[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 8, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6746-6747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2316]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Acceptance of Noise Exposure Maps and Request for Review of Noise 
Compatibility

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its 
determination that the Noise Exposure Maps submitted by the American 
Samoa Government, Department of Port Administration for Pago Pago 
International Airport under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 47501 et. seq. 
(Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act) and 14 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) part 150, are in compliance with applicable 
requirements. The FAA also announces that it is reviewing a proposed 
Noise Compatibility Program that was submitted for Pago Pago 
International Airport under part 150 in conjunction with the noise 
exposure map, and that this program will be approved or disapproved on 
or before July 27, 2005.

DATES: The effective date of the FAA's acceptance of Noise Exposure 
Maps and of the start of its review of the associated Noise 
Compatibility Program is January 28, 2005. The public comment period 
ends March 29, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gordon Wong, Project Manager. Mailing 
address: Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region, 
Honolulu Airports District Office, Box 50244, Honolulu, Hawaii 96850-
0001. Street address: 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 7-128, Honolulu, 
Hawaii 96850-0001. Telephone number (808) 541-3565. 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 Maps submitted for Pago Pago International 
Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements of part 150, 
effective January 28, 2005. Further, FAA is reviewing a proposed Noise 
Compatibility Program for that airport, which will be approved or 
disapproved on or before July 27, 2005. This notice also announces the 
availability of this program for public review and comment.
    Under 49 U.S.C., section 47503 (the Aviation Safety and Noise 
Abatement Act, hereinafter referred to as ``the Act''), an airport 
operator may submit to the FAA, Noise Exposure Maps which meet 
applicable regulations and which depict non-compatible land uses as of 
the date of submission of such maps, a description of projected 
aircraft operations, and the ways in which such operations will affect 
such maps. The Act requires such maps 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 Noise Exposure Maps that are 
found by FAA to be in compliance with the requirements of Federal 
Aviation Regulations (FAR) part 150, promulgated pursuant to the Act, 
may submit a Noise Compatibility Program for FAA approval which sets 
forth the measures the operator has taken or proposes to take to reduce 
existing non-compatible uses and prevent the introduction of additional 
non-compatible uses.
    The American Samoa Government, Department of Port Administration 
submitted to the FAA on December 9, 2004, noise exposure maps, 
descriptions and other documentation that were produced during the FAR 
part 150 Noise Compatibility Study for Pago Pago International Airport 
which began in mid-2003. It was requested that the FAA review this 
material as the Noise Exposure Maps, as described in section 47503 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 47504 of the Act.
    The FAA has completed its review of the Noise Exposure Maps and 
related descriptions submitted by American Samoa Government, Department 
of Port Administration. The specific documentation determined to 
constitute the Noise Exposure Maps includes: Existing Year 2004 
Conditions NEM and Future Year 2010 NEM/NCP exhibits, plus all other 
narrative, graphic, or tabular representations of the data required by 
section A150.101 of part 150, and sections 47503 and 47506 of the Act. 
The FAA has determined that these maps for Pago Pago International 
Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements. This 
determination is effective on January 28, 2005. 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 constitute 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 47503 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 Maps to resolve questions concerning, 
for example, which properties should be covered by the provisions of 
section 47506 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 Noise Exposure Maps. 
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 those maps, 
or with those public agencies and planning agencies with which 
consultation is required under section 47503 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 
Pago Pago International Airport, also effective on January 28, 2005. 
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 July 27, 2005.
    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

[[Page 6747]]

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 Maps, the FAA's evaluation of the maps, and the proposed noise 
compatibility program are available for examination at the following 
locations:

Federal Aviation Administration, National Headquarters, Community and 
Environmental Needs Division, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 617, 
Washington, DC 20591.
Federal Aviation Administration, Western Pacific Region, Airports 
Division, California Standards Section, AWP 621, 15000 Aviation 
Boulevard, Lawndale, CA 90261.
Federal Aviation Administration, Honolulu Airports District Office, 300 
Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 7-128, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813.
American Samoan Government, Department of Port Administration, Pago 
Pago, American Samoa, 96799.

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

    Issued in Hawthorne, California on January 28, 2005.
Mark A. McClardy,
Manager, Airports Division, AWP-600, Western-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 05-2316 Filed 2-7-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M