Noise News for Week of August 3, 1997


Residents Near Baltimore Get Traffic Noise Barriers

PUBLICATION: The Baltimore Sun
DATE: August 8, 1997
SECTION: Local (News), Pg. 1B
BYLINE: Melody Simmons
DATELINE: Baltimore, Maryland area
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Shawn Ciociola, Louise Long, Charlene Gaines, Harold Long, Joan Jewell, Ellen Barnaba, residents; Stewart Hulse, psychology professor and expert on sound and acoustics, Johns Hopkins University

The Baltimore Sun reports that residents along the northeastern edge of Interstate 695 outside Baltimore, Maryland are getting 26-foot noise barriers this summer to protect them from traffic noise. The barriers eventually are intended to provide noise relief to 1,173 homes in seven communities at a cost of $44.2 million.

The article reports that many residents of the area have lived behind Interstate 695, a beltway around the city, for decades, and have watched it grow from a road that handled 45,000 cars a day in 1965 to one that handles 170,000 cars a day now in the Towson area alone. The increase in traffic levels has produced constant noise from cars and trucks, causing many residents to retreat inside their homes. Now, the beltway is being widened between Towson and Pikesville, and noise barriers are being offered to residents in those areas as well as in other parts of the state. For example, in June, plans were announced to build barriers on both sides of Interstate 95 in Arbutus, between Metropolitan and Southwestern boulevards. In addition, barriers will be built along interstates in Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's counties. Barriers have already been built along the region's other beltway, Interstate 495 in the Washington suburbs, the article reports.

The article goes on to explain that acoustic tests are performed on highways to determine how high a noise barrier should be, accordding to Jesse Free, an engineer for the State Highway Administration's barrier project. Noise barriers between 20 and 30 feet deflect road noise back onto the Interstate, which will make it noisier for commuters. However, according to Randall Scott, a State Highway Administration traffic chief, many commuters have their windows up, so increased noise shouldn't be much of an issue.

The article also reports that the barriers already erected along Interstate 695 generally get good reviews from the nearby residents. Some, however, say they feel cut off from the passing scene by the giant walls. Shawn Ciociola, a Meadowvale Road resident whose neighborhood has already received barriers, said, "It's made a difference -- for the better. You can leave the windows open now and hear the TV." Louise Long, another Meadowvale Road resident, said that she had a hard time hearing if someone rang her doorbell before the noise barriers went in. She added that now she is gradually getting used to the barrier that dwarfs her backyard garden. Another neighbor, Charlene Gaines, said that she and her family got so used to the traffic noise before the barrier that they didn't hear it anymore. On the down side, Shawn Ciociola added that the barriers make it very dark at night now, and Harold Long, a resident of Dulaney Valley Road, said, "I was born and raised in the city, one block from the penitentiary, and that wall reminds me of the one at the Pen."

Meanwhile, residents who haven't received noise barriers yet are mostly eager for their arrival, the article reports. Joan Jewell of Quentin Avenue, said, "Yes, the noise keeps me awake. The barriers are not going to eliminate the noise, but they will be a more livable situation. We can't entertain in the back at all -- we even put up a glass porch and had reinsulation, siding, new windows, everything possible put in to make it as noiseless as possible, but it can't be helped." A nearby neighbor, Ellen Barnaba, added, "About 4 a.m., you can hear it start -- it's a dull roar and then we can hear brakes squeal. It's just terrible. We need them. The sound has gotten worse and worse over the years."

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Study in Wisconsin Finds that Noise from Grooved Highway Pavement Can be Reduced

PUBLICATION: M2 Presswire
DATE: August 8, 1997
DATELINE: Wisconsin

M2 Presswire released a press release from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation that reports a new study has found that the whine caused by vehicles traveling over grooved highway pavement can be reduced by spacing the grooves or "tines" in a random pattern. The study was funded by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), and was conducted by Marquette University in cooperation with the Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association and the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

According to the press release, WisDOT Secretary Charles Thompson said that noise from tire whine has been a concern of transportation departments across the country. He added that WisDOT wanted to know how to reduce highway-generated noise to its lowest possible level, which was the impetus for the study.

