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In 1971, Congress approved an appropriation
of $2,215,000 to the National Park Service
to study and construct improvements to the
Jackson Hole Airport The Draft EIS released in 1973, indicated a runway
extension would accommodate the Boeing-737.
The Park Service determined additional
research and monitoring was necessary to
fully evaluate the noise impact on the Park.
As a result, the runway extension was
withdrawn from the proposal.
Construction of a parallel taxiway,
installation of an Instrument landing System
(ILS) and runway lighting system, as well as
construction of an air traffic control
tower, improved parking and sewage system
was retained. The runway extension was
considered only as an alternative on the
Final EIS in 1974. In 1975, the National
Park Service wasted no time in commissioning
the University of Wyoming to conduct noise
level studies on the Snake River. The
Board also received an FAA grant to for a
master plan study to consider among other
things, alternative sites in lieu of a
longer runway at the existing site. In
1976, all improvements except for the
control tower, runway lighting and extension
were completed. The Jackson Hole
Airport Master Plan was adopted and stated
that alternate viable sites were not
available and the Airport at its
present location could best serve air
service needs. As a result of the master
plan study, the FAA prepared and circulated
a Draft EIS calling for a runway extension
to 8,000 feet in October of 1977.
Because of lingering doubts concerning noise
and location, a runway extension was not
pursued and a Final EIS was never prepared.
At the same time, the Park Service was
conducting its own study of the noise
impacts of commercial jet operations at the
Jackson Hole Airport. The study found
that with appropriate routing, the use of
such aircraft would not significantly
increase noise impacts on the Park.
Commercial jet aircraft at the time however
could not operate at the Airport without an
extension to 8,000 feet. In 1978, Frontier
Airlines requested the FAA amend its
operations specifications to allow service
by their newly acquired Boeing 737s with a
higher thrust Dash 17 engine. These
aircraft could operate on the existing 6,300
foot runway. This prompted a new round
of studies on noise and alternative sites.
Meanwhile in 1979, the Airport Board and the
Department of Interior negotiated and signed
a new Use Agreement reducing the land area
of the Airport from 760 to 533 acres, but
reconfiguring the Airport to accommodate a
northerly runway extension to 8,000 feet.
The new agreement also called for the Board
to develop a voluntary noise abatement plan
to route aircraft away from noise sensitive
areas of the Park.
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