The decision, in a new environmental impact statement from the FAA, overcomes a major obstacle for the city's airport plan and puts the project on the verge of winning final approval.
It also comes despite previous objections from the Grand Canyon Trust, which prevailed in a 2002 lawsuit that claimed the FAA had failed to fully consider noise impacts over Zion National Park and forced the agency back for more study.
"It's been over 10 years for us in this process. There's been about $4 million spent, so this is the most comprehensive airport environmental study ever done in the nation," said Larry Bulloch, public works director for St. George. "We feel it has met everyone's needs."
According to the FAA analysis, Zion National Park could actually end up quieter overall if the new airport is built. That is because larger jets would be able to land at the new airport, replacing the current smaller, propeller-driven planes. More passengers could travel on fewer flights. In addition, the jets would travel faster, so they would be over the park for a shorter period of time.
The study, consisting of thousands of pages of charts and dense technical documents, will be available for public review for 45 days. Sometime after that, the FAA will issue a final decision on the airport.
Dick Hingson, a park overflights specialist for the Grand Canyon Trust, said he had not had a chance to review the FAA's final environmental documents. But he said the agency had been using averages to downplay the noise impacts in some parts of the park.
Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, said he hopes everyone feels they have had their say and the project can get going.
"I've been supportive all along trying to move ahead with this airport," Matheson said. "I hope that after what I think has been an inordinately long process, and with some delays that have been inappropriate, I hope we can finally bring these issues to closure and move along with this airport."
The Park Service was frequently at odds with the FAA over how the noise in the park should be measured and raised several issues with the draft environmental statement issued last year.
At the end of the day, many of the issues were resolved, said Zion National Park Superintendent Jock Whitworth. He said the overriding Park Service concern was that the natural soundscape not be impaired, and the FAA worked hard to address that interest.
Whitworth said there would be only a few additional flights over the park each day, according to the FAA model, a small change given the thousands of flights traveling over the park.
"I would think you would likely notice those. Would that ruin your experience? It depends on the person. Some tune in to the high-level flights, some don't," said Whitworth. "If you're in pristine country . . . you'll probably tune in to high-level overflights. There will be a little bit more, a small percentage more overflights."
The existing airport sits atop a bluff west of the city, but its runway is too small to accommodate the large jet aircraft and there is no way to expand the airport for increased traffic into the booming city.
In 2003, 45,583 passengers boarded flights at the St. George airport. Bulloch said that is well short of what is needed, forcing people to fly into Salt Lake City or Las Vegas and drive to St. George. If the new airport is built, it is projected to handle up to 117,700 passengers by 2020.
"It's hard to do business in Washington County if you don't have adequate air service, so it's an economic benefit," Bulloch said.
The new airport is expected to cost about $110 million, said Bulloch. The city is looking at a variety of funding sources, including redeveloping the existing 270-acre airport site.
"It's probably the most ideal site in the entire city in terms of development," he said. "It's convenient, it's got a vista, it's got access to the freeway. It's a prime piece of property."
Copies of the environmental study will be available for review at locations in St. George, Las Vegas and possibly Salt Lake City. The material will also be available online.
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Tribune reporter Thomas Burr contributed to this report.
