### 61369 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Notices

**CONTACT** section. Members of the public may present a written statement to the committee at any time.

Issued in Washington, DC, on October 6th,

2014.
Mohannad Dawoud,
Management Analyst, Business Operations Group, ANG–A12, Federal Aviation

Administration.

[FR Doc. 2014–24262 Filed 10–9–14; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4910–13–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**

**Federal Aviation Administration**

**Noise Exposure Map Notice; Westover Metropolitan Airport, Chicopee,** 

**Massachusetts**

**AGENCY :**  Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

**ACTION :**  Notice.

**SUMMARY :**  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its determination that the noise exposure map for Westover Metropolitan Airport, as submitted by the Westover Metropolitan Development Corporation under the provisions of Title I of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979, is in compliance with applicable requirements. The FAA also announces that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program
that was submitted for Westover Metropolitan Airport in conjunction with the noise exposure map, and that this program will be approved or disapproved on or before April 8, 2015.

**DATES :**  The effective date of the FAA’s determination on the noise exposure map and of the start of its review of the associated noise compatibility program is September 25, 2014. The public comment period ends on November 25,

2014.

**ADDRESSES :**  Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed program. All comments, other than those properly addressed to local land use authorities will be considered by the FAA to the extent practicable. Comments on the proposed noise compatibility program should also be
submitted to the FAA office under the heading: **FOR FURTHER INFORMATION**

**CONTACT**

.

Copies of the noise exposure map, the FAA’s evaluation of the map, and the proposed noise compatibility program
are available for examination at the following locations: Westover Metropolitan Airport,

Chicopee, Massachusetts. Federal Aviation Administration, New

England Region, Airports Division, ANE–600, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, Massachusetts

01803.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Richard Doucette, Federal Aviation Administration, New England Region, Airports Division, ANE–600, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington MA

01803.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 47501–47510; 14 CFR part 150.

This notice announces that the FAA finds that the noise exposure map submitted for Westover Metropolitan Airport is in compliance with applicable requirements of Part 150, effective October 8, 2014. Further, FAA is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program for that airport which will be approved or disapproved on or before April 8, 2015. This notice also announces the availability of this program for public review and

comment.

Under Section 103 of Title I of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979 (hereinafter referred to as ‘‘the Act’’), codified at 49 U.S.C. 47503, an airport operator may submit to the FAA a noise exposure map which meets applicable regulations and which depicts non-compatible land uses as of the date of submission of such map, a description of projected aircraft operations, and the ways in which such operations will affect such map. The Act requires such map to be developed in
consultation with interested and affected parties in the local community, government agencies, and persons using the airport. An airport operator who has submitted a noise exposure map that is found by FAA to be in compliance with the requirements of Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 150, promulgated pursuant to Title I of the Act, may submit a noise compatibility program for FAA approval which sets forth the measures the operator has taken, or proposes, for the introduction of additional non-compatible uses.

The Westover Metropolitan Development Corporation submitted to the FAA, on October 8, 2014, a noise exposure map, descriptions, and other documentation that were produced during the Airport Noise Compatibility Planning (Part 150) study Westover Metropolitan Airport from August 2013 to September 2014. It was requested that
the FAA review this material as the noise exposure map, as described in Section 103(a)(1) of the Act, and that the noise mitigation measures, to be implemented jointly by the airport and surrounding communities, be approved as a noise compatibility program under Section 104 (b) of the Act.

The FAA has completed its review of the noise exposure maps and related descriptions submitted by the Westover Metropolitan Development Corporation. The specific maps under consideration

were: —Existing (2014) Conditions Noise

Exposure Map NEM–1 —Future (2019) Conditions Noise

Exposure Map NEM–2

The FAA has determined that the maps for Westover Metropolitan Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements. This determination is effective on October 8, 2014.

FAA’s determination on an airport operator’s noise exposure maps is limited to a finding that the maps were developed in accordance with the procedures contained in Appendix A of
FAR Part 150. Such determination does not constitute approval of the applicant’s data, information or plans, or a commitment to approve a noise compatibility program or to fund the implementation of that program. If questions arise concerning the precise relationship of specific properties to noise exposure contours depicted on a noise exposure map submitted under Section 103 of the Act, it should be
noted that the FAA is not involved in any way in determining the relative locations of specific properties with regard to the depicted noise contours, or in interpreting the noise exposure map to resolve questions concerning, for example, which properties should be covered by the provisions of Section 107
of the Act. These functions are inseparable from the ultimate land use control and planning responsibilities of local government. These local responsibilities are not changed in any way under Part 150 or through FAA’s review of a noise exposure map. Therefore, the responsibility for the detailed overlaying of noise exposure contours onto the map depicting properties on the surface rests exclusively with the airport operator that submitted the map, or with those public agencies and planning agencies with which consultation is required
under Section 103 of the Act. The FAA has relied on the certification by the airport operator, under Section 150.21 of FAR Part 150, that the statutorily required consultation has been accomplished.

