Aviation Emissions and Air Quality Handbook | Federal Aviation Administration

Air quality assessments for proposed Federal actions are required for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Air Act, and other environment-related regulations and directives. This handbook is a comprehensive guide intended to assist the air quality analyst/environmental specialist in assessing the air quality impact of Federal Aviation Administration and the United States Air Force actions at airports and air bases. It provides guidance, procedures and methodologies for use in carrying out such assessments.

Update to Version 3

This handbook is the updated Version 3 of the document originally entitled “Air Quality Procedures for Civilian Airports and Air Force Bases.” The Version 3 Update was created in January of 2015. It includes simplified diagrams, aligns with the latest FAA orders and policies, and contains new material covering hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and greenhouse gasses. Furthermore, the updated handbook emphasizes that there is no single, universal criterion for determining what type of analysis is appropriate for FAA-supported projects or actions. Instead, the handbook provides guidance for determining appropriate types of analysis.