FILE h153.ih
          HR 153 IH
          105th CONGRESS
          1st Session
          To amend title 49, United States Code, to exempt noise and access
          restrictions on aircraft operations to and from metropolitan
          airports from certain Federal review and approval requirements, and
          for other purposes.
                             IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                     JANUARY 7, 1997
          Mr. ENGEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
              Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
                                         A BILL
          To amend title 49, United States Code, to exempt noise and access
          restrictions on aircraft operations to and from metropolitan
          airports from certain Federal review and approval requirements, and
          for other purposes.
           Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
          Representatives of the United States of America in Congress
          assembled, 
          SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
            This Act may be cited as the `Metropolitan Airport Noise 
          Reduction Act'.
          SEC. 2. NONMETROPOLITAN AIRPORT DEFINED.
            Section 47522 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by
          redesignating paragrah (2) as paragraph (3) and by inserting after
          paragraph (1) the following:
                `(2) `nonmetropolitan airport' means an airport serving an
              area with a population of less than 1,000,000 individuals.'.
          SEC. 3. REVIEW OF AIRPORT NOISE AND ACCESS RESTRICTIONS.
            Section 47524 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
                (1) in subsection (a) by inserting `to and from
              nonmetropolitan airports' after `stage 3 aircraft';
                (2) in subsection (b) by inserting `to or from a
              nonmetropolitan airport' after `stage 2 aircraft';
                (3) in subsection (c)(1) by inserting `to or from a
              nonmetropolitan airport' after `operation of stage 3 aircraft';
                (4) in subsection (c)(2) by inserting `to or from a
              nonmetropolitan airport' after `stage 3 aircraft'; and
                (5) in subsection (e) by striking `facility' and inserting
              `nonmetropolitan airport'.
          SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR APPLICATIONS TO WAIVE STAGE 3
                            NOISE LEVELS FOR CERTAIN AIRCRAFT.
            The second sentence of section 47528(b) of title 49, United 
          States Code, is amended by inserting after `1999,' the following:
          `must contain assurances that operations of aircraft which do not
          comply with stage 3 noise levels will not be concentrated at one or
          more airports if the waiver is granted,'.
          SEC. 5. PROHIBITION ON ROLLBACK OF AIRCRAFT RESTRICTIONS.
            (a) GENERAL- Subchapter II of chapter 475 of title 49, United
          States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
          `Sec. 47534. Prohibition on rollback of aircraft restrictions
            `(a) GENERAL RULE- No airport noise or access restriction on the
          operation of stage 2 or stage 3 aircraft to or from a metropolitan
          or nonmetropolitan airport in effect on November 5, 1990, may be
          modified, superseded, or repealed so as to make such restriction
          less stringent. This subsection shall apply to any action taken on,
          before, or after the date of the enactment of this section.
            `(b) NOTIFICATION- The Secretary shall promptly notify the 
          sponsor of any facility operating under airport noise or access
          restrictions in violation of subsection (a) of such violation and
          recommend actions necessary for compliance with subsection (a).
            `(c) INELIGIBILITY FOR PFC'S AND AIP FUNDS- After the 90th day
          following the date on which the sponsor of a facility receives
          pursuant to subsection (b) notice of a violation of subsection (a),
          such sponsor shall not be eligible to receive a grant under section
          47104 of this title or to impose a passenger facility fee under
          section 40117 of this title until such date as the Secretary
          determines that the facility is operating under airport noise and
          access restrictions in compliance with subsection (a).'.
            (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- The analysis to chapter 475 is amended
          by inserting after the item relating to section 47533 the following:
          `47534. Prohibition on rollback of aircraft restrictions.'.