We need champions of the environment and the state park like you to contact RDU Airport Authority (RDUAA), and insist that RDUAA should not damage the environmental integrity of Umstead State Park with Economy 3 expansion, and must avoid using land on or near the NC State Park’s Critical Acquisition List.

RDUAA is pushing ahead with expanding Park Economy 3 despite better options. Expanding Park Economy 3 means that much of 286 West will be deforested for parking lots. This area has numerous creeks, including Haley’s Branch, that drain into Umstead State Park. Ultimately, this negatively affects both the Park and the Old Reedy Creek recreation corridor.

$44,000,000 is included in the RDUAA budget for Expanding Park Economy 3 (Project 080799). Very few details have been provided for this expansion plan.

RDUAA is starting now with Phase I of this project which includes 8,709 parking spaces. When the expansion is completed, this huge parking lot will have 11,000 to 17,000 new parking spaces next to Haley's Branch. That is a massive amount of deforestation and pavement in a watershed area very close to Umstead State Park.

RDUAA has said they do NOT have to do a full environmental analysis (EA) even though this land drains into Crabtree Creek and Umstead State Park. They claim no federal funds were used to “acquire” the property which means they don’t have to do a full EA. But, there is evidence to suggest that federal funds were used to acquire this land! RDUAA seems to be trying to get out of doing what it can to protect its biggest neighbor!

As the agency in charge, RDUAA is responsible for storm water management. Where is the storm water management plan to reduce water volume and pollution coming from an asphalt parking lot? Will there be a retention pond? This should be in place before any trees are cut down..  

The location of this parking lot expansion is based off of the land use plan in RDUAA’s Vision 2040 Master Plan, with no alternative analysis. There are better options for parking lots elsewhere on RDUAA managed property that do not harm Umstead State Park and the Old Reedy Creek recreation corridor. The land use portion of the Master Plan can and should be revisited as it does not adequately consider the airport’s biggest neighbor, Umstead State Park.  

The RDUAA has been asked to involve the public and have two-way communications, but they have not done so.

Please share this information and please consider submitting comments and ask that, prior to additional expenditure of funds, details on the footprint and design of the Expanded Park Economy 3 parking lot be provided, effective and open two-way communications between the RDUAA and its representatives and the public be implemented, and that the land use portion of Vision 2040 be re-visited.

IMPORTANT NOTE: RDUAA does not own these lands. These tracts are deeded to the four local government owners of the airport: the Counties of Wake and Durham and the Cities of Raleigh, The RDUAA manages this public land.