I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 129
To amend title 49, United States Code, to exempt noise and access restric-
tions on aircraft operations to and from metropolitan airports from
certain Federal review and approval requirements, and for other pur-
poses.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 6, 1999
Mr. ENGEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to exempt noise
and access restrictions on aircraft operations to and from
metropolitan airports from certain Federal review and
approval requirements, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Metropolitan Airport
Noise Reduction Act’’.
SEC. 2. NONMETROPOLITAN AIRPORT DEFINED.
Section 47522 of title 49, United States Code, is
amended by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3)
and by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
‘‘(2) ‘nonmetropolitan airport’ means an airport
serving an area with a population of less than
1,000,000 individuals.’’.
SEC. 3. REVIEW OF AIRPORT NOISE AND ACCESS RESTRIC-
TIONS.
Section 47524 of title 49, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) in subsection (a) by inserting ‘‘to and from
nonmetropolitan airports’’ after ‘‘stage 3 aircraft’’;
(2) in subsection (b) by inserting ‘‘to or from
a nonmetropolitan airport’’ after ‘‘stage 2 aircraft’’;
(3) in subsection (c)(1) by inserting ‘‘to or from
a nonmetropolitan airport’’ after ‘‘operation of stage
3 aircraft’’;
(4) in subsection (c)(2) by inserting ‘‘to or from
a nonmetropolitan airport’’ after ‘‘stage 3 aircraft’’;
and
(5) in subsection (e) by striking ‘‘facility’’ and
inserting ‘‘nonmetropolitan airport’’.
SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR APPLICATIONS TO
WAIVE STAGE 3 NOISE LEVELS FOR CERTAIN
AIRCRAFT.
The second sentence of section 47528(b) of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by inserting after
‘‘1999,’’ the following: ‘‘must contain assurances that op-
erations of aircraft which do not comply with stage 3 noise
levels will not be concentrated at one or more airports if
the waiver is granted,’’.
SEC. 5. PROHIBITION ON ROLLBACK OF AIRCRAFT RE-
STRICTIONS.
(a) GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 475 of title
49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end
the following:
‘‘§ 47534. Prohibition on rollback of aircraft restric-
tions
‘‘(a) GENERAL RULE.—No airport noise or access re-
striction on the operation of stage 2 or stage 3 aircraft
to or from a metropolitan or nonmetropolitan airport in
effect on November 5, 1990, may be modified, superseded,
or repealed so as to make such restriction less stringent.
This subsection shall apply to any action taken on, before,
or after the date of the enactment of this section.
‘‘(b) NOTIFICATION.—The Secretary shall promptly
notify the sponsor of any facility operating under airport
noise or access restrictions in violation of subsection (a)
of such violation and recommend actions necessary for
compliance with subsection (a).
‘‘(c) INELIGIBILITY FOR PFC’S AND AIP FUNDS.—
After the 90th day following the date on which the sponsor
of a facility receives pursuant to subsection (b) notice of
a violation of subsection (a), such sponsor shall not be eli-
gible to receive a grant under section 47104 of this title
or to impose a passenger facility fee under section 40117
of this title until such date as the Secretary determines
that the facility is operating under airport noise and
access restrictions in compliance with subsection (a).’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The analysis to
chapter 475 is amended by inserting after the item relat-
ing to section 47533 the following:
‘‘47534. Prohibition on rollback of aircraft restrictions.’’.
Æ