[Federal Register: February 8, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 25)]
[Notices]
[Page 6746-6747]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08fe05-157]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Acceptance of Noise Exposure Maps and Request for Review of Noise
Compatibility
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its
determination that the Noise Exposure Maps submitted by the American
Samoa Government, Department of Port Administration for Pago Pago
International Airport under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 47501 et. seq.
(Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act) and 14 Code of Federal
Regulations (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 Pago Pago
International Airport under part 150 in conjunction with the noise
exposure map, and that this program will be approved or disapproved on
or before July 27, 2005.
DATES: The effective date of the FAA's acceptance of Noise Exposure
Maps and of the start of its review of the associated Noise
Compatibility Program is January 28, 2005. The public comment period
ends March 29, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gordon Wong, Project Manager. Mailing
address: Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region,
Honolulu Airports District Office, Box 50244, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850-
0001. Street address: 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 7-128, Honolulu,
Hawaii 96850-0001. Telephone number (808) 541-3565. 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 Pago Pago International
Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements of part 150,
effective January 28, 2005. Further, FAA is reviewing a proposed Noise
Compatibility Program for that airport, which will be approved or
disapproved on or before July 27, 2005. 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 American Samoa Government, Department of Port Administration
submitted to the FAA on December 9, 2004, noise exposure maps,
descriptions and other documentation that were produced during the FAR
part 150 Noise Compatibility Study for Pago Pago International Airport
which began in mid-2003. 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 American Samoa Government, Department
of Port Administration. The specific documentation determined to
constitute the Noise Exposure Maps includes: Existing Year 2004
Conditions NEM and Future Year 2010 NEM/NCP exhibits, plus all other
narrative, graphic, or tabular representations of the data required by
section A150.101 of part 150, and sections 47503 and 47506 of the Act.
The FAA has determined that these maps for Pago Pago International
Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements. This
determination is effective on January 28, 2005. 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
Pago Pago International Airport, also effective on January 28, 2005.
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 July 27, 2005.
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 proposed
measures may reduce the level of aviation safety, create an undue
burden on interstate or foreign
[[Page 6747]]
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, Community and
Environmental Needs Division, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 617,
Washington, DC 20591.
Federal Aviation Administration, Western Pacific Region, Airports
Division, California Standards Section, AWP 621, 15000 Aviation
Boulevard, Lawndale, CA 90261.
Federal Aviation Administration, Honolulu Airports District Office, 300
Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 7-128, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813.
American Samoan Government, Department of Port Administration, Pago
Pago, American Samoa, 96799.
Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the
heading, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Issued in Hawthorne, California on January 28, 2005.
Mark A. McClardy,
Manager, Airports Division, AWP-600, Western-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 05-2316 Filed 2-7-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M