H.R. 898

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 898 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 898

To develop pilot grant programs through the Environmental Protection 
Agency to research and collect data on aircraft and airport noise and 
emissions and to use such information and data to develop a mitigation 
strategy, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 31, 2025

Mr. Smith of Washington (for himself, Mr. Moulton, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. 
Panetta, Ms. Norton, Mr. Quigley, and Ms. Jayapal) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To develop pilot grant programs through the Environmental Protection 
Agency to research and collect data on aircraft and airport noise and 
emissions and to use such information and data to develop a mitigation 
strategy, 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 ``Aviation Noise and Emissions 
Mitigation Act''.

SEC. 2. NOISE AND AIR QUALITY MONITORING AND RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency in consultation with Secretary of Transportation and 
other relevant Federal agencies determined by the Administrator, shall 
establish a 3-year pilot grant program with eligible entities to 
measure noise and emissions, including greenhouse gases, particulate 
matter, ultrafine particles, and air toxics, in communities near 
airports or air flight pathways using sophisticated methods and 
technology that allow tracing of noise and emissions to specific 
sources such as aircraft and airport related noise and emissions near 
such communities, including identifying specific neighborhoods, 
structures, or areas impacted by such noise and emissions.
(b) Grant Activities.--Recipients of grants under subsection (a) 
shall--
(1) use technology capable of producing data that can be 
used for wedge analysis to decipher the sources of noise and 
emissions so communities may better understand the primary 
contributors of noise and emissions;
(2) make every reasonable effort to establish a program 
that can be easily replicated across the country with the goal 
of ongoing data collection and monitoring in areas near 
airports or air flight pathways;
(3) produce neighborhood and ZIP Code-level data for a 
designated area to be used to determine or predict the level 
and impact of noise and emissions on certain neighborhoods and 
ZIP Codes of such area, and to identify frontline and 
disproportionately impacted communities;
(4) coordinate and regularly communicate with the local 
clean air agency (or agencies, if applicable), local public 
health departments, local metropolitan planning organizations, 
Indian Tribal governments, community based organizations, and 
other local government, State government, or non-profit 
entities as the grantee determines useful to the project;
(5) work with community-based organizations, some of which 
may be selected for a grant under section 2, to assist in 
developing a mitigation abatement strategy for communities, 
neighborhoods, or areas impacted by aircraft or airport noise 
and emissions;
(6) establish a clear plan for disseminating the data and 
results of the program on an regular basis; and
(7) consult initially and throughout the process with the 
public and relevant community-based organizations or local 
governments on the design and execution of the noise and 
emissions monitoring program.
(c) Eligible Entities.--An institution of higher education or other 
non-profit research entity, health institution, or local government 
with demonstrated experience in conducting either or both aviation 
noise or emissions research is eligible to receive a grant under this 
section. The Administrator may award not more than 6 awards under this 
section.
(d) Grant Award Amount.--The Administrator may award a grant under 
this section to an eligible entity of not less than $2,500,000 and not 
more than $5,000,000 for the 3-year grant period.
(e) Annual Report.--A grantee under the section shall submit an 
annual report to the Administrator regarding the research conducted and 
any findings. The Administrator shall make such reports publicly 
available.

