Helicopter Safety and Noise Management Act
This bill establishes a commission comprised of the Federal Aviation Administration, members of local and state government, and helicopter noise and safety advocates to develop a helicopter usage management plan to substantially reduce the number of nonessential civil rotorcraft (i.e., a helicopter) that can operate in certain airspace at any given time.
The plan shall not apply any limitation or requirement to the operation of a civil rotorcraft for purposes of public health and safety, including (1) law enforcement, (2) emergency response, (3) disaster response, (4) medical services, (5) scientific research, and (6) official purposes by a news organization.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7769 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7769
To establish a commission to develop a helicopter usage management plan
for certain airspace, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 13, 2022
Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York (for herself, Mr. Nadler, Ms.
Velazquez, Mr. Bowman, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Jeffries, Mr. Johnson of
Georgia, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Meng, Ms. Norton, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez,
Mr. Payne, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Suozzi, and Mr. Torres of New York)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a commission to develop a helicopter usage management plan
for certain airspace, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Helicopter Safety and Noise
Management Act''.
SEC. 2. HELICOPTER USAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN.
(a) Commission for Development of Rotocraft Management Plan.--At
least 2 Governors and 1 Mayor with jurisdiction over covered airspace
shall--
(1) jointly establish a commission to develop the
helicopter usage management plan required under subsection (b);
(2) serve as Co-Chairs of such commission;
(3) include the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration on the commission; and
(4) each appoint 3 additional Members to serve on the
commission who are helicopter noise and safety advocates that
reside in the covered airspace and are negatively impacted by
nonessential helicopter flights.
(b) Development of Plan.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the commission established under subsection (a)
shall develop a helicopter usage management plan for covered airspace
that--
(1) prohibits the operation of a nonessential civil
rotorcraft in covered airspace without a permit described under
subsection (c) from the Federal Aviation Administration;
(2) establishes a system for substantially reducing the
number of nonessential civil rotorcraft that can operate in
covered airspace at any given time; and
(3) establishes a competitive bidding program for civil
nonessential rotocrafts to operate in such airspace.
(c) Number of Nonessential Rotorcrafts Authorized.--In determining
the number of nonessential rotorcrafts authorized under the competitive
bidding program established under subsection (b)(3), the commission
shall take into consideration--
(1) the safety record of the person submitting the proposal
or pilots employed by the person;
(2) any quiet aircraft technology to be used by the person
submitting the proposal;
(3) the experience of the person submitting the proposal
with operating in such airspace;
(4) the financial capability of the person submitting the
proposal;
(5) any training programs for pilots provided by the person
submitting the proposal; and
(6) the number of existing nonessential rotorcrafts
authorized and the current level of service and equipment
provided by any such operators.
(d) Public Comment Period.--
(1) In general.--The commission established under
subsection (a) shall provide notice of, and an opportunity for,
at least 60 days of public comment.
(2) Timing.--The notice required under paragraph (1) shall
occur at least 60 days before the public comment period.
(3) Public hearings.--Not later than 60 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the commission shall hold at least 4
public hearings in the communities impacted by the plan
described in subsection (b) to solicit feedback with respect to
the helicopter usage management plan.
(e) Establishment of Plan and Permit.--The Administrator shall--
(1) implement the helicopter usage management plan
established under subsection (b); and
(2) establish a permit system referred to in subsection
(b)(1) under which owners or operators of nonessential civil
rotorcraft are required to hold a valid permit from the
Administrator to operate such rotocraft in covered airspace.
(f) Essential Use.--
(1) Public health and safety.--The plan developed under
subsection (b) shall not apply any limitation or requirement to
the operation of a civil rotorcraft for purposes of public
health and safety, including--
(A) law enforcement;
(B) emergency response;
(C) disaster response;
(D) the provision of medical services;
(E) scientific research; and
(F) official purposes by a news organization.
(2) Infrastructure maintenance.--The plan developed under
subsection (b) shall not apply any limitation or requirement to
the operation of a civil rotorcraft for purposes of heavy-lift
operations in support of construction and infrastructure
maintenance.
(g) Covered Airspace Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered
airspace'' means the airspace directly over any city with a population
over 7 million people and with a population density of over 25,000
people per square mile, including the airspace over any waterways
considered within the limits of such city.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line