[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4109 Introduced in Senate (IS)]


109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4109

  To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the operation of 
       certain aircraft not complying with stage 3 noise levels.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 7, 2006

Mr. Lautenberg introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the operation of 
       certain aircraft not complying with stage 3 noise levels.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Aircraft Noise Reduction Act of 
2006''.

SEC. 2. OPERATION OF AIRCRAFT NOT MEETING STAGE 3 NOISE LEVELS.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 475 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 47534. Prohibition on operating certain aircraft weighing 75,000 
              pounds or less not complying with stage 3 noise levels
    ``(a) Prohibition.--Except as provided in subsection (b), (c), or 
(d), a person may not operate a civil subsonic turbojet with a maximum 
weight of 75,000 pounds or less to or from an airport in the United 
States unless the Secretary of Transportation finds that the aircraft 
complies with stage 3 noise levels.
    ``(b) Exception.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to aircraft 
operated only outside the 48 contiguous States.
    ``(c) Opt-Out.--Subsection (a) shall not apply at an airport where 
the airport operator has notified the Secretary that it wants to 
continue to permit the operation of civil subsonic turbojets with a 
maximum weight of 75,000 pounds or less that do not comply with stage 3 
noise levels. The Secretary shall post the notices received under this 
subsection on its website or in another place easily accessible to the 
public.
    ``(d) Limitation.--The Secretary shall permit a person to operate 
Stage 1 and Stage 2 aircraft with a maximum weight of 75,000 pounds or 
less to or from an airport in the contiguous 48 States in order--
            ``(1) to sell, lease, or use the aircraft outside the 48 
        contiguous States;
            ``(2) to scrap the aircraft;
            ``(3) to obtain modifications to the aircraft to meet stage 
        3 noise levels;
            ``(4) to perform scheduled heavy maintenance or significant 
        modifications on the aircraft at a maintenance facility located 
        in the contiguous 48 states;
            ``(5) to deliver the aircraft to an operator leasing the 
        aircraft from the owner or return the aircraft to the lessor;
            ``(6) to prepare or park or store the aircraft in 
        anticipation of any of the activities described in paragraphs 
        (1) through (5); or
            ``(7) to divert the aircraft to an alternative airport in 
        the 48 contiguous States on account of weather, mechanical, 
        fuel air traffic control or other safety reasons while 
        conducting a flight in order to perform any of the activities 
        described in paragraphs (1) through (6).
    ``(e) Statutory Construction.--Nothing in the section may be 
construed as interfering with, nullifying, or otherwise affecting 
determinations made by the Federal Aviation Administration, or to be 
made by the Administration, with respect to applications under part 161 
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, that were pending on the date 
of enactment of the Aircraft Noise Reduction Act of 2006.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 47531 of title 49, United States Code, is 
        amended by striking ``47529, or 47530'' and inserting ``47529, 
        47530, or 47534''.
            (2) Section 47532 of title 49, United States Code, is 
        amended by striking ``47528-47531'' and inserting ``47528 
        through 47531 or 47534''.
            (3) The chapter analysis for chapter 475 of title 49, 
        United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item 
        relating to section 47533 the following:

``47534. Prohibition on operating certain aircraft weighing 75,000 
                            pounds or less not complying with stage 3 
                            noise levels.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on the date that is 3 years after the date of enactment of this 
Act.
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