49144 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 160 / Tuesday, August 19, 2014 / Notices 

TABLE 2—AVERAGE CHANGES IN DNL LEVEL PBN PROCEDURES VS EXISTING PROCEDURES—Continued 

DNL noise exposure band Straight average change in DNL 

Population 

weighted average 

change in DNL 

Total Change .................................................................... ¥0.3 DNL ................................................................................ ¥0.2 DNL 

In the examples in both Tables 1 and 

2, the greatest reductions in either noise 

or the population exposed to noise are 

at the DNL 45–60 dB level, which is the 

lowest noise level that the FAA 

normally evaluates for differences in 

noise that may result from certain 

proposed changes in procedures. In 

Table 1, there are increases in the 

number of people in higher noise 

exposure bands of DNL 60–65 dB and 

above DNL 65 dB. In Table 2, the 

average DNL decrease occurs in the 

lowest noise exposure band, while the 

average DNL change in the higher noise 

exposure bands is either zero or a slight 

increase using the population weighted 

average approach. 

The use of the total of all three DNL 

noise exposure bands to determine a net 

noise reduction gives equal weight to 

lower and higher levels of noise, while 

the FAA’s practice is to give greater 

weight to higher noise levels which 

people find more annoying, especially 

noise levels above DNL 65 dB. 

Accordingly, the FAA is considering the 

extent to which a mix of noise increases 

and decreases in different noise 

exposure bands supports a 

determination of noise reduction, 

especially when reductions at lower 

DNL noise levels would outweigh 

increases at higher noise levels. A 

potential alternative approach could be 

to require reductions in all three DNL 

noise exposure bands to support a noise 

reduction determination for use of the 

CATEX. This alternative approach 

would be expected to reduce the use of 

the CATEX, and it appears less 

consistent with the statutory provision 

to compare procedures ‘‘in the same 

airspace.’’ The FAA invites comments 

on this aspect of the Net Noise 

Reduction Method. 

Finally, if the FAA decides to use the 

Net Noise Reduction Method or a 

variation of it, the FAA must also decide 

if and how to employ its significant 

noise impact threshold. The decision 

that is the most consistent with the 

statutory language would be not to 

employ the threshold at all. The 

statutory text is prescriptive in that a 

PBN procedure that meets the test for 

measurable reductions ‘‘shall be 

presumed to have no significant affect 

[sic] on the quality of the human 

environment and the Administrator 

shall issue and file a categorical 

exclusion for the new procedure.’’ 

Unlike CATEXes that are 

administratively established under CEQ 

regulations, this legislative CATEX is 

not subject to extraordinary 

circumstances; therefore, a CATEX 

determination is not precluded by 

potential environmental impacts that 

are beyond the specific parameters in 

the statutory text (i.e, measureable 

reductions in fuel consumption, carbon 

dioxide emissions, and noise on a per 

flight basis). As the FAA considers the 

viability of employing the significant 

noise impact threshold in conjunction 

with this CATEX, the FAA is soliciting 

public views on whether a threshold 

test may and should be used. Further, if 

a significant noise impact threshold test 

is used, should it be used only when 

there is a net increase in people exposed 

at DNL 65 dB and above, as the NAC 

Task Group has suggested, or should it 

be more broadly used to check for 

significant noise impact when there is 

any increase in the number of people 

exposed to noise at DNL 65 dB and 

above—even if there is a net population 

benefit at that level? 

Solicitation of Public Comment 

The FAA invites public comment on 

the entirety of the prospective 

implementation of the CATEX in 

Section 213(c)(2) of the FAA 

Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, 

and particularly invites comment on the 

following specific aspects of the Net 

Noise Reduction Method which are 

under consideration by the FAA as 

described in this notice: 

1. Extent to which the FAA should 

rely on the Net Noise Reduction Method 

to determine measurable reductions in 

noise on a per flight basis. 

2. Appropriateness of determining 

that there is a measurable reduction in 

noise if people receiving a noise 

decrease outnumber the people 

receiving an increase, but the noise 

decrease is small compared to the noise 

increase. 

3. Different approaches to a net noise 

reduction methodology (i.e., population 

change, noise change, population 

weighted noise change), and whether 

the selection of one approach over 

another is preferred and increases 

public understanding. 

4. Extent to which a mix of noise 

increases and decreases could support a 

determination of measurable noise 

reduction, especially when reductions 

at lower noise levels outweigh increases 

at higher noise levels, and whether an 

alternative approach that would require 

reductions in all three noise exposure 

bands to support the use of the CATEX 

should be used. 

5. Whether a significant noise impact 

threshold test should be used; and if so, 

if it should be used only when there is 

a net increase in people exposed to 

noise at DNL 65 dB and above, or if it 

should be used when there is any 

increase in the number of people 

exposed to noise at DNL 65 dB and 

above—even if there is a net population 

benefit at that level. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on August 13, 

2014. 

Lourdes Q. Maurice, 

Executive Director, Office of Environment and 

Energy, Federal Aviation Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2014–19691 Filed 8–18–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Sixth Meeting: RTCA Tactical 

Operations Committee (TOC) 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), U.S. Department 

of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Sixth Meeting Notice of RTCA 

Tactical Operations Committee. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is issuing this notice 

to advise the public of the sixth meeting 

of the RTCA Tactical Operations 

Committee. 

