Approval of Noise Compatibility Program for Hawthorne Municipal Airport, Hawthorne, CA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Approval of Noise Compatibility Program for Hawthorne Municipal

Airport, Hawthorne, CA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its

findings on the Noise Compatibility Program submitted by the city of

Hawthorne, California 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. These findings are made in recognition of the description of

Federal and nonfederal responsibilities in Senate Report No. 96-52

(1980). On December 2, 1993 the FAA determined that the Noise Exposure

Maps submitted by under part 150 were in compliance with applicable

requirements. On May 31, 1994, the Assistant Administrator for Airports

approved the Noise Compatibility Program for Hawthorne Municipal

Airport. All five (5) of the proposed noise abatement and land use

control measures were approved.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date of the FAA's approval of the

Hawthorne Municipal Airport noise compatibility program is May 31,

1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David B. Kessler, Regional Airport Planner, Planning Section, AWP-

611.2, Federal Aviation Administration, Mailing Address: P.O. Box

92007, Worldway Postal Center, Los Angeles, California 90009-2007,

Street address: 15000 Aviation Boulevard, room 3012, Hawthorne,

California 90261. Telephone: 301/297-1534. Documents reflecting this

FAA action may be reviewed at this same location.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA has given

its overall approval to the Noise Compatibility Program for Hawthorne

Municipal Airport, Hawthorne, California, effective May 31, 1994.

Under section 104(a) of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act

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

who has previously submitted a Noise Exposure Map may submit to the FAA

a Noise Compatibility Program which sets forth the measures taken or

proposed by the airport operator for the reduction of existing

noncompatible land uses and prevention of additional noncompatible land

uses within the area covered by the Noise Exposure Maps. The Act

requires such programs to be developed in consultation with interested

and affected parties including local communities, government agencies,

airport users, and FAA personnel.

Each airport Noise Compatibility Program developed in accordance

with Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) part 150 is a local program, not

a Federal program. The FAA does not substitute its judgment for that of

the airport proprietor with respect to which measures should be

recommended for action. The FAA's approval or disapproval of FAR part

150 program recommendations is measured according to the standards

expressed in part 150 of the Act and is limited to the following

determinations.

a. The Noise Compatibility Program was developed in accordance with

the provisions and procedures of FAR part 150:

b. Program measures are reasonably consistent with achieving the

goals of reducing existing noncompatible land uses around the airport

and preventing the introduction of additional noncompatible land uses:

c. Program measures would not create an undue burden on interstate

or foreign commerce, unjustly discriminate against types or classes of

aeronautical uses, violate the terms of airport grant agreements, or

intrude into areas preempted by the Federal Government; and

d. Program measures relating to the use of flight procedures can be

implemented within the period covered by the program without derogating

safety, adversely affecting the efficient use and management of the

navigable airspace and air traffic control systems, or adversely

affecting other powers and responsibilities of the Administrator

prescribed by law.

Specific limitations with respect to the FAA's approval of an

airport Noise Compatibility Program are delineated in FAR part 150,

Sec. 150.5. Approval is not a determination concerning the

acceptability of land uses under Federal, state, or local law. Approval

does not by itself constitute an FAA implementing action. A request for

Federal action or approval to implement specific noise compatibility

measures may be required, and an FAA decision on the request may

require an environmental assessment of the proposed action. Approval

does not constitute a commitment by the FAA to financially assist in

the implementation of the program nor a determination that all measures

covered by the program are eligible for grant-in-aid funding from the

FAA. Where federal funding is sought, requests for project grants must

be submitted to the FAA Airports Division Office in Hawthorne,

California.

The city of Hawthorne submitted to the FAA on September 19, 1991,

the Noise Exposure Maps, descriptions, and other documentations

produced during the Noise Compatibility Planning study conducted from

August 1987 through September 1991. The Noise Exposure Maps were

determined by the FAA to be in compliance with applicable requirements

on December 2, 1993. Notice of this determination was published in the

Federal Register on December 17, 1993.

The study contains a proposed Noise Compatibility Program comprised

of actions designed for phased implementation by airport management and

adjacent jurisdictions from the date of study completion to, or beyond,

the year 1993. It was requested that the FAA evaluate and approve this

material as a Noise Compatibility Program as described in section

104(b) of the Act. The FAA began its review of the program on December

2, 1993 and was required by a provision of the Act to approve or

disapprove the program within 180 days (other than the use of new

flight procedures for noise control). Failure to approve or disapprove

such program within the 180-day period shall be deemed to be an

approval of such program.

The submitted program contained five (5) proposed actions for noise

mitigation on and off the airport. The FAA completed its review and

determined that the procedural and substantive requirements of the Act

and FAR part 150 have been satisfied. The overall program, therefore,

was approved by the Assistant Administrator for Airports effective May

31, 1994.

Outright approval was granted for all five (5) of the specific

program elements. The measures that were approved include the

following: Clarification and publication of existing noise abatement

procedures; Establishment of designated engine maintenance run-up

locations; Annexation of a portion of land within the City of

Inglewood; Support the land use compatibility guidelines for project

review in the General Plans for the Cities of Hawthorne and Inglewood;

and Formalize noise complaint handling system.

These determinations are set forth in detail in a Record of

Approval endorsed by the Assistant Administrator for Airports on May

31, 1994. The Record of Approval, as well as other evaluation materials

and the documents comprising the submittal, are available for review at

the FAA office listed above and at the administrative offices of the

Hawthorne Municipal Airport.

Issued in Hawthorne, California on June 7, 1994.

Herman C. Bliss,

Manager, Airports Division, AWP-600 Western-Pacific Region.

[FR Doc. 94-15303 Filed 6-22-94; 8:45 am]

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