Bill Summary
The Long Island All-Water Helicopter Route Act of 2020 is a bill that aims to extend and update a special air traffic rule for civil helicopters operating on the North Shore of Long Island, New York. The bill requires the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct a rulemaking proceeding to create a new special air traffic rule for both the North and South Shore of Long Island. This rule will require all civil helicopters to follow designated routes that are meant to mitigate noise and increase safety. Exceptions are allowed for safety or weather conditions, but a report must be submitted to the Administrator within 14 days. The bill also sets deadlines for the rulemaking process and repeals the current regulations once the new rule is published.
Possible Impacts
1. The new rule could affect local residents and tourists who live near or visit the North and South shores of Long Island. They may experience less noise pollution from helicopters flying at higher altitudes and further from shore.
2. The new rule could also affect helicopter pilots who regularly fly along the North and South shores of Long Island. They may need to adjust their flight paths and abide by new altitude and route requirements.
3. The new rule may also affect air traffic controllers and other aviation professionals who work in the airspace above Long Island. They may need to familiarize themselves with the new rule and ensure that pilots are adhering to it.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7730 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7730
To extend the special air traffic rule for civil helicopters operating
VFR along the North Shore, Long Island, New York, to require the
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to promulgate a
new special air traffic rule, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 22, 2020
Mr. Suozzi (for himself, Miss Rice of New York, Mr. King of New York,
and Mr. Zeldin) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To extend the special air traffic rule for civil helicopters operating
VFR along the North Shore, Long Island, New York, to require the
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to promulgate a
new special air traffic rule, 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 ``Long Island All-Water Helicopter
Route Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, NORTH SHORE AND SOUTH SHORE HELICOPTER
ROUTES.
(a) Extension of Special Air Traffic Rule for North Shore.--
Notwithstanding the ending date for the period described in section
93.101 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, the special air
traffic rule for civil helicopters operating VFR along the North Shore,
Long Island, New York, in effect under subpart H of part 93 of title
14, Code of Federal Regulations, on August 6, 2020, shall remain in
effect through the day before the date on which the final version of
the special air traffic rule promulgated under subsection (b) is
published.
(b) Rulemaking Proceeding.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration (in this section referred to as the
``Administrator'') shall conduct a rulemaking proceeding to
promulgate a special air traffic rule for civil helicopters
operating VFR along the North Shore and South Shore of Long
Island, New York, in accordance with the requirements of this
subsection.
(2) Requirements.--The special air traffic rule promulgated
under this subsection shall require the following:
(A) North shore helicopter route.--Each person who
pilots a civil helicopter operating VFR along Long
Island, New York's northern shoreline between the VPLYD
waypoint and Plum Island shall--
(i) based on the most recently published
editions by the Federal Aviation Administration
of the New York Helicopter Route Chart and the
Northeast Aeronautical Chart Bulletin, adhere
to an all-water North Shore Helicopter Route
that includes operating around Orient Point,
Shelter Island, and Plum Island;
(ii) mitigate noise by flying at least 1
mile from the shoreline and at an altitude of
not less than 2,500 feet mean sea level; and
(iii) prohibit deviations from the North
Shore Helicopter Route for purposes of
transitioning to or from a destination or point
of landing when departing from or arriving to
locations east of longitude 7216'04" W.
(B) South shore helicopter route.--Each person who
pilots a civil helicopter operating VFR along Long
Island, New York's southern shoreline between Breezy
Point Jetty and the VPMLT waypoint shall--
(i) based on the most recently published
editions by the Federal Aviation Administration
of the New York Helicopter Route Chart and the
Northeast Aeronautical Chart Bulletin, adhere
to an all-water South Shore Helicopter Route;
and
(ii) mitigate noise by flying at least 1
mile from the shoreline and at an altitude of
not less than 2,500 feet mean sea level.
(C) Exceptions.--A person who pilots a civil
helicopter operating VFR along Long Island, New York's
northern shoreline or southern shoreline may deviate
from the North Shore Helicopter Route or South Shore
Helicopter Route--
(i) when necessary for safety or weather
conditions; or
(ii) except as prohibited under
subparagraph (A)(iii), when transitioning to or
from a destination or point of landing.
(D) Flight report.--
(i) Submission.--If safety or weather
conditions cause a person piloting a civil
helicopter operating VFR to deviate from the
North Shore Helicopter Route or South Shore
Helicopter Route, the person shall submit a 1-
page report to the Administrator identifying
the condition not later than 14 days after
landing.
(ii) Public database.--The Administrator
shall make the reports submitted under clause
(i) publicly available in an online searchable
database.
(3) Deadlines.--
(A) Rulemaking proceeding.--Not later than 90 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Administrator shall publish a notice of proposed
rulemaking to carry out the requirements of this
section.
(B) Public comment period.--The Administrator shall
provide notice of, and an opportunity for, at least 30
days of public comment on the special air traffic rule
promulgated under this subsection.
(C) Effective date of special air traffic rule.--
Not later than May 1, 2021, the Administrator shall
publish a final version of the special air traffic rule
promulgated under this subsection which shall take
effect upon publication.
(c) Repeal.--Effective on the date on which the final version of
the special air traffic rule promulgated under subsection (b) is
published by the Administrator, subpart H of part 93 of title 14, Code
of Federal Regulations, is repealed.
<all>