[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 168 (Tuesday, August 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59714-59715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-20795]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Noise Exposure Map Notice for Baltimore/Washington International 
Thurgood Marshall Airport, Anne Arundel County, Maryland

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 Maryland 
Aviation Administration for Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood 
Marshall 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.

DATES: Effective Date: The effective date of the FAA's determination on 
the noise exposure maps is August 31, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Washington Airports District Office 
(WAS ADO), Marcus Brundage, Environmental Protection Specialist, 
Federal Aviation Administration, WAS ADO, Washington Airports District 
Office, 23723 Air Freight Lane, Suite 210, Dulles, VA 20166, Telephone: 
(703) 661-1354.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA finds 
that the noise exposure maps submitted for the Baltimore/Washington 
International Thurgood Marshall Airport are in compliance with 
applicable requirements of 14 CFR part 150, effective January 13, 2004. 
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 during a 
forecast period that is at least five (5) years in the future, 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

[[Page 59715]]

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 the Mayland Aviation 
Administration. The documentation that constitutes the ``Noise Exposure 
Maps'' (NEM) as defined in Section 150.7 of part 150 includes: 2014 
Base Year NEM Figure (20) and 2019 Future Year NEM Figure (21). The 
Noise Exposure Maps contain current and forecast information, including 
the depiction of the airport and its boundaries, the runway 
configurations, and land uses such as residential, open space, 
commercial/office, community facilities, libraries, churches, open 
space, infrastructure, vacant and warehouse and those areas within the 
Day Night Average Sound Level (DNL) 65, 70 and 75 noise contours. 
Estimates for the area within these contours for the 2014 Base Year are 
shown in Table 3-1 and Table 15; and in Chapter 5 of the NEM. Estimates 
of the future residential population within the 2019 Future Year noise 
contours are shown in Table 15 and in Chapter 5 of the NEM. Figure 24 
displays the location of noise monitoring sites. Flight tracks for the 
existing and the five-year forecast Noise Exposure Maps are found in 
Chapter 4 and Appendix F. The type and frequency of aircraft operations 
(including nighttime operations) are found in Appendix C. The FAA has 
determined that these noise exposure maps and accompanying 
documentation are in compliance with applicable requirements. This 
determination is effective on August 17, 2016.
    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, Eastern Region, Airports Division, 
AEA-600, 1 Aviation Plaza, Jamaica, New York 11434.
Federal Aviation Administration, Washington Airports District Office, 
23723 Air Freight Lane, Suite 210, Dulles, VA 20166.
Maryland Aviation Administration, 991 Corporate Boulevard, Linthicum, 
MD 21090.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Washington Airports District Office 
(WAS ADO), Marcus Brundage, Environmental Protection Specialist, 
Federal Aviation Administration, WAS ADO, 23723 Air Freight Lane, Suite 
210, Dulles, VA 17011, Telephone: (703) 661-1354.

    Issued in Dulles, VA, on August 17, 2016.
Matthew J. Thys,
Manager, Washington Airports District Office, Eastern Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-20795 Filed 8-29-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P