Massport files fourth vegetation-management update for airport; NRC continues hearing pending NHESP and winter-season timing

Consultants for Massport presented a Notice of Intent on May 7 seeking approval of the fourth update to the airport Vegetation Management Plan (VMP), which covers vegetation in airspace management areas adjacent to the runway and airport security perimeter. The VMP updates are periodic and designed to maintain required obstruction-free airspace while limiting impacts to wetlands and vernal-pool habitat.

Greg Cohen, a senior environmentalist with Stantec, described the VMP update as routine and driven by updated aerial photogrammetry used to identify vegetation that penetrates airspace surfaces. Cohen said the NOI shows approximately 19,500 square feet of new impacts to bordering vegetated wetlands and bordering land subject to flooding in some management areas. "Within the notice of intent, we've got proposed impacts to bordering vegetated wetland, in the magnitude of approximately 19,500 square feet of new impact," he said.

Cohen and project representatives told the commission they had met on-site with Natural Resources staff and the Concord Land Trust and had flagged trees for removal in wetlands and uplands. Cohen said Massport will use techniques the airport has used in earlier VMP updates, including tree topping and girdling to reduce canopy height and hand-cutting small trees near the security perimeter fence. He also said contractors will use mats in wetlands and seasonally restricted work in some areas.

The Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) requested turtle protection measures for wood turtles and recommended either a turtle protection plan or a work start date after Nov. 1. The Massport team agreed to update the VMP to specify a start date after Nov. 1 to reduce potential wood-turtle impacts and to add turtle BMPs to the plan. Cohen said the team will also provide outstanding reporting from the last VMP update and submit the flagged-tree GPS data.

Commissioners opened the hearing to public comment and noted several outstanding submittals and certificates from the prior update that must be filed. The NRC continued the matter to the commission’s May 14 meeting to allow the applicant and consultant to provide the requested documentation, the updated VMP language reflecting NHESP timing and BMP requirements, and any outstanding certificates.

Ending The hearing was continued; the applicant will update the VMP to include NHESP-recommended turtle BMPs and a November 1 start date and submit requested reports and tree-flagging data to staff before the continued hearing.