[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 47 (Monday, March 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11077-11078]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-1128]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Danbury Municipal Airport, Danbury, CT; FAA Approval of Noise 
Compatibility Program

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 City of 
Danbury, CT 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 non-
Federal responsibilities in Senate Report No. 96-52 (1980). On 
September 9, 2006, the FAA determined that the noise exposure maps 
submitted by the City of Danbury under part 150 were in compliance with 
applicable requirements. On February 15, 2007, the Airports Division 
Manager approved the Danbury Municipal Airport noise compatibility 
program. All 3 of the proposed program elements were approved.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date of the FAA's approval of the Danbury 
Municipal Airport noise compatibility program is February 15, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Doucette, Federal Aviation 
Administration, New England Region, Airports Division, 12 New England 
Executive Park, Burlington, Massachusetts 01803, Telephone (781) 238-
7613.
    Documents reflecting this FAA action may be obtained from the same 
individual.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA has given 
its overall approval to the Danbury Municipal Airport, Danbury, CT 
noise compatibility program, effective February 15, 2007.
    Under Section 104(a) of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act 
of 1979 (hereinafter 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 non-compatible 
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 Regulation (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 flight procedures can 
be implemented within the period covered

[[Page 11078]]

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 as 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 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 under the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 
1982. Where Federal funding is sought, requests for project grants must 
be submitted to the FAA Regional Office in Burlington, Massachusetts.
    The Danbury Municipal Airport, Danbury, CT submitted to the FAA, on 
June 30, 2006 (revised September 6, 2006), noise exposure maps, 
descriptions, and other documentation produced during the noise 
compatibility planning study conducted from 2002 through 2006. The 
Danbury Municipal Airport, Danbury, CT noise exposure maps were 
determined by FAA to be in compliance with applicable requirements on 
September 9, 2006. Notice of this determination was published in the 
Federal Register on September 19, 2006.
    The Danbury Municipal Airport, Danbury, CT study contains a 
proposed noise compatibility program comprised of actions designed for 
implementation by airport management and adjacent jurisdictions from 
the date of study completion to beyond the year 2007. The Danbury 
Municipal Airport, Danbury, CT 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 
September 6, 2006, 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 a program within the 180-day period shall be deemed to 
be an approval of such a program.
    The submitted program contained 3 proposed actions 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 Airports Division Manager 
therefore approved the overall program effective February 15, 2007.
    Of the 3 proposed program elements, all were approved. All 3 
program elements were administrative in nature. They included a Pilot 
Education Program, Community Outreach Efforts, and Future Updates of 
Noise Exposure Maps. Various noise abatement and land use measures from 
the 1987 NCP were restated in the Record of Approval, so that all 
measures now in effect would be documented in the most recent Record of 
Approval.
    FAA's determination are set forth in detail in a Record of Approval 
endorsed by the Airport's Division Manager on February 15, 2007. 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 Danbury 
Municipal Airport, Danbury, CT.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on February 15, 2007.
LaVerne F. Reid,
Manager, Airports Division, FAA New England Region.
[FR Doc. 07-1128 Filed 3-9-07; 8:45 am]
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