[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 75 (Tuesday, April 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21939-21940]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9382]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Noise Exposure Map; Receipt of Noise Compatibility Program and 
Request for Review; Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, St. Louis, 
MO

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 the St. Louis 
Airport Authority for the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport under 
the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 47501 et seq. (Aviation Safety and Noise 
Abatement Act, hereinafter referred to as ``the Act'') and 14 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 150 (hereinafter referred to as ``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 the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport 
under Part 150 in conjunction with the noise exposure map, and that 
this program will be approved or disapproved on or before October 2, 
2011.

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 April 5, 2011. The public comment period ends 
June 4, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FAA, Todd Madison, ACE-611B, 901 
Locust, Kansas City, Missouri, 64106-2325, [email protected], 816-
329-2640. Comments on the proposed noise compatibility program should 
also be submitted to the above office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces the FAA finds that the 
noise exposure maps submitted for the Lambert-St. Louis International 
Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements of Part 150, 
effective April 5, 2011. Further, FAA is reviewing a proposed noise 
compatibility program for that airport which will be approved or 
disapproved on or before October 2, 2011. This notice also announces 
the availability of this program for public review and comment.
    Under 49 U.S.C. 47503 of 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 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 St. Louis Airport Authority submitted to the FAA on December 
23, 2010, noise exposure maps, descriptions and other documentation 
that were produced during the ``2010 Update to 14 CFR Part 150 Noise 
Exposure Maps and Noise Compatibility Program.'' 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 St. Louis Airport Authority. The 
specific documentation determined to constitute the noise exposure maps 
includes: Current Noise Exposure Map (2010) as shown on Exhibit NEM-1, 
Future Noise Exposure Map/Noise Compatibility Program Map (2015) as 
shown on Exhibit NEM-2, and the associated supporting report, ``14 CFR 
Part 150 Noise Exposure Map Update and Noise Compatibility Program 
Update,'' which contains all other narrative, graphic, or tabular 
representations of the data as required by section A150.101 of Part 
150, and sections 47503 and 47506 of the Act. The FAA has determined 
that these maps for the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport are in 
compliance with applicable requirements. This determination is 
effective on April 5, 2011. 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

[[Page 21940]]

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 Part 150, that the 
statutorily required consultation has been accomplished.
    The FAA has formally received the noise compatibility program for 
the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, also effective on April 5, 
2011. 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 2, 
2011.
    The FAA's detailed evaluation will be conducted under the 
provisions of section 150.33 of Part 150. 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 relevant 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, Central Region Airports Division, 901 
Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106-2325, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jan Titus, St. Louis Airport Authority, Lambert-St. Louis International 
Airport, Airport Planning & Development, 11495 Navaid Road, Bridgeton, 
Missouri 63044, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, April 5, 2011.
Jim A. Johnson,
Manager, Central Region Airports Division.
[FR Doc. 2011-9382 Filed 4-18-11; 8:45 am]
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