Evaluating the Use of Spatially Precise Diurnal Population Data in Aviation Noise Studies (2020)

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.

A-1 Appendix A Relationship of Policies and Practices A.1 Existing Aviation Environmental Policies, Regulations, and Guidance Table 6: Existing Aviation Environmental Policies, Regulations, and Guidance Policies, Regulations, and Guidance Description National Environmental Policy Act (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] §§ 4321-4335) and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 1500- 1508, Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (CEQ Regulations) The NEPA, among other things, directs federal agencies to consider how decisions affect people and their environment, and to assess the benefits and risks associated with proposed actions with the involvement of and input from the people and communities they affect. NEPA also directs federal agencies to consider environmental impacts in decision-making, to develop alternatives to mitigate adverse impacts, and to include the public in the decision-making process. The purpose of the CEQ Regulations is to tell federal agencies what they must do to comply with the procedures and achieve the goals of NEPA. They state that NEPA procedures must ensure that environmental information is available to public officials and citizens before decisions are made and before actions are taken. The information must be of high quality. Accurate scientific analysis, expert agency comments, and public scrutiny are essential to implementing NEPA. Most important, NEPA documents must concentrate on the issues that are truly significant to the action in question, rather than amassing needless detail. DOT Order 5610.1C, Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts This DOT NEPA implementing order establishes procedures for consideration of environmental impact in decision-making on proposed DOT actions. It provides that the information on environmental impacts will be made available to public officials and citizens through the appropriate level of documentation. FAA Order 1050.1, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures with its Desk Reference, Section 11.4, Supplemental Noise Analysis According to FAA Order 1050.1F, the FAA is responsible for complying with the procedures and policies of NEPA and other environmental laws, regulations, and orders applicable to FAA actions. The FAA decision-making process must consider and disclose the potential impacts of a proposed action and its alternatives on the quality of the human environment. Order 1050.1F, Exhibit 4-1, Noise and Noise- Compatible Land Use establishes the Significance Threshold:

A-2 Policies, Regulations, and Guidance Description • The action would increase noise by DNL 1.5 dB or more for a noise-sensitive area that is exposed to noise at or above the DNL 65 dB noise exposure level, or that will be exposed at or above the DNL 65 dB level due to a DNL 1.5 dB or greater increase, when compared to the no- action alternative for the same timeframe. FAA Order 1050.1F, Appendix B, Section B-1.4, Environmental Consequences states: • For actions in the immediate vicinity of an airport, the following information must be disclosed for each modeled scenario that is analyzed: • The number of residences or people residing within each noise contour where aircraft noise exposure is at or above DNL 65 dB and the net increase or decrease in the number of people or residences exposed to that level of noise. FAA Order 1050.1F, Desk Reference, Section 11.4, Supplemental Noise Analysis, states: • The FICON report, “Federal Agency Review of Selected Airport Noise Analysis Issue,” dated August 1992, concluded that the DNL is the recommended metric and should continue to be used as the primary metric for aircraft noise exposure. Subsequent review has confirmed there are no new descriptors or metrics of sufficient scientific standing to substitute for the present DNL cumulative noise exposure metric. However, DNL analysis may optionally be supplemented on a case- by-case basis to characterize specific noise impacts. Because of the diversity of situations, the variety of supplemental metrics available, and the limitations of individual supplemental metrics, the FICON report concluded that the use of supplemental metrics to analyze noise should remain at the discretion of individual agencies. Since 1992, the Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise has reaffirmed this recommendation.

