2018/2019 Logan Environmental Data Report/

154.6 MB·English

by  Massachusetts Port Authority

BOSTON LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
EDR
2018/2019
ENVIRONMENTAL DATA REPORT
December
SUBMITTED TO PREPARED BY
2020 Executive Office of Energy
and Environmental Affairs,
EEA #3247 MEPA Office
SUBMITTED BY IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Massachusetts Port Authority Harris Miller Miller & Hanson
Strategic & Business Planning KB Environmental Sciences
ICF
InterVISTAS Consulting

December 31, 2020

The Honorable Kathleen A. Theoharides, Secretary
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Attn: Anne Canaday, EEA 3247
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900
Boston, Massachusetts 02114

Re: Boston Logan International Airport 2018/2019 Environmental Data Report - EEA #3247

Dear Secretary Theoharides and Director Kim:
On behalf of the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), we are pleased to submit this 2018/2019
Environmental Data Report (EDR) for Boston Logan International Airport. This filing continues
Massport’s nearly four-decade practice of providing an extensive record of Logan Airport
environmental trends, facility planning, operations and passenger data, and Massport’s mitigation
commitments. As a follow-up to the 2017 Environmental Status and Planning Report (ESPR), and with
the Secretary’s approval, this EDR combines reporting for 2018 and 2019.
This EDR was prepared in 2020 during the ongoing COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. Accordingly,
Massport has strived to include relevant updates through fall 2020. The dramatic nature of the
COVID-19 pandemic, and its impacts to the broader world, the U.S. and local economies, and to the
aviation industry in particular, triggered a significant decline in Massport’s financial condition,
causing deferrals to projects or programs that were in place in 2018 and 2019 and planned for 2020
and beyond.
Beginning in March 2020, flights in and out of Logan Airport were dramatically reduced and
passenger levels dropped by over 90 percent at the peak of the pandemic in the spring and summer
of 2020. As a result, there are far fewer aircraft operations and passengers and a dramatic drop in
overall Logan Airport activity. While activity levels began a slow recovery in mid-summer 2020, the
ongoing wave of COVID-19 cases has resulted in continued historically low levels of activity, with a
full recovery years away. As of October 2020, total flight operations are down by 50 percent and
passenger levels are down by about 70 percent compared to 2019. Massport expects 2020 annual
passenger levels to have dropped to levels of activity not seen since the mid-1970s.
As a result of this significant reduction in Airport activity and dramatic reduction in revenues, both
Massport and our airline and other tenants have adjusted their capital and operations plans.
Concurrently, the schedule for a number of Airport projects and programs have been revised
significantly. In an effort to be as transparent as possible, Chapter 3, Airport Planning includes the
most current project updates through October 2020.
Secretary Kathleen A. Theoharides Page 2 December 31, 2020

The growth at Logan Airport that was experienced through early 2020 was tied closely to the strong
local, regional, national, and international economies and its role as the major airport to a region that
is the home to world-class educational and medical institutions, cutting-edge technology companies,
rich historical resources, and extensive tourism. Logan Airport’s recovery and the timeframe once the
COVID-19 pandemic ends will similarly be driven by the national and regional economic recovery.
Massport continues to evaluate and plan for the recovery of aircraft operations and air passenger
activity and remains committed to implementing the broad range of environmental and operating
strategies designed to reduce the impacts associated with Airport operations. However, there is high
uncertainty regarding the duration of Massport’s financial crisis and the timing of flights, passenger,
and business recovery. As a result, the deferral of certain projects and programs will be evaluated on
an ongoing basis. Forthcoming EDRs will continue to provide operations, project, and programmatic
updates, as available.
As we look forward, Massport will continue to seek opportunities to implement measures designed
to reduce Logan Airport’s operating and environmental impacts. Such measures will be tied to High
Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) strategies, noise abatement procedures, emission reduction and energy
efficiency measures, as well as continued information sharing with interested stakeholders and our
neighbors. Additionally, this EDR, in response to community input, includes an expansion of the
discussions on the evolving science and studies of aircraft noise and emissions and associated public
health investigations. Through both this EDR and future EDRs/ESPRs, we hope both to share most
recent, available information and, where possible, support those studies that will ultimately guide
evolving regulations and mitigation strategies.
EDR Content and Structure

