[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 82 (Thursday, April 30, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20095-20096]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-9980]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Noise Exposure Map Notice; Receipt of Noise Compatibility Program 
and Request for Review; Westfield-Barnes Airport, Westfield, MA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its

[[Page 20096]]

determination that the noise exposure map for Westfield-Barnes Airport, 
as submitted by the City of Westfield under the provisions of Title I 
of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979 (Pub. L. 96-193) 
and 14 CFR Part 150, is in compliance with applicable requirements. The 
FAA also announces that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility 
program that was submitted for Westfield-Barnes Airport under Part 150 
in conjunction with the noise exposure map, and that this program will 
be approved or disapproved on or before October 19, 2009.

DATES: Effective Date: 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 April 22, 2009. The public comment 
period ends on June 21, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Doucette, Federal Aviation 
Administration, New England Region, Airports Division, ANE-600, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington MA 01803.
    Comments on the proposed noise compatibility program should also be 
submitted to the above office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA finds 
that the noise exposure map submitted for Westfield-Barnes Airport is 
in compliance with applicable requirements of Part 150, effective April 
22, 2009. Further, FAA is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility 
program for that airport which will be approved or disapproved on or 
before October 19, 2009. 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''), 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 City of Westfield submitted to the FAA, on April 22, 2009, a 
noise exposure map, descriptions, and other documentation that were 
produced during the Airport Noise Compatibility Planning (Part 150) 
study at Westfield-Barnes Airport from November 2006 to April 2009. 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 City of Westfield. The specific 
maps under consideration were:
    Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study Update, Westfield-Barnes 
Airport.
    Figure 1. Exisiting (2009) Noise Exposure Map.
    Figure 2. Future (2014) Noise Exposure Map.
    The FAA has determined that the maps for Westfield-Barnes Airport 
are in compliance with applicable requirements. This determination is 
effective on April 22, 2009.
    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 
Westfield-Barnes Airport, also effective on April 22, 2009. Preliminary 
review of the submitted material indicates that it conforms to the 
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 October 19, 2009. 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. All comments, other than 
those properly addressed to local land use authorities, will be 
considered by the FAA to the extent practicable. 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:

Westfield-Barnes Airport, 110 Airport Road, Westfield, Massachusetts 
01085.
Federal Aviation Administration, New England Region, Airports Division, 
ANE-600, 16 New England Executive Park, Burlington, Massachusetts 
01803.

    Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the 
heading: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on April 22, 2009.
LaVerne F. Reid,
Manager, Airports Division.
[FR Doc. E9-9980 Filed 4-29-09; 8:45 am]
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