Action plans

(a) In general Not later than 6 months after the date of completion of a community assessment described in section 5(f), the Administrator shall, in collaboration with community boards, devise an action plan that seeks to alleviate or address the concerns raised in such community reports or such community assessments. (b) Content An action plan shall— (1) include a long-term regional plan that focuses on reducing and minimizing aviation impacts for the designated community or communities, including sound insulation or other noise mitigation infrastructure, air filtration systems, and changes in flight paths or procedures; and (2) require the appropriate district office of the Federal Aviation Administration and air traffic control facility to consider the implementation of changes to flight operations, flight paths, and vertical guidance if the community assessment described in section 5(f) indicates that such changes would decrease the impacts on the designated community, including examining the population density in the communities described in such report and assessment in considering such implementation. (c) Implementation In implementing the action plan, the Administrator will consider the implementation of changes to flight operations, flight paths, and vertical guidance if the community assessment described in section 5(f) indicates that such changes would decrease the impacts of flights on a designated community (or communities). (d) Statement concerning certain changes If the Administrator determines that changes to operations, flight paths, and vertical guidance that a community study indicated would decrease the effects on the designated community would not be effective in decreasing community impacts, the Administrator shall explain the rationale for this determination in the action plan. (e) Appeals process (1) In general The Administrator shall establish an appeals process, through which a community board may appeal the determination by the Federal Aviation Administration not to implement a change under subsection (c) to an independent panel comprised equally of independent public health experts, environmental experts, and aviation experts. (2) Recommendations In carrying out paragraph (1), the Administrator shall seek recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences for panel experts described in such paragraph. (3) Requirement to convene An independent panel convened pursuant to paragraph (1) shall convene not later than 6 months after the receipt of an appeal pursuant to such paragraph and shall respond to such appeal not later than 3 months after the date on which such panel convenes. (f) Dissemination The panel described in subsection (e)(1) shall submit any findings for an appeal described in such subsection— (1) to the public in a culturally and linguistically appropriate fashion given the needs or requests of the community at issue; (2) to the offices of the Members of Congress and Senators representing the community at issue; (3) to the relevant committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate; and (4) upon request, to appropriate State, regional, and local elected officials.