Silent Skies Act of 2015

To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the operation of certain aircraft not complying with stage 4 noise levels, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Silent Skies Act of 2015 2. Findings Congress finds that— (1) aircraft and airport noise is one of the most common quality of life (2) the chapter 14 aircraft noise certification standard (to be known as stage 5) became applicable to new type design aircraft in 2014 pursuant to an agreement signed by the International Civil Aviation Organization, of which the United States is a member. 3. Aircraft noise reduction technology research, development, and implementation partnership (a) Cooperative agreement Subchapter I of chapter 475 47511. Aircraft noise reduction technology research, development, and implementation partnership (a) In general The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall enter into a cooperative agreement, using a competitive process, with an institution, entity, or consortium to carry out a program for the development, maturing, and certification of aircraft technology that will assist in-service and in-production civil turbojets that have noise levels greater than the levels specified in stage 4 noise standards in complying with such noise standards, as required under subchapter II of this chapter, or more stringent noise standards. (b) Terms and conditions The Administrator may include in a cooperative agreement entered into under this section terms and conditions requiring a recipient of funds under the cooperative agreement— (1) to conduct activities under the cooperative agreement on a cost-shared basis, using Federal and non-Federal funds; and (2) to make repayments to the United States of all or a portion of the amounts received by the recipient under the cooperative agreement, if an aircraft technology developed under the cooperative agreement results in revenues for the recipient. (c) Funding Of amounts appropriated under section 48102(a), not more than $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017, 2018, and 2019 may be used to carry out this section. (d) Report Beginning in fiscal year 2017, the Administrator shall publish an annual report on the program established under this section until completion of the program. . (b) Clerical amendment The analysis for such subchapter is amended by adding at the end the following: 47511. Aircraft noise reduction technology research, development, and implementation partnership. . 4. Prohibition on operating certain aircraft not complying with stage 4 noise levels (a) In general Subchapter II of chapter 475 47535. Limitation on operating certain aircraft not complying with stage 4 noise levels (a) Regulations Not later than December 31, 2016, the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the International Civil Aviation Organization, shall issue regulations to establish minimum standards for civil turbojets to comply with stage 4 noise levels. (b) General rule The Secretary shall issue regulations to ensure that, except as provided in section 47529— (1) 25 percent of the civil turbojets with a maximum weight of more than 75,000 pounds operating after December 31, 2022, to or from airports in the United States comply with the stage 4 noise levels established under subsection (a); (2) 50 percent of such turbojets operating after December 31, 2027, to or from airports in the United States comply with the stage 4 noise levels; (3) 75 percent of such turbojets operating after December 31, 2032, to or from airports in the United States comply with the stage 4 noise levels; and (4) 100 percent of such turbojets operating after December 31, 2037, to or from airports in the United States comply with the stage 4 noise levels. (c) Foreign-Flag aircraft (1) International standards The Secretary shall request the International Civil Aviation Organization to add to its Work Programme the consideration of international standards for the phase-out of aircraft that do not comply with stage 4 noise levels. (2) Enforcement The Secretary shall enforce the requirements of this section with respect to foreign-flag aircraft only to the extent that such enforcement is consistent with United States obligations under international agreements. (d) Annual report Beginning with calendar year 2020— (1) each air carrier shall submit to the Secretary an annual report on the progress the carrier is making toward complying with the requirements of this section and regulations issued to carry out this section; and (2) the Secretary shall submit to Congress an annual report on the progress being made toward that compliance. (e) Recertification not required (1) Limitation on statutory construction Nothing in this section may be construed to require the recertification of a civil turbojet that has been retrofitted to comply with or otherwise already meets the stage 4 noise levels established under subsection (a). (2) Means of demonstrating compliance with stage 4 noise levels The Secretary shall specify means for demonstrating that an aircraft complies with stage 4 noise levels without requiring recertification. . (b) Nonaddition rule (1) In general Section 47529 of such title is amended— (A) in subsection (a)— (i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)— (I) by striking subsonic (II) by striking November 4, 1990 December 31, 2020 (ii) in paragraph (1) by striking stage 3 stage 4 (iii) in paragraph (2) by striking November 5, 1990 January 1, 2021 (B) in subsection (b) by striking stage 3 stage 4 (C) in subsection (c)(1) by striking November 5, 1990 January 1, 2021 (2) Effective date The amendments made by this subsection take effect on December 31, 2020. (c) Conforming amendments (1) In general Chapter 475 of such title is amended— (A) in the chapter analysis— (i) by striking the item relating to section 47530 and inserting the following: 47530. Nonapplication of certain requirements to aircraft outside the 48 contiguous States. ; and (ii) by adding at the end the following: 47535. Limitation on operating certain aircraft not complying with stage 4 noise levels. ; (B) in section 47530— (i) by striking the section designation and heading and inserting the following: 47530. Nonapplication of certain requirements to aircraft outside the 48 contiguous States ; (ii) by striking and 47529 , 47529, and 47535 (iii) by striking subsonic (iv) by striking November 4, 1990 December 31, 2020 (v) by striking stage 3 stage 4 (C) in section 47531 by striking or 47534 47534, or 47535 (2) Effective date The amendments made by clauses (iii), (iv), and (v) of paragraph (1)(B) take effect on December 31, 2020. 5. Standards for issuance of type certificates (a) Applicability of stage 5 noise standards to civil turbojets with a maximum weight of more than 75,000 pounds On and after December 31, 2017, the Secretary of Transportation may not issue a type certificate for a civil turbojet with a maximum weight of more than 75,000 pounds unless the person applying for the type certificate demonstrates that the civil turbojet complies with stage 5 noise levels. (b) Applicability of stage 5 noise standards to all civil turbojets On and after December 31, 2020, the Secretary may not issue a type certificate for any civil turbojet unless the person applying for the type certificate demonstrates that the civil turbojet complies with stage 5 noise levels.

Summary: Silent Skies Act of 2015 This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration to enter into a competitive cooperative agreement with an institution, entity, or consortium to carry out a program for the development of aircraft technology that will assist in-service and in-production civil turbojets not meeting stage 4 noise standards to comply with those or more stringent standards. The Department of Transportation (DOT) must: (1) issue regulations to establish minimum standards to ensure that graduated percentages of civil turbojets weighing over 75,000 pounds comply with the stage 4 noise levels by specified dates, and (2) report annually on the progress made by air carriers in complying with such standards. 100% of such turbojets operating after December 31, 2037, must comply with stage 4 levels. DOT shall request the International Civil Aviation Organization to add to its Work Programme the consideration of international standards for the phase-out of aircraft that do not comply with stage 4 noise levels. The requirements of this Act shall not apply to civil turbojet aircraft that operate outside of the 48 contiguous states. DOT may not issue a type certificate for: (1) a civil turbojet with a maximum weight of more than 75,000 pounds on and after December 31, 2017, unless the applicant demonstrates that such turbojet complies with stage 5 noise levels; and (2) any civil turbojet on and after December 31, 2020, unless the applicant demonstrates that such turbojet complies with stage 5 noise levels.