Appendix E
Notice of Availability and Response to Comments
This page intentionally left blank
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
REPORT FOR THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER REPLACEMENT
AT FRESNO YOSEMITE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Date: September 10, 2025
To: State Clearinghouse, Responsible Agencies, Interested Parties and Organizations
Subject: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Airport Traffic Control Tower Replacement at Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT)
Lead Agency: City of Fresno
Airports Department
4995 East Clinton Way
Fresno, CA 93727
(559) 621-4500
[email protected]
Contact: Francisco Partida
Interim Director of Aviation
City of Fresno – Airports Department
4995 East Clinton Way
Fresno, CA 93727
(559) 621-4500
[email protected]
Comment Period: September 10, 2025 to October 27, 2025
Notice is Hereby Given that the City of Fresno (City) is the Lead Agency on the below - described proposed replacement of the existing Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) facility and associated infrastructure (Proposed Project) at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT or Airport), and has completed a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Project Title: Airport Traffic Control Tower Replacement at Fresno Yosemite International Airport (State Clearinghouse No. 2024030739).
Project Location: The Airport is owned and operated by the City under the Airports Department within the City’s administration. The Proposed Project is located on Airport property at 5055 East Andersen Avenue, Fresno, CA 93727. The Airport encompasses about 1,728 acres within the city of Fresno, approximately five miles northeast of downtown Fresno and adjacent to the city of Clovis. The existing ATCT is located on a 2.25- acre site northwest of the passenger terminal and adjacent to the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) building. Site coordinates are 36° 46’ 24.34” N and 119° 43’ 19.00” W. The Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) is 494-071-78.
Project Description: The Proposed Project is the replacement and relocation of the existing ATCT facility and associated infrastructure at the Airport. The Proposed Project includes the following components:
• Construction of a new ATCT facility and demolition of the existing ATCT facility once the new ATCT facility is fully operational.
• Installation of new equipment in the new ATCT and utility services to the new ATCT facility.
• Reconstruction of the existing employee parking and installation of security fencing around the new ATCT facility and accompanying employee parking lot.
Significant and Unavoidable Impacts: The Draft EIR identifies significant and unavoidable impacts related to Historical Resources
Impacts Reduced to Less Than Significant with Mitigation
• Archaeological and Tribal Cultural Resources
• Paleontological Resources
• Hazards and Hazardous Materials
Mitigation measures identified in the Draft EIR would reduce potentially significant effects to less-than-significant levels in all areas except for Historical Resources . The project site is not contaminated and is not identified as a cleanup site as defined by Government Code Section 65962.5.
Public Review Period: The City of Fresno will receive public comments on the Draft EIR from September 10, 2025 to October 27, 2025. All documents related to this project are available for public review during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm) by appointment only, at the Planning and Development Department at 2600 Fresno Street, Room 3043, Fresno, CA 93721, and at Fresno Yosemite International Airport Administrative Office at 4995 East Clinton Way, Fresno, California 93727. Documents related to this project can also be accessed electronically on the Airport’s website: https://flyfresno.com/statistics/ and the City’s Planning and Development website: https://www.fresno.gov/planning/plans- projects-under-review/#airport-tower-relocation-project.
Written comments concerning the Draft EIR must be received no later than 5 pm (PDT) on October 27, 2025 , and should be submitted by email: [email protected] or U.S. mail:
Fresno Yosemite International Airport
ATTN: Francisco Partida
Address: 4995 East Clinton Way
Fresno, California 93727
ATTENTION: CITY OF FRESNO PLANNING & DEV IP
2600 FRESNO STREET ROOM 3065
FRESNO, CA 93721
[email protected]
AFFIDAVIT OF PUBLICATION
Account # Order Number Identification Order PO Cols Depth 45550 194.0L2.0250622_FAT_ATCT REPLACE-
MENT
Legal Ad - IPL024763918273
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND
45-DAY REVIEW PERIOD
Airport Traffic Control Tower Replacement
Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT)
Draft Environmental Assessment
Fresno, California
Pursuant to Paragraphs 6-2.2(g) of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policy and Procedures, the National Historic Preservation Act (36 CFR § 800.2), and Section 4(f) of the Department of Trans- portation Act of 1966, (23 CFR § 774.5), notice is hereby given by FAA and the City of Fresno (City) that a Draft Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) has been prepared to evaluate the potential environmental effects for the proposed replacement of the existing Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) facility and as - sociated infrastructure (Proposed Project) at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT or Airport) and is available for review.