The FAA has formally received the noise compatibility program for Westover Metropolitan Airport, also effective on October 8, 2014. Preliminary review of the submitted
material indicates that it conforms to the


### 61370 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Notices

requirements for the submittal of noise compatibility programs, but that further review will be necessary prior to approval or disapproval of the program. The formal review period, limited by law to a maximum of 180 days, will be completed on or before April 8, 2015.
The FAA’s detailed evaluation will be conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 150, Section 150.33. The primary considerations in the evaluation process are whether the proposed measures may reduce the level of aviation safety, create an undue burden on interstate or foreign commerce, or be reasonably consistent with obtaining the goal of reducing existing non compatible land uses and preventing the introduction of additional non-compatible land uses.

Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed program with specific reference to these factors. Questions may be directed to the
individual named above under the heading: **FOR FURTHER INFORMATION**

**CONTACT**

.

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on September 25, 2014.
Mary T. Walsh,
Manager, Airports Division.

[FR Doc. 2014–23818 Filed 10–9–14; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4910–13–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**

**Federal Highway Administration**

**[Docket No. FHWA–2014–0024]**

**Application From the State of Texas Under the Surface Transportation**  **Project Delivery Program and Proposed Memorandum of**  **Understanding (MOU) Assigning**

**FHWA’s Environmental Review Responsibilities to the State** 

**AGENCY :**  Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

**ACTION :**  Notice of proposed MOU and request for comments.

**SUMMARY :**  This notice announces that
the FHWA has received and reviewed an application from the Texas Department of Transportation (State) requesting participation in the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program (Program). This Program allows for States to apply to assume, and for FHWA to assign, environmental review responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and all or part of FHWA’s responsibilities for environmental reviews, consultations, or other actions required under any Federal environmental law with respect to one or more Federal highway projects
within the State. The FHWA has determined the application to be complete, and developed a draft MOU with the State outlining how the State will implement the program, with FHWA oversight. The public and agencies are now invited to comment on the State’s request and the draft MOU. In particular, FHWA seeks comments on the proposed scope of the assignments and assumptions of responsibilities set
out in the draft MOU for environmental reviews, consultations, and other activities to be assigned.

**DATES :**  Please submit comments by November 10, 2014.

**ADDRESSES :**  To ensure that you do not duplicate your docket submissions, please submit them by only one of the following means:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for submitting

comments.

• Facsimile (Fax): 1–202–493–2251.

• Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., West Building Ground, Floor Room W12–140, Washington, DC 20590–0001.

• Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Washington, DC 20590 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket number at the beginning of your comments. All comments received will be posted without change to http:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Michael T. Leary, Director of Planning and Program Development, Federal Highway Administration Texas
Division, 300 E. 8 St., Room 826, Austin, TX 78701, 7:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. c.t., (512) 536–5940, michael.leary@ dot.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

Electronic Access

An electronic copy of this notice may
be downloaded from the Federal Register’s home page at http:// www.archives.gov and the Government Printing Office’s database at http:// www.access.gpo.gov/nara. An electronic version of the application materials and proposed MOU may be downloaded by accessing the DOT DMS docket, as described above, at http:// www.regulations.gov/. Background

Section 327 of title 23, United States Code (U.S.C.), allows for States to apply to assume, and for the Secretary of the USDOT (Secretary) to assign, the Secretary’s NEPA responsibilities and all or part of the Secretary’s responsibilities for environmental review, consultation, or other actions required under any other Federal environmental law with respect to one or more Federal highway projects. The
FHWA is authorized to act on behalf of the Secretary with respect to these

matters.

The State has submitted application materials requesting to participate in this Program. The FHWA has reviewed these application materials, which include public and agency comments on the application and has determined them complete. The FHWA and the State have developed a draft MOU outlining how the State will implement the Program and how FHWA will oversee the State’s implementation as required by 23 U.S.C. 327. The FHWA now seeks public comments on the State’s request pursuant to 23 CFR 773.111(a).

Under the proposed MOU, FHWA would assign to the State the NEPA environmental review responsibilities for the following Federal highway projects:

1. Projects requiring environmental impact statements (EIS), both on the State highway system (SHS) and local government projects off the SHS that FHWA funds or that require FHWA approvals, except the following EIS projects, which FHWA will not assign: Harbor Bridge, Trinity Parkway, and South Padre Island Causeway 2.

2. Projects requiring environmental assessments, both on the SHS and local government projects off the SHS that FHWA funds or that require FHWA approvals.

3. Projects qualifying for categorical exclusions (CE), both on the SHS and local government projects off the SHS that FHWA funds or that require FHWA approvals. The FHWA previously signed a MOU with the State assigning CE responsibility under the authority in 23 U.S.C. 326. Upon execution of this MOU, the 23 U.S.C. 326 CE MOU
between FHWA and the State will be terminated, and projects included under
that MOU will be assumed under the Program.

4. Highway projects within the State that other Federal agencies fund [or projects without any Federal funding] that also include FHWA funding or that require FHWA approvals. For these projects, the assigned environmental