43136 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 141 / Monday, July 23, 2012 / Notices 

disabilities, which was cut short at the 

prior meeting. In addition, at the request 

of committee members, the following 

presentations are planned: (1) By 

representatives of the disability 

community with reference to the 

Department’s program to protect the 

rights of disabled air travelers and 

recommendations for any new 

initiatives; (2) by representatives from 

both air carriers and the global 

distribution systems (GDSs) regarding 

regulatory issues in the display and sale 

of airline ancillary services through the 

GDSs; (3) by a representative of the 

industry regarding the airline industry’s 

financial condition; and (4) by the 

Enforcement Office on the 

implementation status and the effects of 

the tarmac delay rule (14 CFR 259.4) 

and the new tarmac delay plan statutory 

approval requirement, 49 U.S.C. 42301. 

As announced in our notice of June 

13, meetings of the committee will be 

open to the public and, time permitting, 

comments by members of the public are 

invited. Since access to the U.S. DOT 

headquarters building is controlled for 

security purposes, we ask that any 

member of the general public who plans 

to attend the second meeting notify the 

Department contact noted above no later 

than five (5) calendar days prior to the 

meeting. Attendance will be necessarily 

limited by the size of the meeting room. 

Members of the public may present 

written comments at any time. The 

docket number referenced above (OST 

2012–0087, available at https:// 

www.regulations.gov) has been 

established for committee documents 

including any written comments that 

may be filed. At the discretion of the 

Chairperson and time permitting, after 

completion of the planned agenda in the 

afternoon of the second meeting, 

individual members of the public may 

provide oral comments. Any oral 

comments presented must be limited to 

the objectives of the committee and will 

be limited to five (5) minutes per 

person. Individual members of the 

public who wish to present oral 

comments must notify the Department 

contact noted above via email that they 

wish to attend and present oral 

comments at least five (5) calendar days 

prior to the meeting. For this initial 

meeting, no more than one hour will be 

set aside for oral comments by the 

general public. 

Persons with a disability who plan to 

attend the meeting and require special 

accommodations, such as an interpreter 

for the hearing impaired, should notify 

the Department contact noted above at 

least seven (7) calendar days prior to the 

meeting. Persons attending with a 

service animal should also advise us of 

that fact so that it can be taken into 

account in connection with space and 

possible allergy issues. 

Notice of this meeting is being 

provided in accordance with the FACA 

and the General Services 

Administration regulations covering 

management of Federal advisory 

committees. (41 CFR Part 102–3.) 

Issued in Washington, DC, on July 18, 

2012. 

Samuel Podberesky, 

Assistant General Counsel for Aviation 

Enforcement & Proceedings, U.S. Department 

of Transportation. 

[FR Doc. 2012–17861 Filed 7–20–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Approval of Noise Compatibility 

Program for Philadelphia International 

Airport, Philadelphia, PA 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) announces its 

findings on the noise compatibility 

program submitted by City of 

Philadelphia under the provisions of 49 

U.S.C. 47501 et seq. (formerly the 

Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement 

Act, hereinafter referred to as ‘‘the Act’’) 

and 14 Code of Federal Regulations 

(CFR) Part 150 (hereinafter referred to as 

‘‘Part 150’’). On June 1, 2010, the FAA 

determined that the noise exposure 

maps submitted by City of Philadelphia 

under Part 150 were in compliance with 

applicable requirements. On July 13, 

2012, the FAA approved the 

Philadelphia International Airport noise 

compatibility program. Most of the 

recommendations of the program were 

approved. 

DATES: Effective Date: The effective date 

of the FAA’s approval of the Noise 

Compatibility Program for Philadelphia 

International Airport is July 13, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Susan McDonald, FAA, Harrisburg 

Airports District Office, 3905 Hartzdale 

Drive, Suite 508, Camp Hill, PA 17011, 

susan.mcdonald@faa.gov, (717) 730– 

2841. 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 Philadelphia 

International Airport, effective July 13, 

2012. 

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 

Part 150 is a local program, not a 

Federal program. The FAA does not 

substitute its judgment for that of the 

airport proprietor with respect to which 

measures should be recommended for 

action. The FAA’s approval or 

disapproval of 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 noncompatible 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. Prior to an FAA decision on a 

request to implement the action, an 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 141 / Monday, July 23, 2012 / Notices 43137 

1See Public Law 108–176, title VII, § 709, Dec. 

12, 2003, 117 Stat. 2582. 

2Sustainability means developing aviation in a 

manner that enhances and promotes the Nation’s 

economic, environmental, and social initiatives. 

3See the NextGen Integrated Plan (December 

2004) Sections 5.1.6 and 7.6. 

environmental review of the proposed 

action may be required. 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-inaid funding from the FAA under 

applicable law contained in Title 49 

U.S.C. Where federal funding is sought, 

requests for project grants must be 

submitted to the FAA Airports District 

Office in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. 

