By Michael Howell
The Town of Stevensville held a public hearing last week to take public comment on the Environmental Assessment being done for the Stevensville Airport improvement project.
Engineer Shawn Shea of Morrison-Maierle presented a thumbnail version of the EA which consists of examining one alternative for improvements and comparing it to a “do nothing” alternative to meet airport needs.
Shea said that extending the runway had been part of the Town’s plan for the airport for a long time. He said in the first Airport Layout Plan (ALP) in 1978 the airport was serving B-1 class aircraft and the runway was only 300 feet long but the plan called for extending it to 1,000 feet.
Shea said the airport continued to serve B-1 class aircraft in 1980 when the current runway was built. In 1991 electrical lighting was added and a 1-inch overlay of the pavement was done. The taxiway was constructed in the 1990s. He said throughout those days the wingspan of the aircraft using the airport ranged from 38 to 45 feet. But today, he said, there is one aircraft at the airport with a wingspan of 54 feet.
The EA preferred option calls for widening the 60 foot wide runway by 15 feet to make it 75 feet wide. It also calls for reconstruction of the pavement, and replacement of the hedge lights along the runway, as well as some earth work off the end of the runway. It includes installing some navigational aids, taxiway lighting and an extension of the taxiway to one of the runways.
According to Shea, the most significant thing to turn up in the EA in terms of impacts was the presence of a rock cairn that, according to Salish tribal members, tells the story of a battle that took place. Shea said the rock cairn would be protected and a historical sign would be placed recognizing the Native history of the place.
During public comment concerns were expressed by a number of people, including a representative of Bitterroot Audubon, about the lack of analysis of impacts on the birds in the nearby Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge and along the Bitterroot River. Tom Davis asked if all this was being done to accommodate one new airplane at the airport. His question went unanswered due to the formal format of the public hearing, but will be considered and possibly answered, once comments are compiled and analyzed. Steven Slatle had the same question and also wondered about the apparent lack of any study of the economic impacts to the Town.
Hard copies of the EA are available at Town Hall, at the North Valley Public Library, and at Morrison-Maierle’s office in Missoula. It can also be viewed online on the Town’s website or the engineering company’s website.
Public comment on the Airport EA is being accepted through 5 p.m. April 27. If mailed, it must be postmarked no later than the 27th. Comments may be sent to Morrison-Maierle Engineering, 3011 Palmer Street, Missoula MT 59808 or emailed to sshea@m-m.net or submitted or mailed to the Town of Stevensville, 206 Buck Street, Stevensville MT 59870.