The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed replacement of the Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) at Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) in San José, California, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act and FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts, Policies and Procedures. 

The Proposed Action is the replacement by the FAA of the existing FAA-owned ATCT and associated facilities and infrastructure at SJC with a new ATCT, administrative base building, and associated facilities. Relocation of the existing remote transmitter/receiver is also included as part of the Proposed Action. The existing ATCT, commissioned in 1994, has several design inadequacies and FAA code deficiencies including line-of-sight deficiencies. The Proposed Action would replace the existing ATCT at SJC with a new one that meets current FAA design standards and improves the functional and operational capabilities of the services provided by the ATCT. The site for the proposed ATCT, administrative base building, parking areas, and other associated infrastructure would encompass a 3.7-acre parcel of land that is adjacent to the existing ATCT and is currently developed for use as a parking lot. 

SJC ATCT EA

The FAA will accept comments on the draft EA for a minimum of 30 days until Friday, July 25th, 2025. If you have comments on the proposed project, please send your response electronically or by mail to Vincent Nguyen at the following: 

Air Traffic Organization Engineering Services Attn: Vincent T. Nguyen 777 
Aviation Boulevard El Segundo, CA 90245 Email: vincent.t.nguyen@faa.gov

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY   
FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT,   
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT and   
RECORD OF DECISION   
PROPOSED TERMINAL B SOUTH CONCOURSE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT   
NORMAN Y. MINETA SAN JOSÉ INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT   
SAN JOSÉ, SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that a Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision (FONSI/ROD) was approved for the City of San José’s proposed Terminal B South Concourse Improvements Project at San José International Airport (SJC), San Jose, Santa Clara County, California.  The FONSI/ROD are based upon results of a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) dated April 2023.

• Terminal B South Concourse Improvement Project FONSI-ROD
• Terminal B South Concourse Final EA
• Terminal B South Concourse Appendices

The Proposed Action addressed by the FONSI/ROD are:

• Extension of Terminal B through the construction and operation of an up to 750,000 square foot (SF) South Concourse which includes 16 airline gates with passenger loading bridges;
  • Eight (8) gates currently exist in the Interim Terminal Facility, two (2) gates would be relocated from current locations in the existing terminals, and six (6) gates are new; 
    • The terminal gates would be designed to accommodate Aircraft Design Group III aircraft; and
• Reconstruction and strengthening up to 392,000 SF of deteriorated airfield apron at the south end of the proposed Terminal B South Concourse to support aircraft terminal parking.

The FAA’s Federal Actions include:

• Unconditional approval of the portions of the ALP that depict the Proposed Action pursuant to 49 U.S.C § 47107(a)(16).
• Determinations under 49 U.S.C. §§ 47106 and 47107 that are associated with the eligibility of the Proposed Action for Federal funding assistance under the Airport Improvement Program and 49 U.S.C. § 40117, as implemented by 14  CFR § 158.25, to use passenger facility charges (PFCs) collected at the Airport for the Proposed Action to assist with construction of potentially eligible development items as shown on the ALP, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, (Public Law 117-58).

The FONSI/ROD indicates that the project is consistent with existing environmental policies and objectives set forth in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 in that it will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment.  Copies of the Final EA, and FONSI/ROD will be available at the following locations for public inspection from April 28, 2023 through June 2, 2023:

• SJC Administrative Offices, 1701 Airport Blvd, San José, CA 95110 (M-F, 8 AM – 5 PM);
• Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, 150 E San Fernando St, San José, CA 95112 (https://www.sjpl.org/king or 408-808-2000); and
• Mission Branch Library, 1098 Lexington St, Santa Clara, CA 95050 (https://www.sclibrary.org/about-us/locations-and-hours#mission or 408-615-2964)

The FONSI/ROD may also be viewed at the FAA’s website at: https://www.faa.gov/airports/environmental/records_decision/

The Consolidated Rental Auto Center (ConRAC) is located across the street from the new Terminal B. The location reduced the need for bus trips to rental car offices, and decreased the size of the Airport’s bus fleet, helping to protect air quality. The ConRAC is a state of the art facility with the newest technology that allows the Airport’s rental car companies to operate fueling, maintenance and indoor carwash racks with greater efficiency and more environmental controls. The ConRAC is topped by a 1MW solar array that supplies 20% of its power.

In 2010 Facilities Division of the Airport made a shift to using Electric Vehicles for their daily operations on the airfield. Since these vehicles do not need to travel on commercial roadways, the Airport can reduce their impact on air quality and reduce the carbon footprint of their operations. One convenience of these vehicles is their charging compatibility. These electric vehicles require Level 1 charging which is a simple 110V, 3-prong outlet are available in offices, home walls, and garages.

With the advent of more electric vehicles (EV) hitting the market, SJC has installed EV 8 chargers in the hourly parking south of Terminal B to serve customer vehicles while parked at the Airport. The chargers were provided through an air quality settlement by California Air Resources Board along with a grant to Southwest Airlines to install Ground Support Equipment (GSE) chargers. Southwest is in the process of converting their GSE fleet to electric to reduce their air quality impact.

As a part of the new Terminal Area Improvement Program, SJC eliminated the need for traffic signals by building direct on/off ramps and grade separations at several locations on Airport roadways. The one-way Airport Boulevard/Terminal Drive loop and the I-880/Coleman Avenue onramp minimize vehicle stopping and idling. The cell phone waiting area on Airport Parkway reduces unnecessary congestion and emissions from arrival pick-up traffic. Overall, the New Airport’s roadway component has focused on improving circulation, reducing delay, and unnecessary trips through the Airport campus to reduce emissions and improve air quality for the community.

SJC was the first airport in the western U.S. to be awarded a Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) grant by the FAA in 2009. As a result of the $4.6 million VALE grant and the Airport’s modernization program, all 28 aircraft gates are now equipped with “preconditioned air” and ground power that enable airlines to reduce their use of jet and diesel fuel while parked at the gate. The VALE Grant also enabled the Airport to purchase 11 off road electric vehicles for use at the Airport. This enables us to reduce emissions at the Airport and improve air quality in the community.

SJC is committed to ensuring access to our terminals through all forms of transit. In order to provide convenient public transportation to staff and travelers SJC works with VTA to subsidize a shuttle bus, The Airport Flyer (VTA #60), connects riders to the San Jose Metro Light Rail, Santa Clara Caltrain Station and Milpitas Transit Center.

SJC incentivizes the use of public transit for Airport staff and tenants in an effort to reduce green house gas emissions. The airport provides free VTA transit passes to 200 Airport employees and approximately 1,300 tenant and city employees who work at the Airport. Bicycling to work is also encouraged. The new construction included improvements on the bicycle paths on the Guadalupe and 20 bike parking spaces for staff who bike to work or customers who bike to the Airport.

By providing this public service SJC helps to reduce emissions from private transit. The Airport Flyer connection ultimately casts its web throughout the Bay Area where connections of the VTA, Caltrain System and Milpitas Transit Center travel.

On June 30, 2010 SJC’s terminal B opened. In accordance with San Jose’s Green Vision, the terminal was built to achieve the standards of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED certification is an internationally recognized building standard which demonstrates a building’s performance across the metrics that matter most:

• Energy savings,
• Water efficiency,
• CO2 emissions reduction,
• Improved indoor environmental quality, and
• Stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

The Terminal B received a LEED certification Silver to help the Airport greatly reduce its environmental impact.