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BLACKFOOT – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and City of Blackfoot are proposing airport improvements at McCarley Field Airport (Airport) in Bingham County. The proposed project is intended to improve safety. Currently, short segments of the Airport perimeter fence and the Greater Blackfoot Area Greenbelt (Greenbelt) are located near the runway end within a safety area known as the Runway Object Free Area or ROFA. FAA standards require that the ROFA remain clear of objects, except for objects that need to be located in the ROFA for air navigation or aircraft ground maneuvering purposes. Relocating the short segments of the perimeter fence and the Greenbelt pathway outside of the ROFA will improve safety for aircraft and Greenbelt users. A shift of approximately 16 feet west is needed to accommodate the width of the pathway itself, associated fill shoulders, relocated pathway lighting, and Airport perimeter fence. Four different pathway shift alternatives were carefully evaluated including a retaining wall, earthen embankment, column footings, and driven piles. Ultimately the preferred alternative was proposed as a short retaining wall within the footprint of Jensen Grove Lake that would allow room for the shift of the path and the fence. The project would place approximately 1.7 cubic yards of fill material within approximately 30 square feet of Jensen Grove Lake. It is anticipated that construction would take four to eight weeks. A temporary closure of the short segment of the Greenbelt would be necessary. No change in land ownership will be required as the land is already owned by the City. The scope of work is minor, and the resources will be returned to a condition that is at least as good as that which existed prior to the project. The official with jurisdiction over the recreational resources is the City, which is also the Airport Sponsor and project proponent. Jensen Grove Lake and the Greenbelt Pathway are special recreational resources that are important to the community and protected under Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966. FAA’s preliminary conclusion is that the impacts to the Section 4(f) properties can be classified as “de minimis” use. This means that FAA preliminarily concludes that the impacts of the proposed project would not adversely affect the activities, features, or attributes that qualify those resources for protection under Section 4(f). FAA is currently seeking public input on this preliminary determination. With this notice, the public has an opportunity to review and comment on the effects of the project on the Section 4(f) resources listed above. If you would like to request more information or to provide comment, please contact Heidy Bruner, Federal Aviation Administration, 2725 Skyway Drive, Suite 2, Helena, MT 59602-1205; [EMAIL REDACTED]; 406-441- 5221. Please submit your comments by August 1, 2024.