[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 40 (Tuesday, February 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10849-10850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-4754]



[[Page 10849]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Acceptance of Noise Exposure Maps and Request for Review of Noise 
Compatibility Program for Waime-Kohala Airport, Kamuela, Hawaii

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its 
determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by the State of 
Hawaii, Department of Transportation for the Waimea-Kohala 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 are in 
compliance with applicable requirements. The FAA also announces that it 
is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program that was submitted 
for Waimea-Kohala Airport under Part 150 in conjunction with the noise 
exposure map, and that this program will be approved or disapproved on 
or before August 12, 2000.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date of the FAA's determination on the 
noise exposure maps and of the start of its review of the associated 
noise compatibility program is February 14, 2000. The public comment 
period ends April 14, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David J. Welhouse, Airport Planner, 
Honolulu Airports District Office, Federal Aviation Administration, 
P.O. Box 50244, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850, Telephone: (808) 541-1243. 
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 Waimea-Kohala Airport are in 
compliance with applicable requirements of Part 150, effective February 
14, 2000. Further, FAA is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility 
program for that airport which will be approved or disapproved on or 
before August 12, 2000. 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 ``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 ways 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 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 reduction of existing noncompatible uses and for the prevention of 
the introduction of additional noncompatible uses.
    The State of Hawaii, Department of Transportation, submitted to the 
FAA on December 8, 1998 (original submittal) and January 25, 2000 
(revised pages), noise exposure maps, descriptions and other 
documentation which were produced during the preparation of the Waimea-
Kohala Airport Noise Compatibility Study dated November, 1998, Revised 
December, 1999. 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.
    The FAA has completed its review of the noise exposure maps and 
related descriptions submitted by the State of Hawaii, Department of 
Transportation. The specific maps under consideration are Figures 4-1, 
``1999 (Existing) Base Year Noise Exposure Maps'' and 5-1 ``2004 
(Forecast) Five Year Noise Exposure Maps in the submission. The FAA has 
determined that these maps for Waimea-Kohala Airport are in compliance 
with applicable requirements. This determination is effective on 
February 14, 2000. 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 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 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 map 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 
Waimea-Kohala Airport, also effective on February 14, 2000. 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 August 12, 2000.
    The FAA's detailed evaluation will be conducted under the 
provisions of 14 CFR Part 150, section 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 maps, the FAA's evaluation of the maps, and the proposed noise 
compatibility program are available for examination at the following 
locations:


[[Page 10850]]


Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 
617, Washington, DC 20591
Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region, Airports 
Division, AWP-600, 15000 Aviation Blvd., Room 3012, Hawthorne, 
California 90261
Federal Aviation Administration, Honolulu Airports District Office, 300 
Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 7-128, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
State of Hawaii, Department of Transportation, Airports Division, 
Honolulu International Airport, 400 Rodgers Boulevard, Suite 700, 
Honolulu, Hawaii 96819
State of Hawaii, Department of Transportation, Airports Division, 
District Office Manager, Kona International Airport, Kailua-Kona, 
Hawaii 96745

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

    Issued in Hawthorne, California on February 14, 2000.
Ellsworth L. Chan,
Acting Manager, Airports Division, AWP-600, Western-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 00-4754 Filed 2-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M