[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 8 (Monday, January 13, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1794-1795]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-791]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Noise Exposure Map Notice; Receipt of Noise Compatibility Program
and Request for Review, Washington National Airport, Washington, DC
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its
determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by the
Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority (MWAA) for the Washington
National Airport (DCA) under the provisions of Title I of the Aviation
Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-193) and 14 CFR
part 150 are in compliance with applicable requirements. The FAA also
announces that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program
that was submitted for DCA under part 150 in conjunction with the noise
exposure maps and that this program will be approved or disapproved on
or before July 3, 1997.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date of FAA's determination on the noise
exposure maps and of the start of its review of the associated noise
compatibility program is January 3, 1997. The public comment period
ends March 3, 1997.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Squeglia, Environmental Specialist, FAA Eastern Regional Office,
Airports Division, AEA-610, Fitzgerald Building, JFK International
Airport, Jamaica, NY 11430; (718) 553-3325. 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 maps submitted for DCA are in compliance with
applicable requirements of Part 150, effective January 3, 1997.
Further, FAA is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program for
that airport which will be approved or disapproved on or before July 3,
1997. This notice also announces the availability of this program for
public review and comment.
Under Section 103 to 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 noise exposure maps which meet
applicable regulations and which depict noncompatible land uses as of
the date of submission of such maps, a description of projected
aircraft operations, and the way in which such operations will affect
such maps. The Act requires such maps 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 noise exposure maps that are
found by FAA to be in compliance with the requirements of Federal
Aviation Regulations (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 reduction of existing noncompatible uses and for the prevention of
the introduction of additional noncompatible uses.
The MWAA submitted to the FAA on October 9, 1990, noise exposure
maps, description and other documentation which were produced during an
airport noise compatibility planning study from 1985 to 1990. The
original document was dated August 1990. It was requested that the FAA
review this material as the noise exposure maps, 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. FAA's preliminary review of the Study in accordance with 14
CFR Part 150.31 required changes to the Study.
On March 30, 1994, MWAA submitted its revised Part 150 Noise
Compatibility Program (NCP), dated December 1993, to the FAA. The FAA's
preliminary review of the revised NCP raised concerns about the use of
the 1989 Noise Exposure Map (NEM) as the base case NEM and use of the
``1994 Noise Exposure Map: Improved Fleet Mix and Enhanced
Compliance,'' shown in the revised document as Figure V-3, as the
``five-year'' NEM. FAA and Authority staff have discussed this matter
and recommend the use of this 1994 NEM as the base case NEM, and the
use of the ``All Stage 3 Operations'' NEM, shown in Attachment 1 of the
document as Figure 8, for the five-year forecast NEM. These uses of the
1994 NEM and the ``All Stage 3 Operations'' NEM are consistent with the
guidelines set forth in 14 CFR Part 150.21 (a) and (a)(1). MWAA has
presented an Addendum, dated November 22, 1996,
[[Page 1795]]
to the revised December 1993, part 150 Noise Compatibility Program for
Washington National Airport. The Addendum includes reasonable
justification for the use of the above stated NEM's as the official
Maps.
The FAA has completed its review of the Addendum and the NEM's and
related descriptions submitted by the MWAA. The specific maps as
identified in the Addendum are the ``1994 Noise Exposure Map: Improved
Fleet Mix and Enhanced Compliance as the base case/current NEM shown in
the revised NCP as Figure V-3, and the ``All Stage 3 Operations'' NEM
shown in Attachment 1 of the NEM as Figure 8 as the five-year forecast
NEM. The FAA has determined that these maps for DCA are in compliance
with applicable requirements. This determination is effective January
3, 1997. FAA's determination on an airport operator's NEM is limited to
a finding that the maps were developed in accordance with the
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 NCP 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 NEM 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 maps 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 noise exposure Maps. Therefore, the responsibility for
the detailed overlaying of noise exposure contours onto the maps
depicting properties on the surface rests exclusively with the airport
operator which submitted those maps, 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 Section 150.21 of FAR Part 150, that the statutorily required
consultation has been accomplished.
The FAA has formally received the noise compatibility program for
DCA, also effective on January 3, 1997. 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 July 3, 1997.
The FAA's detailed evaluation will be conducted under the
provisions of 14 CFR Part 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. The public comment
period ends March 3, 1997. Copies of the noise exposure maps, the FAA's
evaluation of the maps and the proposed noise compatibility program are
available for examination at the following locations:
FAA--National Headquarters, 800 Independence Ave., SW, APP-600,
Washington, DC 20591
FAA--Eastern Region, Fitzgerald Federal Bldg., JFK Int'l Airport,
Airports Division, AEA-600, Jamaica, NY 11430
Airport Manager's Office, Rm. 260, Washington National Airport,
Washington, DC 20001
Neil Phillips, Manager, Noise Abatement, Metropolitan Washington
Airports Authority, 44 Canal Center Plaza, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the
heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Issued in Jamaica, New York on January 3, 1997.
William DeGraaff,
Manager, Airports Division.
[FR Doc. 97-791 Filed 1-10-97; 8:45 am]
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