Notice of Opportunity for Public Comment for New Airport Traffic Control Tower at New Century AirCenter

The Johnson County Aviation Commission (JCAC) proposes the construction of a new Sponsor-owned airport traffic control tower (ATCT) to replace the existing ATCT at the New Century AirCenter (IXD) in New Century (Olathe), Johnson County, Kansas. The existing ATCT is owned by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and operated by a third-party contractor as part of the Federal Contract Tower (FCT) Program. The existing ATCT is over 80 years old, does not meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, and has several Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) documented safety and line-of-sight (LOS) encumbrances. The existing ATCT would not be removed as part of the Proposed Action, nor are there current plans to remove or repurpose the facility, and its future use beyond potential abandonment is unknown.

The proposed new ATCT site is approximately 300 feet south of the existing ATCT and oriented facing east towards the airfield. The proposed ATCT site is currently an empty lot. The footprint of the new tower would occupy approximately 0.75 acres. The new tower would stand 125 feet above ground level, approximately 43 feet taller than the existing ATCT. After commissioning of the new tower, the existing ATCT will be decommissioned but remain in place.

The FAA has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and FAA’s NEPA Implementing Procedures (FAA Order 1050.1G) in addition to other applicable federal laws and regulations. The FAA prepared the EA because construction of the new ATCT is anticipated to be funded through multiple federal funding sources, including Congressionally Directed Spending funds and FAA grant programs, including the FCT Competitive Grant Program and/or the Airport Improvement Program.

The existing ATCT was determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 2008. In 2024, the existing ATCT, the proposed new tower site, and several buildings associated with the former Olathe Naval Air Station (ONAS) were determined NRHP-eligible as a historic district. In compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), FAA coordinated with the Kansas State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the following Tribes: Delaware Nation, Delaware Tribe of Indians, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Kaw Nation, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, Omaha Tribe, Osage Nation, Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, Seneca Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma, Shawnee Tribe, and the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota.

In October 2025, an archeological survey was conducted within the boundaries of the proposed ATCT site. No historic (NRHP-listed or eligible) archeological resources were identified. On March 3, 2026, the Kansas SHPO concurred with FAA’s determination of “no effect” on archeological resources. The FAA provided a copy of the archeological survey report to the Osage Nation and Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma for review and comment on January 27, 2026. No responses were received by February 27, 2026; therefore, the FAA concluded the Section 106 process.

Since the conclusion of initial consultation, design changes increased the height of the proposed ATCT to 125 feet. FAA conducted supplemental coordination with the Kansas SHPO and Tribes to assess potential visual effects to historic architectural resources. On June 1, 2026, the Kansas SHPO concurred that the previous finding of “no adverse effect” remains applicable. On June 10, 2026, the Shawnee Tribe responded via email that they “concur that no known historic properties eligible for the National Registry will be negatively impacted by this project.” No other responses were received.

The FAA is providing an opportunity to comment on the proposed action as part of the Section 106 process. Those wishing to provide written comments must do so by email or letter postmarked no later than July 30, 2026, to Aaron Comrov, FAA Environmental Team Lead, at aaron.comrov@faa.gov.

Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment –including your personal identifying information–may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee we will be able to do so.