The Proposed Project includes the following components:
• Construction of a new ATCT facility and demolition of the existing ATCT facility once the new ATCT facility is fully operational. • Installation of new equipment in the new ATCT and utility services to the new ATCT facility.
• Reconstruction of the existing employee parking and installation of secu- rity fencing around the ATCT facility and accompanying employee parking lot.
The Draft EA evaluates the potential environmental effects of the Proposed Proj- ect and the No Action Alternative and has been prepared pursuant to the re - quirements of Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, and FAA Order 5050.4B, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Instructions for Airport Actions.
FAA is the lead federal agency to ensure compliance with NEPA for airport de - velopment actions and the City is the project sponsor. The Draft EA includes an analysis of reasonable alternatives, potential environmental impacts, and mitiga- tion measures, as appropriate. FAA has preliminarily determined that the ATCT is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Proposed Project would have an adverse effect on the historic property. The adverse effect finding constitutes a Section 4(f) use under the Department of Transportation Act of 1966. This Draft EA includes the draft Section 4(f) evaluation and draft Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement.
Upon consideration of comments received on the Draft EA, the FAA will deter - mine the adequacy of the environmental document. If further documentation is necessary, preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or revising the Draft EA would accomplish this. If an EIS is not necessary, the FAA will prepare a Final EA and a Finding of No Significant Impact.
Public Review and Comment
The public is invited to review the Draft EA and submit comments. The purpose of the public comment period is to receive comments on the Draft EA. Comments should be as specific as possible and should be organized so that they are meaningful and make the FAA clearly aware of the commenter’s views, interests, and concerns related to the Proposed Project.
Beginning on June 22, 2025, the Draft EA will be available for public review through August 6, 2025. The Draft EA can be viewed electronically on the Air - port’s website: https://flyfresno.com/statistics/ and the City’s Planning website:
https://www.fresno.gov/planning/plans-projects-under-review/#airport-tow - er-relocation-project. A hard copy of the Draft EA can be viewed in person during regular business hours at the locations below.
• Fresno Yosemite International Airport Administrative Office, 4995 East Clinton Way, Fresno, California 93727
• City Planning and Development Office, 2600 Fresno Street, Room 3043, Fresno, CA 93721
• FAA’s Airport District Office, 2999 Oak Road Suite 200, Walnut Creek, CA 94597
• Betty Rodriguez Regional Library, 3040 N. Cedar Avenue, Fresno, CA 93703
Written comments may be submitted by email: AirportEnvironmental@fresno. gov and U.S. mail:
Fresno Yosemite International Airport
ATTN: Francisco Partida
Address: 4995 East Clinton Way
Fresno, California 93727
Comments received on the Draft EA and the responses to those comments will be disclosed in the Final EA. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment – including your personal identifying informa- tion – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
All comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. PDT on August 6, 2025, to be considered for this Draft EA.
IPL0247639
Jun 22,29 2025
COUNTY OF FRESNO
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
The undersigned states:
McClatchy Newspapers in and on all dates herein stated was a corpora- tion, and the owner and publisher of The Fresno Bee.
The Fresno Bee is a daily e-Edition and printed newspaper of general circulation now published, and on all-the-dates herein stated was pub- lished in the City of Fresno, County of Fresno, and has been adjudged a newspaper of general circulation by the Superior Court of the County of Fresno, State of California, under the date of November 28, 1994, Action No. 520058-9.
The undersigned is and on all dates herein mentioned was a citizen of the United States, over the age of twenty-one years, and is the principal clerk of the printer and publisher of said newspaper; and that the no- tice, a copy of which is hereto annexed, marked Exhibit A, hereby made a part hereof, was published in The Fresno Bee in each issue thereof (in type not smaller than nonpareil), on the following dates.