SEC. 3. MITIGATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the submission of 
the final annual report submitted under section 1(e), the Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency, in consultation with the 
Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Transportation, 
or other relevant Federal agencies as determined by the Administrator, 
shall establish a pilot grant program to mitigate aircraft or airport 
noise and emissions, and their impacts, in communities near airports 
and air flight pathways.
(b) Grant Requirements.--
(1) Priority.--The Administrator shall prioritize and 
provide guidance and technical assistance to applicants 
applications that--
(A) focus on communities found to be 
disproportionately impacted by aviation noise or 
emissions identified in the research produced under the 
section 1 grant;
(B) primarily benefit disadvantaged communities and 
communities with a higher prevalence of diseases 
associated with environmental exposures; and
(C) demonstrate community support and involvement 
from affected communities in their proposed program.
(2) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
this section, an applicant shall be a local community-based 
non-profit organization, a consortium of community-based non-
profit organizations from a community that participated in the 
noise and emissions monitoring program under section 1, a local 
public health department, or a local or Indian Tribal 
government. If the recipient is a public health department or 
local or Indian Tribal government, the recipient shall 
demonstrate community support for the program and how it plans 
to partner with at least 1 non-profit community-based 
organization.
(3) Mitigation strategy.--An applicant shall demonstrate in 
its application how the--
(A) research conducted under section 1 informs its 
proposed project design;
(B) proposed project addresses environmental or 
health disparities and the needs and concerns of 
affected communities, disadvantaged communities, or 
other communities facing environmental justice 
concerns, including how the applicant used the Climate 
and Economic Justice Screening Tool or other similar 
environmental justice mapping tool to effectively 
target mitigation strategies;
(C) applicant incorporated input from affected 
communities in its proposed program, demonstrated 
community support for the proposed program, and has 
established a written plan detailing how the applicant 
will maintain ongoing engagement with the affected 
communities; and
(D) applicant intends to partner or coordinate with 
relevant local organizations, government entities, and 
service providers such as local public health 
departments, Indian Tribal governments, community 
health centers, and local education authorities, 
depending on the mitigation plan.
(4) Use of funds.--Funds under the grant program shall be 
used to mitigate the impacts of aircraft or airport noise and 
emissions on communities near airports or air flight pathways, 
including establishing 1 or more of the following:
(A) Noise mitigation packages that may include 
weatherization, retrofitting, or energy efficiency 
upgrades that have noise reduction, environmental, or 
health benefits for households, schools, or other 
facilities, prioritizing low-income households and low-
resourced communities and facilities, and structures 
that are less likely to be eligible for other similar 
Federal resources.
(B) Programs to promote environmental and public 
health services in impacted communities, including 
programs that address the disproportionate effects of 
climate change on environmental justice communities.
(C) Health care services and environmental and 
public health interventions that address underlying 
impacts from airport noise and pollution on health and 
quality of life, especially in children, vulnerable 
populations, disadvantaged communities, and communities 
of color.
(5) Duration.--A grant under this section shall be not less 
than 3 years and not more than 5 years as determined 
appropriate by the Administrator.
(c) Reporting Requirements.--
(1) After 1st year.--One year after the awarding of grants 
under this section, and annually thereafter, the Administrator 
shall submit a report to the Committees on Energy and Commerce 
and Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives and the Committees on Environment and Public 
Works and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
on the activities of the grant programs to include--
(A) the services provided and their targeted 
beneficiaries (including households, schools, other 
facilities, children, adults, seniors);
(B) the steps taken by the grantee to engage the 
public and impacted communities during execution of the 
grant;
(C) a breakdown of the areas served under the grant 
and if and how such areas align with locations 
identified under section 1; and
(D) aggregate information about the communities, 
households, and individuals benefitting from the 
services provided under the grant, including a 
breakdown of the demographic information and 
socioeconomic status of individuals and households.
(2) After 3d year.--Three years after awarding of the first 
grant under this section, the agency shall submit a report to 
the congressional committees referred to in paragraph (1) to 
include--
(A) an assessment of the grant program's ability to 
meet its goal of mitigating airport and aviation noise 
and emissions;
(B) potential lessons learned to inform future 
efforts to address the impacts of noise and emissions 
in communities near airports and air flight pathways; 
and
(C) a review of how levels and impact of noise and 
pollution from airports and air flight pathways can be 
incorporated into the Climate and Economic Justice 
Screening Tool or other similar environmental justice 
mapping tool used by the Government.
(3) Input in report.--The report under this subsection 
shall be completed with input from grantees and affected 
communities.
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