Community Input on Noise Mitigation

AGENCY:

Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION:

Request for information.

SUMMARY:

The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) is carrying out an effort requested under the report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, to, in part, work with communities to find measures that would mitigate noise caused by defense fixed wing aviation activities. Approximately 205 active and reserve installations have been identified with “covered facilities” (hospitals, daycare facilities, schools, facilities serving senior citizens, and private residences) that appear to be located within one mile or a day-night average sound level of 65 decibel or greater of a military installation or another location at which military fixed wing aircraft are stationed. OLDCC is requesting affected communities adjacent to those 205 active and reserve installations to provide feedback through a web portal on measures to mitigate defense aviation noise for OLDCC to consider in its efforts to develop a community noise mitigation program in collaboration with the Service Secretaries.

DATES:

Affected jurisdictions should provide feedback by October 4, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

A web portal ( https://forms.office.com/g/3pp0UCdArk ) has been specifically designed to receive this feedback from these jurisdictions over a 45-day period following publication of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions about providing feedback may be directed to: David R. Kennedy, 703-697-2136, david.r.kennedy.civ@mail.mil or Scott Spencer, 703-697-2133, scott.j.spencer.civ@mail.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation seeks to work with communities and the Service Secretaries to find measures that would mitigate any impacts from noise caused by defense fixed wing aviation activities, with special attention to communities with new airframes, noting “all types of mitigation efforts should be considered for implementation.”

A significant portion of working with communities at this time is to solicit feedback from leaders and other citizens of civilian jurisdictions within one mile or a day-night average sound level of 65 or greater of a military installation listed in the following list in this notice on what mitigation efforts should be specifically considered for this program. This feedback will be through answers to specific questions designed to help identify tools to mitigate the impact of jet noise, and the costs involved for each. A web portal ( https://forms.office.com/g/3pp0UCdArk ) has been specifically designed to receive this feedback from these jurisdictions over a 45-day period following publication of this notice. Several non-governmental organizations will also be contacted to share this notice with their respective membership to ensure as broad response population as possible.

Following receipt of this feedback, the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will work with the Service Secretaries to define parameters for a responsive and competitive noise mitigation program, including eligible activities, and publish a Federal Funding Opportunity Forecast for public comments later this year.

(1) Are you aware of noise problems within your jurisdiction as a result of military fixed wing aviation activities?

(2) What type of sound attenuation activities are you either presently undertaking or believe is necessary to address the jet (military fixed wing aircraft) noise issues in your jurisdiction—please provide as much detail as possible?

(3) Are there disadvantaged or underserved populations in your jurisdiction that may be unaware of this jet noise and the possibility of federal assistance to attenuate some portion of it? Are there recommendations for reaching them directly?

(4) Are you aware of the Federal Aviation Administration Part 150 program if the source of your noise emanates from a military mission attached to a civilian airport? If so, are you participating in the program and undertaking what activities under that program?

(5) If you have already been responding to noise from military fixed wing aircraft, how much would you estimate you have expended and for what?