[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 85 (Monday, May 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24213-24215]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-9923]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Approval of Noise Compatibility Program for Reno/Tahoe 
International Airport, Reno, NV

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 Airport 
Authority of Washoe County under the provisions of Title I of the 
Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act, as amended, (Pub. L. 96-193) 
(hereinafter referred to as ``the Act'') 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 
November 15, 2001, the FAA determined that the noise exposure maps 
submitted by Airport Authority of Washoe County under Part 150 were in 
compliance with applicable requirements.

DATES: Effective Date: The effective date of the FAA's approval of the 
Noise Compatibility Program for Reno/Tahoe International Airport is 
April 7, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andy Richards, Manager, San Francisco 
Airports District Office, Airports Division, Western-Pacific Region, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 831 Mitten Road, Burlingame, 
California 94010. Telephone: 650/876-2778. Documents reflecting this 
FAA action may be reviewed at this same location.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA has given 
its overall approval to the Noise Compatibility Program for Reno/Tahoe 
International Airport, effective April 7, 2004. Under section 104(a) of 
the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979, as amended 
(hereinafter referred to as the ``Act'') [recodified as 49 U.S.C. 
47504], 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 non-compatible

[[Page 24214]]

land uses and prevention of additional non-compatible 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 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 non-compatible land uses around the airport 
and preventing the introduction of additional non-compatible 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 light 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 under the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982, as amended. 
Where federal funding is sought, requests for project grants must be 
submitted to the FAA Airports District Office in Burlingame, 
California.
    The Airport Authority of Washoe County submitted to the FAA on 
October 10, 2003, the Noise Exposure Maps, descriptions, and other 
documentation produced during the noise compatibility planning study 
conducted from December 8, 1995 through October 10, 2003. The Reno/
Tahoe International Airport Noise Exposure Maps were determined by FAA 
to be in compliance with applicable requirements on November 15, 2001. 
Notice of this determination was published in the Federal Register on 
November 27, 2001.
    The Reno/Tahoe International Airport study contains a proposed 
noise compatibility program comprised of actions designed for phased 
implementation by airport management and adjacent jurisdictions from 
(October 10, 2003 to beyond the year 2008). It was requested that the 
FAA evaluate and approve this material as a Noise Compatibility Program 
as described in 49 U.S.C. 47504 (formerly section 104(b) of the Act). 
The FAA began its review of the program on October 10, 2003 and was 
required by a provision of the Act to approve or disapprove the program 
within 180 days (other than the use of new or modified 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 twenty-four (24) proposed actions 
for noise abatement, noise mitigation, land use planning and program 
management 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 was approved, 
by the Associate Administrator for Airports, effective April 7, 2004.
    Outright approval was granted for all twenty-four (24 specific 
program measures. The approved measures included such items as: 
Continued use of the existing Preferential Runway Use Program; 
Continuance of the existing Aircraft Engine Maintenance Run-up 
Restrictions; Continuation of existing efforts to discourage Military 
Transient Training Flights; Maintenance of existing Nighttime Flight 
Corridors for General Aviation departures on Runways 7 and 16L/R; 
Continuation of the usage of signs installed by the Airport Authority 
of Washoe County near the runway ends to notify pilots to use quiet 
flying techniques; Continuation of existing efforts to encourage the 
use of visual helicopter arrival and departure routes for noise 
abatement; Continuation and expansion of the existing acquisition of 
non-compatible land uses to be converted to compatible land uses within 
the 65 DNL contour; Continuation and update of Acoustical Treatment 
Program for dwelling units located within the2005 65 DNL; Sound 
insulation of two schools within the Squared-off 2005 65 DNL contour; 
Sound insulation of three places of worship within the 65 DNL contour; 
Update General/Comprehensive Plans for the cities of Reno and Sparks, 
and the community of Truckee Meadows and Washoe County to reflect the 
Squared-off 2010 noise exposure contours from Part 150 Study as basis 
for noise compatibility planning; Amend General Comprehensive Plans for 
the cities of Reno and Sparks, and the community of Truckee Meadows to 
reflect existing compatible and existing lower density land uses within 
the Squared-off 2010 65 DNL Contour; Amend mixed use designations with 
the squared-off 2010 65 DNL contour to discourage residential land 
uses; Continue submission of development projects to the Reno/Tahoe 
International Airport (RON) area to the Airport Authority of Washoe 
County (AAWC) for review; Maintain existing compatible land uses within 
the Squared-off 65 DNL when possible; Revise Reno Airport Overlay 
Zoning to include the Squared-off 2010 Noise exposure contours and 
refinements to Land Use Standards; Enact Overlay Zoning in Sparks and 
Washoe County to provide Noise Compatibility Land Use Standards near 
the airport. Enact construction Standards within the Overlay Zoning 
Districts to establish specific construction standards for sound 
insulation to achieve a maximum interior noise level of 45 DNL; Pursue 
Airport Fair Disclosure legislation through lobbying the State of 
Nevada Legislation to enact specific legislation requiring fair 
disclosure of airport noise and over flight track monitoring system; 
Acquire Geographic Information System to Monitor Noise concerns and 
Program Implementation; Continue public Outreach and Noise Abatement 
Education Program; Monitor compliance with the noise abatement Element 
of the Noise Compatibility Program; Update Noise Exposure Maps and 
Review the NCP by Airport Management, as

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necessary, at minimum every seven to ten years to respond to the 
changing conditions in the local area and the aviation industry. These 
determinations are set forth in detail in the Record of Approval signed 
by the Associate Administrator for Airports on April 7, 2004. 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 Airport 
Authority of Washoe County. The Record of Approval also will be 
available online at: http://www.faa.gov/arp/environmental/14cfr150/index14.cfm.

    Dated: Issued in Hawthorne, California, on April 22, 2004.
Mia Paredes Ratcliff,
Acting Manager, Airports Division, Western-Pacific Region, AWP-600.
[FR Doc. 04-9923 Filed 4-30-04; 8:45 am]
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