2.0 insertion(s) published on:
06/22/25 Print, 06/29/25 Print
Sworn to and subscribed before
me on
McClatchy
The Beaufort Gazette
The Belleville News-Democrat
Bellingham Herald
Centre Daily Times
Sun Herald
Idaho Statesman
Bradenton Herald
The Charlotte Observer
The State
Ledger-Enquirer
The Modesto Bee
The Sun News - Myrtle Beach
Raleigh News & Observer
Rock Hill | The Herald
The Sacramento Bee
San Luis Obispo Tribune
Tacoma | The News Tribune
Tri-City Herald
The Wichita Eagle
The Olympian
Durham | The Herald-Sun
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The Fresno Bee
The Island Packet
The Kansas City Star
Lexington Herald-Leader
The Telegraph - Macon
Merced Sun-Star
Miami Herald
El Nuevo Herald
Print Tearsheet Link
Marketplace Link
Sherry Chasteen
Amanda Rodela
Online Notary Public. This notarial act involved the use of online audio/video communication technology. Notarization facilitated by SIGNiX®
Jun 30, 2025, 10:41 AM EDT
Sherry Chasteen
This page intentionally left blank
Notice of Availability
This page intentionally left blank
Public Comments and Response to Comments
This page intentionally left blank
APPENDIX E – PUBLIC COMMENTS AND RESPONSE TO COMMENTS
Fresno Yosemite International Airport – Airport Traffic Control Tower Replacement EIR E-1 E.1 Introduction
This appendix contains comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) received during the 45-day comment period (September 10 to October 27, 2025) and responses to those comments.
The City of Fresno (City) solicited comments through public notices and accepted comments in writing via U.S. mail or electronically via email. Each written comment is presented as it was received by the City and no misspellings have been corrected. Each comment is identified by an alpha-numeric code. Additional numbering is applied to discrete comments contained within a comment submittal, as annotated in the margin. The responses to all of the comments in a particular submittal are organized based on that submittal. Where a response includes a change to the EIR, a reference is made to the chapter or section in the EIR where the change was made and identifies what the change is.
There was only one comment letter received during the comment period. This letter is from Mark Montelongo with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD), and was received on October 23, 2025, via email.
Section E.2 includes a copy of the letter. Responses follow the letter. No revisions to the Draft EIR resulted from the comment letter.
APPENDIX E – PUBLIC COMMENTS AND RESPONSE TO COMMENTS
Fresno Yosemite International Airport – Airport Traffic Control Tower Replacement EIR E-2 E.2 Comments and Responses to Comments on the Draft EIR San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
Marrk Montelongo
APPENDIX E – PUBLIC COMMENTS AND RESPONSE TO COMMENTS
Fresno Yosemite International Airport – Airport Traffic Control Tower Replacement EIR E-3
APPENDIX E – PUBLIC COMMENTS AND RESPONSE TO COMMENTS
Fresno Yosemite International Airport – Airport Traffic Control Tower Replacement EIR E-4
APPENDIX E – PUBLIC COMMENTS AND RESPONSE TO COMMENTS
Fresno Yosemite International Airport – Airport Traffic Control Tower Replacement EIR E-5
Response to Comments:
1. The City will comply with all current required SJVAPCD rules, regulations, and permits.
The City will coordinate with SJVAPCD prior to construction and operation of the Proposed Project.
2. The City will comply with SJVAPCD Rule 2010 and Rule 2201 in relation to the Proposed Project. The City will coordinate with SJVAPCD to apply and obtain Authority to Construct (ATC) and Permit to Operate (PTO), as necessary, prior to construction of the Proposed Project.
3. The statement that SJVAPCD Rule 9510 does not apply to the Proposed Project is acknowledged.
4. The City will comply with SJVAPCD Rule 4002 as it relates to the Proposed Project. Any asbestos detected would be handled according to applicable local, state, and federal laws and policies.
5. The City will comply with SJVAPCD Rule 4601 regarding architectural coatings in the new ATCT.
6. This City will review and comply with SJVAPCD Regulation VIII and submit a Construction Notification Form and Dust Control Plan, as applicable, prior to construction of the Proposed Project.
7. The City will review SJVAPCD Rule 4641, along with other SJVAPCD rules and regulations, and comply with all required rules, regulations, and permits, as applicable.
APPENDIX E – PUBLIC COMMENTS AND RESPONSE TO COMMENTS
Fresno Yosemite International Airport – Airport Traffic Control Tower Replacement EIR E-6 This page intentionally left blank