Analysis of Potential Effects of Dulles International Airport Proposed Runway Expansion Project on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office and Sterling Research and Development Center, Sterling, Virginia

The Federal Aviation Administration and Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority proposed new runway projects at Dulles International Airport (IAD) that would have the potential to interfere with the nearby National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) Baltimore/Washington Weather Forecast Office (WFO), Weather Surveillance Radar 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D), upper air inflation facilities (UAIF), surface test beds, and various support equipment and structures. SRI's Envirotechnical Program was selected by NOAA/NWS to prepare an analysis of the potential effects of the proposed runway expansion project and aircraft operation on the NWS facilities. SRI determined that operation of the proposed new runway had the potential to pose significant and adverse effects on the NWS operations and equipment. SRI’s analysis concluded that the potential adverse effects of the proposed runway project on the NWS facilities would require relocation of those facilities.

SRI conducted a search for alternatives sites in the IAD vicinity and identified 22 possible relocation sites for the WSR-88D, WFO, UAIF, and related facilities. We prepared an Expanded Site Survey that analyzed each potential relocation site from a radar coverage, tower height, frequency, airspace compliance, and infrastructure standpoint. This supported NWS selection of six finalist sites. For these six sites, SRI prepared a National Environmental Policy Act Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact.