Environmental Assessment: Relocation and Construction of the Panama City-Bay County International Airport (PFN) Doppler Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Radio Range Tactical Air Navigation Aid (VORTAC) to Tyndall Air Force Base (TAFB).

摘要

The Proposed Action involves the construction and operation of a VORTAC facility and associated access road with underground utilities in an area known as Redfish Point, on TAFB. The VORTAC facility is a radio navigation system that will service aircraft for FAA arriving and departing the new ECP airport, in addition to aircraft from T AFB, Eglin Air Force Base, and other regional airports. The VORTAC will also provide general navigation to planes traveling throughout the Gulf coast. The VHF (very high frequency) signal generated by the VORTAC facility allows aircraft receiving the signal to determine their bearing to the facility. Since the existing PFN airport is relocating and the site decommissioned, the current VORTAC must be relocated to provide continued service to the VORTAC airspace service area. The site of the new airport, ECP, was found unsuitable for VORTAC siting due to airspace requirements. A number of other potential VORTAC relocation sites were rigorously evaluated and rejected during project siting. As a result, no reasonable alternatives were found that met the defined Purpose and Need of the Proposed Action. Under the No Action Alternative, the proposed VORTAC would not be constructed.