Guidebook of Practices for Improving Environmental Performance at Small Airports (2010)

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

45 CHAPTER 5 Noise Aircraft noise is a common concern of communities surrounding airports. This issue can lead to poor relations between an airport and the community, especially if an airport does not proactively engage residential airport neighbors and acknowledge their concerns. Voluntary analyses of aircraft noise at small airports can help quantify a potential problem, but can be more challenging than analyses at larger airports typically due to a lack of readily available aircraft operational data. The general public may struggle to understand the results of noise analyses, as FAA’s standard Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) metric does not represent the annoyance factor of single aircraft noise events. Also, the DNL 65 decibel (dB) threshold for residential land use compatibility does not mean noise problems stop at the DNL 65 dB contour line. Therefore, airport operators must be aware of the types of information that can be provided to enhance the public’s understanding of aircraft noise exposure. Airport operators must also understand data requirements for noise analyses, potential operational mitigation measures, and the limits of aircraft access restrictions. The federal requirements applicable to noise include the following: • Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979, as amended (ASNA) • Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990, as amended (ANCA) The topics presented in Chapter 5 include the following: • Part 150 Programs • Part 161 Access Restrictions 5.1 Part 150 Programs Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979, as Amended The 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 150 (Part 150) program is voluntary for airport operators. Part 150 describes the procedures, standards, and methodology governing the development, submission, and review of airport noise exposure maps and airport Noise Compatibility Programs (NCP), including the process for evaluating and approving those programs. It prescribes systems for measuring noise at airports and surrounding areas that generally provides a highly reliable relationship between projected noise exposure and surveyed reaction of people to noise, and determining exposure of individuals to noise that result from the operations of an airport. It also identifies those land uses that are normally compatible with various levels of exposure to noise by individuals. Part 150 provides technical assistance to airport operators, in conjunction with other local, state, and federal authorities, to prepare and execute appropriate noise compatibility planning and implement programs. This regulation implements portions of the ASNA. Associated Activities • Property acquisition • Airport Layout Plan (ALP) Changes

46 Guidebook of Practices for Improving Environmental Performance at Small Airports Small Airport Applicability To determine the aircraft noise exposure surrounding an airport, airport operators may develop existing and future (5-year forecast) Noise exposure maps in accordance with Part 150. The Noise exposure maps must include DNL noise contours. DNL is the 24-hour average sound level, in decibels, with a nighttime penalty applied to represent a greater annoyance from noise at night. Table 1 in Appendix B of Part 150 describes compatible land use information for several land uses as a function of these noise values. This information should be viewed as a starting point in the noise impact evaluation process and can be adjusted to accommodate specific local conditions and requirements. If the noise exposure maps reveal there are noise-sensitive uses within the DNL 65+ dB noise contours, an NCP may be developed to provide recommendations for mitigating noise impacts. Recommended measures may include residential sound insulation, land acquisition, and voluntary aircraft curfews, among many other mitigation possibilities. FAA will review the NCP and accept or reject each recommendation. AIP funding may be available for FAA-approved mitigation measures. FAA Advisory Circular 150/5020, Noise Control and Compatibility Planning for Airports, provides guidance for noise control and compatibility planning for airports under Part 150 and the ASNA. This guidance is intended for use by airport operators, state and local planners and officials, and interested members of the public. The goal of noise compatibility planning is to reduce the amount of existing non-compatible land uses around airports and to prevent new, additional non-compatible land uses. An airport must follow Part 150 requirements if it is seeking grant assistance for noise mitigation from FAA. Some small airports may not have incompatible land uses, but still may have a noise problem if local residents protest noise originating at the airport. An airport may choose to incorporate some aspects of a Part 150 noise study to address the community’s concern. Public outreach and voluntary aircraft operational mitigation strategies could be implemented without conducting a formal Part 150 Program. Compliance Attainment Strategies The regulations that relate to aircraft noise studies are voluntary for airports, and there are no mandatory compliance concerns from an airport operator’s standpoint. • An airport does not have the authority to impose federal regulations regarding the noise levels generated by aircraft using the facility. Key Terms • Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL)—The 24-hour average sound level, in decibels, for the period from midnight to midnight, obtained after the addition of 10 decibels to sound levels for the periods between midnight and 7:00 a.m., and between 10:00 p.m. and midnight local time. Helpful Hint If the surrounding community has voiced concerns about aircraft noise, an airport could consider engaging the public in a discussion of airport operations and provide a method to log noise complaints from the public. For more information, refer to Noise-4, Noise-6, and Noise-7 Practices in Appendix A-10. Helpful Hint To minimize noise exposure close to its property line, an airport could consider engaging the airport users to participate in voluntary measures, such as using recommended aircraft run-up locations. For more information, refer to Noise-13 Practice in Appendix A-10.

