VTrans wants to fill in Rutland Airport wetlands

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District Engineer announced that it has received a new permit application from the Vermont Agency of Transportation to place fill in a 53,872 sq. ft. (1.23 acres) improvement zone at the Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport in Clarendon. The fill, for the construction of new runway safety area improvements, was authorized under a permit issued last year. Since the VTrans permit was issued, the Corps discovered that an extension of the airport's Runway 1 Safety Area, and installation of an EMAS—or engineered materials arrestor system—cannot be constructed as shown on the permit plans. Typically, an EMAS area is built at the end of a runway with impact absorbing materials which crush under the weight of an aircraft in order to arrest acceleration. A single MSE—or mechanically stabilized earth—wall 55-feet high, was originally proposed and permitted at the south end of the runway. Additional geotechnical investigation indicates that two MSE walls are necessary to ensure stability of the fill. Widening Taxiway E, from the permitted 35 feet to 50 feet, is necessary to conform to current U.S. FAA standards. To accomplish the work, additional fill is proposed in wetlands C, J and K2 in conjunction with the installation of the two MSE walls, widening the proposed taxiway, and constructing a permanent access road at the south end of the runway for construction and maintenance. An additional 11,500 sq. ft. (0.26 acre) of forested wetland will be cleared to facilitate construction. To compensate for the impacts, VTrans proposes to make a payment of $161,530.74 to Ducks Unlimited Vermont, a wildlife concervation organization. The Corps' decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impact of the proposed activity on the public interest. The Corps is soliciting comments from the public as well as federal, state, and local agencies and officials. Indian tribes and other interested parties are also welcome to comment. Comments will be considered by the Corps of Engineers to determine whether to issue, modify, condition or deny the permit.

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VTrans wants to fill in Rutland Airport wetlands

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