Community Involvement Manual

February 2016 
February 2016

Our national aviation system is a vital transportation network connecting people 

and goods across the country and to other parts of the world. Building on a 

proud history of innovation in aviation, the Federal Aviation Administration 

(FAA) is now engaged in transforming the system to meet 21st century air travel 

needs. As we carry out our mission to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace 

system in the world, we are accountable to the American public. 

The views of communities—including local residents, the general public, and 

stakeholders—are important to the FAA as we take the next steps to advance 

the national aviation system. This update to the FAA’s Community Involvement 

Manual reaffirms our commitment to inform and involve the public and to give 

meaningful consideration to community concerns and views as the FAA makes 

aviation decisions that affect them. 

The FAA would like to thank those who contributed to this Community 

Involvement Manual. We received significant advice and input through more 

than 40 interviews with local community groups, airports, aviation associations, 

and consultants. We also had the benefit of recommendations and specific 

suggestions from the NextGen Advisory Committee (NAC). The contribution 

of these organizations and individuals was critical in ensuring that a balance of 

perspectives and experiences were considered and are reflected in this manual.

Sincerely,

Michael P. Huerta

Administrator

FAA Community Involvement Manual II

From the

Administrator
February 2016

Contents

Introduction 1

1.1  Background 1

1.2  Scope 2

1.3  How to Use This Manual 3

Good Practices and Effective Techniques 4

2.1  Why Community Involvement Is Important 4

2.2  Effective Community Involvement Practices 5

2.2.1 Coordinate Across the FAA 5

2.2.2 Coordinate with Local AirportOperator 5

2.2.3 Involve the Community Early 5

2.2.4 EstablishOngoing Communications 5

2.2.5 Foster Two-Way Communication 6

2.2.6 Facilitate Inclusive Participation 6

2.2.7 Build Trust Through Transparency 6

2.2.8 ConsiderOptions 6

2.3  Effective Techniques 6

2.3.1 Public Meetings 7

2.3.2 TargetedGroup Meetings 9

2.3.3 Internet and Technology Tools 10

2.3.4 Social Media 11

2.3.5 Print andOther Traditional Media 12

2.3.6 Technical Assistance and Support 14

2.3.7 Additional Techniques 15

2.4 Applicability of Community Involvement Techniques 16

Community Involvement for Your Project 18

3.1 The Project Life Cycle 18

3.2  Project Life Cycle Phase 1: Pre-Planning 19

3.2.1 Understand the Project 20

3.2.2 Coordinate Across the FAA 20

3.2.3 Identify Community Concerns 20

3.2.4 Understand Community Characteristics 22

3.2.5 Develop a Community Involvement Plan 22

3.3  Project Life Cycle Phase 2: Initiation 23

3.3.1 Plan Initial Contact with the Community 23

3.3.2 DevelopOutreach Processes and Prepare Materials 23

3.3.3 Initiate CommunityOutreach 24

3.4  Project Life Cycle Phase 3: Planning 24

3.4.1 Conduct Community Involvement Activities 25

3.4.2 Gather Community Input 25

3.4.3 Discuss Alternatives and MitigationOptions 25

3.4.4 Communicate the FAA’sDecision 25

3.5  Project Life Cycle Phase 4: Implementation 25

3.5.1 Keep CommunitiesUpdated 26

3.5.2 Respond toQuestions and Address Issues 26

3.6  Project Life Cycle Phase 5: Close-out 26

3.6.1 Communicate ProjectResults 26

3.6.2 IdentifyOngoing Community InvolvementOpportunities 26

Notes 27

III
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 1

1. Introduction

1.1  Background

The American public depends 

on aviation for travel and the 

transportation of goods nationally 

and internationally. The mission 

of the FAA is to provide the safest, 

most efficient aerospace system in 

the world. To achieve this mission, 

the FAA undertakes a wide range of 

actions2 to maintain and improve 

the system. The FAA seeks results 

that embody professionalism, 

transparency, and accountability 

as we strive to reach the next level 

of safety, efficiency, environmental 

responsibility, and global leadership. 

In carrying out its responsibilities, the 

FAA is accountable to the American 

public.

As the FAA takes actions to modernize 

the U.S. aerospace system for the 21st 

century, changes in aviation activity 

levels, aircraft flight paths, airport 

configuration, and runway use can 

generate community concerns about 

the environmental impacts of aviation, 

particularly aircraft noise. Although 

today’s aircraft are substantially 

quieter than earlier generations of 

aircraft, noise continues to be the 

public’s primary concern in regard 

to aviation growth or changes. 

Other environmental impacts may 

also be of concern to the public. 

Communities farther from airport 

boundaries have become increasingly 

concerned about aviation impacts. 

Such concerns can lead communities 

to seek opportunities for involvement 

beyond what is legally required for 

an FAA action. The FAA recognizes 

that we must adapt our community 

involvement practices to more 

Community 

involvement is the 

process of engaging 

in dialogue and 

collaboration with 

communities affected 

by FAA actions.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is committed to open and effective 

public participation and regards community involvement1 as an important 

consideration in decisions that affect the public. This manual provides FAA 

practitioners with an understanding of the value of community involvement and 

describes practices and effective techniques for community participation.
2 February 2016

effectively identify and address 

community concerns. 

Community involvement is the 

process of engaging in dialogue and 

collaboration with communities 

affected by FAA actions. This manual 

reaffirms the FAA’s commitment, 

established in our Community 

Involvement Policy, to give the public 

an opportunity to be informed, 

become involved, and have their 

concerns and views considered as 

the FAA makes aviation decisions 

that might affect them. In some 

cases, this may mean going beyond 

legally mandated public participation 

requirements.

Community involvement does not 

guarantee outcomes that satisfy 

everyone. However, decisions 

that take community input into 

consideration are more likely to reflect 

the collective public interest, receive 

broader community acceptance, and 

experience fewer implementation and 

post-implementation problems.

1.2  Scope

This manual is written for FAA 

employees who are planning, 

conducting, or approving aviation 

actions with potential environmental 

issues that raise concerns within a 

community. We refer to this group 

of FAA employees throughout the 

document as “FAA practitioners.” 

The FAA undertakes a wide range of 

actions that could generate community 

interest, the most common of which 

are listed in Exhibit 1. 

Exhibit 1: FAA Actions That Could Generate Community Interest

Line of Business FAA Actions

Air Traffic Organization (ATO)

• Airspace changes 

• New or amended flight procedures

• Operational tests

• Asset construction

• Asset decommissioning/disposition (e.g., Navigational Aid Removal)

• Site environmental cleanup

Office of Airports (ARP)

• Review of proposed new commercial service airport certificates

• Review of proposed airport development

• Financial assistance programs, including environmental mitigation

• Airport noise compatibility planning

• Review of airport noise and access restrictions

Office of Commercial Space 

Transportation (AST)

• FAA launch site operator license

• FAA launch license

• FAA reentry license

• FAA experimental permits 

Aviation Safety (AVS)

• Operations specifications 

• Aerobatic Practice Area waiver

• Parachute Operations

• Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 3

The manual provides FAA 

practitioners with the knowledge 

and resources needed to facilitate 

meaningful community involvement 

for such actions, including effectively 

engaging communities, encouraging 

exchange of information, and having 

community viewpoints heard. It 

provides guidance that supplements 

applicable public participation 

provisions in relevant FAA orders.

The practices and techniques 

described in this manual are flexible 

and should be tailored to the specific 

FAA action, the potential impacts, 

and the community concerns. 

Not every FAA action will raise 

community concerns or require 

community involvement, and those 

that do will call for varying levels 

and types of community involvement 

activities. FAA staff must assess 

the potential for environmental 

issues and community concerns 

associated with proposed aviation 

actions. While this manual focuses on 

community involvement in relation 

to environmental issues, these 

practices and techniques may also 

have applicability to a broader range 

of community involvement activities 

related to other issues such as 

airport planning. 

This manual broadly defines the 

term “community” to include local 

residents, the general public, and other 

stakeholders. Examples of individuals 

and groups who could have an interest 

in an FAA activity and are included in 

the definition of “community” for the 

purposes of this manual are:

• Airport area residents and 

neighborhood groups 

• Airport sponsors and airport users 

(e.g., traveling public, aircraft 

operators)

• Public interest groups (e.g., NonGovernmental Organizations 

[NGO], community action groups, 

roundtables)

• Government organizations and 

elected officials

• Business interests (e.g., Chambers of 

Commerce)

1.3  How to Use This Manual

This manual does not impose any 

requirements. It offers practices, 

tools, resources, and techniques as 

options that can guide practitioners 

in tailoring community involvement 

to their specific efforts. Tools and 

techniques should be selectively used, 

since a single approach does not fit all 

circumstances. FAA Lines of Business 

and Staff Offices (LOBs/SOs) should 

also use any community involvement 

guidance materials specific to their 

programs. 

Community involvement should 

be closely coordinated with efforts 

to satisfy public participation 

requirements in applicable laws, 

and this manual should be used in 

conjunction with environmental 

regulations and relevant FAA orders. 

The FAA most commonly conducts 

community involvement activities in 

connection with actions or projects 

that are subject to the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).3 

FAA’s NEPA guidance emphasizes 

that strategic planning is needed 

to successfully integrate public 

involvement and NEPA.

