Maryland § 5-805

§ 5-805.

    (a)    (1)    Each airport operator, including each person intending to operate a proposed airport, shall assess the noise environment created by the operation and projected future use of the airport.

        (2)    The assessment method shall follow the procedures that the Executive Director establishes for calculating or measuring cumulative noise exposure.

        (3)    The assessment shall delineate any noise zone and identify any impacted land use area.

    (b)    (1)    If an impacted land use area exists within a noise zone, the airport operator shall develop a noise abatement plan to reduce the size of or eliminate the impacted land use area by altering the coverage of the noise zone through the application of the best available technology, at a reasonable cost and without impairing safety of flight.

        (2)    The plan may include:

            (i)    A development of runway and flight path use to reduce adverse noise impact;

            (ii)    Establishment of noise abatement glide slopes;

            (iii)    Establishment of noise abatement flight and ground procedures;

            (iv)    Restrictions on operations of noisy aircraft;

            (v)    Restrictions on noisy maintenance operations;

            (vi)    Relocation of runways; and

            (vii)    Acquisition of property to reduce the size of or eliminate an impacted land use area.

    (c)    (1)    Unless required earlier as part of an environmental impact study or by the Executive Director, an assessment of the noise environment for each airport and any noise abatement plan required by this section shall be submitted to the Executive Director for approval by July 1 of each fifth year after July, 1976.

        (2)    Before the Executive Director approves any assessment or plan, the Executive Director shall furnish it to the chief executive officer and the zoning board of any affected political subdivision and give them an opportunity to comment.