[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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