[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 155 (Friday, August 11, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41145-41146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-19908]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration


Noise Exposure Map Notice; Receipt of Noise Compatibility Program 
and Request for Review Westover Metropolitan Airport/Air Reserve Base 
Chicopee, Massachusetts

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its 
determination that the noise exposure map for Westover Metropolitan 
Airport/Air Reserve Base, as submitted by the Westover Metropolitan 
Development Corporation under the provisions of Title I of the Aviation 
Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979 (Pub. L. 96-193) and 14 CFR part 
150, is in compliance with applicable requirements. The FAA also 
announces that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program 
that was submitted for Westover Metropolitan Airport/Air Reserve Base 
under Part 150 in conjunction with the noise exposure map, and that 
this program will be approved or disapproved on or before January 27, 
1996.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date of the FAA's determination on the 
noise exposure map and of the start of its review of the associated 
noise compatibility program is July 31, 1995. The public comment period 
ends on September 29, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
John C. Silva, Federal Aviation Administration, New England Region, 
Airports Division, ANE-600, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, 
Massachusetts 01803.
    Comments on the proposed noise compatibility program should also be 
submitted to the above office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA finds 
that the noise exposure map submitted for Westover Metropolitan 
Airport/Air Reserve Base is in compliance with applicable requirements 
of part 150, effective July 31, 1995. Further, FAA is reviewing a 
proposed noise compatibility program for that airport which will be 
approved or disapproved on or before January 27, 1996. This notice also 
announces the availability of this program for public review and 
comment.
    Under section 103 of Title I of the Aviation Safety and Noise 
Abatement Act of 1979 (hereinafter referred to as ``the Act''), an 
airport operator may submit to the FAA a noise exposure map which meets 
applicable regulations and which depicts noncompatible land uses as of 
the date of submission of such map, a description of projected aircraft 
operations, and the ways in which such operations will affect such map. 
The Act requires such map to be developed in consultation with 
interested and affected parties in the local community, government 
agencies, and persons using the airport. An airport operator who has 
submitted a noise exposure map that is found by FAA to be in compliance 
with the requirements of Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) part 150, 
promulgated pursuant to Title I of the Act, may submit a noise 
compatibility program for FAA approval which sets forth the measures 
the operator has taken, or proposes, for the introduction of additional 
noncompatible uses.
    The Westover Metropolitan Development Corporation submitted to the 
FAA on January 26, 1994, a noise exposure map, descriptions, and other 
documentation which were produced during the Airport Noise 
Compatibility Planning (part 150) study at Westover Metropolitan 
Airport/Air Reserve Base from October 1990 to June 1995. It was 
requested that the FAA review this material as the noise exposure map, 
as described in section 103(a)(1) of the Act, and that the noise 
mitigation measures, to be implemented jointly by the airport and 
surrounding communities, be approved as a noise compatibility program 
under section 104(b) of the Act.
    The FAA has completed its review of the noise exposure map and 
related descriptions submitted by Westover Metropolitan Airport/Air 
Reserve Base. The specific maps under consideration were Figures 10.1, 
`` Westover Metropolitan Airport/ARB Existing Case Ldn Contours'' and 
10.3, `` Westover Metropolitan Airport/ARB Forecast Case Ldn 
Contours'', along with the supporting documentation in `` Westover 
Metropolitan Airport/Air Reserve Base; FAR part 150 Documentation; 
Noise Exposure Map''. The FAA has determined that the maps for Westover 
Metropolitan Airport/Air Reserve Basevelopment Corporation are in 
compliance with applicable requirements. This determination is 
effective on July 31, 1995.
    FAA's determination on an airport operator's noise exposure maps is 
limited to a finding that the maps were developed in accordance with 
the 

[[Page 41146]]
procedures contained in appendix A of FAR part 150. Such determination 
does not constitute approval of the applicant's data, information or 
plans, or a commitment to approve a noise compatibility program or to 
fund the implementation of that program. If questions arise concerning 
the precise relationship of specific properties to noise exposure 
contours depicted on a noise exposure map submitted under section 103 
of the Act, it should be noted that the FAA is not involved in any way 
in determining the relative locations of specific properties with 
regard to the depicted noise contours, or in interpreting the noise 
exposure map to resolve questions concerning, for example, which 
properties should be covered by the provisions of section 107 of the 
Act. These functions are inseparable from the ultimate land use control 
and planning responsibilities of local government. These local 
responsibilities are not changed in any way under part 150 or through 
FAA's review of a noise exposure map. Therefore, the responsibility for 
the detailed overlaying of noise exposure contours onto the map 
depicting properties on the surface rests exclusively with the airport 
operator which submitted the map, or with those public agencies and 
planning agencies with which consultation is required under section 103 
of the Act. The FAA has relied on the certification by the airport 
operator, under Sec. 150.21 or FAR part 150, that the statutorily 
required consultation has been accomplished.
    The FAA has formally received the noise compatibility program for 
Westover Metropolitan Airport/Air Reserve Base, also effective on July 
31, 1995. Preliminary review of the submitted material indicates that 
it conforms to the requirements for the submittal of noise 
compatibility programs, but that further review will be necessary prior 
to approval or disapproval of the program. The formal review period, 
limited by law to a maximum of 180 days, will be completed on or before 
January 27, 1996. The FAA's detailed evaluation will be conducted under 
the provisions of 14 CFR part 150, Sec. 150.33. The primary 
considerations in the evaluation process are whether the proposed 
measures may reduce the level of aviation safety, create an undue 
burden on interstate or foreign commerce, or be reasonably consistent 
with obtaining the goal of reducing existing noncompatible land uses 
and preventing the introduction of additional noncompatible land uses.
    Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed program 
with specific reference to these factors. All comments, other than 
those properly addressed to local land use authorities, will be 
considered by the FAA to the extent practicable. Copies of the noise 
exposure map, the FAA's evaluation of the map, and the proposed noise 
compatibility program are available for examination at the following 
locations:

Westover Metropolitan Airport, 3911 Pendleton Avenue, Chicopee, 
Massachusetts 01022
Federal Aviation Administration, New England Region, Airports Division, 
ANE-600, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, Massachusetts 
01803.
    Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the 
heading: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts on July 31, 1995.
Vincent A. Scarano,
Manager, Airports Division, New England Region.
[FR Doc. 95-19908 Filed 8-10-95; 8:45 am]
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