The 2018/2019 EDR responds to the Secretary’s Certificate on the Boston Logan International Airport
2017 ESPR dated November 25, 2019. The EDR also updates 2018 and 2019 (and later where
available) conditions for the following categories:

• Passenger levels, aircraft operations, aircraft fleets, and cargo volumes;
• Planning, design, and construction activities at Logan Airport;
• Regional transportation statistics and initiatives;
• Key environmental indicators (Ground Access, Noise Abatement, Air Quality/Emissions
Reduction, and Environmental Compliance and Management/Water Quality);
• Status of Logan Airport project mitigation; and
• Sustainability initiatives.

The 2018/2019 EDR includes the Secretary’s Certificate on the 2017 ESPR and associated comment
letters. Recent Certificates received on the Logan Airport Parking Project (EEA# 15665) and Terminal
E Modernization Project (EEA# 15434), which included items to be addressed in future EDRs and the
ESPR are also included. Appendix D, Distribution presents the EDR distribution list and supporting
technical appendices are included in the attached CD.
Secretary Kathleen A. Theoharides Page 3 December 31, 2020

Review Period, Distribution, and Consultation
Massport has requested EEA’s consideration of an extended 45-day public comment period for this EDR
in consideration of the multi-year nature of this document. Based on this request, the public comment
period will begin on January 6, 2021, the publication date of the next MEPA Environmental Monitor,
and will end on February 22, 2021. The distribution list included as Appendix D indicates which listed
parties will receive a printed copy of this EDR or notice of availability with a link to the document on
Massport’s website. As with the recent EDRs and other Massport environmental filings, this EDR is
presented in its entirety on Massport’s website (http://www.massport.com/massport/about-
massport/project-environmental-filings/).

A public virtual consultation session on the 2018/2019 EDR will be planned for late January/early
February 2021. Details on the date of the meeting will be posted on Massport’s website at
https://www.massport.com/massport/about-massport/project-environmental-filings/. Additional
copies of the 2018/2019 EDR may be obtained by calling [phone] or emailing
[email protected] during the public comment period.

We look forward to your review of this document and to consultation with the MEPA Office and
other reviewers. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected], if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Massachusetts Port Authority

Stewart Dalzell, Deputy Director
Environmental Planning & Permitting,
Strategic & Business Planning Department

cc: J. Barrera, F. Leo, A. Coppola, C. McDonald, B. Washburn/Massport
Secretary Kathleen A. Theoharides Page 4 December 31, 2020

This Page Intentionally Left Blank.
Boston Logan International Airport 2018/2019 EDR

Table of Contents
1 Introduction/Executive Summary ....................................................................... 1-1
Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................1-1
Logan Airport Environmental Review Process.........................................................................1-5
Logan Airport Planning Context ...................................................................................................1-6
Passenger and Aircraft Activity Growth at Logan Airport ...................................................1-9
Logan Airport Activity Levels are Closely Tied to the Regional and National
Economy .............................................................................................................................................. 1-10
Massport Investment in Logan Airport ................................................................................... 1-12
2018 and 2019 Highlights and Key Findings ........................................................................ 1-13
Organization of the 2018/2019 EDR ........................................................................................ 1-34
1 Introducción/Resumen Ejectivo (Spanish Executive Summary) ....................... 1-1

