[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46396-46398]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23200]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Approval of Noise Compatibility Program; Laughlin/Bullhead 
International Airport, Bullhead City, AZ

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 Mohave 
County Airport Authority, Inc., 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 July 9, 1996, the FAA determined that the noise exposure 
maps submitted by the Mohave County Airport Authority, under Part 150, 
were in compliance with applicable requirements. On July 25, 1997, the 
Associate Administrator for Airports approved the Laughlin/Bullhead 
International Airport Noise Compatibility Program. There are 19 
specific elements of the program. Eleven elements were approved 
outright, five elements were approved as voluntary measures. One 
element, the ATIS system, was approved in part as a voluntary measure 
and disapproved in part for installing the equipment as the sole 
purpose for carrying a noise abatement message. One element, the 
relocation of the maintenance operation to the east side of the 
airport, was disapproved pending submission of additional information 
to make an informed analysis regarding the noise benefit of the 
enclosure for the targeted residential areas. Additionally, one 
element, the preferential north flow of aircraft traffic, was 
disapproved because of air traffic control operational problems.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date of the FAA's approval for the 
Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport noise compatibility program is 
July 25, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Charles Lieber, Airport Planner, Airports Division, AWP-611.1, Federal 
Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region. Mailing address: P.O. 
Box 92007, Worldway Postal Center, Los Angeles, California 90009-2007. 
Telephone: (310) 725-3614. Street address: 15000 Aviation Boulevard, 
Hawthorne, California 90261. Documents reflecting this FAA action may 
be reviewed at this location.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA has given 
its overall approval to the Noise Compatibility Program for the 
Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport, effective July 25, 1997.
    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 operator for the reduction of existing 
noncompatible land uses and

[[Page 46397]]

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 
and is 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 
the FAR Part 150 program recommendations are measured according to the 
standards expressed in Part 150 of the Act and is limited to the 
following determinations:
    a. The Noise Compatibility Program 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 of 
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 the 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. Nor does 
approval, by itself, constitute a 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 Airports Division office in 
Hawthorne, California.
    On May 30, 1996, the Mohave County Airport Authority, Inc. 
submitted to the FAA the Noise Exposure Maps, descriptions, and other 
documentation produced during the noise compatibility planning study 
conducted from August 1995 through July 1996. The Laughlin/Bullhead 
International Airport noise exposure maps were determined by FAA to be 
in compliance with applicable requirements on July 9, 1996. Notice of 
this determination was published in the Federal Register on July 22, 
1996.
    The Laughlin/Bullhead International 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 2001. 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 28, 1997 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 shall be deemed to be an approval of such program.
    The submitted program contained 19 proposed action elements 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 on July 25, 1997.
    Of the 19 elements, 11 elements were approved outright. These 11 
elements consisted of: Establishment of an Airport Influence Area 
(AIA); General Plan policy to preserve existing compatible land use 
designations within the AIA; Rezoning several parcels of land within 
the AIA for commercial or industrial use; Adopt airport land use 
compatibility guidelines for reviewing development projects within the 
AIA; Update the Airport Noise and Height Overlay Zoning to reflect the 
updated noise contours and proposed establishment of the AIA; Amend the 
Airport Noise and Height Overlay Zoning to reflect dedication of 
aviation easements for any noise-sensitive use permitted within noise 
overlay zones above 60 DNL and require recording of fair disclosure 
agreements and convenience for new noise-sensitive developments 
anywhere within the AIA; Adopt sound insulation construction standards 
to supplement building codes; Continue the recording and responding to 
noise complaints; Airport Authority planning staff to continue open 
communications with local planning officials to follow their progress 
in implementing the Land Use Management elements and the Noise 
Abatement elements of the Noise Compatibility Program; Airport 
Authority should continue to review and update the Noise Exposure Maps 
and the Noise Compatibility Program every five to eight years; Airport 
management, along with the airport authority, should develop a pilot's 
guide. The following five elements were approved as voluntary measures: 
Direct eastbound departures from Runway 34 to turn right after crossing 
Highway 68 or after reaching 2,200 feet MSL; Encourage turbojet 
aircraft to use the Great American Airways visual approach procedure to 
Runway 16; Direct westbound propeller aircraft departing Runway 16 to 
avoid housing to the southwest and complete right turn north of the 
west bend in the river; Adopt engine maintenance run-up policies; Raise 
Runway 16 glide slope after runway is lengthened. One element, the ATIS 
system, was approved in part as voluntary measure and disapproved in 
part for installing the equipment as the sole purpose for carrying a 
noise abatement message. One element, the relocation of the maintenance 
operation to the east side of the airport, was disapproved pending 
submission of additional information to make an informed analysis 
regarding the noise benefit of the enclosure for the targeted 
residential areas. Additionally, one element, the preferential north 
flow of aircraft traffic was disapproved because of air traffic control 
operational problems.
    These determinations are set forth in detail in a Record of 
Approval endorsed by the Associate Administrator for Airports on July 
25, 1997. The Record of Approval, as well as other evaluation materials 
and the documents comprising the submittal, are available for review at 
the FAA office listed above and at the administrative offices of the 
Mohave County Airport Authority, Inc.


[[Page 46398]]


    Issued in Hawthorne, California on August 19, 1997.
Herman C. Bliss,
Manager, Airports Division, AWP-600, Western-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 97-23200 Filed 8-29-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M