Noise Exposure Map Notice; Manassas Regional Airport, Manassas, VA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Noise Exposure Map Notice; Manassas Regional Airport, Manassas,

VA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its

determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by the City of

Manassas Airport Board for the Manassas Regional Airport under the

provisions of Title I of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of

1979 (Pub. L. 96-193) and 14 CFR part 150 are in compliance with

applicable requirements. The FAA also announces that it is reviewing a

proposed noise compatibility program, that was submitted for Manassas

Regional Airport under part 150 in conjunction with the noise exposure

maps, and that this program will be approved or disapproved on or

before October 21, 1994.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date of FAA's determination on the noise

exposure maps and of the start of its review of the associated noise

compatibility programs is March 21, 1994. The public comment period

ends June 6, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Frank Squeglia, Environmental Specialist, FAA--Easter Regional Office,

Airports Division, AEA-610, Fitzgerald Federal Building, JFK

International Airport, Jamaica, NY 11430, (718) 553-0902.

Comments on the proposed noise compatibility program should also be

submitted to the above office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA finds

that the noise exposure maps submitted for the Manassas Regional

Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements of part 150,

effective March 21, 1994.

Further, the FAA is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility

program for the airport which will be approved or disapproved on or

before October 21, 1994. This notice also announces the availability of

this program for public review and comment.

Under section 103 of Title I of the Aviation Safety and Noise

Abatement Act of 1979 (hereinafter referred to as ``the Act''), an

airport operator may submit to the FAA noise exposure maps which meet

applicable regulations and which depict non-compatible land uses as of

the date of submission of such maps, a description of projected

aircraft operations. and the way in which such operations will affect

such maps. The Act requires such maps to be developed in consultation

with interested and affected parties in the local community, government

agencies and persons using the airport.

An airport operator who has submitted noise exposure maps that are

found by FAA to be in compliance with the requirements of FAR part 150,

promulgated pursuant to Title I of the Act, may submit a noise

compatibility program for FAA approval which sets forth the measures

the operator has taken or proposes for the reduction of existing non-

compatible uses and for the prevention of the introduction of

additional con-compatible uses.

The City of Manassas submitted to the FAA on February 24, 1992,

noise exposure maps, descriptions and other documentation which were

produced during an airport noise compatibility planning study. It was

requested that the FAA review this material as the noise exposure maps,

as described in section 103(a)(1) of the Act, and that the noise

mitigation measures, to be implemented jointly by the airport and

surrounding communities, be approved as a noise compatibility program

under section 104(b) of the Act.

The FAA has completed its review of the noise exposure maps and

related descriptions submitted by the City of Manassas. The specific

maps under consideration are the noise exposure maps: Figure X-1

Existing (1992) Noise Exposure Map (page 56) and Figure X-2 Future

(1997) Noise Exposure Map (page 57) of the February 1992 submission as

amended.

The FAA has determined that these maps for Manassas Regional

Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements. This

determination is effective on March 21, 1994. FAA's determination on an

airport operator's noise exposure maps is limited to finding that the

maps were developed in accordance with the procedures contained in

appendix A of FAR part 150. Such determination does not constitute

approval of the applicant's data, information or plans, or a commitment

to approve a noise compatibility program or to fund the implementation

of that program.

If questions arise concerning the precise relationship of specific

properties to noise exposure maps submitted under section 103 of the

Act, it should be noted that the FAA is not involved in any way in

determining the relative locations of specific properties with regard

to the depicted noise contours, or in interpreting the noise maps to

resolve questions concerning, for example, which properties should be

covered by the provisions of section 107 of the Act. These functions

are inseparable from the ultimate land-use control and planning

responsibilities of local government. These local responsibilities are

not changed in any way under part 150 or through FAA's review of noise

exposure maps. Therefore, the responsibility for the detailed

overlaying of noise exposure contours onto the maps depicting

properties on the surface rests exclusively with the airport operator

which submitted those maps or with those public agencies and planning

agencies with which consultation is required under section 103 of the

Act. The FAA has relied on the certification by the airport operator

under Sec. 150.21 of FAR part 150, that the statutorily required

consultation has been accomplished.

The FAA formally received the noise compatibility program for

Manassas Regional Airport also effective of February 24, 1992.

Preliminary review of the submitted material indicates that it conforms

to the requirements for the submittal of noise compatibility programs,

but that further review will be necessary prior to the approval or

disapproval of the program. The former review period limited by law to

a maximum of 180 days, will be completed on or before October 21, 1994.

The FAA's detailed evaluation will be conducted under the

provisions of 14 CFR 150.33. The primary considerations in the

evaluation process are whether the proposed measures may reduce the

level of aviation safety, create an undue burden on interstate or

foreign commerce, or be reasonably consistent with obtaining the goal

of reducing existing non-compatible land uses and preventing the

introduction of additional non-compatible land uses.

Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed program

with specific reference to these factors. All comments, other than

those properly addressed to local land-use authorities, will be

considered by the FAA to the extent practicable. The public comment

period ends June 6, 1994.

Copies of the noise exposure maps and the FAA's evaluation of the

maps are available for examination at the following locations:

Eastern Regional Office, FAA--Fitzgerald Federal Building, Airports

Division, room 337, JFK International Airport, Jamaica, NY 11430.

Washington Airports District Office, FAA--101 West Broad Street, suite

300, Falls Church, VA 22046.

Manassas Regional Airport, Airport Manager, P.O. Box 560, 10522

Terminal Road, Manassas, VA 22110.

Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the

heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Issued in Jamaica, New York on April 8, 1994.

Peter A. Nelson,

Acting Manager, Airports Division, Eastern Region.

[FR Doc. 94-10281 Filed 4-28-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-13-M