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[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 170 (Thursday, September 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60401-60402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21105]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

FAA Approval of Noise Compatibility Program; Boise Air Terminal 
(Gowen Field) Boise, Idaho

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its 
findings (Record of Approval) on the noise compatibility program 
submitted by the City of Boise, Idaho for the Boise Air Terminal (Gowen 
Field) under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. (the Aviation Safety and Noise 
Abatement Act, hereinafter referred to as ``the Act'') and 14 CFR part 
150 (Part 150). On May 2, 2016, the FAA determined that the noise 
exposure maps submitted by the City of Boise for the Boise Air Terminal 
under Part 150 were in compliance with applicable requirements. On 
August 24, 2016 the FAA approved the Boise Airport Noise Compatibility 
Program. Seven of the 13 measures recommended in the noise 
compatibility plan were approved and six measures were disapproved for 
the purposes of Part 150. In addition, 22 measures were included in the 
noise compatibility plan that requested no FAA action as they were 
approved in a previous record of approval, were removed from 
consideration, or disapproved in a previous record of approval. These 
measures and FAA's associated determinations are summarized in the 
attachment to the Record of Approval.

DATES: Effective Date: The effective date of the FAA's approval of the 
Boise Airport Noise Compatibility Program is August 24, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Eaton, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Helena Airports District Office, FAA Building, Suite 2, 
2725 Skyway Drive, Helena, MT 59602-1213, telephone 406-449-5291. 
Documents reflecting this FAA action may be reviewed at this same 
location.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA has given 
its overall approval to the noise compatibility program for the Boise 
Air Terminal, effective August 24, 2016.
    Under section 47504 of the Act, an airport operator who has 
previously submitted a noise exposure map may submit to the FAA a noise 
compatibility program which sets forth the measures taken or proposed 
by the airport operator for the reduction of existing non-compatible 
land uses and prevention of additional non-compatible land uses within 
the area covered by the noise exposure maps. The Act requires such 
programs to be developed in consultation with interested and affected 
parties including local communities, government agencies, airport 
users, and FAA personnel.
    Each airport noise compatibility program developed in accordance 
with the Part 150 regulations is a local program, not a Federal 
program. The FAA does not substitute its judgment for that of the 
airport proprietor with respect to which measures should be recommended 
for action. The FAA's approval or disapproval of Part 150 program 
recommendations is measured according to the standards expressed in 
Part 150 and the Act and is limited to the following determinations:
    a. The noise compatibility program was developed in accordance with 
the provisions and procedures of Part 150;
    b. Program measures are reasonably consistent with achieving the 
goals of reducing existing non-compatible land uses around the airport 
and preventing the introduction of additional non-compatible land uses;
    c. Program measures would not create an undue burden on interstate 
or foreign commerce, unjustly discriminate against types or classes of 
aeronautical uses, violate the terms of airport grant agreements, or 
intrude into areas preempted by the Federal Government; and
    d. Program measures relating to the use of flight procedures can be 
implemented within the period covered by the program without derogating 
safety, adversely affecting the efficient use and management of the 
navigable airspace and air traffic control systems, or adversely 
affecting other powers and responsibilities of the Administrator 
prescribed by law.
    Specific limitations with respect to FAA's approval of an airport 
noise compatibility program are delineated in Part 150, section 150.5. 
Approval is not a determination concerning the acceptability of land 
uses under Federal, state, or local law. Approval does not by itself 
constitute an FAA implementing action. A request for Federal action or 
approval to implement specific noise compatibility measures may be 
required, and an FAA decision on the request may require an 
environmental review of the proposed action. Approval does not 
constitute a commitment by the FAA to financially assist in the 
implementation of the program nor a determination that all measures 
covered by the program are eligible for grant-in-aid funding from the 
FAA. Where federal funding is sought, requests for project grants must 
be submitted to the FAA Helena Airports District Office in Helena, 
Montana. The City of Boise submitted to the FAA on December 21, 2015, 
the noise exposure maps, descriptions, and other documentation produced 
during the noise compatibility planning study for the Boise Air 
Terminal conducted in 2014 and 2015. The Boise Air Terminal noise 
exposure maps were determined by FAA to be in compliance with 
applicable requirements on May 2, 2016.
    Notice of this determination was published in the Federal Register 
on May 10, 2016 (FR Volume 81, No. 90, pages 28933-28934) and as 
corrected on May 16, 2016 (FR Volume 81, No. 94, pages 30414-30415).
    Comments received during the noise compatibility planning public 
process were addressed in the final noise compatibility program 
submitted to FAA. In addition, seven sets of

