Public Provides Useful Input and Indications of Support During Gary/Chicago Airport's Initial Environmental Scoping Process

The Gary/Chicago Airport finished the year 2001 with initial approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for it's Master Plan proposing expansion options for the future. Immediately thereafter, the airport took the next critical steps toward approval and initiated the Environmental Scoping process with public sessions which provided details concerning the improvement plans proposed at the Gary/Chicago Airport, particularly as they related to environmental issues.

Various federal, state and local governmental agencies, non-governmental community based organizations as well as the general public expressed high levels of interest as a cross section of representatives participated in this phase of the process through verbal and written testimony as well as submitted comments in the Environmental Scoping Public Meeting held on January 15, 2002 at the Gary/Chicago Airport. The initial round of input is being evaluated as provided from the various sources: 52 persons present at the January 15, 2002 agency review meeting representing federal, state and local agencies; 8 non-governmental community based organizations; 131 attendees at the public meeting with 11 submitted comments; 154 general public written comments in support of airport; and 5000 plus signatures from Northwest Indiana and Chicago residents on petitions for "The use and expansion of the Gary/Chicago Airport to become the third choice for air travel from the Chicago Area"-survey developed by Gary Chamber of Commerce.

"We are now at the beginning of the Environmental Impact Statement process. As this phase of evaluation requires at least one year or more to process, it is premature to submit any findings at this time as we know we have work to do to prepare to meet the expansion plans of this airport. However, we were pleased to have secured formal documentation expressing overwhelming support from our Indiana and Illinois citizens. It reassures us that there are numerous people who share the vision for the Gary/Chicago Airport and recognize the role it plays in the solution to the air transportation challenges of this region. We know we have both challenges and opportunities to face, and we'll face them together as a community for the good of the region!" states William L. Staehle-President, Gary/Chicago Airport Authority.