Aviation Noise and Emissions Mitigation Act
Bill: H.R.6050 | Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Adam (D-WA)
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
Aviation Noise and Emissions Mitigation Act
This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish pilot grant programs to measure and mitigate aircraft and airport noise and emissions (e.g., greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants) in communities near airports and air flight pathways.

To develop pilot grant programs through the Environmental Protection 
 Agency to research and collect data on aircraft and airport noise and 
emissions and to use such information and data to develop a mitigation 
                   strategy, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Aviation Noise and Emissions 
Mitigation Act''.

SEC. 2. NOISE AND AIR QUALITY MONITORING AND RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency in consultation with Secretary of Transportation and 
other relevant Federal agencies determined by the Administrator, shall 
establish a 3-year pilot grant program with eligible entities to 
measure noise and emissions, including greenhouse gases, particulate 
matter, ultrafine particles, and other toxic pollutants, in communities 
near airports or air flight pathways using sophisticated methods and 
technology that allow tracing of noise and emissions to specific 
sources such as aircraft and airport related noise and emissions near 
such communities, including identifying specific neighborhoods, 
structures, or areas impacted by such noise and emissions.
    (b) Grant Activities.--Recipients of grants under subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) use technology capable of producing data that can be 
        used for wedge analysis to decipher the sources of noise and 
        emissions so communities may better understand the primary 
        contributors of noise and emissions;
            (2) make every reasonable effort to establish a program 
        that can be easily replicated across the country with the goal 
        of ongoing data collection and monitoring in areas near 
        airports or air flight pathways;
            (3) produce neighborhood and ZIP code-level data for a 
        designated area to be used to determine or predict the level 
        and impact of noise and emissions on certain neighborhoods and 
        ZIP codes of such area, and to identify frontline and 
        disproportionately impacted communities;
            (4) coordinate and regularly communicate with the local 
        clean air agency (or agencies, if applicable), local public 
        health departments, local metropolitan planning organizations, 
        Indian Tribal governments, community based organizations, and 
        other local government, State government, or non-profit 
        entities as the grantee determines useful to the project;
            (5) work with community-based organizations, some of which 
        may be selected for a grant under section 2, to assist in 
        developing a mitigation abatement strategy for communities, 
        neighborhoods, or areas impacted by aircraft or airport noise 
        and emissions;
            (6) establish a clear plan for disseminating the data and 
        results of the program on an regular basis; and
            (7) consult initially and throughout the process with the 
        public and relevant community-based organizations or local 
        governments on the design and execution of the noise and 
        emissions monitoring program.
    (c) Eligible Entities.--An institution of higher education or other 
non-profit research entity, health institution, or local government 
with demonstrated experience in conducting either or both aviation 
noise or emissions research is eligible to receive a grant under this 
section. The Administrator may award not more than 6 awards under this 
section.
    (d) Grant Award Amount.--The Administrator may award a grant under 
this section to an eligible entity of not less than $2,500,000 and not 
more than $5,000,000 for the 3-year grant period.
    (e) Annual Report.--A grantee under the section shall submit an 
annual report to the Administrator regarding the research conducted and 
any findings. The Administrator shall make such reports publicly 
available.