The FAA integrates requirements 

of other environmental laws into 

the NEPA process. For example, 

under Environmental Justice 

requirements the FAA must provide 

for meaningful public involvement 

by potentially affected minority and 

low-income populations,4 and public 

involvement and consultation may 

be required for projects that affect 

historic properties.5 Although the 

tools and techniques outlined in this 

manual can assist in complying with 

the public participation elements of 

NEPA and other environmental laws, 

FAA practitioners should consult 

FAA Order 1050.1, Environmental 

Impacts: Policies and Procedures, and 

its accompanying Desk Reference6 for 

information on specific procedures 

and requirements.

Users of this manual should also be 

aware of other legal requirements that 

may affect community involvement 

activities or that may arise during 

community involvement. For example, 

certain types of groups established by 

the FAA must comply with Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (FACA)7 

requirements, such as notice of 

establishment, a formal charter, 

and open meetings. Other laws that 

could be applicable to the activities 

described in this manual include the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA),8 

the Freedom of Information Act 

(FOIA),9 and the Privacy Act of 1974.10 

FAA’s Office of Chief Counsel (AGC) 

can provide additional guidance on 

compliance with these laws.
4 February 2016

Community 

involvement should 

be tailored to the 

project, its potential 

impacts, and the 

community.

2. Good Practices and Effective Techniques

This chapter explains why community involvement can be important to 

the success of a project and describes practices and techniques for effective 

community involvement. Community involvement should be tailored to the 

project, its potential impacts, and the community. Community concerns 

should be identified as early as practicable and considered in the planning 

process. Managing expectations from the beginning is important to successful 

community involvement. The FAA should make clear how it will utilize any 

community input and how consideration of other factors, such as safety and 

efficiency, will be weighed. A well-designed community involvement effort 

reflects the value the FAA places on the community’s concerns.

2.1  Why Community

Involvement IsImportant

People have an interest in 

governmental actions that result in 

changes to the places they live, work, 

or visit for recreation, and they may 

have concerns about the potential 

impacts of an aviation activity. They 

want to know about, understand, and 

contribute to FAA decisions that affect 

them and issues they care about.

Community involvement can inform 

the planning process and may 

result in better decisions. This is 

the goal of the public participation 

requirements in the NEPA and other 

environmental statutes. Communities 

have an understanding of local issues 

and can provide perspectives and 

knowledge that broaden the FAA’s 

information base, enabling the FAA 

to identify more effective solutions. 

In addition, outreach to communities 

can be critical in fostering public 

understanding of the need for the FAA 

action. While community involvement 

does not always lead to a broadly 

supported decision, especially where 

there is a wide diversity of community 

views, decisions informed by 

community concerns can better serve 

the collective public interest and build 

trust in the FAA. 

2.
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 5

Effective community involvement 

strives to:

• Improve understanding of 

community concerns. Community 

involvement provides an opportunity 

for the FAA to learn about social, 

economic, and environmental 

conditions and local needs and 

concerns.

• Inform the community. Open 

communication and flow of 

information can help the public 

understand the need for an FAA 

action, be familiar with the factors 

that inform decision making, and 

provide more meaningful input. 

• Use community input to improve 

decision making. Collaboration 

with the community can help shape 

the project and lead to more effective 

solutions.

• Enhance the transparency of the 

decision-making process. While 

not everyone may agree on the 

outcome, community involvement 

can allow the public to better 

understand the factors weighed in the 

decision-making process.

2.2  Effective Community

Involvement Practices

The elements of a community 

involvement plan will vary based on 

the project, its potential impacts, 

and the characteristics of affected 

communities, but there are effective 

practices that should guide FAA 

community involvement efforts. These 

practices are described in this section. 

2.2.1 Coordinate Across the FAA

Coordinating across FAA LOBs/

SOs is essential to planning and 

executing community involvement 

activities. Other FAA LOBs/SOs may 

have historical knowledge about 

a community and/or ongoing or 

planned projects or activities that 

could impact or be impacted by 

community involvement efforts. It is 

important to note that the public does 

not usually differentiate between FAA 

offices or programs and may see a new 

project as an extension of one they 

are already familiar with. In addition, 

communities may be frustrated, and 

the FAA’s credibility may be adversely 

affected when an FAA representative 

from one LOB/SO is unfamiliar with 

the activities of another LOB/SO. 

Coordinating across the FAA identifies 

areas of collaboration. A particular 

LOB/SO may have established 

relationships, technical resources, 

and/or lessons learned based on 

prior community involvement efforts 

that other LOBs/SOs can benefit 

from. For example, the Office of 

Communications (AOC) can provide 

advice on the best methods and 

approaches for communicating with 

stakeholder communities, assist with 

any media-related activities, and 

develop a complete communications 

strategy for a project (see Section 2.3 

“Effective Techniques”).

Exhibit 11 in Chapter 3 identifies FAA 

LOBs/SOs and how they can help with 

community involvement. 

2.2.2 Coordinate with Local Airport

Operator

For projects in airport environs, the 

FAA should reach out first to the 

affected airport. The Office of Airports 

(ARP) can facilitate outreach to an 

airport. Early coordination with 

airport management, elected officials, 

and community leaders helps inform 

the FAA of community characteristics 

and potential community concerns. 

The FAA can also work with the 

airport management and local 

government to introduce the proposed 

project to the community. When the 

airport operator is the project sponsor, 

the airport may have undertaken 

public outreach activities as part 

of their planning process and can 

share insights and information on 

community issues with the FAA. 

2.2.3 Involve the Community Early

Ideally, the community should 

be involved as early as possible. 

Early public input allows valuable 

information to be factored into project 

planning. Communities that are not 

provided with information or given an 

opportunity to participate at the outset 

may seek information from alternative 

sources that could be inaccurate or 

misleading. They may also resort 

to media or political avenues to 

draw attention to their concerns. 

Regaining the trust of the community 

or correcting misconceptions can 

take considerable effort and time, 

impacting cost and schedule, as well 

as jeopardizing a successful project 

outcome. When community concerns 

arise about a project, the FAA should 

address those concerns in a timely 

manner.

2.2.4 Establish Ongoing

Communications

Regular communication and 

involvement with the community 

throughout a project that has raised 

community concerns can build trust 

and understanding. For example, 

regular status updates, monthly 

or quarterly newsletters, or key 

documents posted to the project 

website can be an effective way to keep 

the community aware of the project’s 

progress.

Making information available during 

the planning process gives the public 
6 February 2016

an opportunity to understand the 

proposed project and to ask questions 

and raise concerns before decisions 

are made. Additionally, making 

information publicly available 

on a regular basis may reduce 

the community’s need to request 

information later and also reduce the 

project team’s workload in responding 

to such requests. 

Engaging with communities even 

when there is no specific project 

(e.g., maintaining involvement with 

established community groups such 

as Noise Roundtables) can be useful 

in places where there is regular FAA 

activity or strong community interest 

in aviation.

2.2.5 Foster Two-Way Communication

The ongoing relationship should 

not be just a one-way distribution 

of information from the FAA to the 

public, but a two-way communication 

channel through which the public has 

an opportunity to inform the FAA 

of concerns or information as the 

project develops. The FAA needs to 

understand the concerns and interests 

of the community, and the community 

needs to understand why aviation 

projects are proposed. It is important 

that the FAA not just listen to 

community concerns, but also let the 

community know how those concerns 

are being considered in project 

planning and analysis.

2.2.6 Facilitate Inclusive

Participation

Effective community involvement is 

inclusive and facilitates participation 

by all interested individuals and 

groups within the community, 

including minority and low-income 

populations. An inclusive program 

allows broader and more balanced 

community representation. For 

example, some groups or individuals 

may be well-organized and vocal on 

certain issues but only represent a 

part of the wider community. While 

it requires additional effort from the 

FAA to provide opportunities for 

participation by other members of 

the community, their perspective and 

input can result in a more balanced 

outcome. Ensuring that everyone 

has the opportunity to be involved 

at the outset may reduce the need to 

revisit issues or disrupt an established 

collaborative relationship. 

2.2.7 Build Trust Through

Transparency

Transparency is fundamental to the 

success of community involvement. 

Transparency means that the planning 

process is as open as possible and 

that decisions are made public. 

The community should have an 

opportunity to contribute to the 

process and be informed about how 

their input was considered. Decisions 

should be announced and the rationale 

for the decisions clearly stated.

The purpose, procedures, and 

schedule for conducting the project 

and community involvement activities 

should be described as clearly and 

completely as possible throughout 

the project. This information should 

include the following: 

• Purpose of the project

• Decisions to be made 

• Factors to be considered, including 

the constraints or requirements of 

aviation need, safety, environmental, 

financial, and efficiency considerations

• Roles of the FAA and, if applicable, 

the project sponsor 

• Timeline of the project 

• Approach for community 

involvement

• How the community input will be 

considered in decision making 

2.2.8 Consider Options

Community involvement may include 

consideration of project alternatives 

and ways to mitigate project impacts. 

FAA practitioners should keep an 

open mind and work collaboratively 

with the community to explore 

solutions that are responsive to the 

community’s needs and consistent 

with the FAA’s mission. The FAA can 

offer its expertise to explain basic 

project considerations, such as the 

aviation requirements and technical 

and economic constraints, but should 

not restrict its consideration to options 

that have already been identified or 

have been used in other projects.

2.3  Effective Techniques

FAA practitioners should consider a 

variety of techniques to involve the 

community. Information technology 

has added a substantial range of 

new tools to traditional techniques 

that can improve the effectiveness 

and efficiency of FAA’s community 

involvement efforts. A combination 

of techniques is usually needed to 

reach all the relevant communities. 

