[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 20, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9401-9402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 08-721]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Noise Exposure Map Notice for Meadows Field Airport, Bakersfield, 
California

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 County of Kern, 
California for Meadows Field 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date of the FAA's determination on the 
noise exposure maps is January 16, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victor Globa, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Los Angeles Airports District Office, 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 Meadows Field Airport are in 
compliance with applicable requirements of Part 150, effective January 
16, 2008. 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

[[Page 9402]]

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 County of Kern, California. The 
documentation that constitutes the ``Noise Exposure Maps'' as defined 
in section 150.7 of Part 150 includes: Exhibit 1 ``Existing Conditions 
(2005) Noise Exposure Map,'' and Exhibit 2 ``Five-Year Forecast (2010) 
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, 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 2005 are shown in Table 4B. Estimates of the future 
residential population within the 2007 noise contours are shown in 
Table 4D. Flight tracks for the existing and the five-year forecast 
Noise Exposure Maps are found in Exhibits 3D, 3E, 3F and 3G. The type 
and frequency of aircraft operations (including nighttime operations) 
are found in Tables 3B and 3C. The FAA has determined that these noise 
exposure maps and accompanying documentation are in compliance with 
applicable requirements. This determination is effective on January 16, 
2008.
    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 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, Planning and Environmental Division, 
APP-400, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591.
Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region, Airports 
Division, Room 3012, 15000 Aviation Boulevard, Lawndale, California 
90261.
Federal Aviation Administration, Los Angeles Airports District Office, 
15000 Aviation Boulevard, Lawndale, California 90261.
Jack Gotcher, CM, CAE, Director, County of Kern, Department of 
Airports, Meadows Field Airport, 3701 Wings Way, Suite 300, 
Bakersfield, California 93308.

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

    Issued in Hawthorne, California on January 16, 2008.
Mark A. McClardy,
Manager, Airports Division, AWP-600, Western-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 08-721 Filed 2-19-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M