[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 82 (Thursday, April 30, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20097-20098]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-9973]



[[Page 20097]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT


Noise Exposure Map Notice and Receipt of Noise Compatibility 
Program and Request for Review for Van Nuys Airport, Van Nuys, CA

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its 
determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by the City of Los 
Angeles for Van Nuys 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 Van Nuys Airport under Part 150 in conjunction with the 
noise exposure map, and that this program will be approved or 
disapproved on or before October 16, 2009.

DATES: Effective Date: 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 April 20, 2009. The public 
comment period ends June 18, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victor Globa, Environmental Protection 
Specialist, Federal Aviation Administration, Los Angeles Airports 
District Office, Mailing Address: P.O. Box 92007, Los Angeles, CA 
90009-2007. Street Address: 15000 Aviation Boulevard, Hawthorne, 
California 90261. Telephone 310/725-3637. Documents reflecting this FAA 
action may be reviewed at the same location. 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 Van Nuys Airport are in 
compliance with applicable requirements of Part 150, effective April 
20, 2009. Further, FAA is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility 
program for that airport which will be approved or disapproved on or 
before October 16, 2009. This notice also announces the availability of 
this program for public review and comment.
    Under 49 U.S.C., section 47503 (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 City of Los Angeles submitted to the FAA on December 5, 2008, 
noise exposure maps, descriptions and other documentation that were 
produced during the Van Nuys Airport Part 150 Study December 1, 1988 to 
December 5, 2008. 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 measures, to be implemented jointly by the 
airport and surrounding communities, be approved as a noise 
compatibility program under section 47504 of the Act.
    The FAA has completed its review of the noise exposure maps and 
related descriptions submitted by the City of Los Angeles. The specific 
documentation determined to constitute the noise exposure maps 
includes: Exhibit 1 ``Official Noise Exposure Map Existing 
Conditions--2001'' and Exhibit 3 ``Official Noise Exposure Map 
Future Conditions--2006 With Mitigation Measures.'' 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, commercial, industrial, community facilities, 
libraries, schools, churches, open space, hospitals, landmarks, and 
those areas within the Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) 65, 70 
and 75 noise contours. Estimates for the number of people within these 
contours for the year 2001 are shown in Exhibit 1. Estimates of the 
future residential population within the 2006 noise contours are shown 
in Exhibit 3. Flight tracks for the existing and the five-year forecast 
Noise Exposure Maps are found in Exhibits 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. The 
type and frequency of aircraft operations (including nighttime 
operations) are found in Table 4. The FAA has determined that these 
maps for Van Nuys Airport are in compliance with applicable 
requirements. This determination is effective on April 20, 2009. 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 constitute 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.
    The FAA has formally received the noise compatibility program for 
Van Nuys Airport, also effective on April 20, 2009. 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 October 16, 2009.
    The FAA's detailed evaluation will be conducted under the 
provisions of 14 CFR Part 150, section 150.33. The primary 
considerations in the evaluation process are whether the

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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, National Headquarters, Planning and 
Environmental Division, APP-400, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20591.
Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region Office, 
Airports Division, Room 3012, 15000 Aviation Boulevard, Hawthorne, 
California 90261.
Federal Aviation Administration, LAX Airports District Office, 15000 
Aviation Boulevard, Room 3000, Hawthorne, California 90261.
Roger Johnson, Deputy Executive Director, Los Angeles World Airports, 1 
World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045-5803.

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

    Issued in Hawthorne, California, on April 20, 2009.
Mia Paredes Ratcliff,
Acting Manager, Airports Division, Western-Pacific Region, AWP-600.
[FR Doc. E9-9973 Filed 4-29-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P