The press release explains that studies performed in the mid-1970s showed that concrete pavements needed a special texture to keep them safe when wet. By placing grooves, called "tines," in the concrete pavement, traction is improved. Tines are installed by dragging narrow steel teeth over freshly laid concrete, and are usually one-eighth inch wide, one-eighth inch deep, and spaced one inch apart, perpendicular to the direction of travel. The press release said that although the tines in the concrete improve traction when the pavement is wet, they produce a whine when the pavement is dry. Studies that examined the cause of the whine conducted in the U.S. and other countries gave contradictory results, the press release says. Some claimed tine width and depth created the whine, while others found that the distance of the tines from each other caused the noise. As a result of the conflicting information, WisDOT officials decided to instigate their own study.

The press release goes on to say that WisDOT worked with Marquette University, the Federal Highway Administration, the Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association, and HNTB, a Milwaukee engineering firm, to build 17 pavement test sections on a rural section of State Highway 29 east of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin in 1994. The test sections used different pavement mixes and tining configurations, and noise levels then were analyzed during varying conditions. According to David Kuemmel, an adjunct professor at Marquette University who oversaw the research project, researchers had a difficult time picking up the whine on sound measuring equipment. But, Kuemmel added, "After additional equipment modification and subjective noise observations, we found an answer to the source of the noise. We discovered that each tine spacing (wider, closer together, deeper, shallower) had a certain characteristic whine. Some spacings produced a low-pitched whine, some a high-pitched whine. In all cases, it was noted that anytime a uniform spacing was used, there was some sort of whine." The researchers concluded that when the tines were spaced in a random pattern, from 3/8ths of an inch to 1 inch apart, there was no noticeable whine, the press release reports. In addition, researchers found that the random tine spacing resulted in a pavement that was as safe in wet weather as uniform spacing. The study concluded that it is easy to build safe, durable concrete surfaces that don't whine at no extra cost.

As a result of the study, WisDOT changed its tining specification in 1996 to the random spacing requirement to eliminate the annoying whine, the press release says. In addition, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recently issued national guidelines for the use of random tine spacing and provided WisDOT with more funding to continue research in 1997 and 1998.

According to the press release, new research will focus on the best texturing methods for pavement and other tire-pavement noise issues, and the new funding also will be used for a national workshop and open house of the test site area to help other agencies understand how to reduce highway noise, said WisDOT Secretary Thompson. According to Prof. Kuemmel, the additional research also may tire manufacturers to design tire treads that reduce noise even further.

For more information, contact: Steve Shober, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, 608-246-5399, e-mail: sshober@mail.state.wi.us; or David Kuemmel, Marquette University, 414-288-3528, e-mail: kuemmeld@vms.csd.mu.edu; or Dwight McComb, Federal Highway Administration, 608-829-7518, e-mail: mccomd@mail.state.wi.us.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


New Hearing on Railroad Noise in Washington City Scheduled

PUBLICATION: The Seattle Times
DATE: August 7, 1997
SECTION: Snohomish; Pg. B2; Snohomish Briefly
DATELINE: Everett, Washington

The Seattle Times reports that the City Council in Everett, Washington has scheduled a new public hearing to review a proposed ordinance that would limit noise from the "makeup yard" at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad yard. The public hearing is set for 7 pm on August 20 in order to accomodate citizens who couldn't attend a morning hearing yesterday.

According to the article, the proposed ordinance would prohibit excessive noise between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. at the railroad yard, aimed at quieting a 24-hour "makeup yard" where the railroad links its trains. City spokesperson Dale Preboski said railroad officials told the council they also are looking at other options, including switching work to other yards or adding landscaping

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Amsterdam Airport Institutes Ban on Night Flights to Reduce Noise

PUBLICATION: ANP English News Bulletin
DATE: August 6, 1997
DATELINE: Amsterdam, the Netherlands

The ANP English News Bulletin reports that the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands Tuesday instituted a ban on night flights to avoid exceeding the country's noise pollution limits. The ban was approved late Monday by Transport Minister Annemarie Jorritsma, who described the plan as insufficient and called for a revised plan to be presented by September.

