Airport Noise Compatibility Planning

Airport operators of public use airports, including heliports voluntarily submit information including, airport noise exposure maps and airport noise compatibility programs, or revisions, to the FAA. The FAA conducts reviews of the submissions to determine if an airport sponsor’s noise compatibility program will reduce land uses that are incompatible with airport noise and is eligible for Federal grant funds. If airport operators did not voluntarily submit noise exposure maps and noise compatibility programs for FAA review and approval, the airport operator would not be eligible for the set aside of discretionary grant funds. If airport operators did not submit required updates or revisions of FAA approved maps or programs, those maps or programs could lose their eligibility for the set aside grant funds if the noise at the airport has either significantly increased or significantly decreased. The net consequence of either of these actions would be to block statutory purpose and intent, which is to make Federal funds available to airport sponsors so that they can reduce non-compatible land uses or prevent airport noise impacts. The FAA frequently responds to requests for statistical information and information about noise mitigation programs at specific airports that are available from submittals under this program. These requests come from Congress, aviation industry groups, college students and professors, other special interest groups and increasingly the general public. The FAA also provides statistical information in its annual reports to Congress and posts the information on its Internet web sites. The FAA performs the data gathering and posting functions for interested parties. The FAA believes that continuing the present information collection process is valuable because this information would not be available apart from the present, minimal reporting burden on airport operators. The individual submittals are public domain, but are not collected in any one place, except at the FAA. In 2006, by Congressional direction, the FAA also made available on its website links to airport noise and land use information that airports across the Nation have posted on their own websites. This additional service helps the general public make informed decisions when purchasing property near airports.

The latest form for Airport Noise Compatibility Planning expires 2021-10-31 and can be found here.

Airport Noise Compatibility Planning- Highly Controversial

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Transportation - Air Transportation