[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 170 (Friday, September 1, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45766-45767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21818]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration


Approval of Noise Compatibility Program, Greater Rockford 
Airport, Rockford, IL

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its 
findings on the noise compatibility program submitted by the Greater 
Rockford Airport Authority for Greater Rockford Airport 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. These findings are made in 
recognition of the description of Federal and nonfederal 
responsibilities in Senate Report No. 96-52 (1980). On January 31, 
1995, the FAA determined that the noise exposure maps submitted by the 
Greater Rockford Airport Authority under part 150 were in compliance 
with applicable requirements. On July 26, 1995, the Associate 
Administrator for Airports approved the Greater Rockford Airport noise 
compatibility program. This noise compatibility program is an updated 
version of a noise compatibility program FAA approved on March 23, 
1990. The Greater Rockford Airport Authority's recommended program 
consists of twenty-nine measures including the withdrawal of six 
measures previously approved. Of the twenty-three remaining, twelve are 
listed as Noise Abatement Measures, eight are listed as Land Use 
Management Measures and three listed as Other Implementation Measures. 
The FAA has approved all twenty-three measures.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date of the FAA's approval of the Greater 
Rockford Airport Noise Compatibility Program is July 26, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Melissa Wishy, Federal Aviation Administration, Chicago Airports 
District Office, CHI-ADO-640.8, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, 
Illinois, 60018, (708) 294-7524.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA has given 
its overall approval to the noise compatibility program for Greater 
Rockford Airport, effective July 26, 1995.
    Under section 104(a) of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act 
of 1979 (hereinafter referred to as ``the Act''), an airport operator 
who has previously submitted a noise exposure map may submit to the FAA 
a noise compatibility program which sets forth the measures taken or 
proposed by the airport 

[[Page 45767]]
operator for the reduction of existing noncompatible land uses and 
prevention of additional noncompatible land uses within the area 
covered by the noise exposure maps. The Act requires such programs to 
be developed in consultation with interested and affected parties 
including local communities, government agencies, airport users, and 
FAA personnel.
    Each airport noise compatibility program developed in accordance 
with Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 150 is a local program, 
not a Federal program. The FAA does not substitute its judgment for 
that of the airport proprietor with respect to which measures should be 
recommended for action. The FAA's approval or disapproval of FAR part 
150 program recommendations is measured according to the standards 
expressed in Part 150 and the Act, and is limited to the following 
determinations:
    a. The NCP was developed in accordance with the provisions and 
procedures of FAR Part 150;
    b. Program measures are reasonably consistent with achieving the 
goals of reducing existing noncompatible land uses around the airport 
and preventing the introduction of additional noncompatible land uses;
    c. Program measures would not create an undue burden on interstate 
or foreign commerce, unjustly discriminate against types or classes or 
aeronautical uses, violate the terms of airport grant agreements, or 
intrude into areas preempted by the Federal Government; and
    d. Program measures relating to the use of flight procedures can be 
implemented within the period covered by the program without derogating 
safety, adversely affecting the efficient use and management of the 
navigable airspace and air traffic control systems, or adversely 
affecting other powers and responsibilities of the Administrator 
prescribed by law.
    Specific limitations with respect to FAA's approval of an airport 
noise compatibility program are delineated in FAR Part 150, section 
150.5. Approval is not a determination concerning the acceptability of 
land uses under Federal, state, or local law. Approval does not by 
itself constitute an FAA implementing action. A request for Federal 
action or approval to implement specific noise compatibility measures 
may be required, and an FAA decision on the request may require an 
environmental assessment of the proposed action.
    Approval does not constitute a commitment by the FAA to financially 
assist in the implementation of the program nor a determination that 
all measures covered by the program are eligible for grant-in-aid 
funding from the FAA. Where federal funding is sought, requests for 
project grants must be submitted to the FAA Chicago Airports District 
Office in Des Plaines, Illinois.
    The Greater Rockford Airport Authority submitted to the FAA on May 
3, 1994 noise exposure maps, descriptions and other documentation. This 
documentation was produced during the Airport Noise Compatibility 
Planning (Part 150) Study at Greater Rockford Airport from February 
1993 through May 1994. The noise compatibility program is an updated 
version of a noise compatibility program FAA approved on March 23, 
1990. The Greater Rockford Airport noise exposure maps were determined 
by FAA to be in compliance with applicable requirements on January 31, 
1995. Notice of this determination was published in the Federal 
Register on February 23, 1995.
    The Greater Rockford Airport study contains a proposed noise 
compatibility program comprised of actions designed for phased 
implementation by airport management and adjacent jurisdictions from 
the date of study completion to the year 1998. It was requested that 
the FAA evaluate and approve this material as a noise compatibility 
program as described in section 104(b) of the Act. The FAA began its 
review of the program on January 31, 1995 and was required by a 
provision of the Act to approve or disapprove the program within 180 
days (other than the use of new flight procedures for noise control). 
Failure to approve or disapprove such program within the 180-day period 
would have been deemed to be an approval of such program.
    The submitted program contained twenty-three proposed measures for 
noise mitigation on and off the airport. The FAA completed its review 
and determined that the procedural and substantive requirements of the 
Act and FAR Part 150 have been satisfied. The overall program, 
therefore, was approved by the Associate Administrator for Airports 
effective July 26, 1995.
    Twelve of the twenty-three measures submitted are listed as ``Noise 
Abatement Measures''. Most of these noise abatement measures were 
designed to alter flight tracks and all were approved. Eight of the 
twenty-three measures submitted are listed as ``Land Use Management 
Measures'', of which all were approved. Of these eight land use 
measures, four are preventive measures including such things as noise 
overlay zoning recommendations, discouraging incompatible development 
in areas impacted by aircraft noise exposure of 65 DNL and higher, 
adopting the Part 150 NCP as a comprehensive plan element and adopting 
guidelines for discretionary review. The remaining land use management 
measures are corrective measures such as acquisition of noise impacted 
homes, acquisition of development and overflight rights, creation of a 
noise buffer, and options of voluntary sale. Finally, three measures, 
``Other Implementation Measures'' dealing with continuing planning were 
also approved outright. These determinations are set forth in detail in 
a Record of Approval endorsed by the Associate Administrator for 
Airports on July 26, 1995. The Record of Approval, as well as other 
evaluation materials and documents which comprised the submittal to FAA 
are available for review at the following locations:

Airport Manager's Office, Greater Rockford Airport Authority, 3600 
Airport Drive, Rockford, Illinois 61125-0063
Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics, One 
Langhorne Drive, Capitol Airport, Springfield, Illinois
Federal Aviation Administration, Chicago Airports District Office, 2300 
East Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018

    Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the 
heading, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Issued in Des Plaines, Illinois on August 21, 1995.
Louis H. Yates,
Manager, Chicago Airports District Office FAA, Great Lakes Region.
[FR Doc. 95-21818 Filed 8-31-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M