement.

The document is available online at airportsites.net/sgu-eis or for review at libraries throughout southern Utah. The FAA will accept comments through Nov. 8. A public hearing and information meeting is also scheduled for today from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Dixie Center in St. George.

One group certain to file comments on the draft is the Grand Canyon Trust, an environmental-protection organization based in Phoenix. The trust sued the FAA and St. George five years ago after the first environmental assessment was released, saying the report failed to consider the cumulative impact of all noise on Zion National Park.

According to the FAA, the draft environmental impact statement does just that. Aviation noise was gathered from all flights over southern Utah, either from the existing or proposed St. George airport, the Las Vegas-area airports, military and general air traffic, and air-tour operators.

"This analysis allows decision makers to better understand the total aviation noise levels," the draft states. "It is a tool to determine and compare how much of the aircraft noise is attributable to flights from either the existing or the proposed replacement airports."

Ron Terry, an information officer with Zion National Park, said the report is under review and park officials are formulating comments to be submitted to the FAA.

St. George public works director Larry Bulloch said the FAA "did a great job" on the report.

"We're encouraged it will demonstrate that the noise impacts are very minimal on Zion National Park," Bulloch said.

The general consensus of the report is that a new airport will add little to the total aviation noise levels already present in Zion National Park or the other 41 areas within the study's 40-mile radius.