Jun. 10—BLUEFIELD — Cutting down trees that could threaten aircraft taking off from and arriving at the Mercer County Airport is part of a plan that is moving forward with approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The Mercer County Airport Authority published a public notice Friday in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph stating that a public review for an environmental assessment document about removing obstructing trees from the airport's Runway 5. The publication was required by the the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
"That's one that has been lingering for a period of time and the FAA paused that requirement for a while," said Bill Archer, president of the Mercer County Commission. Archer is also president of the Mercer County Airport Authority. "There was a need for a study about a certain bat species that may have been occupying those (trees), but I think that restriction has been lifted or has been removed. While we have not yet seen this directive at an authority meeting, we are aware that this was pending."
Basically, the goal is to remove trees which could become a hazard to aircraft, he said.
"This has been on our radar screen for at least two and half years that I know of," Archer stated. "There were various locations around the airport runways that were under consideration for tree removal. Yes, we'll comply and do what the FAA requires us to do."
The airport authority is proposing a project to remove about 1.95 acres of trees which are going into the approach area to Runway 5 at the Mercer County Airport.
After the trees have been cut, the "existing ground surface" will be re-seeded to create "vegetative cover" for the ground.
The proposed project also has the acquisition of about 2.30 acres of land "to aid in the obstruction removal effort and allow the Airport Authority the ability to exercise the required level of control over the airport's airspace," according to the legal notice.
A date has not been set for starting the tree removal.
The Environmental Assessment document is available for public review from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Mercer County Airport and the Craft Memorial Library at 600 Commerce Street in downtown Bluefield. It is also available for viewing on the City of Bluefield website at www.cityofbluefield.com.
Comments can be submitted in writing and mailed to Jim Pilkins, Airport Manager, Mercer County Airport, 300 Markell Drive, Suite 201, Bluefield, WV 24701.
— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com