Acceptance of Noise Exposure Maps and Request for Review of Noise Compatibility Program for McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, NV

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Acceptance of Noise Exposure Maps and Request for Review of Noise

Compatibility Program for McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, NV

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 Clark County,

Nevada, for McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada, under

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

Act of 1979 (Public Law 96-193) and 14 CFR Part 150 are in compliance

with applicable requirements. The FAA also announces that it is also

reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program that was submitted for

McCarran International Airport under Part 150 in conjunction with the

noise exposure map, and that this program will be approved or

disapproved on or before February 15, 1995.

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

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

compatibility program is August 19, 1994. The public comment period

ends October 18, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph R. Rodriguez, Federal Aviation

Administration, San Francisco Airports District Office, 831 Mitten

Road, Burlingame, California 94010-1303, Telephone 415/876-2805.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces that the FAA finds

that the noise exposure maps submitted for the McCarran International

Airport are in compliance with applicable requirements of Part 150

effective August 19, 1994.

Under Section 103 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.

Clark County, Nevada submitted to the FAA on March 9, 1994, noise

exposure maps, descriptions and other documentation which were produced

during the McCarran International Airport Part 150 Study conducted

between May, 1992 and January 1994. 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 Clark County, Nevada. The specific

maps under consideration are Figure 11 ``Noise Exposure Map: 1992 with

Existing Land Use'', and Figure 12, ``Noise Exposure Map: 1997 Existing

and Approved Land'' in the submission. The FAA has determined that

these maps for the McCarran International Airport are in compliance

with applicable requirements. This determination is effective on August

19, 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 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 Section

150.21 of FAR Part 150, that the statutorily required consultation has

been accomplished.

The FAA has formally received the noise compatibility program for

McCarran International Airport, also effective on August 19, 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 February 15,

1995.

The FAA's detailed evaluation will be conducted under the

provisions of 14 CFR Part 150, Section 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 and of 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, Room 3012, 15000 Aviation Boulevard, Hawthorne, California

90261

Federal Aviation Administration, San Francisco Airports District

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

Mr. Robert N. Broadbent, Director of Aviation, Clark County, Nevada,

P.O. Box 11005, Las Vegas, Nevada 89111-1105

Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the

heading, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Issued in Hawthorne, California on August 19, 1994.

Ellsworth L. Chan,

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

[FR Doc. 94-21526 Filed 8-30-94; 8:45 am]

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