SEC. 3. MITIGATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the submission of 
the final annual report submitted under section 1(e), the Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency, in consultation with the 
Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Transportation, 
or other relevant Federal agencies as determined by the Administrator, 
shall establish a pilot grant program to mitigate aircraft or airport 
noise and emissions, and their impacts, in communities near airports 
and air flight pathways.
    (b) Grant Requirements.--
            (1) Priority.--The Administrator shall prioritize and 
        provide guidance and technical assistance to applicants 
        applications that--
                    (A) focus on communities found to be 
                disproportionately impacted by aviation noise or 
                emissions identified in the research produced under the 
                section 1 grant;
                    (B) primarily benefit disadvantaged communities and 
                communities with a higher prevalence of diseases 
                associated with environmental exposures; and
                    (C) demonstrate community support and involvement 
                from affected communities in their proposed program.
            (2) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this section, an applicant shall be a local community-based 
        non-profit organization, a consortium of community-based non-
        profit organizations from a community that participated in the 
        noise and emissions monitoring program under section 1, a local 
        public health department, or a local or Indian Tribal 
        government. If the recipient is a public health department or 
        local or Indian Tribal government, the recipient shall 
        demonstrate community support for the program and how it plans 
        to partner with at least 1 non-profit community-based 
        organization.
            (3) Mitigation strategy.--An applicant shall demonstrate in 
        its application how the--
                    (A) research conducted under section 1 informs its 
                proposed project design;
                    (B) proposed project addresses environmental or 
                health disparities and the needs and concerns of 
                affected communities, disadvantaged communities, or 
                other communities facing environmental justice 
                concerns, including how the applicant used the Climate 
                and Economic Justice Screening Tool or other similar 
                environmental justice mapping tool to effectively 
                target mitigation strategies;
                    (C) applicant incorporated input from affected 
                communities in its proposed program, demonstrated 
                community support for the proposed program, and has 
                established a written plan detailing how the applicant 
                will maintain ongoing engagement with the affected 
                communities; and
                    (D) applicant intends to partner or coordinate with 
                relevant local organizations, government entities, and 
                service providers such as local public health 
                departments, Indian Tribal governments, community 
                health centers, and local education authorities, 
                depending on the mitigation plan.
            (4) Use of funds.--Funds under the grant program shall be 
        used to mitigate the impacts of aircraft or airport noise and 
        emissions on communities near airports or air flight pathways, 
        including establishing 1 or more of the following:
                    (A) Noise mitigation packages that may include 
                weatherization, retrofitting, or energy efficiency 
                upgrades that have noise reduction, environmental, or 
                health benefits for households, schools, or other 
                facilities, prioritizing low-income households and low-
                resourced communities and facilities, and structures 
                that are less likely to be eligible for other similar 
                Federal resources.
                    (B) Programs to promote environmental and public 
                health services in impacted communities, including 
                programs that address the disproportionate effects of 
                climate change on environmental justice communities.
                    (C) Health care services and environmental and 
                public health interventions that address underlying 
                impacts from airport noise and pollution on health and 
                quality of life, especially in children, vulnerable 
                populations, disadvantaged communities, and communities 
                of color.
            (5) Duration.--A grant under this section shall be not less 
        than 3 years and not more than 5 years as determined 
        appropriate by the Administrator.
    (c) Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) After 1st year.--One year after the awarding of grants 
        under this section, and annually thereafter, the Administrator 
        shall submit a report to the Committees on Energy and Commerce 
        and Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committees on Environment and Public 
        Works and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
        on the activities of the grant programs to include--
                    (A) the services provided and their targeted 
                beneficiaries (including households, schools, other 
                facilities, children, adults, seniors);
                    (B) the steps taken by the grantee to engage the 
                public and impacted communities during execution of the 
                grant;
                    (C) a breakdown of the areas served under the grant 
                and if and how such areas align with locations 
                identified under section 1; and
                    (D) aggregate information about the communities, 
                households, and individuals benefitting from the 
                services provided under the grant, including a 
                breakdown of the demographic information and 
                socioeconomic status of individuals and households.
            (2) After 3d year.--Three years after awarding of the first 
        grant under this section, the agency shall submit a report to 
        the congressional committees referred to in paragraph (1) to 
        include--
                    (A) an assessment of the grant program's ability to 
                meet its goal of mitigating airport and aviation noise 
                and emissions;
                    (B) potential lessons learned to inform future 
                efforts to address the impacts of noise and emissions 
                in communities near airports and air flight pathways; 
                and
                    (C) a review of how levels and impact of noise and 
                pollution from airports and air flight pathways can be 
                incorporated into the Climate and Economic Justice 
                Screening Tool or other similar environmental justice 
                mapping tool used by the Government.
            (3) Input in report.--The report under this subsection 
        shall be completed with input from grantees and affected 
        communities.
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