[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 127 (Friday, July 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40452-40453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15044]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Acceptance of Noise Exposure Maps for Santa Barbara Airport, 
Santa Barbara, CA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its 
determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by City of Santa 
Barbara, California for Santa Barbara Airport under the provisions of 
49 U.S.C. 47501 et. seq. (Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act) and 
14 CFR part 150 are in compliance with applicable requirements.

DATES: Effective: The effective date of the FAA's determination on the 
noise exposure maps is June 28, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Mendelsohn, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, AWP-621.6, Southern California Standards 
Section, Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region, P.O. 
Box 92007, Los Angeles, California 90009-2007, Telephone: 310/725-3637.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA finds 
that the noise exposure maps submitted for Santa Barbara Airport are in 
compliance with applicable requirements of Part 150, effective June 28, 
2004. Under 49 U.S.C. 47503 of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement 
Act (hereinafter referred to as ``the Act''), an airport operator may 
submit to the FAA noise exposure maps which meet applicable regulations 
and which depict non-compatible 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 Regulations (FAR) Part 150, promulgated pursuant to 
the Act, may submit a noise compatibility program for FAA approval 
which sets forth the measures the operator has taken or proposes to 
take to reduce existing non-compatible uses and prevent the 
introduction of additional non-compatible uses.
    The FAA has completed its review of the noise exposure maps and 
accompanying documentation submitted by City of Santa Barbara, 
California. The documentation that constitutes the ``Noise Exposure 
Maps'' as defined in section 150.7 of Part 150 includes: Exhibit 3M 
``2003 Noise Exposure Map,'' and Exhibit 3P ``2008 Noise Exposure 
Map.'' The Noise Exposure Maps contain current and forecast information 
including the depiction of the airport and its boundaries, the runway 
configurations, land uses such as residential, open space, commercial/
office, community facilities, libraries, churches, open space, 
infrastructure, vacant and warehouse and those areas within the 
Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) 60, 65, 70 and 75 noise 
contours. Estimates for the number of people within these contours for 
the year 2003 are shown in Table 4D. Estimates of the future 
residential population within the 2008 noise contours are shown in 
Table 4G. Exhibit 3A displays the location of noise monitoring sites. 
Flight tracks for the existing and the five-year forecast Noise 
Exposure Maps are found in Exhibits 3E, 3F, 3G, 3H, 3J, and 3K. The 
type and frequency of aircraft operations (including nighttime 
operations) are found in Tables 3D and 3E. The FAA has determined that 
these noise exposure maps and accompanying documentation are in 
compliance with applicable requirements. This determination is 
effective on June 28, 2004.
    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 47503 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

[[Page 40453]]

to resolve questions concerning, for example, which properties should 
be covered by the provisions of section 47506 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 that submitted those maps, or with those public agencies and 
planning agencies with which consultation is required under section 
47503 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.
    Copies of the full noise exposure map documentation and of the 
FAA's evaluation of the maps are available for examination at the 
following locations: Federal Aviation Administration, Community and 
Environmental Needs Division, APP-600, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20591. Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific 
Region, Airports Division, Room 3012, 15000 Aviation Boulevard, 
Hawthorne, California 90261. Karen Ramsdell, Airport Director, Santa 
Barbara Airport, 601 Firestone Road, Goleta, California 93117.
    Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the 
heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Issued in Hawthorne, California, on June 28, 2004.
Mark A. McClardy,
Manager, Airports Division, AWP-600, Western-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 04-15044 Filed 7-1-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M