FAR PART 150

The impact of aircraft noise on neighborhoods near civilian and military airfields has been a major environmental and noise issue in the U.S. for many years. At the same time, noise impacts from other sources also have increased with the growth of urban areas.

Part 150 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR), "Airport Noise Compatibility Planning" describes standards for airports to document noise exposure and establish programs to minimize noise relative to incompatible land uses. This process involves a formal submission of documentation to the Federal Aviation Administration to include a Noise Exposure Map (NEM) and a Noise Compatibility Program (NCP). The development of a NEM and NCP is a key step in preventing conflicts that occur due to both increased aviation activity and urban growth.

Part 150 provides for the following:

• Establishing standard noise methodologies and units.
• Establishing the Integrated Noise Model (INM) as the standard noise modeling methodology.
• Identifying the land uses that are normally compatible or non-compatible with various levels of airport noise.
• Providing for voluntary development of NEM’s and NCP’s by airport operators.
• Providing for review of NEM’s to insure compliance with the Part 150 regulations.
• Providing for review and approval or disapproval of Part 150 NCP’s submitted to the FAA by airport operators.
• Establishing procedures and criteria for making projects eligible for funding as noise projects through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

The regulations contained in Part 150 are voluntary, and airport providers are not required to participate. However, an approved Part 150 NCP is the primary vehicle for gaining approval of application for obtaining Federal grants funding for noise abatement projects, and provides the required analyses for evaluating the impacts of any proposed constraints upon an airport’s operations. The Part 150 program responds to the principles set forth in the Aviation Noise Abatement Policy of 1976, as well as to the requirements of the ASNA Act.

The following link provides additional information on the details of the FAR 150 statute: FAR Part 150 Statute