FAA Noise Policy Review Deadline
info@nqsc.org
Dear Colleagues for Quiet Skies:
Although many of you have previously been notified about the FAA's
"Noise Policy Review", it bears repeating that the deadline for public
comment is September 29th. According to the FAA, the purpose of the
review is to evaluate its current regulations and procedures based on
input received from the public and stakeholders. Also, includes the
agency's current use of DNL or Day-Night Average Sound Level as its
primary noise metric for assessing cumulative aircraft noise exposure.
Also under review will be:
1. If and how alternative noise metrics may be used in lieu of or in
addition to DNL to better inform agency decisions and improve FAA’s
disclosure of noise impacts.
2. The community’s understanding of noise impacts and how to better
manage and respond to community’s aviation noise concerns.
3. Ways to improve communications on proposed noise-related agency
actions.
4. The findings from ongoing noise research, including the Neighborhood
Environmental Survey and other research related to health impacts,
speech interference, sleep disturbance, and economic impacts.
Find the public comment section here:
https://www.faa.gov/noisepolicyreview
Please share with your membership. Again, the comment deadline is
September 29th.
Have a quiet day.
nqsc.org
Permission to post from the Montgomery County Quiet Skies Coalition
June 16, 2023
Latest Updates on the Slot/Perimeter Rule Fight at DCA
A BIG THANKS to all who made calls and sent emails about this issue to our Senators and Congressman this week! Your actions are making a difference.
HIGHLIGHTS:
On Tuesday, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a markup of the FAA Reauthorization. An amendment to add more flights to DCA was withdrawn, and the committee ultimately passed the bill out of committee without any changes to the slot and perimeter rules.
On Wednesday, Senators Van Hollen, Cardin, Kaine and Warner published an editorial in the Washington Post (June 14) stating that
National Airport Changes Spell Disaster for Our Constituents, and Punchbowl News provided a detailed behind-the-scenes analysis of the fight in Congress (June 15): Battle Lines Drawn on FAA Fight
On Thursday, there was more drama as the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation suddenly postponed their markup of the bill after confusion about last-minute amendments and deals that had not been fully shared with Committee members, including one to add more flights at DCA. On Thursday evening, the Washington Post reported on the possible Senate Committee back-room deal to add more flights (June 15): Senate Deal Would Add Four Long-Distance Flights to National Airport
Today, the entire Montgomery County Council sent a letter (attached) to Senators Cardin and Van Hollen urging them to continue to stand firm against any weakening of the slot/perimeter rules.
To be continued....
SO -- IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY -- PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL!
Let our MD legislators know how important this issue is to you,
and thank them for their support!
Senator Cardin: Shannon_Frede@cardin.senate.gov
Senator Van Hollen: Deborah_Haynie@vanhollen.senate.gov
Congressman Jamie Raskin: Lucy.Shaw@mail.house.gov
Montgomery County Quiet Skies Coalition
Click here to file Noise Complaints:https://viewpoint.emsbk.com/dca3
MC Quiet Skies Coalition website:www.MoCoQuietSkies.org
Working-Class Americans Inhale Private Jet Fumes; National Public Radio, Dec. 26, 2022
Information about the severe health risks of aircraft noise and concentrated flight paths, go to
Study: Airport Flight Patterns Influence Health Care Costs; The Business Monthly, Oct. 3, 2022
In the years leading up to the pandemic, aviation emitted roughly a billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, about as much as the entire continent of South America in 2021. - New York Times Feb. 6, 2023
The Southern Maryland Fair Skies Coalition (SMFSC) mission is to represent citizens and community associations in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
The mission of the Southern Maryland Fair Skies Coalition is to represent concerned citizens in the Maryland counties of Prince George’s and Charles committed to resolving the excessive levels of aircraft noise and air pollution imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration's flight paths and procedures at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA).
Our Goal
The timely implementation of a fair and equitable air traffic plan for DCA that minimizes aircraft noise and pollution affecting the residents of Southern Maryland.
In furtherance of this mission, our objectives are to:
• Create a public forum where concerned community residents, organizations, and businesses can collaborate to achieve shared goals
• Educate the public, media, elected representatives, airports, and the FAA on community concerns and possible solutions
• Cooperate with local, state, regional, and national groups addressing similar air traffic concerns
• Work closely with elected representatives and policymakers to identify effective administrative, legal, legislative, and environmental solutions
• Collaborate with the FAA, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), and DCA Noise Working Group to identify and implement solutions with a clear timeline and realistic outcome for all parties
The new flight paths and procedures into and out of Reagan National Airport (DCA), most severely impacted the neighborhoods of Accokeek (CDC), Bryans Road (CDC), Bennsville (CDC) and Fort Washington.
Four major changes have led to the drastically increased air traffic, frequency, intensity, and noise over Prince George’s County residential areas:
1. NextGen: To support airlines’ desire to further increase flight capacity at DCA, the Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA") in 2013 began implementing new satellite-based flight procedures known as Next Generation Air Transportation System (“NextGen”). The FAA's new nationwide flight procedures, collectively known as “NextGen,” employ GPS/satellite-based technology. Unfortunately, these procedures concentrate all the airplane traffic, noise, and pollution into narrow bands above specific neighborhoods that are forced to absorb all the environmental, health, and human costs.
These newly formed flight paths send hundreds of disruptively loud, low-altitude flights over our homes, schools, parks, and businesses each day. The SMFSC represents neighborhoods with approximately 4,000 homes, 13,000 residents, and numerous K-12 schools.
2. Lower Altitude Arrivals: As part of NextGen, airplanes descend sooner and at much lower altitudes than before. These descent procedures impose much greater noise on underlying communities.
3. Flight Path Changes at DCA: In 2015, the FAA eliminated three well-established flight paths for airplanes arriving at Reagan National Airport (DCA) and replaced them with a new flight path that directs flights inland over Prince George’s County neighborhoods instead of over the Potomac River.
4. Hours of Operation and Airport Capacity: Airplane traffic at DCA has increased significantly in recent years, pushing departing, and arriving flights into extremely early and late hours. Unfortunately, DCA has no quiet hour flight restrictions even though it is in the middle of a densely populated urban area. Large and loud “mainline” jets have become the unwelcome new alarm clocks and sleep disrupters for many residents.
NextGen channelizes previously dispersed air traffic into narrow flight corridors so that airplanes can land and take off in rapid succession, one after the other.
The FAA also allows arriving flights to descend sooner and fly lower for longer stretches, which increases noise in areas 10-15+ miles from airports that did not previously experience significant aircraft noise.
Concurrent with NextGen implementation, the FAA also shifted arrival and departure flight paths from the west side of the Potomac River to the east side of the River without notifying Maryland officials or conducting any environmental analyses.
Together, these changes have created a 20-mile sacrificial noise corridor over portions of Prince George’s County wherein the underlying communities are forced to absorb all the environmental, noise, and economic costs.
Some Prince George’s County residents under this noise corridor now experience over 400 flights per day, often at a rate of 1 commercial jet airplane flying overhead every 1-3 minutes.
Noise levels are so high and repetitive that they interfere with sleep and concentration, disrupt numerous outdoor activities, and likely will cause property values and tax revenues to decline, resulting in less revenue for public schools and county-funded infrastructure. Residents must take action to bring peace, quiet, and value back to their communities!