[[Page 60402]]

comments were received during the 60-day public comment period for the 
Boise Airport Noise Compatibility Program that ended July 1, 2016. None 
of the comments warranted any changes to the NCP. The comment letters 
and the responses to the comments, which were reviewed and acceptable 
to FAA, are posted on the airport's Web site at http://www.iflyboise.com/about-boi/noise-compatibility-program/.
    The majority of the comments received during the 60-day comment 
period for the noise compatibility program regarded military aircraft. 
It is important to note that the Part 150 study process has no bearing 
on whether or not, or what type of military jets will be stationed at 
the Boise Air Terminal in the future. Since the future of the Idaho Air 
National Guard (IDANG) current A-10 mission is uncertain, the Boise Air 
Terminal, in conjunction with IDANG, prepared a hypothetical future 
forecast using the F-15E as a potential replacement for the A-10. 
However, the Department of the Air Force has not yet determined IDANG's 
follow-on mission after A-10 divestiture and therefore the sponsor 
lacked sufficient data to confirm the F-15E as the replacement for the 
A-10. It was noted in the Part 150 study that there are transient F-
15E's that use the Boise Air Terminal throughout the year. 
Acknowledging this, the sponsor developed the 2015 noise exposure maps 
to include the transient F-15E Strike Eagles, among many other existing 
Boise Air Terminal aircraft, in the Noise Model. All measures proposed 
in the noise compatibility program are based on the current year noise 
exposure maps and not on future noise exposure maps as they are 
considered speculative at this time as well. The Record of Approval 
also does not specifically tie the proposed noise mitigation measures 
to the 2015 noise exposure maps as shown in the Part 150 Study. When 
the fleet mix and/or operational levels at the Boise Air Terminal 
change, the sponsor will update the noise exposure maps to reflect that 
change in accordance with Part 150 regulations. Furthermore, any change 
in aircraft by the Department of Defense will require compliance with 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
    The Boise Air Terminal study contains a proposed noise 
compatibility program comprised of actions designed for phased 
implementation by airport management and adjacent jurisdictions. It was 
requested that the FAA evaluate and approve this material as a noise 
compatibility program as described in section 47504 of the Act. The FAA 
began its review of the program on December 13, 2015, and was required 
by a provision of the Act to approve or disapprove the program within 
180 days (other than the use of new or modified flight procedures for 
noise control). Failure to approve or disapprove such program within 
the 180-day period shall be deemed to be an approval of such program.
    The submitted program contained 1 noise abatement measure and 12 
noise mitigation/land use compatibility measures recommendations for 
FAA action. The FAA completed its review and determined that the 
procedural and substantive requirements of the Act and Part 150 have 
been satisfied. The overall program therefore, was approved by the FAA 
on August 24, 2016.
    Approval was granted for 7 of the 13 measures and 6 measures were 
disapproved for the purposes of Part 150. In addition, 22 measures were 
included in the noise compatibility plan that requested no action by 
FAA as they were approved in a previous record of approval, were 
removed from consideration, or disapproved in a previous record of 
approval. These measures and FAA's associated determinations are 
summarized in the attachment to the Record of Approval.
    These determinations are set forth in detail in a Record of 
Approval signed by the Airports Division Manager, Northwest Mountain 
Region on August 24, 2016. The Record of Approval, as well as other 
evaluation materials and the documents comprising the submittal are 
available for review at the FAA office listed above and at the Boise 
Air Terminal (Gowen Field), 3201 Airport Way, Boise, ID 83705. The 
Record of Approval also will be available on-line at http://www.faa.gov/airports/environmental/airport_noise/part_150/states/.

    Issued in Renton, Washington on August 24, 2016.
Randall S. Fiertz,
Manager, Airports Division, Northwest Mountain Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-21105 Filed 8-31-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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