MAA to remove trees
By J.E. Szech
The Maryland Aviation Administration recently visited with the LSIA to discuss the removal of trees from certain areas of MAA property bordering BWI-Thurgood Marshall, as well as trees that are on private property. The tree removal is intended to increase visibility of the existing aids to navigation, as well as allow the aircraft to maintain a 50:1 (feet) approach slope to runway 15 Left (15L). The MAA is currently in the process of evaluating the anticipated environmental impacts of the tree removal. The impacts are broken down into three categories:
Category 1
ü Air Quality
ü Biological Resources
ü Coastal Resources
ü Historical, Architectural, archaeological, and Cultural
ü Department of Transportation Resources
ü Visual Effects
ü Water Resources
Category 2
ü Climate
ü Land Use
ü HazMat Prevention
ü Noise and Noise Compatible Land Use
ü Natural resources and Energy Supply
ü Socioeconomic Impacts
ü Cumulative Impacts
Category 3
ü Farmland
According to the representatives from the MAA, the project is currently in the process of drafting the environmental assessment, with a public review beginning in May 2017 and public workshop scheduled for June of 2017. As of this writing, the final environmental assessment should be issued in November of 2017. Most of the Linthicum residents affected reside on or near Andover Rd. and its side streets. MAA officials, will be contacting residents who may have an obtrusive tree on their property. MAA officials believe that most trees that are targeted would be removed completely and not altered. The LSIA has voiced concerns over how altering the landscape could affect noise levels in Linthicum. The LSIA will continue to work with the MAA, however, due to the safety concerns over a compromised runway approach most of the trees targeted will most likely be removed. This proposal is a separate concern from that of NextGen flight control, which has brought aircraft traffic to some areas that were previously minimally affected by aircraft noise. Most of the trees targeted are on property that is owned by the MAA. For more information, please contact Robin Bowie rbowie @bwiairport.com or P.O. Box 8766, BWI Airport, MD 21240