Item No. 11a_attachment_4 
Meeting Date: May 14, 2024 
2023 Annual Report 

The Federal Policy Working Group is tasked with advocating for policies that create new aircraft noise
and emissions reduction tools, authorities, resources and approaches at the federal level. The working
group meets six times a year and – in 2023 – focused on advocating for our shared policy priorities to
be included in the new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act. In particular, StART
members and staff participated in the first ever StART DC Fly-in, traveling to Washington, DC to discuss
our seven policy priorities with members of Congress and the FAA. As of March 2024, four of the
seven priorities were included in the FAA Reauthorization in either the House and/or the 
Senate version: 
1. Action on the FAA Noise Policy Review: We proposed two policies for inclusion in the
2023 FAA Reauthorization – a one-year deadline for action on potential changes to FAA
noise policy, and the creation of a stakeholder advisory committee to help shape those
recommendations. 
2. Renewal of the FAA Environmental Mitigation Pilot Program: Authorizing $6 million per
year for grants to support new technologies and approaches to reducing aircraft noise
and emissions. 
3. HR 1049 – The Protecting Airport Communities from Particle Emissions Act: U.S.
Representative Smith’s legislation that will bring more federal attention and engagement
on ultrafine particulates from aircraft engines. 
4. FAA support for new regional airport capacity: Requiring a report that clarify the process
for FAA regulatory review and agency collaboration with cities and states in high air
travel demand regions looking to invest in new airport capacity. 
In addition, the Federal Policy Working Group submitted several joint comment letters on agency
rulemakings, including a highly detailed response to the FAA’s Noise Policy Review – their ongoing
process to identify necessary changes to FAA noise policy – including the potential for enhancing,
supplementing, or replacing the current 65 DNL noise metric.