Summary: Many of the nation's commercial airports are operating at or near capacity and are under growing pressure to expand to accommodate the rising demand for domestic air travel, which is projected to increase by 3.6 percent annually through 2011. This growing demand has heightened concerns among some communities, environmental groups, and others that airport operations may increasingly threaten the environment. Officials from all of the nation's busiest airports report that balancing their operations with their impact on the environment is more difficult than it was a decade ago. This report reviews key environmental concerns and challenges associated with airports' current operations and future growth and the efforts of major airports and federal agencies to address these concerns. GAO cites noise, water and air issues as the leading environmental concerns and challenges for airports and finds that, although the federal government has coordinated some efforts to address environmental issues associated with airport operations and growth, challenges remain.