2 Activity Levels ....................................................................................................... 2-1
Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................2-1
COVID-19 Effect on the Airline Industry ....................................................................................2-4
Air Passenger Levels in 2018 and 2019 ......................................................................................2-7
Aircraft Operation Levels in 2018 and 2019 .......................................................................... 2-11
Airline Passenger Service in 2018 and 2019 ......................................................................... 2-17
Cargo Activity Levels in 2018 and 2019 .................................................................................. 2-21
3 Airport Planning ................................................................................................... 3-1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 3-1
Ground Transportation and Parking Planning ....................................................................... 3-8
Terminal Area Planning ................................................................................................................. 3-15
Airside Planning................................................................................................................................ 3-20
Service Area Planning .................................................................................................................... 3-24
Airport Buffer Areas and Open Space Planning .................................................................. 3-30
Energy, Resiliency, and Sustainability Planning ................................................................... 3-35
4 Regional Transportation ...................................................................................... 4-1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 4-3
New England Regional Airports ................................................................................................... 4-3
Strong Regional Economy Drives Growth at Logan Airport ............................................. 4-5
New England Regional Trends ................................................................................................... 4-11
Worcester Regional Airport (ORH) ........................................................................................... 4-18
Hanscom Field (BED) ...................................................................................................................... 4-22
Bradley International Airport (BDL) .......................................................................................... 4-23
T.F. Green Airport (PVD) ................................................................................................................ 4-24
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) ........................................................................ 4-25
Table of Contents i
Boston Logan International Airport 2018/2019 EDR

Portland International Jetport (PWM) ..................................................................................... 4-26
Burlington International Airport (BTV) .................................................................................... 4-26
Bangor International Airport (BGR) .......................................................................................... 4-27
Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN) ............................................................................................. 4-27
Portsmouth International Airport (PSM) ................................................................................ 4-27
Local and Regional Long-Range Transportation Planning ............................................. 4-28
5 Ground Access to and from Logan Airport ........................................................ 5-1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 5-3
Ground Transportation Modes of Access to Logan Airport ............................................. 5-4
2018/2019 On-Airport Vehicle Traffic: Volumes and Vehicle Miles
Traveled (VMT) .................................................................................................................................... 5-6
2018/2019 Ground Transportation Ridership and Activity Levels ................................ 5-10
2018 and 2019 Parking Conditions .......................................................................................... 5-21
Ground Access Initiatives .............................................................................................................. 5-28
Ground Access Goals ...................................................................................................................... 5-42
6 Noise Abatement .................................................................................................. 6-1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 6-3
Noise Metrics ....................................................................................................................................... 6-5
Regulatory Framework..................................................................................................................... 6-6
Noise Modeling Process ................................................................................................................. 6-6
Noise Model Inputs .......................................................................................................................... 6-7
Noise Levels in 2018 and 2019 ................................................................................................... 6-29
Supplemental Metrics .................................................................................................................... 6-44
Noise Abatement Efforts ............................................................................................................... 6-54
7 Air Quality/Emissions Reduction ........................................................................ 7-1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 7-3
Regulatory Framework..................................................................................................................... 7-6
Assessment Methodology ............................................................................................................ 7-11
Emissions Inventory in 2018 and 2019 .................................................................................... 7-15
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Assessment ........................................................................................ 7-35
Air Quality Emissions Reduction ................................................................................................ 7-46
Air Quality Management Goals .................................................................................................. 7-48
Updates on Other Air Quality Efforts ....................................................................................... 7-52
Table of Contents ii
Boston Logan International Airport 2018/2019 EDR

8 Environmental Compliance and Management/Water Quality ......................... 8-1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 8-2
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 Certified Environmental
Management System (EMS) .......................................................................................................... 8-4
Logan Airport Sustainability Management Plan (SMP) ...................................................... 8-4
Water Quality and Stormwater Management in 2018 and 2019 .................................... 8-5
Fuel Use and Spills in 2018 and 2019 ...................................................................................... 8-10
Tank Management Program ....................................................................................................... 8-12
Site Assessment and Remediation ............................................................................................ 8-13

9 Environmentally Beneficial Measures and Project Mitigation Tracking .......... 9-1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 9-1
Environmentally Beneficial Measures ........................................................................................ 9-2
Projects with Ongoing Mitigation ............................................................................................... 9-8
Table of Contents iii