South Metro Airport Action Council
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Events
July 13, 2000: Water Board, City to Hold Public Meeting
on MSP Airport Water Plan
By Dick Saunders
The City of Minneapolis and the
Minnehaha
Creek Watershed District (MCWD) will hold a public meeting to review
the latest proposal by the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) for
lowering water tables during construction of at least five tunnels
underneath Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The meeting is at 7
p.m. Thursday, July 13 at Roosevelt High School, 4029 28th Ave. S.,
Minneapolis.
The MAC initially proposed pumping at least two billion gallons of
water around the site into the Minnesota River over 15 months especially
to facilitate construction of a tunnel underneath a new north-south runway
to relocated cargo center for FedEx and UPS. The MAC must apply for
permits from the MCWD and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resouces
(DNR).
One consultant for the Watershed District initially estimated upwards
of five billion gallons might be needed, drawing down nearby lake levels
in Minneapolis and Richfield by up to four feet and potentially impacting
a water table affecting 28,000 homes. The estimate was subsequently
revised downward.
However, numerous airport environmental groups, including SMAAC, and
affected cities have raised objections to the dewatering process and have
urged the MAC to explore other construction methods, including sheet
pilings. A citizen group has also filed a petition with the state
Environmental Quality Board seeking an environmental review of the
dewatering project. The EQB develops and monitors environmental policy.
May 18, 2000: Noise Pollution Expert Shares Knowledge
and Experience
By Dean Lindberg
"Do you wait twelve years - when children are displaying
hypertension markers - to find out if there's any permanent damage?"
Chair of the Noise Pollution Committee of the New York City Council
for the Environment, Dr. Arline Bronzaft posed the question at the spring
membership meeting of the South Metro Airport Action Council (SMAAC) this
May 18th. The answer of course; No.
Dr. Bronzaft used the question to illustrate a point - that FAA "standards"
for community health, which demand proof of damages inflicted, differ
significantly from the accepted medical practice of preventive care.
Additionally, the agency used its clout to prevent research on noise and
health impacts, instead of preventing the development of damaging noise
levels around airports.
"The Federal government set up the Office of Noise Abatement and
Control (ONAC) to carry out a mandate that citizens should be protected
from noise" Dr. Bronzaft explained. "When the government was in
the noise control business in the 1960's and 70's, there was no question
over whether noise had a negative impact on people. ONAC sent out
brochures on the harmful effects of noise. Government officials did not
say 'We need more studies' to document that noise harms us. But, when ONAC
said 'noise harms us' it made the FAA uncomfortable. "So while
government was moving in a direction to protect us, the way for industry
to stop noise progress was to close down ONAC." Bronzaft noted, and
suggested that what needs to be done now is figure out how to "get
back to the 70's" - when the government considered noise a serious
issue.
According to Dr. Bronzaft, part of that task will be to re-assemble
and update the body of evidence the government once had. She summarized
recent research on children done by Dr. Gary Evans of Cornell University
which replicated studies done in the seventies. Dr. Evans documented
increased hypertension markers in children living around the airport in
Munich, Germany. In addition, reading levels in sixth graders have been
found to be down by one year, and mathematics scores have slipped.
Dr. Bronzaft has mixed feelings concerning Evans' findings. While
his research corroborates hers - adding to its credibility - Bronzaft is
disheartened that some 25 years after her initial findings, the same
levels of noise impact indicators are still being found.
One step toward getting "back to the 70's" has been made
because of Dr. Bronzaft's lobbying efforts in Washington D.C. The recently
passed FAA refunding bill contains a requirement that the Government
Accounting Office (GAO) "Shall conduct a study on aircraft noise in
the United States. The Controller General shall examine: (1) the selection
of noise measurement methodologies used by the Administrator (2) the
threshold of noise at which health begins to be affected (3) the
effectiveness of noise abatement programs at airports located in the
United States (4) the impacts of airport noise on communities, including
schools (5) the noise assessment practices of the FAA and whether such
facilities fairly and accurately reflect the burden of noise on
communities." The GAO must complete this task and report the results
to Congress within one year.
Support for the GAO study has been very strong according to Dr.
Bronzaft who stated that to researchers, public demands for health
investigation are "an affirmation that something is going on."
Dr. Bronzaft urged SMAAC, Residents Opposed to Airport Racket (ROAR) and
Citizens Concerned about Richfield's Environment (CARE) to continue their
collaborative efforts, and press Minnesota Congress members to demand the
GAO study be well executed, with the highest level of professional
credibility. Bronzaft noted that well-intended legislative directives can
fizzle without public support, and advised people to "Let your
congress people know a study is going on. They do react, and are more
likely to do a good job."
Following Dr. Bronzaft's presentation, several who expressed
interest in starting a health research volunteer group met with SMAAC
President Dick Saunders. Others interested can contact Saunders at:
dsndrs@gateway.net or by phone (612) 869-1501.
November 15, 1999: Panel to Discuss Final Mac Tunnel Water Control Plan
Details of the final dewatering mitigation plan to be used during construction of cargo and light-rail transit tunnels at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport over the next four years will be presented at a Fall Forum of the South Metro Airport Action Council (SMAAC) at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15 at Mayflower Congregational Church, 103 E. Diamond Lake Road.
Panelists include Pam Blixt, president of the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) board; Roger Hale, the mayor's appointee to the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), and Gary Warren, MAC engineer. They will review safeguards that have been developed to allay public concerns over possible subsurface and surface water losses and water quality problems during upcoming construction of Runway 17/35, LRT and Runway 4/22 tunnels. Former MCWD manager Jim Spensley will be moderator.
The forum is open to the public at no charge. For further information, contact SMAAC at 612/861-1061 or e-mail dsndrs@gateway.net.
Wednesday, May 12, 1999: Dr. Floyd O. Anderson, "The
Health Effects of Noise"
Please contact SMAAC for more information.