It is important to know the 

characteristics of your community in 

order to determine the most effective 

techniques. For example, communities 

may include non-English speakers 

who require communications in 

specific languages, individuals who 

do not have access to technology, or 

people who cannot easily travel to a 

meeting. The community involvement 

techniques covered in this section can 

be used alone or in combination to 

achieve various objectives. They are 

grouped by type of technique.
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 7

2.3.1 Public Meetings

Public meetings enable the FAA to describe the proposed project directly to 

interested members of the community and allow participants to raise concerns 

that can be addressed through follow-up engagement efforts. While resources 

are required to develop, set up, and travel to such events, in-person meetings 

can foster relationships. They can provide opportunities for informal discussions 

before and after the meeting and during breaks and allow participants to read 

body language and gauge emotions more readily than in virtual meetings or 

through written communications. Knowledge of and access to new technologies 

is not required.

The level of turnout may be an indicator of how much people care or how much political energy might be brought to the 

issue, because participating in a public meeting requires a commitment of time and may require travel to attend in person. 

However, a smaller number of participants does not necessarily mean the meeting is ineffective in achieving its objectives 

and may facilitate more meaningful discussion. Public meetings may generate community interest, but are not often used 

to resolve specific issues due to time constraints and the public nature of the discussion. Public meetings can be effective 

ways to identify interest and solicit participation in future stakeholder engagement efforts (e.g., receiving newsletters or 

updates or serving as a member of a working group). 

In certain cases, it is useful to contract with professional meeting facilitators who have experience with community-related 

public meetings. Professional facilitators can help ensure the meeting runs effectively, provide an impartial voice to the 

discussion, and enable FAA staff to focus on the technical subject matter. Local facilitators may also be familiar with the 

community and can advise on the best ways to engage the community.

(Table continued on next page.)

The Office of Communications 

manages the content of the FAA’s 

websites, the agency’s social media 

programs, and any interactions with 

the media. Practitioners who want to 

use any of these techniques should 

coordinate with AOC early on in any 

project planning.

Exhibit 2: Public Meetings

Description Advantages Limitations

Public Hearings: A public hearing is a formal 

process that has a designated public hearing 

officer who presides over the meeting and a court 

reporter present to compile a transcript of all oral 

comments. Public comments may be made in front 

of all attendees or separately to the court reporter.

Some environmental laws require public hearings in 

certain circumstances; additionally, public hearings 

may be requested by community residents. A time 

limit may be set on comments to ensure everyone 

has an opportunity to speak. 

Public hearings are one way to fulfill legal 

requirements for public participation, 

even if public hearings are not specifically 

required. Public hearings may provide an 

opportunity for community members 

to express views that are heard by all 

attendees.

In addition, an official permanent record 

is established at the public hearing. 

Public hearings can generate controversy, 

because some speakers can take extreme 

positions to elicit reactions from the 

audience. Other participants may not be 

comfortable speaking to a large audience. 

Public hearings must have a transcriber to 

record the meeting, which can be costly. 

The formal structure and format of a 

public hearing may not meet community 

expectations of a dialogue with the FAA. 
8 February 2016

Description Advantages Limitations

Informational Meetings: Meetings can be held 

to brief interested stakeholders on multiple 

topics. These may be recurring meetings on a 

set schedule or organized as needed to address 

specific issues or projects.

This type of meeting is less formal than 

public hearings and can be a valuable 

opportunity to provide informational 

updates.

Informational meetings require 

resources and staff, and not everyone 

who is interested in the issues will be 

able attend.

Breakout Groups: Breakout groups are typically 

smaller discussion groups comprising participants 

in a meeting who subsequently report back to the 

larger group. 

The small group discussion provides an 

opportunity for intensive participation. 

The summary reports offer a chance 

for all participants to get a sense of a 

broader range of ideas and concerns. 

This type of meeting requires multiple 

group facilitators who are familiar with 

the project or action.

Panel Meetings: Panel meetings involve 

assembling a group of speakers representing 

different opinions, perspectives, or fields of expertise 

who can discuss the issues in question. Panel 

meetings can be followed by discussions among 

the panelists, questions from the audience, or by 

small group discussions.

Panel meetings can help clarify issues 

surrounding a project that may not be 

well understood. A panel format allows 

individuals to air their views. 

The panel may not adequately represent 

all of the views or relevant areas of 

expertise. If not carefully coordinated, 

panel presentations may be repetitive 

or disjointed.

Open House or Workshop: An open house or 

workshop is an informal event usually held at a 

location and time that is convenient for the 

community and may be held over an extended 

period. Typically, printed information is provided 

and experts are available to explain issues, answer 

questions, and respond to public concerns. 

Attendees may also be invited to submit written 

comments or record oral comments. 

An open house or workshop allows the 

public to learn about the issues in 

question in a non-intimidating, informal 

manner. The experts on hand may be 

able to address questions and concerns 

on the spot.

Holding an open house over a period of 

time allows people to come and go when 

most convenient and can reduce crowding. 

Participants may be hesitant to ask the 

experts questions or raise concerns. There 

is no opportunity for commenters to 

solicit support for their views or respond 

to the comments made by others.

Pop-up Meetings: Pop-up meetings, facilitated by 

displays or handouts, are meetings in locations 

where the community is already congregating 

(subway stations, farmers markets, churches, 

shopping centers, libraries, schools, etc.). 

Displays in public places can provide information 

about a project and may be staffed by community 

involvement specialists who can answer questions 

and solicit input. 

Pop-up meetings can be useful to increase 

community awareness of a proposed 

project. They reach people where they 

are, rather than requiring them to travel 

to another location. People may feel 

more comfortable in a familiar setting, 

allowing them to share their thoughts 

more openly.

Pop-up meetings must be coordinated 

with the owners/managers of the space 

they occupy. They can require substantial 

staff time to develop, set up, and maintain. 

Exhibit 2: Public Meetings (cont.)
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 9

Exhibit 3: Targeted Groups to Address Specific Issues

Description Advantages Limitations

Working Sessions: Working sessions usually have 

a specific task or goal to be accomplished and 

typically include a representative cross-section of 

the community or a subset representing specialized 

interests or expertise. 

Working sessions help bring major 

concerns to the surface and allow for 

people to express their preferences. This 

format is especially useful in developing 

potential solutions to problems by 

providing an opportunity for a more 

focused or in-depth exploration of issues. 

Smaller working groups may be better 

able to make compromises needed to 

reach consensus. 

The views expressed in a working 

session may not entirely capture those 

of the community. 

Charrettes: A charrette brings together individuals 

over a concentrated block of time (such as an 

entire weekend or a series of consecutive nightly 

meetings) in an attempt to collaborate on a 

design or plan. 

Charrettes can be a useful means of 

achieving consensus and can result in a 

commitment by participating groups. They 

can lead to deeper understanding of the 

positions/motivations of others and a 

better working relationship among 

participants. 

Charrettes are effective only when all 

interested parties are willing to fully 

participate. They can be time-consuming, 

require substantial staff preparation, and 

can be expensive. 

Advisory Committees/Roundtables: Advisory 

committees and community roundtables serve many 

different functions; for example, they can provide 

views and advice on alternatives/issues; build 

consensus on controversial issues; coordinate with 

technical groups; review/monitor agency activities; 

provide independent, credible feedback; and/or 

build a constituency around a specific need or 

requirement. 

Advisory committees can be established by the FAA 

or formed by a local or state government, airport 

authority, or other body. 

Advisory committees and roundtables can 

bring structure to discussions of specific 

challenges or issues, and provide a 

more neutral forum that can enhance 

the credibility and transparency of 

FAA’s activities. 

Community roundtables may be able 

to help communicate complex topics to 

the community. 

In some cases, advisory committees 

or roundtables may represent limited 

interests and may not reflect the entire 

stakeholder community. 

Advisory Committees or similar groups 

sponsored, directed, or funded by the 

FAA must comply with FACA.

Facilitated Conflict Resolution: Facilitated conflict 

resolution is a process for resolving disputes with 

the assistance of a neutral facilitator. The facilitator 

structures the deliberations and enforces ground 

rules for negotiations. 

Facilitated conflict resolution can result 

in an agreement supported by all parties 

and may lead to quicker resolution 

of issues. 

Facilitated conflict resolution will work 

only when all parties are willing to 

negotiate in good faith. 

Requires the services of a third-party 

facilitator, which can be costly.

(Table continued on next page.)

2.3.2 Targeted Group Meetings

Meetings targeted to selected participants, such as working groups, committees, or roundtables, can be useful to identify 

and address specific issues. These are usually small groups representing a larger community interest and may be able to 

identify effective solutions with support from key community members. Targeted meetings can address ongoing issues in 

addition to new concerns as they arise. Targeted meetings can also be used to reach specific communities, such as nonEnglish speakers or groups not familiar with technology. Targeted group meetings may be held in settings that are more 

familiar and comfortable, such as churches or community centers.
10 February 2016

Description Advantages Limitations

Community and Interest Groups: Established 

community-based or special interest organizations 

have existing mechanisms such as regular meetings, 

newsletters, and listservs. Many community 

organizations look for information, materials, and 

speakers on issues of interest to their members. 

Staff from these organizations are often active in 

their communities and may be able to assist in 

arranging events or developing outreach materials.

By coordinating with existing community 

organizations, agencies can build on the 

work that such organizations have done 

to facilitate citizen participation and reach 

more people across the community. 

If there are multiple organizations, 

considerable staff time may be required 

to attend and participate in the various 

meetings.

