News and Updates – FAA Extends Comment Period for Florida Metroplex Project

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has extended to July 24, 2020 the comment period on theDraft Environmental Assessment(EA) for the South-Central Florida Metroplex, the agencys plan to modernize air traffic procedures for 21 airports in the southern half of the state.

The public can review the Draft EA and submit comments on thispage. Residents who were unable to participate in the virtual public workshops on the project can view recordings of the workshops at Community Involvement South Central Florida.

The 60-day public comment period was scheduled to end on July 10, 2020. The FAA will not extend the comment period past July 24.

The agency expects to issue an environmental determination in September 2020, after it considers and reviews all substantive comments received during the extended comment period.

The proposed new procedures will enhance safety and efficiency because they are based on satellite technology. Current procedures are safe, but they are less efficient because they are based on outdated technology.

Theagency conducted the Draft EA in accordance with theNational Environmental Policy Act of 1969(NEPA), which requires the FAA to identify and publicly disclose the potential environmental impacts of the proposed procedures.