The Philadelphia International 

Airport study contains a proposed noise 

compatibility program comprised of 

actions designed for phased 

implementation by airport management 

and adjacent jurisdictions from January 

20, 2012 to the year 2017. 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 

January 24, 2012 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 

twenty-two proposed actions for noise 

abatement, noise mitigation, land use 

planning and program management on 

and off the airport. 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 

was approved by the FAA, effective July 

13, 2012. 

Outright approval was granted for five 

specific program measures. These 

measures were; engine run-up 

restrictions; support of local 

municipalities in comprehensive 

planning strategies to reduce noncompatible land use; establish a noise 

abatement advisory committee; continue 

to develop the responsibilities of the 

Philadelphia International Airport Noise 

Office; and update the Noise Exposure 

Maps (NEMs) and Noise Compatibility 

Program (NCP). Fifteen program 

measures were approved subject to 

certain conditions. Conditions generally 

involved adherence to safety, design, 

regulatory standards or other conditions 

as determined necessary by FAA or 

airport operators. These measures were; 

use of Runways 09l/09R/17/35/08 noise 

abatement departure flight tracks; 

Runway 27L noise abatement departure 

flight track; Runway 27R noise 

abatement departure flight track; 

continue and expand the nighttime 

runway use program; encourage noise 

attenuating standards in airport 

development; continue the residential 

sound insulation program; develop and 

implement a purchase assurance 

program; develop and implement a Fort 

Mifflin sound insulation program; 

develop and implement a voluntary 

acquisition program; sound insulate 

educational facilities and places of 

worship; enhance the airport’s existing 

noise monitoring and flight tracking 

system by acquiring a multilateration 

system; install additional permanent 

noise monitors, continue to develop an 

informal community awareness 

program; improve and upgrade webbased noise information; and develop 

and implement a Fly Quiet Program. 

Two program measures were 

disapproved for the purposes of Part 

150. These measures were; support the 

creation and use of Area Navigation 

(RNAV) and Required Navigation 

Performance (RNP); and support the 

development of Continuous Descent 

Approaches (CDA). The two measures 

that were disapproved for the purposes 

of Part 150 because they do not have a 

measureable noise benefit to sensitive 

land uses within the Day-Night Level 

(DNL) 65 decibel noise contour. The 

airport can pursue or implement the 

measures outside of the Part 150 

program. 

These determinations are set forth in 

detail in a Record of Approval signed by 

the Acting Division Manager for the 

Eastern Region Airports Division on July 

13, 2012. 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 

Philadelphia International Airport 

Office of the Noise Abatement Program 

Manager, at 2801 Island Avenue, Suite 

13, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 

Record of Approval also will be 

available on-line at: http://www.faa.gov/ 

airports_airtraffic/airports/ 

environmental/airport_noise/part_150/ 

states/. 

Issued in Jamaica, New York on July 16, 

2012. 

Debbie Roth, 

Acting Manager, Eastern Region Airports 

Division. 

[FR Doc. 2012–17858 Filed 7–20–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Aviation Environmental and Energy 

Policy Statement 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Policy Statement. 

SUMMARY: This is a statement affirming 

the FAA’s environmental and energy 

policy for U.S. civil aviation. This 

policy statement outlines guiding 

principles, establishes initial high level 

performance goals, and describes 

strategies to achieve the goals. 

DATES: July 23, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie 

Marks, Office of Environment and 

Energy (AEE), Federal Aviation 

Administration, 800 Independence Ave. 

SW., Washington, DC 20591; Telephone: 

(202) 267–3494. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Policy Statement 

Introduction 

This policy statement affirms 

environmental and energy policy for 

U.S. civil aviation. The Next Generation 

Air Transportation System, commonly 

called NextGen, is the transformation of 

the U.S. aviation system by employing 

technological, operational, and 

infrastructure advances to provide 

improved safety, security, mobility, 

environmental performance, and quality 

of service.1 The overarching 

environmental performance goal for 

NextGen is environmental protection 

that allows sustained 2 aviation growth.3

The primary environmental and 

energy issues that significantly 

influence the capacity and flexibility of 

the national aviation system are aircraft 

noise, air quality, climate, energy, and 

water quality. These issues are being 

addressed under a range of 

environmental laws and regulations, 

and by governmental and industry 

initiatives. Major strides in lessening the 

environmental effects of aviation have 

been made over the past several 

decades. However, aircraft noise 

continues to be the public’s primary 

objection to near term aviation growth. 

Aircraft emissions contribute to air 

quality-related health effects, as do 

emissions from all combustion 

processes, and are causing heightened 

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