Massport officials have filed the 1999 Logan Environmental Status and Planning Report (ESPR) with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office (MEPA). The document provides a snapshot of activity levels at Logan in 1999 as well as a status report on the planning, design and construction of airport projects. The ESPR also assesses existing environmental conditions and tracks Massport's mitigation commitments.

The ESPR reflects a decrease in aircraft operations and an increase in passenger volume with Logan serving over 27 million passengers in 1999. The data also shows that regional airports are growing faster than Logan Airport. During the period of 1996-1999, the regional airports grew by 13 percent while Logan grew by only 2.5 percent. In 1999, regional airports accommodated 38 percent of New England's air passenger demand. The ESPR also shows that high occupancy vehicle (HOV) ridership to Logan increased by 5 percent over 1998 levels. Overall, HOV ridership increased to 6,539,285 passengers in 1999. Boston ranks second in the use of public transportation to a major airport in the United States.

The ESPR Executive Summary is available on the Massport web site www.massport.com and at local libraries. Massport has a standing commitment to meet and consult with citizens and affected constituencies in addition to federal, state and local agencies. A MEPA consultation session is scheduled for January 23, 2001 at 4:00 p.m. at the Logan Office Center, One Harborside Drive, East Boston. There is a public comment period for the ESPR through February 7, 2001. Anyone wishing to comment on the ESPR should contact the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs/ MEPA Office, File EOEA # 3247.

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