H.R. 897

Aviation-Impacted Communities Act This bill increases access to noise mitigation measures for aviation-impacted communities. Under the bill, an aviation-impacted community is a community that is located not more than one mile from any point at which a commercial or cargo jet route is 3,000 feet or less above ground level. The bill expands noise mitigation program funding under the Airport Improvement Program to include aviation-impacted communities that are not currently within the 65 day-night average sound level (DNL) standard. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must conduct outreach to aviation-impacted communities to inform them of the opportunity to be a designated community. A designated community must form a community board to provide information to airport operators and the FAA concerning aviation impacts (e.g., aircraft noise). A community board may petition the FAA to conduct a community assessment and, based on the assessment, the FAA must devise an action plan that alleviates or addresses the community’s concerns. In addition, the FAA must enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study and provide the FAA with a framework and diagnostic tool for conducting community assessments. The FAA must provide grants for necessary noise mitigation in a designated community for residences, hospitals, nursing homes, adult or child day care centers, schools, and places of worship. Further, the FAA and airport operators must provide (1) noise mitigation grants for communities subject to significant frequency of overhead flights, and (2) noise mitigation for residences impacted by significant nighttime aircraft noise.