Organizations have their own agendas and 

procedures that may not accommodate 

the type of information that FAA needs 

to disseminate.

Exhibit 3: Targeted Groups to Address Specific Issues (cont.)

Exhibit 4: Internet and Technology Tools

Description Advantages Limitations

Websites: Project websites are one of the most 

widely used community involvement tools. They 

may be the public face of the project and/or 

community involvement effort. Websites can be 

used to inform communities and can also serve 

as a public record of information exchanged and 

decisions made. Websites can support or house 

other techniques such as newsletters, feedback 

forms, and surveys. Project websites can be 

maintained by a consultant or project sponsor.

Websites are accessible to the public 

and can be used to share a wide range 

of information in a searchable format. 

Websites can support graphics that 

would be difficult to reproduce in print. 

Translation and text-to-speech software 

can make websites accessible to 

non-English speakers and visually 

impaired individuals. 

Websites may require internal approvals 

for posting information, which can be 

time-consuming. Hosting and maintaining 

a website may require funding and/or 

additional resources.

Some people may not have access to 

an Internet connection.

Simulation and Visualization: Visualization tools 

allow the FAA to present information geographically 

and in multiple dimensions to show how different 

project alternatives might affect a specific location 

or resource or illustrate how aviation operations 

interact and change under different forecast 

scenarios. These tools help communities to see 

the results of a proposed project or the way that 

the environment could be affected.

Simulation and visualization tools are 

effective in communicating complex 

information and are a powerful aid in 

explaining technical subject matter. 

These tools enable communities to 

better understand constraints and 

options, so that they can provide more 

informed input into the FAA’s activities. 

Using simulation and visualization tools 

may require advanced technical expertise 

and may be costly. 

Care must be taken not to overcomplicate 

subject matter. Some information can be 

conveyed just as effectively and at lower 

cost using printed maps or other low-tech 

visual aids.

(Table continued on next page.)

2.3.3 Internet and Technology Tools

Internet and technology tools provide many ways to communicate and can enhance the FAA’s ability to collaborate with 

communities by facilitating a two-way dialogue, providing transparency, and helping to educate the community.

Additionally, by posting or otherwise electronically sharing technical materials during the planning process, the public 

has an opportunity to review and understand the technical issues and constraints and raise questions about them before 

decisions are made. FAA practitioners should keep in mind that traditional communications methods are still important 

in reaching people in the community who may not have access to the Internet.

(Note: Although social media is Internet-based, it is covered in a separate section in this manual because of the variety of 

social media sites.)
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 11

Description Advantages Limitations

Virtual Meetings and Webinars: These tools enable 

individuals to participate in meetings or discussions 

via an Internet and/or telephone connection. They 

can also be used to record the meeting. 

Virtual meetings can be more convenient 

for people who otherwise could not attend 

due to time of day, location, accessibility, 

or transportation issues. They typically 

require less time to organize and cost 

less than in-person meetings. The 

automatic recording feature can be a 

useful way of capturing the discussion. 

Virtual meetings do not always allow for 

effective interaction. Some of the value 

of face-to-face meetings is lost.

Feedback Tools: Audience response systems 

and similar feedback tools can gather immediate 

feedback from large numbers of people. These are 

used to identify and rank topics using computers, 

phones, tablets, or other devices. The FAA can 

use these techniques in public meetings or virtual 

settings to quickly and efficiently identify the 

participants’ concerns.

Feedback tools can be an efficient way to 

quickly identify the key issues/priorities 

across a large body of people. Use of 

these tools helps to show individuals 

the priorities of the entire group in an 

immediate and anonymous way. 

These tools may require specialized 

expertise to set up and manage. To 

generate statistically valid responses, 

they need to use sound sampling 

methods.

Brainstorming and Collaboration Tools: There 

are a number of electronic tools available that 

can assist the FAA in identifying, organizing, and 

prioritizing ideas from the community; breaking 

down a problem into component parts; and 

collecting and categorizing feedback. These tools 

can be used in working sessions or larger formats.

Brainstorming tools are useful to help the 

FAA fully understand all of the different 

aspects of an issue. Brainstorming 

tools can also be helpful in identifying 

solutions in a way that is visible and 

transparent to the individuals involved.

Expertise may be required to select and 

use the appropriate types of brainstorming 

tools to maximize the value. 

Low-tech methods, such as recording ideas 

on a flipchart, can be just as effective.

Exhibit 4: Internet and Technology Tools (cont.)

2.3.4 Social Media

Social media is specifically designed to use Internet technology to allow people to share information and ideas within 

virtual communities. Social media offers some advantages over traditional media in that it can reach many people, can be 

used efficiently with high frequency, is highly interactive, and can be used to disseminate materials at relatively low cost. 

However, social media may not be used by all communities or by certain members of a community. It can be challenging 

to manage interactions on social media, and their use requires a level of technological expertise to ensure the appropriate 

security and privacy controls are in place. Some people may view information provided through social networks as less 

authoritative than information available from other sources.

The AOC can help FAA practitioners develop successful communication plans using the tools described in Exhibit 5 on the 

next page and is the only FAA office authorized to use these tools.
12 February 2016

2.3.5 Print and Other Traditional Media

Print media, television, and radio remain important and effective methods to communicate with communities. Traditional 

media is most commonly used for a one-way transfer of outgoing information but can support a two-way communication 

format, for example, through questionnaires or letters with community response options or letters to the editor of a 

newspaper. Traditional media can be particularly helpful in reaching communities that do not extensively or routinely 

use the Internet. Foreign language newspapers, radio, or television stations can be effective ways to reach non-English 

speaking populations.

Any communications with the media must be coordinated in advance with the FAA’s AOC. The AOC can prepare fact 

sheets and press releases on specific projects and media advisories for future meetings and events. In addition, every 

FAA region has a media communications professional who works with reporters and media outlets in the area and has 

relationships that can help build more effective results as outlined in Exhibit 6 on the following page.

Exhibit 5: Social Media

Description Advantages Limitations

Social Networks: Services such as Facebook and 

LinkedIn allow the user to establish a profile and 

connect with interested parties. Profiles can serve 

as a project website where regular updates can be 

posted. They are interactive and enable community 

feedback while maintaining a historical record. 

Social networks are usually easy to use 

and allow information to be quickly 

uploaded or accessed from computers 

and mobile devices. They are also widely 

used by the general public and enable the 

FAA to communicate in near real-time 

with participants. 

Social networks can offer a cost-effective 

alternative to a website.

Social networks have their own terms of 

use and conventions, which may 

not always lend themselves to FAA 

community involvement activities. 

Monitoring and moderating postings to the 

various sites can be very labor-intensive. 

Microblogging: Microblogs (for example, Twitter) 

allow users to post short entries that are pushed 

out to anyone subscribed to receive them. These 

can be used to provide community subscribers with 

quick, real-time updates on progress and point 

users to other information sources. They can also 

be used to receive feedback from communities 

and serve as an open line of communications. 

Microblogs are effective at getting realtime updates out to a wide community 

network and can be an efficient way to 

direct individuals to a project website or 

inform them of an upcoming meeting. 

Microblogs are intentionally limited in 

the amount of information that can be 

conveyed at a time.

Social News: Services such as Digg and Reddit 

provide primarily user-generated information on 

current events and offer an alternative to traditional 

newspapers and radio/television news.

Social news can be an effective way to 

reach a broad network of individuals or 

certain demographics and can be costeffective to use. 

There may be limited editorial control 

over user-generated information. 

Blogs, Forums, and Listservs: Online blogs, forums, 

and listservs are used to share information within 

a community. Members hold conversations by 

posting messages or discussing topics. These sites 

can be used to communicate with communities 

and solicit feedback. These are generally managed 

by individuals in the community. The FAA can also 

establish its own blogs, forums, and listservs. 

Blogs, forums, and listservs can be 

effective methods to connect directly 

with communities. The FAA can exert 

greater control over blogs, forums, and 

listservs it establishes and maintains. 

The FAA does not control the rules for 

use of blogs, forums, and listservs that 

it does not establish.

FAA-established blogs, forums, and 

listservs may be viewed as biased by 

some people.
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 13

Exhibit 6: Using Traditional Media to Reach Communities

Description Advantages Limitations

Newspapers and Magazines: Newspapers and 

magazines can be used to reach community 

members and other stakeholders. Editorial content 

(such as articles and opinion pieces) can provide 

information and convey different perspectives on 

an action. Public views may be reflected in letters 

to the editor or comments on an online edition. 

Sponsored content, inserts, or advertisements 

can provide information about a project.

Newspapers reach a certain segment of 

the population and provide a familiar and 

trusted format. Advertisements and inserts

in newspapers can be designed by the 

FAA or project sponsor and are delivered 

directly to their readers. News articles 

are a no-cost means of disseminating 

information. The favorable opinion of an 

editorial board or columnist can help a 

project gain community support. 

An increasing number of people are 

receiving their news from other sources.

Newspaper inserts can be expensive to 

produce and distribute and may not be 

read by all subscribers.

The content and tone of articles and 

opinion pieces are controlled by the 

reporters and editorial board and may 

be negative or even inflammatory. 

Mail-outs: Postcards or other printed materials, 

usually sent via bulk mail, can inform communities 

of important issues, provide status updates, or make 

the public aware of published reports, meetings 

with local government, or other information. Mailouts can also be used for obtaining public input 

on projects by including checklists or mail-backs. 

Mail-outs can be effective in reaching 

large numbers of people within a certain 

geographic area or can use custom 

mailing lists to target specific groups 

or individuals (e.g., those who have 

requested updates on certain issues). 

