Acceptance of Noise Exposure Maps and Request for Review of Noise Compatibility Program for Lake Tahoe Airport, South Lake Tahoe, CA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Acceptance of Noise Exposure Maps and Request for Review of Noise

Compatibility Program for Lake Tahoe Airport, South Lake Tahoe, CA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its

determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by city of South

Lake Tahoe, California, for Lake Tahoe 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 incompliance with applicable

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

noise compatibility program that was submitted for Lake Tahoe Airport

under part 150 in conjunction with the noise exposure map, and that

this program will be approved or disapproved on or before November 14,

1994.

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

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

noise compatibility program is May 18, 1994. The public comment period

ends July 17, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joseph R. Rodriguez, Planning/Programming Supervisor, Federal Aviation

Administration, San Francisco Airports District Office, 831 Mitten

Road, room 210, Burlingame, California 94010-1303, Telephone: (415)

876-2805. 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 Lake Tahoe Airport are in

compliance with applicable requirements of part 150, effective May 18,

1994. Further, FAA is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program

for that airport which will be approved or disapproved on or before

November 14, 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 noncompatible land uses as of

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

aircraft operations, and the ways 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 Federal

Aviation Regulations (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 noncompatible uses and for the prevention of

the introduction of additional noncompatible uses.

The City of South Lake Tahoe, submitted to the FAA on September 24,

1992 noise exposure maps, descriptions and other documentation which

were produced during the preparation of the Noise Compatibility

Program, Lake Tahoe Airport, California, dated September 1992. 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 South Lake Tahoe. The

specific maps under consideration are Figure 3.3.1, ``Predicted 1991

CNEL Contours'', and Figure 3.3.2, ``Predicted 1996 CNEL contours'', in

the submission. The FAA has determined that these maps for Lake Tahoe

Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements.

This determination is effective on May 18, 1994. FAA's

determination on an airport operator's noise exposure maps is limited

to a 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 contours depicted on a noise exposure map

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 exposure 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 map 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 has formally received the noise compatibility program for

Lake Tahoe Airport, also effective on May 18, 1994. 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 approval or disapproval

of the program.

The formal review period, limited by law to a maximum of 180 days,

will be completed on or before November 14, 1994. The FAA's detailed

evaluation will be conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 150,

Sec. 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

noncompatible land uses and preventing the introduction of additional

noncompatible 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. Copies of the noise

exposure maps, the FAA's evaluation of the maps, and the proposed noise

compatibility program are available for examination at the following

locations:

Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., room

617, Washington, DC 20591

Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region, Airports

Division, AWP-600, 15000 Aviation Blvd., Hawthorne, CA 90261, Mail

Address: P.O. Box 92007, World Way Postal Center, Los Angeles, CA

90009-2007

Federal Aviation Administration, San Francisco Airports District

Office, 831 Mitten Road, room 210, Burlingame, California 94010-1303

Mr. Richard D. French, AAE, Airport Director, City of South Lake Tahoe,

Lake Tahoe Airport, 1901 Airport Road, suite 100, South Lake Tahoe,

California 96150-7004

Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the

heading, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Issued in Hawthorne, California on May 18, 1994.

Robert C. Bloom,

Acting Manager, Airports Division, AWP-600.

[FR Doc. 94-13915 Filed 6-7-94; 8:45 am]

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