Noise 47 • Noise Contour—A continuous line on a map of the airport vicinity connecting all points of the same noise exposure level. • Noise Exposure Map—A scaled, geographic map of an airport, its noise contours, and surrounding area developed in accordance with ASNA and 14 CFR Part 150. • Non-compatible Land Uses—Land uses that are not compatible with levels of aircraft noise identified in Table 1 in Appendix B of 14 CFR Part 150. Additional Resources • Title 14 CFR Part 150, Noise Control and Compatibility http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text- idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title14/14cfr150_main_02.tpl • FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5020, Noise Control and Compatibility Planning for Airports http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCi rcular.nsf/0/F4FAE43A49D9F2FE86256C720077AD35?OpenDocument 5.2 Part 161 Access Restrictions Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990, as Amended ANCA enabled the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations establishing a national aviation noise program for reviewing airport noise and access restrictions on operations of Stage 2 and Stage 3 aircraft. As part of ANCA, the program was to provide adequate public notice and comment opportunities on such restrictions. Part 161 implements ANCA. It prescribes notice requirements and procedures, with exceptions, for airport operators implementing Stage 3 aircraft noise and access restrictions pursuant to agreements between airport operators and aircraft operators; analysis and notice requirements for airport operators proposing Stage 2 aircraft noise and access restrictions; notice, review, and approval requirements for airport operators proposing Stage 3 aircraft noise and access restrictions; and Procedures for FAA reevaluation of agreements containing restrictions on Stage 3 aircraft operations and of aircraft noise and access restrictions affecting Stage 3 aircraft operations imposed by airport operators. Small Airport Applicability Civilian aircraft greater than 75,000 pounds (maximum weight) must be certified as Stage 3 aircraft. The Stage 3 requirement for operation in the U.S. does not apply to aircraft less than 75,000 pounds, which may be more common at small airports. Small airports may find the approval process for access restrictions to be cumbersome and costly. A more cost-effective strategy may be to establish voluntary measures, such as a voluntary curfew, no run-up operations during nighttime hours, or other similar voluntary restrictions. Associated Activities • Property acquisition

48 Guidebook of Practices for Improving Environmental Performance at Small Airports Compliance Attainment Strategies The regulations that relate to aircraft noise studies are voluntary for airports and there are no mandatory compliance concerns from an airport operator’s standpoint. • An airport does not have the authority to impose federal regulations regarding the noise levels generated by aircraft using the facility. Key Terms • Stage 2 Aircraft—An aircraft that has been shown to comply with the Stage 2 requirements of 14 CFR Part 36. On January 1, 2000, civilian Stage 2 aircraft weighing greater than 75,000 lbs. were not allowed to operate in the U.S. • Stage 3 Aircraft—An aircraft that has been shown to comply with the Stage 3 requirements of 14 CFR Part 36. Additional Resources • Title 14 CFR Part 36, Noise Standards: Aircraft Type and Airworthiness Certification http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text- idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div5&view=text&node=14:1.0.1.3.19&idno=14 • Title14 CFR Part 161, Notice and Approval of Airport Noise and Access Restrictions http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text- idx?sid=9eea2835dca447270645f9582d872924&c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/ Title14/14cfrv3_02.tpl