[Avionics Today 09-09-2015] The FAA is extending the public comment period for the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) of the Southern California Metroplex project by an additional 30 days. The comment period will now run until midnight on Oct. 8.
The Southern California Metroplex project is a comprehensive proposal to improve the flow of air traffic into and out of Southern California by making the airspace safer and more efficient. It proposes to replace dozens of existing conventional air traffic procedures with new satellite-based procedures, which are a key component of the FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The Metroplex proposal encompasses most of Southern California and includes six major airports.
The FAA released the draft EA for the project on June 10 for public review and comment and held 11 public workshops in Southern California communities between June 16 and July 1. The draft EA considers the potential environmental impacts of the project.
The latest extension allows for a full 120 days of comment on the proposed project. The FAA previously extended the comment period by 60 days in July.