A-3 Policies, Regulations, and Guidance Description • Supplemental noise analyses are most often used to describe aircraft noise impacts for specific noise-sensitive locations or situations and to assist in the public’s understanding of the noise impact. The selection of supplemental analyses will depend upon the circumstances of each particular project. In some cases, public understanding may be improved with a more complete narrative description of the noise events contributing to the DNL contours with additional tables, charts, maps, or metrics. In other cases, supplemental analyses may include the use of metrics other than DNL. There is no single supplemental methodology that is preferable in all situations and these metrics often do not reflect the magnitude, duration, or frequency of the noise events under study. FAA Order 5050.4, NEPA Implementing Instructions for Airport Actions with its Desk Reference, Chapter 17, Noise FAA Order 5050.4 provides information to Office of Airports (ARP) personnel and others interested in fulfilling NEPA requirements for airport actions under FAA’s authority. This Order is part of FAA's effort to ensure its personnel have clear instructions to address potential environmental effects resulting from major airport actions. Order 5050.4B, Desk Reference, Chapter 17, Noise, states: • Section 1a - … supplemental noise analysis may be appropriate on a case- by-case basis depending upon resource affected. • Section 6f(3) - Noise compatibility evaluation. The noise contours developed should be compared to land use information and population data. This provides information on potential noise levels people in the affected area would experience. Normally, the following information should be quantified for each set of contours described above. The contours should be depicted on maps to show noise-sensitive areas and other land uses within the action’s noise impact area. Title 14 CFR Part 150, Airport Noise Compatibility Planning (Part 150) with Part 150 prescribes the procedures, standards, and methodology governing the development, submission, and review of airport NEMs and

A-4 Policies, Regulations, and Guidance Description FAA Advisory Circular 150/5020-1, Noise Control and Compatibility Planning for Airports airport noise compatibility programs, including the process for evaluating and approving or disapproving those programs. It prescribes single systems for—(a) 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 (b) determining exposure of individuals to noise that results from the operations of an airport. It also identifies those land uses which are normally compatible with various levels of exposure to noise by individuals. It provides technical assistance to airport operators, in conjunction with other local, state, and federal authorities, to prepare and execute appropriate noise compatibility planning and implementation programs. For the purpose of compliance with Part 150, all land uses are considered to be compatible with noise levels less than DNL 65 dB. Local needs or values may dictate further delineation based on local requirements or determinations. Part 150 Noise Compatibility Planning studies include existing and forecasted noise contour mapping and population impact counts utilizing U.S. Census tract data and existing land use and zoning features to develop NEMs. They may also include supplemental noise analysis such as sleep disturbance, speech interference, TA noise metrics, socio-demographic, and child learning impacts. Part B—Noise Exposure Map Development, Sec. A150.101, Noise contours and land usages, states: • (a) To determine the extent of the noise impact around an airport, airport proprietors developing NEMs in accordance with this part must develop Ldn contours. Continuous contours must be developed for YDNL levels of 65, 70, and 75 (additional contours may be developed and depicted when appropriate). In those areas where YDNL values are 65 YDNL or greater, the airport operator shall identify land uses and determine land use compatibility in accordance with the standards and procedures of this appendix. FAA Advisory Circular 150/5020-1

A-5 Policies, Regulations, and Guidance Description • This advisory circular provides additional clarification and guidance for airports that are developing a Part 150 Program. FAA Order JO 7400.2, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters, Chapter 32, Environmental Matters Chapter 32 of Order 7400.2 provides guidance and establishes policy and procedures to assist air traffic personnel in applying the requirements of FAA Order 1050.1 to proposed air traffic actions. This guidance assists air traffic personnel in determining the level of environmental study appropriate for a proposed action and in preparing the required environmental documentation. The policies and procedures are intended to supplement the requirements of FAA Order 1050.1 and other DOT and FAA directives. • 32−3−1. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT CATEGORIES TO BE INCLUDED IN ANALYSIS a. The following environmental resource categories or sub-categories could potentially be impacted by the Proposed Action. 9. Noise. Calculate DNL exposure levels for population centroids and unique grid points. For California analyses, CNEL may be provided as a supplemental metric. b. The proposed procedure(s) would create a significant noise impact if it would increase noise by DNL 1.5 dB or more for a noise-sensitive area that is exposed to noise at or above the DNL 65 dB noise exposure level, or that will be exposed at or above the DNL 65 dB level due to a 1.5 dB or greater increase, when compared to the no- action alternative for the same timeframe.

