New antenna planned for Sky Harbor Airport in August & May meeting notes

Notes from last meeting in May:

Leash dogs on beach and on Hearding Island now during nesting season. Tickets will be written for non-compliance. The Piping Plovers near the Pine Forest SNA thank you!

Due to safety concerns, the playground at the end of Park Point will be removed before the Art Fair.

July 12th, Duluth Rowing Club Dedication

July 13th Regatta

 

Agenda items for May 21:

Kraig Decker, City of Duluth Parks Dept. will check-in on Lafayette use and rentals. Thanks, Kraig!

Neighbor Denny Johnson: Present info. about the risks associated with the continued use of hydrogen fluoride (HF) in the refining process at the Husky Energy facility in Superior.

Roz Randorf, candidate for City Council District 3

• The Environmental Protection Agency is currently reviewing the enhancements proposed by Husky, which would continue the use of HF in the refining process.
• Update on what is happening now after the fire, the implications for our communities and distribute a contact list for those who wish to express their opinions about this potential hazard.

New antenna planned for Sky Harbor Airport in August

The FAA is planning  an improvement to aviation communications at Sky Harbor Airport by installing a Radio Transmitter/Receiver (RTR) in August. The RTR provides a communications relay between aircraft and FAA terminal air traffic control. The RTR would be approximately the same height as the weather station on the site now.

The intent of the project is to improve aviation safety while concurrently minimizing impacts to the surrounding community and environment.

The proposed RTR facility would be relocated from a rooftop at St. Mary’s Hospital in downtown Duluth in order to improve air traffic radio communication reception in the Duluth area. The FAA considered multiple potential locations for the RTR as part of a site selection process that ultimately determined that Sky Harbor Airport was the only location that provided satisfactory radio communication with Bong Airport and the heliports at St. Mary’s and St. Luke’s Hospitals.

The proposed RTR facility would occupy an approximate 50’x50’ parcel within Sky Harbor Airport and would consist of a 10’x12’ prefabricated electronics equipment shelter, a small tilt-down type antenna (40’ tall), and an electrical rack and transformer. Subsurface utilities would be routed parallel to the airport perimeter fence. The proposed RTR project is unrelated to the Duluth Airport Authority’s runway improvement project at Sky Harbor Airport.

The FAA proposes to install the RTR facility at a location centered at approximate coordinates 46°43’26.05″N and 92°02’37.69″W. The FAA selected this proposed site in order to avoid impacts to two state-listed threatened species that are found in the surrounding area, Beach Grass (Ammophila breviliguta) and Beach Heather (Hudsonia tomentosa). Based on the results of a rare plants survey and subsequent coordination with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the FAA determined that no impacts would result to the threatened species within the proposed site boundaries. The proposed 50’x50’ RTR facility site would be located immediately adjacent to the airport fence and would include the installation of a gate to allow direct access to the facility for maintenance personnel, thus avoiding potential disturbance to the protected species in the surrounding airfield area.

Construction is proposed to commence in August 2019 and is expected to last approximately 30 days. Construction staging would occur within the proposed project site. A temporary snow fence would be set up around the site to avoid construction activities from inadvertently encroaching on the protected species. Construction personnel would be instructed to remain within the site boundaries at all times. During construction, personnel and equipment would utilize the adjacent nature trail to access the site. All construction activities would occur within the boundaries of the proposed site and no construction vehicles would be parked on the trail. A truck mounted crane would be present on the trail for less than one day to facilitate placement of the equipment shelter. It is anticipated that pedestrian access will not be impeded on the nature trail for the duration of construction. The FAA will notify the Park Point Community  when the actual construction date is known.

Upon completion of construction, FAA maintenance personnel would visit the facility approximately five times a year. Maintenance personnel would access the facility via the nature trail, enter the facility through the proposed new gate, and park their vehicle within the site. Maintenance activities on the electronics equipment would typically be performed in less than two hours. The operation and presence of the proposed RTR facility poses no safety risk to the general public or wildlife in the area.

The details are depicted here PPCC attachment

and show:

• An aerial photo of the location of the proposed RTR facility
• A design drawing of the proposed RTR facility layout
• A photo of the proposed RTR facility site from the nature trail
• A photo of an RTR facility that provides a very similar depiction of how the proposed RTR facility at Sky Harbor Airport would look upon completion

The FAA appreciates any feedback and questions that the Park Point Community may have on this proposed project.

Would you be willing to contact the FAA with questions and comments by Monday, May 13th?  Thank you very much!

Here is the contact information:

Aaron W. Comrov
Environmental Protection Specialist

Federal Aviation Administration

Infrastructure Engineering Center-Chicago, AJW-2C15H
2300 East Devon Avenue, Room 450
Des Plaines, Illinois 60018
direct: 847.294.7665
aaron.comrov@faa.gov

Thank you very much!