[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 41 (Thursday, March 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10751-10752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-1945]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Noise Exposure Map Notice; Receipt of Noise Compatibility Program 
and Request for Review; St. Lucie County International Airport; Fort 
Pierce, FL

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its 
determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by St. Lucie 
County for St. Lucie County International 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. The 
FAA also announces that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility 
program that was submitted for St. Lucie County International under 
part 150 in conjunction with the noise exposure map, and that this 
program will be approved or disapproved on or before August 22, 2006.

DATES: 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 23, 2006. The public comment period 
ends April 24, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Lindy McDowell, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Orlando Airports District Office, 5950 Hazeltine 
National Dr., Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32822, (407) 812-6331, Extension 
130. 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 St. Lucie County National 
Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements of part 150, 
effective February 23, 2006. Further, FAA is reviewing a proposed noise 
compatibility program for that airport which will be approved or 
disapproved on or before August 22, 2006. This notice also announces 
the availability of this program for public review and comment.
    Under 49 U.S.C. 48503 (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

[[Page 10752]]

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 percent the introduction of additional 
non-compatible uses.
    St. Lucie County submitted to the FAA on December 21, 2005 noise 
exposure maps, descriptions and other documentation that were produced 
during the St. Lucie County International Airport Part 150 Noise 
Compatibility Study Update conducted between August, 2003 and December, 
2005. It was requested that the FAA review this material as the noise 
exposure maps, as described in section 47503 of the Act, and that the 
noise mitigation measure, to be implemented jointly by the airport and 
surrounding communities, be approved as a noise compatibility program 
under section 47503 of the Act.
    The FAA has completed its review of the noise exposure maps and 
related descriptions submitted by St. Lucie County. The specific 
documentation determined to constitute the noise exposure maps 
includes: ``Existing Conditions 2005 Noise Exposure Contours'' (Figure 
10.1) and ``Figure Conditions 2010 Noise Exposure Contours'' (Figure 
10.2) along with Table 5.2, ``Runway Use Rates, by Runway End and 
Aircraft Type, Existing Conditions, 2005, St. Lucie International 
Airport'', Table 5.3 ``Runway Use Rates, by Runway End and Aircraft 
Type, Future Conditions with New Parallel Runway, 2010, St. Lucie 
International Airport'', Table 5.4, ``Flight Track Utilization Rates, 
Base Case Year 2005, St. Lucie County Intl. Airport'', Figure 5.4, 
``Corporate Jet Arrival Tracks'', Figure 5.5a, ``Runway 9 Existing 
Piston Arrival Tracks'', Figure 5.5b, ``Runway 27 Existing Piston 
Arrival Tracks,'', Figure 5.5c, ``Runway 14, Existing Piston Arrival 
Tracks'', Figure 5.5d, ``Runway 32 Existing Piston Arrival Tracks'', 
Figure 5.6, ``Existing Jet Departure Tracks'', Figure 5.7, ``Existing 
Piston Departure Tracks'', Figure 5.8a, ``Existing Runway 9 Pattern 
Tracks'', Figure 5.8b, ``Existing Runway 27 Pattern Tracks'', Figure 
5.10a, ``Proposed Runway 9L Pattern Tracks'', Figure 5.9b, ``Runway 32 
Pattern Tracks'', Figure 5.9a, ``Runway 14 Pattern Tracks'', Figure 
5.10b, ``Proposed Runway 27R Pattern Tracks'', Table 5.5, ``Historical 
Total Airport Operations, by Type, Year 2003'', Table 5.6, ``Forecast 
of Airport Operations, by Type, Calendar Year 2003--Forecast Year 2010, 
St. Lucie County Intl. Airport'', Table 5.7, ``Airport Operations, by 
time of Day, Calendar year 2003, St. Lucie County Intl. Airport'', 
Table 5.8, ``Base Year (2005) and Five-Year Forecast (2010) Operations, 
by Aircraft Type, St. Lucie County Intl. Airport'', Figure 8.1, ``2005 
Existing Land use with Noise Sensitive Receptors'', Table 10.1 
``Modeled Average Daily Aircraft Operations, Existing Conditions 
2005'', Table 10.2, ``Existing Conditions 2005 Noise Contour Interval 
Exposure Area, in Acres, Dwelling Units and Populations, by Local 
Jurisdiction, St. Lucie International Airport'', Table 10.3 ``Modeled 
Average Daily Aircraft Operations, Future Conditions 2010, St. Lucie 
International Airport'', and Table 10.4, ``Five-Year Forecast 
Conditions 2010 Noise Exposure Area, in Acres, Dwelling Units and 
Population, by Local Jurisdiction, St. Lucie International Airport'', 
The FAA has determined that these maps for St. Lucie County 
International Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements. 
This determination is effective on February 23, 206. FAA's 
determination on the 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 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 Sec.  150.21 
of FAR part 150, that the statutorily required consultation has been 
accomplished.
    The FAA has formally received the noise compatibility program for 
St. Lucie County International Airport, also effective on February 23, 
2006. 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 22, 
2006.
    The FAA's detailed evaluation will be conducted under the 
provisions of 14 CFR part 150, Sec.  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 non-compatible land uses and preventing the 
introduction of additional non-compatible 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: Federal Aviation Administration, Orlando Airports District 
Office, 5950 Hazeltine National Dr., Suite 400, Orlando, Florida 32822.
    Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the 
heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Issued in Orlando, Florida, February 23, 2006.
W. Dean Stringer,
Manager, Orlando Airports District Office.
[FR Doc. 06-1945 Filed 3-1-06; 8:45 am]
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