🛫 Cayman Islands airport projects pose significant environmental threats

The Cayman Islands Airport Authority (CIAA) has opened a bid for consultants to conduct environmental impact assessments (EIAs) of proposed changes at its three airports. The ambitious plans, which include expanding the runway at Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand Cayman, widening Charles Kirkconnell International Airport on Cayman Brac, and relocating Edward Bodden Airfield on Little Cayman, have been classified as priorities despite posing significant environmental threats. The runway extension at ORIA is said to be necessary to meet market demand for long-haul flights, but there are concerns that this demand has been exaggerated. The project would extend the runway into the North Sound, which could have serious environmental implications. 🌍

The proposed runway widening on Cayman Brac would encroach on the Westerly Ponds on the south side of the runway, while the plan to relocate the airfield on Little Cayman has met with significant objections from residents who fear it will put the natural island at risk. The National Conservation Council has determined that EIAs are needed for all three projects before they can proceed. The Department of Environment has warned of the environmental threats posed by these projects, including potential impacts to air quality, noise and vibration disturbances, and major water pollution. 🦆

On Cayman Brac, the main environmental threat is to the ponds and wildlife. The site is used by birds and contains habitat for Sister Islands rock iguanas, a protected species. The proposed airport expansion could disrupt migration patterns, leading to decreased survival rates and a decline in biodiversity. The work would also negatively affect nesting iguanas and bring the runway closer to a sea turtle nesting beach. The construction of a new airport on Little Cayman presents a catalogue of problems, including potential impacts to the Booby Pond Nature Reserve and Rookery, home to one of the largest breeding colonies of red-footed boobies in the Caribbean. 🐢