39220 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 122 / Friday, June 23, 2000 / Notices

Section of the FAR Affected: 14 CFR

21.183(f), 25.2(b), 25.807(f)(4), and

121.310(m)

Description of Relief Sought: To

permit a distance between exit door

pairs 2 and 3 in excess of 60 feet for the

A340–600 airplane.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on any

petition in triplicate to: Federal

Aviation Administration, Office of the

Chief Counsel, Attn: Rule Docket (AGC–

200), Petition Docket No. ll, 800

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20591.

Comments may also be sent

electronically to the following internet

address 9-NPRM-cmts@faa.gov.

The petition, any comments received,

and a copy of any final disposition are

filed in the assigned regulatory docket

and are available for examination in the

Rule Docket (AGC–200), Room 915G,

FAA Headquarters Building (FOB 10A),

800 Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202)

267–3132.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cherie Jack (202) 267–7271, Forest

Rawls (202) 267–8033, or Vanessa

Wilkins (202) 267–8029 Office of

Rulemaking (ARM–1), Federal Aviation

Administration, 800 Independence,

Avenue, SW., Wahsington, DC 20591.

This notice is published pursuant to

paragraphs (c), (e), and (g) of § 11.27 of

Part 11 of the Federal Aviation

Regulations (14 CFR Part 11).

Issued in Washington, DC on June 15,

2000.

Anthony F. Fazio,

Director, Office of Rulemaking.

[FR Doc. 00–15952 Filed 6–22–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. 30086]

Report to Congress on Effects of

Nonmilitary Helicopter Noise on

Individuals in Densely Populated Areas

in the Continental United States

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice, request for comments.

SUMMARY: This notice requests

comments and information to help

fulfill a requirement for the Federal

Aviation Administration (FAA) to

conduct a study in identifying

recommendations for reduction of the

effects of nonmilitary helicopter noise

that otherwise impacts individuals of

densely populated areas in the

continental United States. This notice

solicits information and comment on

specific issues; the FAA will consider

all responses in preparing its report to

Congress on effects of nonmilitary

helicopter noise on individuals in

densely populated areas.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before July 24, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this notice

should be mailed, in triplicate to the

Federal Aviation Administration, Office

of Chief Counsel, Attn: Rules Docket,

Docket No. 30086, 800 Independence

Avenue, SW., Room 915H, Washington,

DC 20591. Comments may be inspected

in Room 915G between 8:30 a.m. and

5:00 p.m., weekpdays, except Federal

holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Sandy R. Liu, Noise Division (AEE–

100), Office of Environment and Energy,

Federal Aviation Administration, 800

Independence Ave, SW., Washington,

DC 20591; telephone (202) 493–4864;

fax (202) 267–5594.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Section 747 of the Federal Aviation

Administration Authorization Act of

2000 requires the FAA to conduct a

noise study on the effects of nonmilitary

helicopter noise on individuals in

densely populated areas in the

continental United States and report

associated noise reduction

recommendations to Congress. This

study shall focus on air traffic control

procedures to address the helicopter

noise problems and take into account

the needs of law enforcement. The

major goal of the study is to identify the

type of helicopter operations (either law

enforcement, electronic news gathering

(ENG), sightseeing tour, emergency

medical services (EMS), or corporate

executive commute) that elicit negative

response by individuals for typical

densely populated areas and understand

whether air traffic control procedures

are applicable to addressing helicopter

noise reduction in ways which are not

unduly restrictive on operations.

The FAA has developed a plan for

conducting the required study and

completing the report to Congress. The

plan’s primary elements include: (1) a

nonmilitary helicopter operations

assessment for a densely populated area

(i.e., New York City), (2) a public call for

information from people concerned

with nonmiliary helicopter noise, (3) a

call for input from the helicopter

industry, (4) a publicly held focus

workshop to review inputs and findings

with interest groups, and (5) helicopter

noise impact analysis.

Recommendations shall be prepared

and provided in the report to Congress.

Participation of Federal agencies is

encouraged through the Federal

Interagency Committee on Aviation

(FICAN).

Request for Information

In supplementing the study findings,

the FAA is seeking comment and

information regarding the following four

questions. A discussion of each will be

incorporated into the FAA report to

Congress. Additional comments

regarding any of the issues raised by

Congress under Section 747 of the

Authorization Act are also invited. The

FAA will review and consider all

responses in preparing its report to

Congress.

1. What are the types of helicopter

operations (law enforcement, electronic

news gathering, sightseeing tours, etc.)

that elicit the negative response by

individuals in densely populated areas?

2. What air traffic control procedures

are applicable in addressing helicopter

noise reduction? Why?

3. What impacts could restrictive air

traffic control procedures have on

operations of:

Law enforcement helicopters?

Electronic news gathering (ENG)

helicopters?

Sightseeing tour helicopters?

Emergency medical services (EMS)

helicopters?

Corporate executive helicopters?

4. What are the recommended

solutions for reduction of the effects of

nonmilitary helicopter noise?

The FAA encourages public

participation in this initiative. The data

received will be considered in preparing

the report to Congress. Comments

responding to these questions should be

mailed to the office designated in the

ADDRESSES heading and include the

docket number. Commenters who wish

the FAA to acknowledge the receipt of

their comments must submit with their

comments a pre-addressed, stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to

Docket No. 30086.’’ The postcard will be

date-stamped by the FAA and returned

to the commenter.

Issued in Washington DC on June 16, 2000.

James D. Erickson,

Director of Environment and Energy.

[FR Doc. 00–15951 Filed 6–22–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M