Aviation View | April 2021

132 AVIATION VIEW APRIL 2021 • National Environmental Policy Act documentation • Endangered Species Act formal consultation • Cultural & Historic Resources Assessment & Section 106 National Historic Preservation Act consultation • Threatened & Endangered Species surveys & impact assessment • Wetland delineation & Section 404 of the Clean Water Act permitting • Air quality analysis Learn more at esassoc.com ESA provides: Environmental Science Associates is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm. We plan, design, permit, mitigate, and restore—for projects across our communities, infrastructure systems, open spaces, and wildlands. & Hunt has been instrumental in coordinating this Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport planning project. Two additional companies who have been largely involved in projects at the Airport are Environmental Science Associates (ESA) and Precision Approach Engineering. Land expansion in the area around the airport requires environmental studies for a variety of reasons, from landslide to impact on faery shrimp pools, while Precision Engineering has helped the airport out on a lot of necessary projects such as the largest project for 2021, a detention pond for stormwater runoff. “It’s not the most exciting project,” quips Foster, “but it is necessary, and these two companies ensure that the work gets done in accordance with the various regulations, and that it gets done to the satisfaction of the County.” The Master Plan also contains big impact showcase projects, like a new second parallel runway, new baggage tunnel, enhanced taxiways throughout, and new land development. It follows a fairly aggressive but manageable growth strategy that will enhance the commercial and general aviation streams but also seeks to diversify income streams even more. Foster reports, “Phase two of the taxiway rehab project was completed in late 2020 and it went very well. We have now completed improvements to all County-owned general aviation hangar complexes. The County conducted a search for a hotel developer on Airport owned property, but that was put on hold due to the pandemic but we have since resumed discussions. We are also starting a feasibility study for a new gas station and convenience store on another Airport development site. We feel that it is a really great location considering our rental car pick up and return being close by. It is also a very highly trafficked intersection. There’s a lot of businesses in the immediate area that might need a snack for breakfast or lunch, or a good cup of coffee, or simply need to get fuel. And, of course, it will help generate revenue