Pursuant to President Bush’s Executive Order 13274 ( http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/09/20020918-14.html ), DOT is creating a process for enhancing environmental stewardship and streamlining the environmental review process of transportation infrastructure projects. DOT will accept nominations for the second round of projects for streamlined environmental review through November 12, 2002. A project nomination form can be found at http://airportnet.org/depts/environmental/rviewnom.pdf.

Also attached is a DOT Press Release issued by the U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta announcing the initial list of seven transportation construction projects that will receive accelerated environmental review under the Executive Order. Included in that list of seven projects is the Philadelphia International Airport runway construction project.

Three basic criteria must be met in order for a project to be placed on the project registry. These criteria are: (1) the project must be of national or regional significance; (2) the reason for the potential delay in the project must be related to federal agency coordination (i.e., a lack of federal government consensus); and (3) the project must be supported by local governments, local transportation authorities, and the state (e.g., recommended for streamlining by the Governor). Every project that receives state support and a governor’s recommendation will make the project registry list. At any given time, DOT expects that 10 to 20 projects from the registry will be “active.” As projects are completed and drop off the list, new projects from the registry will be selected.

Keep an eye on AAAE’s environmental webpage for more resources and information on this and other streamlining initiatives at http://airportnet.org/depts/environmental/envnew.htm