Protecting Communities from Helicopter Noise Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5049
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-08-27: Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-08T08:06:33Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to study helicopter operations near the Statue of Liberty National Monument to assess noise impacts and identify ways to reduce them.
Key Provisions
- Requires the FAA Administrator to conduct a study on helicopter activity within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
- The study must examine:
- Noise volume, flight frequency, and timing.
- Noise levels and related safety, health, environmental, and economic effects.
- Compliance with existing voluntary agreements, such as the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Governors Island National Monument Voluntary Agreement.
- Helicopter origins, necessity of flights, airspace congestion, and future impacts from electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
- Quality of life for residents in high-noise areas.
- The study must also evaluate solutions, including:
- Diverting flights from residential and recreational zones.
- New flight paths considering nearby airports.
- Feasibility of banning nonessential helicopters.
- Altitude limits for operations.
- Mandates a report to Congress within 180 days of enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill introduces no direct amendments to current statutes. It creates a new, one-time study requirement for the FAA focused on a specific geographic area and issue.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Directs the FAA to allocate resources for data collection and analysis, potentially affecting agency workload and priorities.
- Citizens: May lead to future policy changes that reduce helicopter noise for residents and visitors in the New York/New Jersey area near the monument.
- International relations: No direct effects identified, as the study is limited to domestic airspace and operations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- FAA (responsible for the study and report).
- Residents and recreational users in the 20-mile radius.
- Helicopter operators and aviation companies.
- National Park Service (managing the Statue of Liberty National Monument).
- Congress (recipient of the final report).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill raises no apparent constitutional issues, as it involves standard FAA regulatory study authority. It focuses on noise mitigation in a high-traffic urban airspace without altering existing voluntary agreements or imposing immediate restrictions.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8]
Cosponsors (6)
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9]
Recent Actions
- 2025-08-27: Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
- 2025-08-26: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2025-08-26: Introduced in House
- 2025-08-26: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Protecting Communities from Helicopter Noise Act — issued 2025-08-26 — PDF (4 pages)