I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2499
To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the operation of certain
aircraft not complying with stage 4 noise levels.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 13, 1999
Mr. WEINER (for himself, Mr. HYDE, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. SHAYS, Ms. RIVERS,
Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. STARK, Mr. KING, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. UDALL of Colo-
rado, Mr. SERRANO, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. MARKEY, Mr.
KUCINICH, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. LARSON, Mr. HALL of Ohio, Ms. LEE, and
Mr. CAPUANO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the oper-
ation of certain aircraft not complying with stage 4 noise
levels.
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 ‘‘Silent Skies Act of
1999’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that—
(1) aircraft and airport noise is one of the most
common ‘‘quality of life’’ nuisance issues in neigh-
borhoods throughout the United States; and
(2) European countries are already moving to-
ward aircraft that comply with stage 4 aircraft noise
levels.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON OPERATING CERTAIN AIRCRAFT
NOT COMPLYING WITH STAGE 4 NOISE LEV-
ELS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 475 of
title 49, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by redesignating sections 47529 through
47533 as sections 47530 through 47534, respec-
tively; and
(2) by inserting after section 47528 the fol-
lowing:
‘‘§ 47529. Limitation on operating certain aircraft not
complying with stage 4 noise levels
‘‘(a) REGULATIONS.—Not later than December 3,
2001, 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
47530—
‘‘(1) 50 percent of the civil turbojets with a
maximum weight of more than 75,000 pounds oper-
ating after December 31, 2006, to or from airports
in the United States comply with the stage 4 noise
levels established under subsection (a); and
‘‘(2) 100 percent of such turbojets operating
after December 31, 2011, to or from airports in the
United States comply with the stage 4 noise levels.
‘‘(c) PRIORITY FOR HIGH DENSITY AIRPORTS.—The
Secretary shall issue regulations to ensure that air car-
riers, in purchasing and using civil turbojets that comply
with stage 4 noise levels, give priority to using such turbo-
jets to provide air transportation to or from high density
airports (as such term is defined under section 41714 on
January 1, 1999).
‘‘(d) ANNUAL REPORT.—Beginning with calendar
year 2002—
‘‘(1) each air carrier shall submit to the Sec-
retary 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.’’.
(b) CHAPTER ANALYSIS AMENDMENT.—The analysis
for such chapter is amended—
(1) by redesignating the items relating to sec-
tions 47529 through 47533 as sections 47530
through 47534, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 47528 the following:
‘‘47529. Limitation on operating certain aircraft not complying with stage 4
noise levels.’’.
(c) NONADDITION RULE.—Section 47530 of such
title (as redesignated by subsection (a)(2) of this section)
is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) by striking ‘‘subsonic’’;
(B) by striking ‘‘November 4, 1990’’ and
inserting ‘‘December 31, 2004’’;
(C) by striking ‘‘stage 3’’ and inserting
‘‘stage 4’’; and
(D) by striking ‘‘November 5, 1990’’ and
inserting ‘‘January 1, 2005’’;
(2) in subsection (b) by striking ‘‘stage 3’’ and
inserting ‘‘stage 4’’; and
(3) in subsection (c)(1) by striking ‘‘November
5, 1990’’ and inserting ‘‘January 1, 2005’’
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such chapter is
further amended—
(1) in the chapter analysis—
(A) by striking ‘‘and 47529’’ in the item
relating to section 47531 (as redesignated by
subsection (b)(1) of this section) and inserting
‘‘, 47529, and 47530’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘47530’’ in the item relat-
ing to section 47532 (as redesignated by sub-
section (b)(1) of this section) and inserting
‘‘47531’’;
(2) in the heading for section 47531 (as redes-
ignated by subsection (a)(1) of this section) by strik-
ing ‘‘and 47529’’ and inserting ‘‘, 47529, and
47530’’;
(3) in section 47531 (as redesignated by sub-
section (a)(1) of this section)—
(A) by striking ‘‘and 47529’’ and inserting
‘‘, 47529, and 47530’’;
(B) by striking ‘‘subsonic’’; and
(C) by striking ‘‘November 4, 1990’’ and
inserting ‘‘December 31, 2004’’;
(4) in the heading for section 47532 (as redes-
ignated by subsection (a)(1) of this section) by strik-
ing ‘‘47530’’ and inserting ‘‘47531’’;
(5) in section 47532 (as redesignated by sub-
section (a)(1) of this section) by striking ‘‘or 47530’’
and inserting ‘‘, 47530, or 47531’’; and
(6) in section 47533 (as redesignated by sub-
section (a)(1) of this section) by striking ‘‘47531’’
and inserting ‘‘47532’’.
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by section 3 shall take effect
on the date of enactment of this Act; except the amend-
ments made by subsections (c), (d)(3)(B), and (d)(3)(C)
of section 3 shall take effect December 31, 2004.
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