Long wait ahead for next action on new planned Vegas airport

The Federal Aviation Administration and the Bureau of Land Management completed a series of public hearings Thursday on the planned Ivanpah Valley airport.

Now, it’s a matter of waiting — a long wait.

David Kessler, FAA project manager for the joint lead agencies conducting the environmental review for the Southern Nevada’s supplemental airport, a multibillion-dollar project planned about 35 miles south of Las Vegas between Jean and Primm, explained that after three scoping meetings this week that his agency, the BLM and a consultant would go to work on the report with an expected completion in June 2027. Once a draft report is completed, the joint agencies will conduct more public hearings in July 2027 and make revisions with an anticipated completion in March 2028.

The Clark County Department of Aviation is seeking a decision from the FAA and BLM so it can build the supplemental airport to prepare for when Harry Reid International Airport reaches full capacity. While passenger traffic is down this year, Reid served a record 57.8 million passengers in 2024. Airport officials have said Reid’s capacity is around 65 million.

Kessler said the point of the three scoping meetings was to provide details of the airport project and to gather suggestions from the public on what areas of concern needed to be addressed.

Kessler said Thursday that he did get some of the feedback he sought. A group of environmental activists attending Wednesday’s session suggested that the Southern Nevada Water Authority be consulted regarding projections on how much water would be needed for the new airport and how that water would get to the airport site.

The environmental group, comprised of members of the Center for Biological Diversity, the Sierra Club’s Toiyabe Chapter and Make the Road Nevada, have expressed their opposition to the airport and noted their concerns about the lack of available water, the potential for urban sprawl from the southern end of the Las Vegas Valley to the California state line and the treatment of desert animal and plant species in the airport’s footprint.

Only a couple of dozen people attended the third public scoping meeting Thursday in Primm. Technically, the scoping period runs through Sept. 5, the deadline for written public comments on what types of reporting needs to be addressed in the environmental impact statement.

Kessler said the FAA, BLM and consultant Landrum & Brown Inc. already have a lengthy list of topics to address when drafting the environmental impact statement.

On the checklist:

— Aviation emissions and air quality.

— Biological resources, including fish, wildlife and plants with specific attention to “special status species” of flora and fauna and threatened endangered species.

— Parks and recreation resources, including off-road vehicle use.

— Farmlands.

— Fuels and fire management.

— Geology and mineral resources.

— Hazardous materials, solid waste and pollution prevention.

— Historical, architectural archaeological and cultural resources.

— Land use and realty,

— Natural resources and energy supply.

— National historic trails.

— Noise and noise-compatible land use.

— Recreation.

— Socioeconomics and children’s environmental health and safety risks.