II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 208 

To require the Federal Aviation Administration to prescribe regulations to 

reduce helicopter noise pollution in residential areas in Los Angeles 

County, California. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 4, 2013 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mrs. BOXER) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 

Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To require the Federal Aviation Administration to prescribe 

regulations to reduce helicopter noise pollution in residential areas in Los Angeles County, California. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Los Angeles Residen5 tial Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2013’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Residents throughout Los Angeles County 

9 suffer intrusive and disruptive low-flying helicopter 


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1 traffic above their neighborhoods. The unique ter2 rain of canyons and valleys that surround residential 

3 neighborhoods in Los Angeles County often con4 centrate high decibel level noise from the low-flying 

5 helicopters in and around Los Angeles County resi6 dences. The concentrated noise interrupts daily life 

7 for many Los Angeles County residents by drowning 

8 out conversations and disrupting sleep cycles. 

9 (2) Los Angeles County is home to a uniquely 

10 large concentration of scenic, historic, entertain11 ment, and transportation venues, including sight-see12 ing, movie studios, movie star homes, outdoor enter13 tainment facilities, Griffith Park, the Hollywood 

14 Sign, freeways, and many others, that generate ex15 tensive helicopter activity. 

16 (3) Los Angeles County is home to the world’s 

17 leading civil helicopter manufacturer that conducts 

18 extensive helicopter operational testing across the re19 gion. 

20 (4) Despite multiple efforts from several com21 munity and homeowner organizations in Los Angeles 

22 County to address these disturbances, helicopter 

23 traffic in Los Angeles County is not currently regu24 lated by the Federal Aviation Administration or any 

25 other agency. 


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1 (5) At the request of Members of Congress, the 

2 Federal Aviation Administration formed an internal 

3 working group in July 2012 to solicit input from 

4 local communities and stakeholders on helicopter 

5 noise and safety issues in Los Angeles County. 

6 (6) As part of that process, several public meet7 ings were held in the fall and summer of 2012 that 

8 have allowed the Federal Aviation Administration 

9 and stakeholders to hear and better understand the 

10 concerns and complaints of affected residents. 

11 (7) The Federal Aviation Administration is 

12 scheduled to release a report in May 2013 evalu13 ating a full set of voluntary and regulatory options 

14 to reduce helicopter noise and address safety issues 

15 in Los Angeles County. 

16 (8) The report is expected to explore how heli17 copters can be regulated in Los Angeles County in 

18 a manner that provides relief to residents from heli19 copter noise while also meeting the needs of relevant 

20 stakeholders, including first responders. 

21 SEC. 3. REGULATIONS TO REDUCE HELICOPTER NOISE 

22 POLLUTION IN CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL 

23 AREAS. 

24 (a) RULEMAKING.—Not later than 1 year after the 

25 date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of 


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1 the Federal Aviation Administration shall prescribe regu2 lations for helicopter operations in Los Angeles County, 

3 California, that include requirements relating to the flight 

4 paths and altitudes associated with such operations to re5 duce helicopter noise pollution in residential areas, in6 crease safety, and minimize scheduled commercial aircraft 

7 delays. 

8 (b) EXEMPTIONS.—In prescribing regulations under 

9 subsection (a), the Administrator shall exempt helicopter 

10 operations related to emergency, law enforcement, or mili11 tary activities from the requirements described in that 

12 subsection. 

13 (c) CONSULTATIONS.—In prescribing regulations 

14 under subsection (a), the Administrator shall make rea15 sonable efforts to consult with local communities and local 

16 helicopter operators in order to develop regulations that 

17 meet the needs of local communities, helicopter operators, 

18 and the Federal Aviation Administration. 

Æ 


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