83 FR 18620 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of New Approval of Information Collection: FAA Aircraft Noise Complaint and Inquiry System (FAA Noise Portal)

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 82 (April 27, 2018)

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for a new information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on November 2, 2017. The voluntary collection is part of the FAA's goal to more effectively and efficiently address noise complaints or inquiries it receives. The collection includes information such as name, email address, street or cross street, city, state, zip code, and a description of the aircraft noise complaint or inquiry. The level of information to be collected is necessary to allow the FAA to respond to the noise complaint or inquiry.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 82 (Friday, April 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18620-18621]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08963]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; 
Clearance of New Approval of Information Collection: FAA Aircraft Noise 
Complaint and Inquiry System (FAA Noise Portal)

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for a new information 
collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period 
soliciting comments on the following collection of information was 
published on November 2, 2017. The voluntary collection is part of the 
FAA's goal to more effectively and efficiently address noise complaints 
or inquiries it receives. The collection includes information such as 
name, email address, street or cross street, city, state, zip code, and 
a description of the aircraft noise complaint or inquiry. The level of 
information to be collected is necessary to allow the FAA to respond to 
the noise complaint or inquiry.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by May 29, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on 
the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be 
addressed to the attention of the Desk Officer, Department of 
Transportation/FAA, and sent via electronic mail to 
[email protected], or faxed to (202) 395-6974, or mailed to 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget, Docket Library, Room 10102, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, 
DC 20503.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for FAA's performance; (b) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for FAA to enhance the 
quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (d) 
ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of 
the collected information. The agency will summarize and/or include 
your comments in the request for OMB's clearance of this information 
collection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Hall at (940) 594-5913, or by 
email at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 2120-XXXX.
    Title: FAA Aircraft Noise Complaint and Inquiry System (FAA Noise 
Portal).
    Form Numbers: There are no forms.
    Type of Review: This is clearance of new information collection.
    Background: The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment 
period soliciting comments on the following collection of information 
was published on November 2, 2017 (82 FR 50932).
    In summary, the FAA received comments from 21 individuals; two 
aviation organizations, Airlines for America (A4A) and the Airports 
International Council of North America (ACI-NA); the Port of Seattle, 
which has oversight and management of Seattle-Tacoma International 
Airport (Sea-Tac); and the cities of SeaTac, WA and College Park, GA. 
Several individuals complained about aircraft noise at specific 
airports, which was not applicable to the public notice. We noted this 
as N/A in the FAA comment response matrix for OMB and restated the 
purpose of the FAA Noise Portal. Other individuals commented that the 
FAA Noise Portal would be useless because it would not improve their 
current noise situation.
    Several commenters questioned what the FAA would do with the data 
we collected. In our response we explained that the FAA would use the 
data to identify common complaints or inquiries so we could post 
commonly asked questions and answers to the regional websites to inform 
those interested upfront without their having to submit a complaint or 
inquiry through the FAA Noise Portal. We said we may also use the data 
to identify trends in FAA related noise concerns. Implementation of the 
Noise Portal does not change the FAA's current policies regarding 
noise.
    One commenter noted that the PRA requires the FAA to certify that 
the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance 
of the

[[Page 18621]]

agency. The FAA responded that as a federal agency we must be 
responsive to the public by taking action on the aircraft noise 
complaints we already receive, which in many cases means directing them 
to the appropriate airport. Others were concerned that the FAA would 
duplicate efforts by the Airport Sponsors who already have noise 
complaint systems to receive and respond to public noise complaints for 
their airport.
    The FAA is aware of the existing airport sponsor noise complaint 
systems and will provide their links on the regional noise websites for 
the public. In addition, FAA will coordinate with ACI-NA to assist us 
in our coordination efforts with the airport sponsors and with other 
relevant aviation stakeholders ACI-NA represents to minimize any 
duplication in efforts between the FAA and airport sponsors regarding 
aircraft noise complaints or inquiries. We did not receive any comments 
on the cost and hour burden of the Noise Portal.
    The purpose of the FAA Noise Portal is to allow the FAA to more 
efficiently and effectively respond to and address noise complaints or 
inquiries in a clear, consistent, and repeatable manner that is 
responsive to the public and applies the best use of FAA resources. 
Currently, there is no clear FAA process or point of entry for the 
public to submit noise complaints and inquiries. As a result, public 
noise complaints and inquiries are forwarded within the FAA until the 
appropriate person or organization responds. This creates a delay in 
FAA responses to the public.
    A public link to the FAA Noise Portal collection will be posted on 
each of the nine FAA regional websites and the FAA Headquarters Noise 
Ombudsman website for members of the public who want to submit an 
aircraft related noise complaint or inquiry to the FAA. The FAA Noise 
Portal includes required and optional fields for the public to 
complete. Once completed, the information is automatically sent to the 
FAA Regional Administrators Office or Noise Ombudsman who in turn 
assigns it to the appropriate FAA office to respond to the complaint or 
inquiry within a specified time frame. All incoming complaints and 
inquiries are automatically entered into an FAA database that can be 
tracked to ensure timely responses and queried for informational 
purposes.
    The websites will also identify and provide links to other entities 
responsible for addressing aircraft noise related issues (e.g., 
airports, military, helicopters) and will contain links to pertinent 
aircraft noise related policy, environmental, or community involvement 
documents. In addition, the websites will contain a mailing address and 
phone number for those members of the public who wish to mail a postal 
letter or use a voice prompt and recording system option to complete 
the required fields included in the FAA Noise Portal.
    Respondents: Generally, any member of the public in the United 
States with a valid email address who believes the FAA is the 
appropriate entity to answer their aircraft noise complaint or inquiry.
    Frequency: Members of the public are not limited regarding the 
frequency with which they can submit a complaint or inquiry to the FAA.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: Fifteen minutes to enter the 
complaint or inquiry into the FAA Noise Portal fields.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 11,250 hours.

    Issued in Fort Worth, TX on April 17, 2018.
Barbara Hall,
FAA Information Collection Clearance Officer, IT Enterprises Business 
Services Division, ASP-110.
[FR Doc. 2018-08963 Filed 4-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P