Individuals may not review mail-outs and 

in some cases may view them as “junk 

mail.” Mail-outs can be expensive to 

produce in large numbers depending on 

the quality and quantity of production.

Mail-outs used by the FAA to obtain 

policy input on projects may be subject 

to the Paperwork Reduction Act and 

require approvals that are timeconsuming to obtain.

Printed Reports: Reports typically contain 

technical information that presents the underlying 

assumptions and analysis for a proposed project 

and its potential impacts. These may be published 

several times during a project. 

Printed reports are a direct means of 

providing a substantial amount of 

information to the public. Publishing 

interim reports during the planning 

process gives the public an opportunity 

to review and understand the technical 

issues and constraints before decisions 

are made.

Technical reports can appear dry and even 

intimidating to non-experts. Preparation of 

attractive and accessible publications 

requires specialized skills that may have 

to be obtained outside the FAA.

Printing a large number of technical reports 

can be costly; more people may be 

reached by posting an electronic version 

of a document on the project website.

Brochures/Newsletters: Brochures usually contain 

a brief summary of the project, the issues involved, 

and opportunities for the public to participate in the 

study. Newsletters can highlight specific aspects 

of the project and provide periodic progress 

reports and information on upcoming events. 

Brochures/newsletters can be an effective 

way to communicate on a regular basis 

or on certain topics. 

Newsletters can document progress in 

a highly visible and simplified form and 

serve as a consistent communication 

channel. 

Brochures/newsletters can be 

expensive to produce in large numbers 

depending on the quality and quantity 

of production. 

(Table continued on next page.)
14 February 2016

Exhibit 6: Using Traditional Media to Reach Communities (cont.)

Description Advantages Limitations

Television and Radio: News coverage can provide 

information on the proposed project and can be 

used to publicize a website address or hotline for 

the public to call. Planned interviews can allow 

project representatives to convey key facts directly 

to the larger community. Talk shows or commentary 

sections of newscasts offer an opportunity for 

different views to be shared. It may also be possible 

to obtain a regular block of time from a local channel 

(such as public access and local government 

channels) and use this as a forum for communicating 

about upcoming events and continuing the 

discussion. Paid radio or television advertisements 

can also be used to provide information.

Television and radio have the potential 

to reach a large audience. Information 

conveyed through television and radio 

reaches people directly. Some stations 

are targeted to specific demographics 

and may be transmitted in foreign 

languages.

The content and editorial tone of news 

coverage are set by the station.

It can be expensive to secure blocks of 

time on commercial television and radio.

2.3.6 Technical Assistance and Support

Communicating complex aviation or environmental subject matter is one of the primary challenges associated with the 

FAA’s community involvement efforts. Community members and other stakeholders may need assistance to interpret 

technical documents, and may be frustrated by discussions and documents that presume familiarity with technical terms 

and concepts. 

It can be helpful to provide community members with some basic understanding of the key technical issues and topics that 

will be covered prior to a meeting or the release of a report. This assistance can be provided by the FAA or by consultants 

working directly for community groups. This technical assistance ensures that everyone has the same informational basis, 

and can help the community to frame the issues and understand the constraints the FAA has to work within.

Exhibit 7: Technical Assistance

Description Advantages Limitations

Education Programs: Education on technical topics 

can improve individuals’ understanding of the 

project and provide them with the knowledge and 

vocabulary to participate more meaningfully in the 

community involvement process. Education 

programs can cover the planning and decisionmaking process, critical environmental issues 

(e.g., noise measurement), and aviation topics 

(e.g., Performance-Based Navigation).

Education programs may increase the 

effectiveness of public involvement.

Community members educated on 

technical issues can better participate 

in a dialogue with technical experts in 

the community involvement process.

Some community members may question 

the objectivity of an education program 

conducted by the FAA. Educational 

programs that are limited to a small 

group may need to be repeated in order 

to include everyone who is interested in 

the issues. 

(Table continued on next page.)
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 15

Exhibit 7: Technical Assistance (cont.)

Exhibit 8: Additional Techniques for Community Involvement

2.3.7 Additional Techniques

Many other techniques that are commonly used in community involvement efforts can be used in conjunction with the 

techniques described previously.

Description Advantages Limitations

Surveys: Surveys can be designed to determine 

public attitudes, values, and perceptions on various 

issues. Surveys can be conducted electronically 

through websites or social media, in person at 

meetings or by phone, or through mail and 

other publications.

Well-designed sampling procedures 

can produce results that are truly 

representative of the population from 

which it was drawn. 

Surveys can capture a range of public 

views, not just those individuals who 

are most directly affected and likely to 

attend meetings, submit comments, or 

otherwise make their views known. 

Unless a rigorous methodology is 

employed to ensure that the people 

surveyed represent the community and 

the questions are not biased, surveys 

may not produce reliable or meaningful 

data. The cost of developing statistically 

reliable surveys is high. 

Approvals required to comply with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act are timeconsuming to obtain.

Interviews: Interviews can be used to understand 

community interest in the project, the goals, and 

values of the community, the manner in which the 

individuals would like to participate, and the political 

climate and relationship between the various 

interest groups. Interviews can be either nonstructured conversations or follow a structured list 

of questions or topics to be discussed so that 

responses can be easily compared and summarized.

Interviews can provide a quick insight 

into community concerns, background 

issues, and important information on 

how individuals wish to participate. 

Interviews can help to build personal 

relationships with key individuals and 

establish more direct communication 

links with the public.

Interviews may not be entirely 

representative of public sentiment. 

Approvals required to comply with 

Paperwork Reduction Act are timeconsuming to obtain. 

Temporary Project Offices: Offices can be 

temporarily established at the project site or in the 

community. Typically, a project office is placed in 

a highly visible part of the community, such as a 

downtown storefront or shopping center, so that 

the largest number of people will know of its 

existence. The project office staff are available 

to answer questions and solicit opinions from the 

local community. 

Temporary offices provide a means of 

informal interaction with the local 

community at the convenience of the 

residents and communicate the value 

the agency places upon the community.

Staff occupying temporary offices 

may obtain a better understanding of 

community needs and desires.

Temporary offices can be costly to staff 

and to operate. 

(Table continued on next page.)

Description Advantages Limitations

Technical Support: Technical support allows 

community members without technical expertise to 

develop their ideas using the same tools used by 

the FAA. In these cases, the community may use 

their own experts (e.g., consultants or members 

of the community), or the FAA may provide 

technical experts.

Technical support can reduce the 

likelihood that community members 

will be intimidated by technical details. 

Ideas from the public can be developed 

to the same level of technical detail as 

ideas generated by the agency.

In controversial situations, information 

generated by independent sources may 

be more acceptable to the public than 

those generated by the FAA.

Providing technical support to all groups 

can require extensive staff resources 

or significant funding for consultants. 

Members of the public may 

think there is bias in technical support 

provided by the FAA.
16 February 2016

Description Advantages Limitations

Hotlines: A hotline is a single telephone number that 

community members can call to ask questions or 

make comments, and is often publicized through 

brochures, reports, news stories, paid advertising, 

etc. Hotlines have been used as a method of 

handling noise complaints and as coordination 

points for individuals requiring information about 

the progress of a project. Comments received over 

a hotline can be incorporated as a part of the 

record.

The hotline provides a convenient means 

for community members to register their 

questions, comments, and concerns 

and can also be useful in providing 

information about upcoming meetings or 

other community involvement activities.

Hotlines can be expensive to set up 

and staff. 

Depending on the volume of calls, a 

hotline can require a great deal of 

staff time.

Exhibit 8: Additional Techniques for Community Involvement (cont.)

2.4 Applicability of Community Involvement Techniques

The techniques described in the previous section can be used to facilitate various objectives of community involvement. 

Exhibit 9 indicates how each technique can be used to:

• Inform the Public: Provide the community with information—usually in a one-way flow.

• Educate the Public: Explain and illustrate complex aviation or environmental topics to people with varying levels of 

background, education, and experience.

• Foster Dialogue: Encourage two-way communication, including gathering data and providing an opportunity for the 

public to offer feedback. 

• Collaborate: Facilitate discussion and collaboration, for example, by providing a forum for the FAA and community to 

work through topics and generate shared solutions. 

This chart is just a guide; these techniques may also be used in other ways to further different objectives.

Exhibit 9: Applicability of Community Involvement Techniques

Technique Inform Educate Foster 

Dialogue Collaborate

Public Meetings

Public Hearings

Informational Meetings

Breakout Groups 

Panel Meetings

Open House or Workshop

Pop-up Meetings

(Table continued on next page.)
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 17

Exhibit 9: Applicability of Community Involvement Techniques (cont.)

Technique Inform Educate Foster 

Dialogue Collaborate

Targeted Group Meetings

Working Sessions

Charrettes

Advisory Committees/Roundtables

Facilitated Conflict Resolution

Community and Interest Groups

Internet and Technology Tools

Websites

Simulation and Visualization

Virtual Meetings and Webinars

Feedback Tools

Brainstorming and Collaboration Tools

Social Media

Social Networks

Microblogging

Social News

Blogs, Forums, and Listservs 

Print and Other Traditional Media

Newspapers and Magazines

Mail-outs

Printed Reports

Brochures/Newsletters

Television and Radio

Technical Assistance and Support

Education Programs

Technical Support

Additional Techniques

Surveys

Interviews

Temporary Project Offices

Hotlines
18 February 2016

Understanding 

community 

characteristics 

helps to determine 

the appropriate 

amount and type 

of community 

involvement effort.