DATES: The meeting will be held 

September 3, 2014 from 10:00 a.m.–4:00 

p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

RTCA, Inc., 1150 18th Street NW., Suite 

910, Washington, DC 20036. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The 

RTCA Secretariat, 1150 18th Street NW., 

Suite 910, Washington, DC 20036, or by 

telephone at (202) 833–9339, fax at (202) 

833–9434, or Web site at http://

www.rtca.org or Trin Mitra, TOC 

Secretary, tmitra@rtca.org, 202–330– 

0655. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 160 / Tuesday, August 19, 2014 / Notices 49145 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to section 10(a) (2) of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92– 

463, 5 U.S.C., App.), notice is hereby 

given for a meeting of the RTCA Tactical 

Operations Committee. The agenda will 

include the following: 

September 3 

• Opening of Meeting/Introduction of 

TOC Members 

Æ Co-Chairs Mr. Jim Bowman, FedEx 

Express, and Mr. Dale Wright, 

National Air Traffic Controllers 

Association (NATCA) 

• Official Statement of Designated 

Federal Official 

Æ Ms. Elizabeth Ray, FAA Air Traffic 

Organization, Vice President 

Mission Support 

• Approval of May 16, 2014 Meeting 

Summary 

• FAA Report 

• Review Industry Ideas for Future TOC 

work 

• Discussion on Regional Task Groups 

Æ Updates from each group, 

discussion on role of RTGs 

• Update from NextGen Integration 

Working Groups 

• Review new task ideas for TOC 

Æ Airport construction and safety 

risk, South Florida/Caribbean 

operations, ‘‘Review, Revise, 

Remove (Three Rs)’’ for Right Sizing 

Procedures in the NAS, Others 

• Update from NOTAM Task Group 

Æ FAA and NOTAM Task Group 

review 16 month implementation 

roadmap for NOTAM Search and 

role of the NOTAM Task Group 

• Update from VHF Omni-directional 

Range (VOR) Minimum Operating 

Network Task Group 

Æ Report on Outreach and 

Modifications Required by VOR 

MON and Update from FAA on 

PBN Route Strategy 

• Anticipated Issues for TOC 

consideration and action at the next 

meeting 

• Other business 

• Adjourn 

Attendance is open to the interested 

public but limited to space availability. 

With the approval of the chairman, 

members of the public may present oral 

statements at the meeting. Persons 

wishing to present statements or obtain 

information should contact the person 

listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section. Members of the public 

may present a written statement to the 

committee at any time. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on August 14, 

2014. 

Mohannad Dawoud, 

Management Analyst, NextGen, Business 

Operations Group, Federal Aviation 

Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2014–19693 Filed 8–18–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Seventy Ninth Meeting: RTCA Special 

Committee 147, Minimum Operational 

Performance Standards for Traffic 

Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems 

Airborne Equipment 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), U.S. Department 

of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Meeting Notice of RTCA Special 

Committee 147, Minimum Operational 

Performance Standards for Traffic Alert 

and Collision Avoidance Systems 

Airborne Equipment. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is issuing this notice 

to advise the public of the Seventy 

Nineth meeting of RTCA Special 

Committee 147, Minimum Operational 

Performance Standards for Traffic Alert 

and Collision Avoidance Systems 

Airborne Equipment. 

DATES: The meeting will be held 

September 11th, 2014, from 9:00 a.m. to 

5:00 p.m. 

ADDRESS: The meeting will be held at 

1150 18th St. NW., Suite 910 

Washington, DC 20036 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The 

RTCA Secretariat, 1150 18th Street NW., 

Suite 910, Washington, DC 20036, or by 

telephone at (202) 833–9339, fax at (202) 

833–9434, or Web site at http://

www.rtca.org. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to section 10(a) (2) of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 

92–463, 5 U.S.C., App.), notice is hereby 

given for a meeting of Special 

Committee 147. The agenda will include 

the following: 

September 11 

• Opening Plenary Session 

Æ Chairmen’s Opening Remarks/

Introductions 

Æ Approval of Summary from 78th 

meeting of SC–147 

Æ Approval of Agenda 

• Report from WG–75 

• Review of ISRA deliverable for SC 228 

• EUROCONTROL Report 

• Report from WG–1 (Surveillance and 

Tracking) 

• Report from WG–2 (Threat 

Resolution) 

Æ Threat Resolution 

Æ Xo sub group 

Æ Safety sub-group 

• Review of the Software Development 

Agreement 

• Coordination Stress Testing 

• Operational Team Updates 

• Review of Decisions 

Æ Use of ADS–B Only targets 

• Additional business/Overflow if time 

permits 

Æ Solicitation of vendor data for 

SWG/TOO analysis 

• Closing Session 

Æ Next Meeting Location 

Æ Action Item review 

Æ End Meeting 

Attendance is open to the interested 

public but limited to space availability. 

With the approval of the chairman, 

members of the public may present oral 

statements at the meeting. Persons 

wishing to present statements or obtain 

information should contact the person 

listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section. Members of the public 

may present a written statement to the 

committee at any time. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on August 14, 

2014. 

Mohannad Dawoud, 

Management Analyst, NextGen, Business 

Operations Group, Federal Aviation 

Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2014–19692 Filed 8–18–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

[Summary Notice No. PE–2014–52] 

Petition for Exemption; Summary of 

Petition Received 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of petition for exemption 

received. 

SUMMARY: This notice contains a 

summary of a petition seeking relief 

from specified requirements of 14 CFR. 

The purpose of this notice is to improve 

the public’s awareness of, and 

participation in, this aspect of FAA’s 

regulatory activities. Neither publication 

of this notice nor the inclusion or 

omission of information in the summary 

is intended to affect the legal status of 

the petition or its final disposition. 

DATES: Comments on this petition must 

identify the petition docket number and 

must be received on or before 

September 8, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments 

identified by Docket Number FAA– 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES