FAA weighs releasing 40 acres of Fairbanks airport land for sale to expand a gravel mine

The Federal Aviation Administration is considering a request to release about 40 acres of federally obligated land at Fairbanks International Airport so it can be sold for the expansion of a privately owned gravel mining company, according to an FAA notice scheduled to publish Thursday, Oct. 29, in the Federal Register.

The public has 30 days from publication to comment before the FAA rules on the request. That window runs through Saturday, Nov. 28.

The parcel sits northwest of South Vanhorn and 5th Wheel Streets in Fairbanks. The notice does not name the gravel company. It says the property would be sold at fair market value based on an appraisal.

The airport bought the land with Airport Improvement Program federal grants, according to the notice. Under FAA policy, an airport takes on federal obligations when it accepts a federal grant, and the FAA's review of a release includes fair-market-value and environmental requirements.

A release is the FAA's formal written authorization giving up some or all of its right to enforce an airport's contractual or deeded obligations, according to the agency's airport compliance manual. In some cases, that permits the sale of airport property. The manual says airport land may be released only when it no longer serves an airport purpose, and land used for aircraft parking or operation does not qualify.

Laurie J. Suttmeier, director of the FAA's Alaska Airports District Office, issued the notice Oct. 20.

If the release goes through, FAA guidance requires the airport to revise its Airport Layout Plan and property map.