Click Here to Send Comments to MEPA and EPA on Plymouth Airport Expansion Using Our Letter Writing Campaign.
The Plymouth Municipal Airport is located on South Meadow Road in West Plymouth and extends into Carver. The Airport is run by the Airport Commission.
A fact sheet about the project and what you can do is here.
In 2023, the Airport Commissioners announced a proposal to expand the airport by extending the runway, building two new hangers, reconstructing a taxi lane and runway and extending water and sewer lines. The purposes of the expansion are to “support future growth of airport expansions” for the purpose of “further promoting economic development in the region” according to the Environmental Notification Form, page 12. It also claims the expansion will “increase safety and efficiency.” This is at least a $7.6 million project with half the cost paid by local taxpayers.
Make Your Voice Heard! Deadline EXTENDED: Now Jan. 8, 2024
The Airport Commission has done a legally required environmental study of the alternatives to the airport expansion project and efforts to mitigate damage to the environment. This is called a state “Environmental Impact Report” (EIR) and federal “Environmental Impact Assessment” (EA). These studies must address all project impacts including potential contamination of the Plymouth Carver Sole Source Aquifer. The Aquifer is the sole source of drinking water for 7 towns including Plymouth and Carver. The impacts are noise pollution and impacts to wildlife and rare and endangered species.
The airport project will impact Environmental Justice Communities. These are neighborhoods that bear a disproportionate share of pollution.
Here is more information on the impacts to Environmental Justice neighborhoods around the airport.
Plymouth Airport Expansion Environmental Justice_10-31-23
For a summary of the project, read the Environmental Notification Form here.
The public has an important chance to be heard on this proposal. Make your voice heard by submitting written comments to the state and federal agencies by Jan. 8, 2024. Read more below.
Here is a link to the Airport’s study and appendix:
Airport Environmental Study EEA 16692_Plymouth Municipal Airport_ DRAFT NEPA EA_MEPA EIR_10-31-23
Airport’s Official Announcement
“On behalf of the Plymouth Municipal Airport, DuBois & King is pleased to submit the combined Draft NEPA EA/MEPA EIR for the proposed Runway 6 Extension Project and 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) in Plymouth, MA. Pursuant to the MEPA Certificate issued April 26, 2023, for EEA Project Number 16692, the Draft EA/EIR contains information presented in the ENF, as well as additional information for all projects proposed in the 5-Year CIP. [Map below]
The Project proposes a series of improvements that include the extension of Runway 6 southwestward by 351 feet, increasing the total runway length to 5,001 feet to increase available pavement and safety margins. The Runway 6 extension would be 75-ft wide and includes extensions of Taxiway E and Taxilane A to meet FAA standards for parallel taxiways. In addition, the Project proposes to construct two (2) general aviation hangars along Taxilane A, each approximately 10,000 square feet, to meet hangar space needs at the Airport. The Project will increase overall safety and efficiency of the Airport in accordance with the recent 2023 Technical Master Plan Update. Additional projects include: water/wastewater sewer line extension along Gate 6 access road (2024), Gate 3 Taxilane reconstruction (2025), reconstructing the existing Runway 6/24 (2026), and emergency generator infrastructure near the aviation school (2026).
The Draft EA/EIR and Appendices can be downloaded using this link: https://epsilon.sharefile.com/d-sc2185680a3ae4ff7b8d22e2c3a29a504
****’ The project notice was published in the Environmental Monitor on the MEPA website https://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us/EEA/MEPA-eMonitor/home on November 8, 2023 .
You may comment on the project using the MEPA website comment portal: https://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us/EEA/PublicComment/UI/searchcomment.
You can also easily send in comments using our Letter Writing Campaign
If you wish to submit written comments, they should be addressed to:
Rebecca Tepper, Secretary
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114
If you have any questions about the project, please call Brenda Bhatti at: (603) 637-1043 x 4414.
If you would like to review a paper copy of the document, hard copies can be viewed at one of the following locations: 1) Plymouth Main Library, 132 South Street, Plymouth, MA; 2) Plymouth Manomet Branch, 12 Strand Avenue, Plymouth, MA 02360; or 3) Carver Public Library, 2 Meadowbrook Way, Carver, MA.
For additional information on availability, please e-mail: PlymouthMAAirportRW6EA@dubois-king.com”