The agreement includes a minimum of $20 million cash and additional compensation to relocate refuge facilities and to defray increased operational costs. The agreement caps over two years of negotiations between Service officials and representatives from MAC and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Service officials had initially requested $26.95 million to replace an estimated 4,000 acres of refuge land and related education facilities potentially impacted by aircraft noise.
This is a very positive step for both wildlife and for Twin Cities residents, said Service Regional Director Bill Hartwig. Were very pleased that officials at MAC and FAA have recognized the value of the refuge to residents and have offered to compensate for the noise impacts of the proposed runway. Although replacing the land and facilities at our Minnesota Valley Refuge will take years, this agreement allows us to protect refuge resources and offer continued environmental educational opportunities to Twin Cities residents over the long-term.
Officials at MAC were also glad to have the agreement in place. The Metropolitan Airports Commission is pleased that we have reached an agreement which allows MAC to move forward in building a new runway, said Nigel Finney, MAC deputy executive director for planning and environment. This agreement is a fair compromise for MAC and the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
The agreement between the agencies calls for MAC to make full payment to Service officials within 120 days following the start of the new runway construction. The agreement also indicates the Service may accept retail and exhibit space within the MSP terminal in lieu of monetary compensation for increased operational expenses.
According to Minnesota Valley Refuge manager Rick Schultz, amounts received for mitigation will be used to replace refuge land, facilities and programs impacted by runway noise. We would have preferred to keep our refuge and programs intact, said Schultz. But we certainly recognize the need for safe, reliable air transportation, so Im glad we were able to come to an agreement, at least in principle. It will take a lot of effort to relocate our facilities and programs, but this should allow us to provide additional opportunities for our growing metro population.
The mitigation agreement is contingent on the actual construction of a new north-south runway. If the construction project is canceled or put on hold, the mitigation agreement would also be suspended.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://midwest.fws.gov
