SNORE Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.4931 | Sponsor: Rep. Speier, Jackie (D-CA)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Serious Noise Reduction Efforts Act of 2021 or the SNORE Act of 2021
This bill addresses noise mitigation through soundproofing and other strategies in the communities surrounding San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
Specifically, the bill

To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish a program at San 
     Francisco International Airport for purposes of soundproofing 
           residential buildings in surrounding communities.

    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 ``Serious Noise Reduction Efforts Act 
of 2021'' or the ``SNORE Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. PROGRAM FOR NOISE MITIGATION NEAR SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL 
              AIRPORT.

    (a) Residential Noise Mitigation Near San Francisco International 
Airport.--Section 47504 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (D) by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (E) by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(F) installing residential noise dampening 
                windows, residential noise insulation, and other 
                residential improvements to reduce or to mitigate the 
                noise impacts of the operation of San Francisco 
                International Airport.'';
            (2) in subsection (c)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (E) by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (F) by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(G) for a program of residential noise mitigation and 
        soundproofing for residential buildings near San Francisco 
        International Airport.''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Residential Noise Mitigation Near San Francisco International 
Airport.--
            ``(1) Program requirements.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of law, the Secretary shall approve, and may incur 
        obligations for, a program submitted under subsection (a) that 
        requires the expenditure of funds made available under section 
        48103 for mitigation of aircraft noise less than 65 DNL if--
                    ``(A) such program is submitted and operated by San 
                Francisco International Airport; and
                    ``(B) in any 2 consecutive or nonconsecutive months 
                in a fiscal year, a total of 10 or more measurements of 
                75 dBA or greater (on a noise monitor operated or 
                approved by San Francisco International Airport) are 
                taken within a single city or county between the hours 
                of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. due to San Francisco 
                International Airport operations, including aircraft 
                arriving or departing the airport.
            ``(2) Program contents.--The program described in paragraph 
        (1) shall propose to soundproof at least 200 residential 
        buildings per fiscal year. Residential buildings proposed for 
        aircraft noise mitigation shall be within any noise-affected 
        location and the noise mitigation may be performed on a 
        residence whether or not it is within the 65 DNL contour.
            ``(3) Funding.--
                    ``(A) Eligible funds.--The San Francisco 
                International Airport may use Federal funds, revenue 
                from passenger facility charges authorized under 
                section 40117, and other revenue generated by the 
                airport to carry out activities under the program 
                without regard to any restrictions on the use of such 
                funds under sections 40177 and 47133.
                    ``(B) Remittance of funds.--As a condition of 
                approval of any Federal grants awarded to San Francisco 
                International Airport after fiscal year 2023, the 
                Airport shall agree that in any fiscal year in which a 
                program is submitted by San Francisco International 
                Airport under paragraph (1) that does not propose noise 
                mitigation of 200 or more homes, the Airport shall 
                remit to each noise-affected location an amount equal 
                to 10 times the amount of funding provided to the 
                noise-affected location under the Community Development 
                Block Grant Program under title I of the Housing and 
                Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et 
                seq.) for the previous fiscal year.
                    ``(C) Use of remitted funds.--An airport disbursing 
                funds to a city or county under this program shall 
                obtain written assurance from the city or county that 
                the funds shall be expended for purposes of noise 
                mitigation and that the funds shall be spent not later 
                than 2 fiscal years after the disbursement of funds to 
                the city or county.
            ``(4) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Noise-affected location.--The term `noise-
                affected location' means any city or county in which 
                ten or more measurements described in paragraph (1)(B) 
                were taken during the previous fiscal year.
                    ``(B) Noise mitigation.--The term `noise 
                mitigation' means soundproofing and noise dampening, 
                including the installation of noise dampening windows, 
                residential noise insulation, and other residential 
                improvements that reduce the impact of noise.
                    ``(C) Residential building.--The term `residential 
                building' means a single family housing unit or a 
                multifamily housing unit.''.
    (b) Revenue Diversion Exception.--Section 47107(k) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (5) as 
        paragraphs (4) through (6), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(3) Revenue diversion exception.--The use of revenue 
        generated by San Francisco International Airport shall not be 
        considered a diversion as set forth in this or any other 
        section if such revenue is used for purposes of conducting a 
        program of residential noise mitigation as described in section 
        47504(f).''.
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