Reduce Excessive Decibels and Unwanted Commotion and Emissions to Heighten Enforcement and Limitation of Intrusive Chopper Operations to Protect Towns and Enhance Residents from Noise Act of 2023

To amend title 49, United States Code, to facilitate information sharing between helicopter operators and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration regarding helicopter noise complaints, to establish additional requirements on individuals and entities that register a helicopter, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Reduce Excessive Decibels and Unwanted Commotion and Emissions to Heighten Enforcement and Limitation of Intrusive Chopper Operations to Protect Towns and Enhance Residents from Noise Act of 2023 REDUCE HELICOPTER Noise Act of 2023 2. Helicopter noise complaint enforcement Section 46301 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking or section 47133 section 47133, or section 47512 3. Helicopter noise complaint information sharing database (a) In general Subchapter I of chapter 475 47512. Helicopter noise complaint information sharing database (a) In general The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall establish and maintain a database for the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman to receive, collect, and provide access to information regarding helicopter noise complaints in accordance with this section. (b) Submissions (1) In general The Aircraft Noise Ombudsman shall establish a process to receive complaint information in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3) for the input of complaint information as required by subsection (c). (2) Required submissions Such process shall provide that, not later than 48 hours after an owner or operator of a helicopter receives a complaint from an individual, regardless of whether the owner or operator who received such complaint is the subject of that complaint, such owner or operator shall submit to the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman such information provided in the complaint and any other information as may be specified by the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman, including— (A) whether such owner or operator is the subject of the complaint; and (B) to the extent that the owner or operator is the subject of the complaint that is being submitted, a description of any action such owner or operator is taking or plans to take to address the complaint. (3) Public submissions Such process shall provide for a mechanism by which individuals may directly submit a complaint pertaining to helicopter noise to the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman. (c) Inputs required Not later than 48 hours after receiving a submission described in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (b), the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman shall— (1) determine which owner or operator is the subject of the submission; (2) determine whether the complaint that is the subject of such submission is meritorious; and (3) input, with respect to any claim determined to be meritorious under paragraph (2), information pertaining to such submission into the database established by subsection (a). (d) Access (1) In general The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall provide access to the database established by subsection (a) to owners or operators of helicopters to view submissions of complaints pertaining to such owners or operators. (2) Privacy and indications of actions being taken Access pursuant to paragraph (1) may be extended only to the extent necessary for an owner or operator to— (A) view information included in submissions pertaining to such owner or operator; and (B) pursuant to subsection (e)(2), add information relating to actions that may be taken or intended to be taken to address such complaints. (e) Notification (1) Notification by Aircraft Noise Ombudsman In the case the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman inputs a complaint into the database that was not submitted by an owner or operator of a helicopter that is the subject of the complaint, not later than 48 hours after such complaint is so inputted, the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman shall notify such owner or operator that the complaint has been input into the database. (2) Response by owner or operator Not later than 48 hours of being notified of a complaint pursuant to paragraph (1), that is a meritorious complaint, as determined by the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman, an owner or operator of a helicopter shall input into the database an indication as to whether such owner or operator is taking an action to address such complaint. (f) Exception Subsections (b)(2), (d), and (e) shall not apply with respect to complaints relating to helicopters owned or operated by a military department (as defined in section 102 of title 5) or the Coast Guard. (g) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for the Senate a report that includes the following: (1) The number of complaints received by the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman that were then directed to the owner or operator of a helicopter who was the subject of such complaint. (2) The number of complaints received by the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman in which the appropriate owner or operator of a helicopter could not be identified. (3) The number of complaints received by the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman that were reported by— (A) an owner or operator of a helicopter; and (B) an individual. (4) The number of instances an owner or operator of a helicopter indicated such owner or operated took an action to address a complaint. . (b) Clerical amendment The analysis of subchapter I of chapter 475 47512. Helicopter noise complaint information sharing database. . 4. Helicopter registration requirements Section 44102 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection— (c) Submission and verification of information (1) Individuals Any individual who has registered a helicopter under subsection (a), and any individual who has an ownership interest of at least 10 percent in a helicopter registered under such subsection, shall submit to the Administrator the name, address, date of birth, driver’s license or pilot’s license, or both, of such individual, and any information necessary as determined by the Administrator. (2) Entities Any entity that has registered a helicopter under subsection (a), and any entity that has an ownership interest of at least 10 percent in a helicopter registered under such subsection, shall submit to the Administrator the name, physical address, principal place of business, and taxpayer identification number of such entity, and any information necessary as determined by the Administrator. (3) Verification The Administrator shall verify the information submitted and eligibility of entities registered under this subsection through an independent review. . 5. Dealers’ certificates of registration Section 44104 of title 49, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking The Administrator (a) In general The Administrator ; (2) in paragraph (1) by striking and (3) in paragraph (2) by striking the period and inserting ; and (4) by adding at the end the following: (3) in the public interest for verifying any information dealers submit for the issuance of a dealer’s certificate. (b) Information for the issuance of dealers’ certificates For any regulations prescribed under subsection (a)(2) for the issuance of a dealer’s certificate of registration, the Administrator shall additionally require the dealer to furnish such information as may be required by the Administrator. .

Summary: Reduce Excessive Decibels and Unwanted Commotion and Emissions to Heighten Enforcement and Limitation of Intrusive Chopper Operations to Protect Towns and Enhance Residents from Noise Act of 2023 or the REDUCE HELICOPTER Noise Act of 2023This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish and maintain a database for the Aircraft Noise Ombudsman to receive, collect, and provide access to information regarding helicopter noise complaints.Under the bill, an owner or operator of a helicopter that receives any complaint from an individual must submit the information to the ombudsman within 48 hours. The submission must include a description of any action the owner or operator is taking or plans to take to address the complaint (to the extent that the owner or operator is the subject of the submitted complaint). Individuals may also directly submit a helicopter noise complaint to the ombudsman.Within 48 hours of receiving a noise complaint submission, the ombudsman must (1) determine which owner or operator is the subject of the complaint, (2) determine whether the complaint is meritorious, and (3) input meritorious complaints into the database. In the case of a complaint not submitted by an owner or operator of a helicopter that is the subject of the complaint, the bill establishes requirements for FAA notification and owner or operator response.A violation of the database requirements is subject to civil penalties.The bill also requires any individual or entity that has registered a helicopter or that has at least a 10% ownership interest in a registered helicopter to submit specific information to the FAA to be verified. The bill also includes additional verification requirements for the issuance of dealers' certificates of registration.