A-6 A.2 Additional Aviation-Related Environmental Guidance and Practices Table 7: Additional Aviation-Related Environmental Guidance and Practices Guidance and Practices Description ICAO / CAEP The CAEP is a technical committee of the ICAO Council established in 1983. CAEP assists the Council in formulating new policies and adopting new Standards and Recommended Practices related to aircraft noise and emissions, and more generally to aviation environmental impact. The following documents speak to the need for methods that can better assist communities on potential noise impacts and that confirm current FAA policies and practices: • ICAO Circular 351-AT/194 13 (2017), Community Engagement for Aviation Environmental Management • Doc 10031 (2017), Guidance on Environmental Assessment of Proposed Air Traffic Management Operational Changes FICON, Federal Agency Review of Selected Airport Noise Issues, FICON was formed to review Federal policies that govern the assessment of airport noise impacts. The review focused on the manner noise impacts are determined, the manner in which impacts are described, the extent of impacts outside of 65 DNL that should be reviewed in NEPA documents, the range of FAA-controlled mitigations options analyzed, and the relationship between the Part 150 and NEPA processes. In Section 2.2 of the FICON report, DNL was determined to be an appropriate descriptor for noise because it reliably correlates with community annoyance. In Section 3.2 they recommended that agencies use discretion in the use of supplemental noise analysis and that this type of analysis is used with DNL on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, in Section 3.3 they state that the “purpose of a supplemental analysis is to convey with more specificity and detail the potential effect of changes to the environment as the result of a federal action. Accordingly, the description should be tailored to enhance understanding of the pertinent facts surrounding the changes. Use of supplemental metrics selected should fit the circumstances. There is no single supplemental

A-7 Guidance and Practices Description methodology that is preferable for all situations.” They also state that the “additional analysis needs to inform both the federal decisionmaker and the affected public.” CANSO The Environment Workgroup (ENV WG) of CANSO’s, Operations Steering Group focuses on issues such as reducing aircraft noise through better procedures and planning; and reducing emissions from aircraft through improving efficiency and introducing new advanced procedures during all phases of flight. Another focus area is helping Air Navigation Service Providers assess and manage their own greenhouse gas emissions to reduce costs, manage risks, gain commercial advantage, demonstrate social responsibility as well as meet local regulatory and legislative requirements. They also suggest the use of additional metrics to facilitate understanding by the communities: • Considerations for Community Noise Interactions (2013)

A-8 Guidance and Practices Description FAA COEs • Aviation Sustainability Center (ASCENT), COE for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment • Partnership for AiR Transportation Noise and Emissions Reduction (PARTNER) ASCENT is a cooperative aviation research organization co-led by Washington State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology funded by the FAA, NASA, the Department of Defense (DOD), Transport Canada, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ASCENT works to create science- based solutions for the aviation industry’s biggest challenges. • There were no current projects identified related to noise analysis metrics or community impacts. PARTNER was stablished by the FAA in September 2003. It fostered breakthrough technological, operational, policy, and workforce advances for the betterment of mobility, economy, national security, and the environment. This COE completed its mission as an aviation cooperative research organization in December 2015. It was sponsored by the FAA, NASA, Transport Canada, DOD, and EPA. The following two completed reports relate to research on noise effects and community impacts. • Project 24 | Noise Exposure Response: Annoyance • Project 25 | Noise Exposure Response: Sleep Disturbance FAA’s Community Involvement Manual According to FAA’s Community Involvement Manual, community involvement is the process of engaging in dialogue and collaboration with communities affected by FAA actions. The manual provides FAA practitioners with the knowledge and resources needed to facilitate meaningful community involvement for aviation-related actions, including effectively engaging communities, encouraging exchange of information, and having community viewpoints heard. It provides guidance that supplements applicable public participation provisions in relevant FAA orders. 1.2 Scope • The practices and techniques described in the manual are flexible and should be tailored to the specific FAA action, the potential impacts, and the community concerns. Not every FAA action will raise community