3. Community Involvement for Your Project

This section describes community involvement activities that FAA practitioners 

can undertake at each phase of a project’s life cycle: pre-planning, initiation, 

planning, implementation, and close-out. As no two FAA projects are 

precisely the same and some projects may have legal requirements for public 

participation, every community involvement effort needs to be tailored to the 

unique characteristics of the project and communities involved. Therefore, the 

guidance in this section does not prescribe the exact steps and actions that an 

FAA practitioner should take. Rather, it provides a general description of the 

types of activities to be considered during each phase of the project life cycle.

3.1 The Project Life Cycle

For the purposes of this guidance, 

a project life cycle can be broken 

down into five phases with varying 

community involvement activities 

relevant at each project phase, as 

described below and illustrated in 

Exhibit 10. 

1. Pre-Planning: During the preplanning phase, the FAA or 

another project sponsor defines 

the proposed project. At this early 

phase, FAA practitioners can begin 

to identify which communities 

may be affected, key community 

issues and concerns, past or current 

community interest in aviation, 

whether and how to provide 

community involvement, and the 

groups and individuals who should 

be included in any community 

involvement efforts. 

2. Initiation: Once the project has 

been officially proposed, the FAA, 

in coordination with airport and 

local government officials, can 

begin to engage with any identified 

groups and individuals within the 

community. The focus in this phase 

is making interested parties aware 

of the proposed project and letting 

them know how they can participate 

in the process, as well as receive 

feedback from the community.

3.
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 19

3. Planning: This is the most active 

phase of community involvement. 

The FAA’s review of the project’s 

impacts under NEPA and other 

environmental statutes normally 

occurs during the planning phase. 

The FAA can provide information 

and gain a more in-depth 

understanding of community 

concerns. Community input is 

considered in developing and 

refining project options, analysis, 

and potential mitigation measures. 

At the conclusion of this phase, the 

FAA makes its decision on whether 

and how to implement the project. 

Phase 1

Pre-Planning

• Understand the project

• Coordinate across 

 the FAA

• Identify community 

 stakeholders and 

 their concerns

• Understand community 

 characteristics

• Develop community

 involvement plan

Phase 2

Initiation

• Plan initial community 

 contact

• Develop outreach 

 processes and 

 prepare materials

• Initiate community

 outreach

Phase 3

Planning

• Conduct community

 involvement activities

• Gather community input

• Discuss alternatives and 

 mitigation options

• Communicate FAA’s 

 decision

Phase 4

Implementation

• Keep communities 

 updated

• Respond to questions 

 and address issues

Phase 5

Close-out

• Communicate Project 

 Results

• Identify ongoing 

 community involvement 

 opportunities

Project Life Cycle

Community 

Involvement 

Activities

Community 

Involvement 

Milestones

Illustration of 

Community 

Involvement 

Techniques 

Applied to 

Project Life Cycle

Community Involvement Plan

Internet and Technology Tools

Social Media

Print and Other Traditional Media

Targeted Group Meetings

Additional Techniques

Public Meetings

Technical Assistance and Support

Project team is prepared to 

initiate activities outlined in a 

Community Involvement Plan.

Community is aware of the 

project and how to participate.

FAA considers community input 

in decision on the project.

Community is informed 

of project progress.

Community knows project results 

and how to reach out to the FAA.

Exhibit 10: Project Life Cycle—Key Community Involvement Activities and Outcomes

4. Implementation: After a decision 

has been made to go forward with 

the project, the FAA informs the 

community of the project start date 

and progress of implementation. 

During this phase, the FAA can 

respond to any further community 

issues and concerns that may arise.

5. Close-out: At the completion of 

the project, the FAA can provide 

an FAA contact or identify another 

mechanism for the community to 

convey new or ongoing concerns.

3.2  Project Life Cycle Phase 1:

Pre-Planning

Activities at this phase help the 

FAA to gauge the probability, level, 

and complexity of community 

issues and determine the extent 

of community involvement that 

should be undertaken. Information 

collected and evaluated by the FAA 

during this phase can affect project 

schedules and budgets and help 

determine the need for specialized 

resources (e.g., training, contractors, 

or communications) and the degree 

to which other LOBs/SOs need to be 

involved. The FAA should ensure that 

any airport operators in the project 

area are aware of the proposed project. 

At the completion of this phase, the 

FAA will have determined the level 

and extent of community involvement.
20 February 2016

Exhibit 11: FAA LOB/SO Coordination

FAA LOB/SO How They Can Help

Office of Environment and 

Energy (AEE)

• Identify ongoing or past projects and issues that may be relevant

• Identify sources of information or assistance from across the FAA

• Provide guidance and other resources related to community involvement and 

specific public participation requirements in FAA environmental orders

Office of Communications 

(AOC)

• Provide best practices and tools for communicating with the public

• Develop and execute communications plans, including media coordination

• Identify past or current media coverage that may provide insight into 

community concerns

Office of Chief Counsel (AGC)

• Provide guidance on regulatory or statutory requirements

• Identify any potential legal issues related to the project

• Identify any past, ongoing, or potential future legal action

• Review draft materials for community involvement

3.2.1 Understand the Project

The purpose and goals of the proposed 

project should be identified before 

community involvement planning 

activities take place. FAA practitioners 

carrying out community involvement 

activities must understand and be able 

to describe in non-technical language 

the requirements, purpose, and goals 

of the proposed project, the general 

concept or approach for achieving 

those goals, the geographic locations 

that could be affected, the level of 

complexity of the effort, and the 

projected time frame of the project. 

3.2.2 Coordinate Across the FAA

At this early stage, an effective way 

to identify community concerns 

(as well as groups and individuals 

likely to express those concerns) 

is by consulting with other FAA 

organizations, as indicated in Exhibit 

11. It is important to make other FAA 

organizations aware of proposed 

projects. FAA practitioners should 

coordinate with other LOBs/SOs to 

inform them of the project and learn 

about any relevant studies, related 

projects, or helpful information. 

The public generally expects FAA 

representatives to be familiar with the 

agency’s activities.

Coordinating with other FAA 

LOBs/SOs is also essential to gain 

insights and make effective use 

of FAA resources and expertise. 

Some LOBs/SOs will be able to 

highlight sensitivities, community 

concerns, or ongoing community 

involvement activities. Staff within 

the FAA also have community 

involvement experience and can 

provide guidance on the most effective 

approaches, given the characteristics 

of a specific project and community. 

By coordinating across the FAA, 

practitioners can enhance their initial 

understanding of the level of likely 

community interest in their proposed 

project, local community interest 

groups, and potential sources of 

information and assistance.

3.2.3 Identify Community Concerns

Identifying community concerns 

begins by identifying groups and 

individuals who may have an interest 

in, or be affected by, the project and/

or who have a history of involvement 

with aviation issues. A project that 

would affect a community with a 

history of engagement in aviation 

activities may call for a different 

approach than one that affects 

a community with no previous 

involvement. The FAA’s community 

involvement efforts and the choice 

of tools and techniques will be 

influenced by the nature of the 

project, community concerns, and 

the number and type of interested 

groups and individuals. There may be 

one community group that represents 

people with similar concerns or many 

groups with differing points of view. 

(Table continued on next page.)
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 21

Exhibit 11: FAA LOB/SO Coordination (cont.)

FAA LOB/SO How They Can Help

Office of Airports (ARP)

• Identify airport projects that have raised or are expected to raise 

community concerns

• Provide guidance and insight on community interest groups and 

community sensitivities 

• Identify regional or Airport District Office staff who can assist with outreach 

to airport operators and community groups

• Coordinate with an airport sponsor’s ongoing community involvement efforts 

Air Traffic Organization (ATO)

• Identify past, ongoing, or potential future air traffic procedure, airspace, and 

facilities projects that have raised or are expected to raise community concerns 

• Identify ATO Service Area staff who can assist with outreach to community 

groups who have been involved in past air traffic procedure, airspace, 

or facilities projects 

• Provide guidance and insight on community sensitivities 

Office of Commercial Space 

Transportation (AST)

• Identify past, ongoing, or potential future commercial space projects that have 

raised or are expected to raise community concerns 

• Identify resources who can assist with outreach and communication to 

communities near commercial space launch or reentry sites 

• Provide guidance and insights based on past experience

Aviation Safety (AVS)

• Identify past, ongoing, or potential future aviation safety projects, policies, 

or industry operations that have raised or are expected to raise community 

concerns

• Identify regional or Flight Standards District Office staff who can assist with 

outreach to aircraft operators and community groups

Regions and Centers (ARC)

• Provide guidance and insights on community sensitivities based on regional 

knowledge and experience with community groups 

• Provide information on political interest in aviation issues in the region

• Identify regional staff who can assist with outreach to community groups

Office of Government and 

Industry Affairs (AGI)

• Provide political insights and coordination for projects with likely or known 

political interest in community concerns

• Assist with responses to Congressional inquiries

• Assist in identifying federally-elected officials with input on local concerns and 

community involvement efforts

Office of Civil Rights (ACR)

• Provide assistance to ensure there is no unlawful discrimination against any 

person because of race, color, national origin, sex, creed, or disability

• Identify public outreach techniques that can accommodate community members with Limited English Proficiency, those with disabilities, and other groups 

• Provide insight on stakeholder groups within the community and any sensitivities or past issues
22 February 2016

More planning, resources, and time 

may need to be devoted to community 

involvement when there are more 

groups with more diverse concerns. 

