[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11390-11391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05755]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


FAA Approval of Noise Compatibility Program; Westover 
Metropolitan Airport, Chicopee, Massachusetts

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 Westover 
Municipal Development Corporation under the provisions of Title I of 
the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979. On March 7, 2019 
the New England Region Airports Division Manager approved the Noise 
Compatibility Program under Part 150. On November 7, 2018, the FAA had 
determined the noise exposure maps submitted by the Westover Municipal 
Development Corporation were in compliance with applicable requirements 
of Part 150.

DATES: The effective date of the FAA's approval of the Westover 
Metropolitan Airport noise compatibility program is March 7, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Doucette, Federal Aviation 
Administration, New England Region, Airports Division, ANE-600, 1200 
District Avenue, Burlington MA 01803, telephone (781) 238-7613.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 47501-47510; 14 CFR part 150
    This notice announces that the FAA has given its overall approval 
to the Westover Metropolitan Airport noise compatibility program, 
effective March 7, 2019.
    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 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

[[Page 11391]]

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 Westover Municipal Development Corporation previously submitted 
to the FAA noise exposure maps and associated documentation produced 
during the noise compatibility planning study. The Westover 
Metropolitan Airport noise exposure maps were determined by FAA to be 
in compliance with applicable requirements on November 7, 2018. Notice 
of this determination was published in the Federal Register December 6, 
2018.
    The Westover Metropolitan Airport study contains a proposed noise 
compatibility program comprised of actions designed for implementation 
by airport. The Westover Municipal Development Corporation 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 November 2, 2018, 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 a few changes to noise mitigation 
measures in the Noise Compatibility Program. Two measures (relating to 
subdivision regulations and a pilot awareness program) were not 
recommended for approval and the FAA concurred. One measure (relating 
to monitoring of nighttime operations) had been only partly approved 
previously, is now approved. The FAA completed its review and 
determined that the procedural and substantive requirements of the Act 
and FAR Part 150 have been satisfied. The New England Region Airports 
Division Manager therefore approved the overall program on March 7, 
2019. 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 Westover 
Metropolitan Airport.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts on March 7, 2019.
Gail Lattrell,
Acting Manager, Airports Division, FAA New England Region.
[FR Doc. 2019-05755 Filed 3-25-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P