[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 170 (Friday, September 1, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45766-45767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21818]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Approval of Noise Compatibility Program, Greater Rockford
Airport, Rockford, IL
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 Greater
Rockford Airport Authority for Greater Rockford Airport under the
provisions of title I of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of
1979 (Pub. L. 96-193) and 14 CFR Part 150. These findings are made in
recognition of the description of Federal and nonfederal
responsibilities in Senate Report No. 96-52 (1980). On January 31,
1995, the FAA determined that the noise exposure maps submitted by the
Greater Rockford Airport Authority under part 150 were in compliance
with applicable requirements. On July 26, 1995, the Associate
Administrator for Airports approved the Greater Rockford Airport noise
compatibility program. This noise compatibility program is an updated
version of a noise compatibility program FAA approved on March 23,
1990. The Greater Rockford Airport Authority's recommended program
consists of twenty-nine measures including the withdrawal of six
measures previously approved. Of the twenty-three remaining, twelve are
listed as Noise Abatement Measures, eight are listed as Land Use
Management Measures and three listed as Other Implementation Measures.
The FAA has approved all twenty-three measures.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date of the FAA's approval of the Greater
Rockford Airport Noise Compatibility Program is July 26, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Melissa Wishy, Federal Aviation Administration, Chicago Airports
District Office, CHI-ADO-640.8, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Des Plaines,
Illinois, 60018, (708) 294-7524.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA has given
its overall approval to the noise compatibility program for Greater
Rockford Airport, effective July 26, 1995.
Under section 104(a) of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act
of 1979 (hereinafter referred to as ``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
[[Page 45767]]
operator for the reduction of existing noncompatible land uses and
prevention of additional noncompatible 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 Regulations (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 NCP 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 noncompatible land uses around the airport
and preventing the introduction of additional noncompatible land uses;
c. Program measures would not create an undue burden on interstate
or foreign commerce, unjustly discriminate against types or classes or
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
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 an 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 eligible for grant-in-aid
funding from the FAA. Where federal funding is sought, requests for
project grants must be submitted to the FAA Chicago Airports District
Office in Des Plaines, Illinois.
The Greater Rockford Airport Authority submitted to the FAA on May
3, 1994 noise exposure maps, descriptions and other documentation. This
documentation was produced during the Airport Noise Compatibility
Planning (Part 150) Study at Greater Rockford Airport from February
1993 through May 1994. The noise compatibility program is an updated
version of a noise compatibility program FAA approved on March 23,
1990. The Greater Rockford Airport noise exposure maps were determined
by FAA to be in compliance with applicable requirements on January 31,
1995. Notice of this determination was published in the Federal
Register on February 23, 1995.
The Greater Rockford Airport study contains a proposed noise
compatibility program comprised of actions designed for phased
implementation by airport management and adjacent jurisdictions from
the date of study completion to the year 1998. It was 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 January 31, 1995 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 program within the 180-day period
would have been deemed to be an approval of such program.
The submitted program contained twenty-three proposed measures for
noise mitigation on and off the airport. The FAA completed its review
and determined that the procedural and substantive requirements of the
Act and FAR Part 150 have been satisfied. The overall program,
therefore, was approved by the Associate Administrator for Airports
effective July 26, 1995.
Twelve of the twenty-three measures submitted are listed as ``Noise
Abatement Measures''. Most of these noise abatement measures were
designed to alter flight tracks and all were approved. Eight of the
twenty-three measures submitted are listed as ``Land Use Management
Measures'', of which all were approved. Of these eight land use
measures, four are preventive measures including such things as noise
overlay zoning recommendations, discouraging incompatible development
in areas impacted by aircraft noise exposure of 65 DNL and higher,
adopting the Part 150 NCP as a comprehensive plan element and adopting
guidelines for discretionary review. The remaining land use management
measures are corrective measures such as acquisition of noise impacted
homes, acquisition of development and overflight rights, creation of a
noise buffer, and options of voluntary sale. Finally, three measures,
``Other Implementation Measures'' dealing with continuing planning were
also approved outright. These determinations are set forth in detail in
a Record of Approval endorsed by the Associate Administrator for
Airports on July 26, 1995. The Record of Approval, as well as other
evaluation materials and documents which comprised the submittal to FAA
are available for review at the following locations:
Airport Manager's Office, Greater Rockford Airport Authority, 3600
Airport Drive, Rockford, Illinois 61125-0063
Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics, One
Langhorne Drive, Capitol Airport, Springfield, Illinois
Federal Aviation Administration, Chicago Airports District Office, 2300
East Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018
Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the
heading, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Issued in Des Plaines, Illinois on August 21, 1995.
Louis H. Yates,
Manager, Chicago Airports District Office FAA, Great Lakes Region.
[FR Doc. 95-21818 Filed 8-31-95; 8:45 am]
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