A-9 Guidance and Practices Description concerns or require community involvement, and those that do will call for varying levels and types of community involvement activities. FAA staff must assess the potential for environmental issues and community concerns associated with proposed aviation actions. Similar Past or Ongoing ACRP Projects • ACRP 02-05, Guidebook on Community Responses to Aircraft Noise (ACRP Report 15: Aircraft Noise: A Toolkit for Managing Community Expectations, 2009) – Recommended additional metrics in addition to DNL, SEL, NA, TA. • ACRP 02-09, A Comprehensive Development Plan for a Multimodal Noise and Emissions Model (Web-Only Document 11, 2010) - Model Development Plan for multimodal noise and emissions • ACRP 02-35, Research Methods for Understanding Aircraft Noise Annoyance and Sleep Disturbance (ACRP Web-Only Document 17, 2014) – Test of an aircraft noise annoyance survey to update the dose- response relationship between noise exposure and the percentage of people who are highly annoyed. Develop research protocols to improve the understanding of the relationship between aircraft noise and sleep disturbance. • ACRP 02-47, Assessing Aircraft Noise Conditions Affecting Student Achievement-- Case Studies (Web-Only Document 34, 2017) – Analysis of aircraft noise impacts on student learning using various metrics such as 7-hour Leq, 24-hour Leq, TA, and NA. FAA’s Air Traffic Community Involvement Plan A plan for community involvement is necessary in order for the agency to enhance community involvement techniques and more proactively address community questions and needs as PBN projects are implemented. Engaging with potentially affected communities and their leaders from the beginning of PBN projects will enable the FAA to be more responsive to communities and their representatives when implementing PBN procedures that are needed to enhance the safety and efficiency of the NAS. The FAA’s review of the proposed project’s impacts under NEPA and other environmental statutes normally occurs during the Planning Phase. During this phase, the FAA can provide

A-10 Guidance and Practices Description information and gain a more in-depth understanding of community concerns. Community input is considered in developing and refining project options, analysis, and potential alternatives. At the conclusion of this phase, the FAA makes its decision on whether and how to implement the project. A.3 Related DOT Agencies Table 8: Related DOT Agencies Related DOT Agencies Environmental Policies and Guidance Description FHWA FRA FHWA https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/noise/ • The FHWA is the agency responsible for administering the Federal-aid highway program in accordance with Federal statutes and regulations. The FHWA developed its noise regulations as required by the Federal- Aid Highway Act of 1970 (Public Law 91-605, 84 Stat. 1713). The regulation, 23 CFR 772 Procedures for Abatement of Highway Traffic Noise and Construction Noise, applies to highway construction projects where a state DOT has requested federal funding for participation in the project. • Their regulations also state that the effective control of the undesirable effects of highway traffic noise requires a 3-part approach: Noise-Compatible Planning, Source Control, and Highway Project Noise Mitigation. Traffic Noise Model (TNM) User Guide • TNM computes three measures of highway traffic noise: • LAeq1h :hourly A-weighted equivalent sound level (1HEQ); • Ldn :DNL; and • Lden :CNEL, where "den" stands for day/evening/night. • TNM computes these three noise measures at user-defined receiver locations, where it also computes several diagnostics to aid in noise-barrier design. In addition, it computes three types of contours: • Sound-level contours • Noise Reduction, i.e., insertion-loss, contours for noise barriers • Level-difference contours between any

A-11 Related DOT Agencies Environmental Policies and Guidance Description two noise-barrier designs FRA Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts, 64 FR 28545 states: • 14(n)(3) Noise and vibration. The alternatives should be assessed with respect to applicable federal, state, and local noise standards, especially those enforced by the FRA for railroad equipment, yards, and facilities including 49 CFR Part 210 ‘‘Railroad Noise Emission Compliance Regulations.’’