TagAirport Noise Capacity Act(7)

This guide, produced by law firm Cutler & Stanfield in conjunction with acoustical consultants Harris Miller Miller & Hanson Inc., explains FAA regulations governing airport noise under the Airport Noise and Capacity Act. It is intended to help airport proprietors, community organizations, and local governments understand the federal rules that control aircraft noise levels and airport operational capacity. The guide draws on the firms' extensive experience advising clients on noise policy and drafting noise rules at major airports across the United States.

This 2015 presentation from Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) provides a final update on LAX's application under FAR Part 161, a federal process requiring airports to prove that the benefits of a proposed noise restriction outweigh its costs before the FAA will approve it. The application sought to limit aircraft noise and access at LAX, but was ultimately disapproved by the FAA — consistent with the agency's history of never approving such a restriction at a commercial air carrier airport in the 25 years since the Airport Noise and Capacity Act was enacted in 1990.

This May 1998 document from the Barnard Dunkelberg & Company Team presents a FAR Part 150 Study Update for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, covering the history of federal aviation noise policy. It traces key regulatory milestones including the FAA Aviation Noise Abatement Policy of 1976, the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979, and the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990. The document explains what FAR Part 150 is, what it means for airport operators and surrounding communities, and how voluntary land-use compatibility studies evolved into formal regulatory requirements over time.