Groups outside the region and 

groups that are not associated with a 

specific location, such as the National 

Organization to Insure a Sound 

Controlled Environment (N.O.I.S.E.) 

or the Natural Resources Defense 

Council (NRDC) may also warrant 

consideration.

FAA practitioners should also look 

beyond established groups when 

identifying community concerns. In 

addition to getting input from other 

FAA staff and the airport operator 

(if applicable), information on 

community concerns can be gathered 

from local elected officials, or through 

Internet searches from a range of 

sources, including local/national 

media and community websites/blogs. 

As information is collected during 

this phase, the areas represented by 

these groups can be located on a map 

to assist in identifying any additional 

areas with potential concerns.

3.2.4 Understand Community

Characteristics

Understanding community 

characteristics helps to determine 

the appropriate amount and type 

of community involvement effort. 

The project team should be aware 

of the key characteristics of each 

community of interest in the project 

area. Population demographics 

may be important to consider, 

for example if there is a sizeable 

affected population that requires 

communication in a language other 

than English. It is particularly vital 

to identify low-income and minority 

populations to which Environmental 

Justice requirements apply. Other 

notable characteristics may include 

historic properties, parks and wildlife 

refuges, tribal lands, and other 

cultural resources. Online tools, such 

as Google Earth, can provide a threedimensional tour of the community. 

3.2.5 Develop a Community

Involvement Plan

A community involvement plan 

serves as an anchor document that 

identifies community involvement 

activities and aligns them with the 

project goals, schedule, and any legal 

requirements for public participation. 

A plan is recommended for any 

sizeable community involvement 

effort to help ensure that the project 

team is adequately prepared in terms 

of technical expertise, schedule, 

budget, and other resources. The 

project team generally begins to 

develop a plan once the community 

concerns and characteristics have 

been identified. Understanding how 

different perspectives and concerns 

are represented will influence 

how they will be addressed in the 

plan. Special consideration needs 

to be given to provide meaningful 

public involvement by minority 

and low-income populations (e.g., 

Environmental Justice populations).

Developing a community involvement 

plan early in the process creates a clear 

plan of action to initiate community 

outreach activities. Examples of key 

elements that can be included in a 

community involvement plan are 

listed in Exhibit 12. The community 

involvement plan can address relevant 

elements in a concise way. It is a living 

document that can be refined and 

updated as the project progresses. 

Additional information is likely to be 

collected during the initial community 

outreach activities, which may result 

in changes to the plan.

In addition, a community involvement 

plan can provide a basis to include 

funds for community involvement as 

part of the project costs. It can identify 

the types of resources and skills 

needed and whether they are available 

in-house or need to be obtained 

through contractors. Coordination 

with FAA LOBs/SOs may help identify 

available resources within the FAA. 

Resources may need to cover technical 

support for websites, productions of 

presentation materials or publications, 

public meetings, and other techniques 

as identified in Chapter 2.

Exhibit 12: Key Elements of a

Community Involvement Plan

Project Description

• Concept/description

• Location 

• Purpose and goals

• Estimated schedule

Community Concerns 

and Characteristics

• Key issues

• Community groups and individuals

• Community characteristics

• FAA and airport contacts

Community Involvement 

Activities

• Scope of community involvement

• Roles and responsibilities

• Process for initiating contact 

with communities 

• Communication strategy

• Key messages 

• Materials

• Website/other media

• Schedule

• Resources

• Technical staff

• Tools

• Communications

• Budget
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 23

3.3  Project Life Cycle

Phase 2: Initiation

The community’s introduction to 

the project and the project team 

generally occurs during this phase. 

First impressions can set the 

tone for constructive community 

involvement. The FAA practitioners 

initiating community involvement 

activities need to have the training 

and experience to interact with the 

community in a positive manner. They 

should also have enough information 

to describe in non-technical terms the 

proposed project, why it is needed, 

and the anticipated time frame for 

making an FAA decision.

Community involvement during this 

phase is not simply about making 

communities aware of the project, 

but also providing appropriate 

opportunities for their participation. 

This includes describing how they can 

get information and provide input 

and how community issues and views 

will be taken into consideration. The 

relationship between the community 

involvement process and the FAA’s 

environmental review of the proposed 

project should be part of this early 

communication.

FAA practitioners can initiate 

community outreach using techniques 

suited to the specific characteristics 

of the community and the project (see 

Section 2.3, Effective Techniques). In 

some cases, communities may already 

be engaged in aviation issues through 

community roundtables, newsletters, 

or established websites. In other 

cases, a community may have little 

awareness and no pre-existing groups. 

In all cases, the FAA must provide for 

meaningful public involvement by 

minority and low-income populations. 

In order to be successful, each project 

may require a different combination 

of communications and outreach 

methods.

3.3.1 Plan Initial Contact with the

Community

The project team should determine 

who will contact the community 

groups and individuals identified 

in the community involvement 

plan. Trained and experienced staff 

can make initial FAA-community 

interactions go more smoothly. FAA 

practitioners who interact with the 

community should be experienced or 

trained in community involvement or 

be accompanied by individuals with 

the necessary expertise.

Project team members may want to 

review a proposed outreach list with 

FAA regional organizations or field 

offices to see if they have established 

relationships with community group 

leaders, local elected officials, or 

key stakeholders. For example, the 

Airport District Office and ATO Service 

Center staff may be able to make 

initial introductions or help craft 

the most effective message for initial 

outreach. FAA practitioners should 

also coordinate with management 

of affected airports, if the airport 

operator is not already involved in 

the project. The project team can 

also work with airport management 

or local government to introduce 

the project team to the community. 

Early coordination with airport 

management, elected officials, and 

community leaders helps inform the 

project team of the extent of local 

interest and anticipated community 

concerns. Consulting such officials 

before initiating broader community 

outreach activities can also avoid 

putting them in a position of seeming 

uninformed about issues that may be 

of importance to their community. 

3.3.2 Develop Outreach Processes

and Prepare Materials

The project team should develop an 

initial process for communicating 

with the public and prepare some 

introductory materials before 

initiating community outreach. It 

may be helpful to work with AOC, 

AGI, and/or AGC in developing these 

materials to ensure that the messages 

they convey are consistent with agency 

policy and do not inadvertently raise 

legal issues. Before outreach begins, 

it is useful to have prepared or made 

arrangements for:

• The Project Website: This serves 

as the one-stop-shop for the 

project and can demonstrate the 

FAA’s commitment to open and 

transparent communication with 

the public. The website can provide 

detailed information on the project 

and how the community can get 

involved, including mechanisms for 

community feedback and questions. 

• Informational Materials: Materials 

such as brochures, mail-outs, 

exhibits, public notices, and press 

releases can clearly and concisely 

describe the proposed project, 

why it is being proposed, where 

individuals/groups can obtain more 

information, and how they can 

participate in the process. More 

detailed materials describing the 

areas where the project is planned 

and known community concerns can 

be developed and expanded during 

the community involvement process. 
24 February 2016

• Mechanisms for Community 

Input: FAA practitioners initiating 

contact with communities should be 

able to offer mechanisms to provide 

feedback or ask questions. These 

may take the form of a hotline, email 

address, microblogging address 

(e.g., Twitter account), website 

comment/feedback form or mailing 

address, or meetings. 

3.3.3 Initiate Community Outreach

Initial outreach should provide the 

information that the community needs 

to become involved. FAA practitioners 

initiating contact with communities 

should be able to clearly describe in 

non-technical terms: 

• The Project: Provide a clear 

explanation of the problems to be 

solved, the goals, and an accurate 

description of the proposed project. 

The project description and 

justification should be provided in 

plain language to allow non-experts 

to understand complex technical 

topics. 

• Timeline and Key Milestones:

Make the community aware of the 

project schedule, including key 

milestones and opportunities for 

community involvement. Community 

involvement opportunities should 

be coordinated with any public 

participation requirements of the 

FAA’s environmental review. 

• Key Issues and Concerns:

Share the FAA’s preliminary 

understanding of the community 

and of the community’s concerns 

and/or priorities (e.g., changes 

in noise patterns) to allow the 

community to correct or expand 

on initial impressions.

• Ways to Participate: Explain how 

communities can participate in the 

project. Provide email addresses, 

website addresses, and phone 

numbers. Let community members 

know if public meetings have been 

planned and when and where they 

will be held. 

• Communication Methods: Describe 

how the FAA plans to communicate 

information on the project, including 

updates and key data (e.g., through 

a public website, newsletters, emails, 

or social media).

Initial outreach should be planned 

carefully to establish a strong 

foundation for future community 

involvement activities. This will be 

the first opportunity for community 

members to meet the project team, 

learn about the project, ask questions, 

and provide feedback.

From the outset, the project team 

should aim to be inclusive. Broad 

engagement and representation 

at meetings can help reflect all 

community views. This may reduce 

the likelihood that new community 

groups are identified later in the 

project and are dissatisfied because 

they were left out of initial engagement 

efforts. It is a good practice to provide 

affected airports, as well as officials 

from state and local governments, 

the opportunity to participate in 

community involvement activities. 

When officials from airports or the 

local government participate in 

meetings, it is usually valuable 

to review the meeting agenda, 

logistics, roles, and responsibilities 

with them in advance. 

3.4  Project Life Cycle

Phase 3: Planning

Typically, most community 

involvement activities occur in the 

project planning phase. During this 

phase, ongoing effective two-way 

communication enables the FAA 

to understand community concerns 

and consider their input. This phase 

may include efforts to educate the 

community on technical subject 

matter using understandable, 

non-technical terms, and work 

toward understanding key issues. 

