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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 94 (Friday, May 15, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 27853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-11803]

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Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 94 / Friday, May 15, 2015 / Rules and 
Regulations

[[Page 27853]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Chapter I

Noise, Fuel Burn, and Emissions Modeling Using the Aviation 
Environmental Design Tool Version 2b

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Policy statement.

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SUMMARY: This document provides a statement of FAA policy concerning 
the required use of the Aviation Environmental Design Tool version 2b 
(AEDT 2b) to analyze noise, fuel burn, and emissions for FAA actions. 
The policy statement is intended to ensure consistency and quality of 
analysis performed to assess noise, fuel burn, and emissions impacts of 
such actions under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.

DATES: Effective May 29, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fabio Grandi, Office of Environment 
and Energy (AEE), Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence 
Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20591; Telephone: (202) 267-9099.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    FAA Order 1050.1, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, 
describes FAA policies and procedures for compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
    Aircraft noise, air pollutant emissions, and fuel burn are 
interdependent and occur simultaneously throughout all phases of 
flight. AEDT 2b is a comprehensive software tool that provides 
information to FAA stakeholders on each of these specific environmental 
impacts. AEDT 2b facilitates environmental review activities required 
under NEPA by consolidating the modeling of these environmental impacts 
in a single tool. For air traffic airspace and procedure actions, AEDT 
2b replaces AEDT 2a, which was released by the FAA in March 2012. For 
other FAA actions, AEDT 2b replaces the Integrated Noise Model (INM) 
for analyzing aircraft noise and the Emissions and Dispersion Modeling 
System (EDMS) for developing emissions inventories and modeling 
emissions dispersion. AEDT 2b applies to analyses initiated after May 
29, 2015.

Policy Statement

    Effective May 29, 2015, AEDT 2b replaces AEDT 2a, INM, and EDMS as 
the required tool for noise, fuel burn, and emissions modeling of FAA 
actions. Consistent with current FAA policy and practice, the use of 
AEDT 2b is not required for projects whose analysis began before the 
effective date of this policy. In the event AEDT 2b is updated after 
the environmental analysis process is underway, the updated version 
may, but need not, be used to provide additional disclosure concerning 
noise, fuel burn, and emissions.
    This policy statement is issued to ensure consistency and quality 
of analysis performed to comply with requirements under the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 11, 2015.
Curtis Holsclaw,
Deputy Director, Office of Environment and Energy.
[FR Doc. 2015-11803 Filed 5-14-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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