Aircraft noise, which is often 

a community concern, can be 

particularly difficult to explain in

non-technical terms. The FAA’s 

methodology for calculating noise 

and determining a significant noise 

impact may not be understood and 

communities may not agree with 

FAA’s conclusions. Noise increases 

that do not meet FAA’s criteria 

for significant impact or reportable 

increases may still be considered 

a noise problem by the community. 

The AEE can offer assistance on 

explaining noise impacts 

to communities.

Community input and FAA analysis 

can help to shape project alternatives 

and/or mitigation measures that 

can be considered in the NEPA process 

during this phase. At the conclusion 

of this phase, the FAA will make 

a decision, based on project goals, 

analysis, community input, and 

other relevant factors, on whether 

and how it plans to move forward 

with the project. 
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 25

3.4.1 Conduct Community

Involvement Activities

Early community involvement 

activities typically focus on 

communicating the details of the 

proposed project and educating the 

public about technical issues. 

The FAA can provide information 

and opportunities for communities 

to give input and feedback 

through a range of activities (as 

described in Chapter 2). The type of 

communication will generally depend 

on the project and community interest. 

The FAA can provide additional 

information as it is developed, 

including environmental analyses. 

Providing opportunities for individuals 

to ask questions of experts at an open 

house or public hearing offers a chance 

to address any misperceptions or 

information gaps. Visualization and 

modeling tools can help to illustrate 

how the project could affect specific 

communities or resources.

3.4.2 Gather Community Input

Community input can be collected 

from the outset of the project, but 

community involvement efforts 

during the Planning Phase can 

provide the FAA with a more detailed 

understanding of the issues that need 

to be considered. As project planning 

proceeds, the community should 

become more knowledgeable of the 

project and be in a position 

to offer more robust feedback, 

perhaps including suggestions for 

project alternatives or mitigation. 

Techniques that may facilitate more 

detailed community input at this 

phase include work sessions, open 

houses, and brainstorming.

3.4.3 Discuss Alternatives and

Mitigation Options

Community involvement may include 

input on project alternatives and 

ways to mitigate project impacts. The 

project team should be prepared to 

discuss alternatives currently under 

consideration and explore additional 

alternatives with the community. The 

project team should be able to describe 

the aviation and environmental 

implications of each alternative in 

non-technical terms.

As the community’s concerns are 

better understood, the project team 

may be able to develop additional 

alternatives to address these concerns. 

Community groups and individuals 

may also put forward alternatives for 

the FAA’s consideration. The project 

team can use a range of community 

involvement techniques to discuss 

alternatives with the community and 

gain their input. Techniques such as 

charrettes, brainstorming exercises, or 

working groups usually involve a time 

commitment and iterative process to 

review options and alternatives but 

may result in a better understanding 

of the reasonable range of alternatives, 

their relative merits, and any related 

tradeoffs. The project team should 

explain any impediments to adopting 

an alternative.

Mitigation options may also be 

raised by and discussed with the 

community during the planning phase. 

The FAA’s community involvement 

process should be reflected in any 

NEPA documentation for the project. 

The FAA’s consideration of reasonable 

alternatives and mitigation options 

must be consistent with FAA Order 

1050.1 and any other relevant orders 

or policies.

3.4.4 Communicate the FAA’s

Decision

After gathering and considering 

community input and conducting all 

of the requisite analysis, the FAA is 

responsible for completing the NEPA 

process and making a decision on 

the project. It may not be possible 

to reach a decision that satisfies all 

parties, especially when there is a 

wide diversity of community views. 

It is important to communicate this 

decision, so the community is aware 

of the reasoning that underlies it and 

understands how community concerns 

were taken into account. The FAA will 

communicate the agency’s decision 

in accordance with applicable FAA 

Orders. This communication should 

be coordinated within FAA, including 

how and when the decision is 

announced. A project implementation 

date or schedule can also be conveyed 

if known at this point. 

3.5  Project Life Cycle

Phase 4: Implementation

Phase 4 includes community 

involvement activities that may 

be considered during project 

implementation to maintain positive 

community relations and address 

unforeseen issues. Community 

involvement during implementation 

focuses on ensuring that communities 

remain aware of project progress, 

key milestones, and any significant 

changes or new issues that might 

affect the community. It can also be 

helpful to highlight key milestones to 

demonstrate progress, especially those 

that benefit the community.
26 February 2016

3.5.1 Keep Communities Updated

During implementation, the project 

team can continue to provide 

information and mechanisms for 

community feedback. Since project 

implementation can take several 

years, it can be helpful to keep the 

community apprised of progress and 

maintain community access to public 

project records by maintaining the 

project website and providing regular 

updates through newsletters, the 

website, public meetings, and/or social 

media. For example, the FAA can 

provide information on: 

• Project Progress: Regular 

communications describing the 

status of the project and major 

activities that are underway or will be 

started soon can keep the community 

up-to-date on the progress being 

made. Updates should identify any 

potential issues for the community, 

such as roads that might be closed, 

changes in air traffic patterns, or 

temporary construction impacts. 

• Key Milestones: Highlighting 

major accomplishments shows the 

community that progress is being 

made. It may be especially helpful 

to spotlight milestones that benefit 

the community, such as re-opening 

a runway that returns air traffic to 

normal patterns or implementing a 

noise abatement procedure. 

• Changes to the Project: It is not 

unusual for minor changes to occur 

during implementation for a variety 

of reasons. Changes of interest to 

the public should be communicated 

along with the reasons for the 

change. Certain changes may involve 

a written re-evaluation and possibly 

require supplemental analysis 

and documentation under NEPA; 

this should be determined prior to 

communicating the proposed change. 

3.5.2 Respond to Questions and

Address Issues

Communities may have questions 

about the project schedule, complaints 

about construction nuisances (traffic, 

noise, dust, etc.), or other concerns 

during project implementation. The 

FAA can strengthen community 

relations by recognizing these issues 

and responding to these concerns 

in an appropriate manner. It may 

be useful to maintain a questionand-answer (Q&A) webpage or Q&A 

section in newsletters. 

3.6  Project Life Cycle

Phase 5: Close-out

At project close-out, the FAA’s 

community involvement activities 

shift from discussing an ongoing 

project to communicating project 

results that are of interest to the 

community, along with opportunities 

for ongoing community involvement. 

This may also be an appropriate time 

for the project team to conduct an 

internal review of lessons learned, best 

practices, and tools that could be used 

for other FAA projects in the future. 

3.6.1 Communicate Project Results

Communicating project results to 

the community, including areas 

where the community influenced the 

planning process or helped improve 

the outcome, can occur via a project 

website or newsletter. In some cases, it 

may be appropriate to hold a meeting 

or other event with the community to 

share project results or to mark the 

project completion. 

3.6.2 Identify Ongoing Community

Involvement Opportunities

The community should know how 

it can reach out to the FAA once the 

project has ended, particularly where 

the FAA practitioners who worked 

with the community move on to 

projects in other locations. There are 

a number of different mechanisms 

for communities to communicate 

with the FAA after project completion 

including: 

• Ongoing Community 

Organizations: In many locations, 

FAA regional or district office staff 

participate in airport and local 

community groups (e.g., Noise 

Roundtables) on a regular basis, 

not just during specific projects. 

These venues may provide 

opportunities for continuing FAA 

and community dialogue. 

• Regional Offices: The FAA 

maintains offices in regions 

across the United States with 

representatives from different 

FAA organizations. The project 

team can provide communities 

with information on how to submit 

concerns or questions about aviation 

issues in their region or service area. 

Opportunities for ongoing 

community involvement help to 

maintain relationships and provide 

communities with an enduring 

voice in aviation issues that affect 

them, even when there is no specific 

project underway. Where there is 

regular FAA activity or continuing 

robust community interest, it may 

be desirable to maintain an ongoing 

dialogue rather than having to 

rebuild community relationships 

for every project.
	FAA Community Involvement Manual 27

Notes

1. For the purpose of this document, “community involvement” is synonymous with “community engagement,” “public outreach,” and other similar terms.

2. The terms “actions” and “projects” are used interchangeably in this manual.

3. 42 United States Code (U.S.C.) §§ 4321–4335, 40, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 1500–1508, Regulations for Implementing the Procedural 

Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (Council on Environmental Quality [CEQ] Regulations).

4. Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, 59 Federal Register 

7629 (February 16, 1994); Department of Transportation (DOT) Order 5610.2(a), Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and 

Low-Income Populations. 

5. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, 54 U.S.C. § 36108, 36 CFR Part 800, Protection of Historic Properties.

6. FAA Order 1050.1F - Policies and Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts is available at http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/

headquarters_offices/apl/environ_policy_guidance/policy/faa_nepa_order/.

7. 5 U.S.C. App. §§ 1–16; 41 CFR Parts 101–6 and 102–3.

8. The Paperwork Reduction Act requires that agencies obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) before requesting information 

from the public through surveys, interviews, and other methods. 44 U.S.C. §§ 3501–3521; 5 CFR Part 1320. 

9. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requires federal agencies to disclose information requested by the public unless it falls under one of nine 

exemptions and requires agencies to proactively post online certain categories of information, including frequently requested records. 5 U.S.C. § 552; FAA 

Order 1270.1A, FOIA.

10. The Privacy Act establishes a code of fair information practices that governs the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of information about 

individuals that is maintained in systems of records by federal agencies. 5 U.S.C. § 552a.
28 February 2016
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