According to the article, the airport's ban covers all flights between 11.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m. However, charter airlines will be exempted from the ban until October 1 if their flights are delayed in order to avoid leaving vacationers stranded at foreign airports. Noisy wide-body planes, which are used mostly for freight traffic, will not be allowed to take off or land at the airport at night. Earlier, airport officials said the ban was necessary because legal noise limits will soon be exceeded without drastic measures. Meanwhile, the article reports, Jorritsma postponed approval of another aspect of the airport's plan -- the introduction of an independent body to handle a revised slot allocation system which regulates the landing and take off times for all flights.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Noise Complaints are Down at Orlando Airport

PUBLICATION: Orlando Sentinel Tribune
DATE: August 6, 1997
SECTION: Local & State; Pg. C1
BYLINE: Elaine Backhaus
DATELINE: Sanford, Florida
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Nancy Dolan, resident

The Orlando Sentinel Tribune reports that between June and July, noise complaints about jet noise from the Orlando Sanford (Florida) Airport fell by 124. Airport officials hope new noise mitigation measures may have helped reduce complaints, but they agree there may have been other reasons for the reduction.

According to the article, Jack Dow, the airport's director of operations, said complaints dropped from 293 in June to 169 in July partly because a lightning strike shut down a noise hotline for nearly a week. In addition, Dow and members of the Sanford Noise Abatement Committee said that fewer people may be calling during the summer because they are on vacation, or their air conditioners have made the noise problem less noticeable. Another reason, according to Sanford resident Nancy Dolan, is that people have stopped calling because they believe their complaints are being ignored.

The article goes on to say that members of the noise abatement committee have agreed to improve the telephone noise hotline, and to take steps to educate the public about noise mitigation measures being taken or considered in response to complaints. Wes Pennington, chair of the noise abatement committee, said people get frustrated when they believe their concerns are not being considered. Other noise mitigation measures were instituted earlier this year, the article says, including asking pilots to approach the airport at higher speeds and altitudes, and to fly over Lake Monroe instead of residential areas before turning and landing from the west. In addition, pilots are receiving information about the noise-sensitive areas around the airport, and the committee is considering requiring pilots to use different approach routes and altitudes.

The article also points out that there were more than 5,000 commercial airline arrivals and departures between June 1, 1996 and July 30, 1997, which together generated about 1,900 noise complaints. Some callers complain many times, the article says. For example, of the 169 complaints last month, 41 came from one caller, and 26 came from another caller.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Italy Places Partial Ban on Nighttime Aircraft Flights

PUBLICATION: The Xinhua News Agency
DATE: August 6, 1997
SECTION: Item No: 0806060
DATELINE: Rome, Italy

The Xinhua News Agency reports that the Italian Ministry of Environment issued a decree today that will partially ban aircraft takeoffs and landings at domestic airports at night, in an effort to curb noise pollution for residents near airports. The ban will go into effect next June 30.

The article reports that the decree stipulates that at all airports except the inter-continental airports in Rome, Milan and Bergamo, planes will be prohibited from taking off and landing between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Exceptions to the rule will include planes operating for medical care, for emergency rescues, and for postal services. In addition, the article says, planes that generate noise levels lower than 60 decibels will not be effected by the new decree.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Residents in Chicago Lobby for Noise Walls

PUBLICATION: Chicago Tribune
DATE: August 6, 1997
SECTION: Metro Du Page; Pg. 1; Zone: D
BYLINE: Robert Derocher
DATELINE: Chicago, Illinois
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Shay and Robert Donahue, Mike Foster, residents; Stewart Ward, president, York Woods Community Association; Diane Butler, co-chair, an Orchard Brook subcommittee

The Chicago Tribune reports hundreds of residents along Chicago's tollways, including those in the Orchard Brook, Hoffman Estates, and Burr Ridge subdivisions, have petitioned the Illinois Toll Highway Authority to build noise barriers. Officials from the authority, however, are making no promises about building noise barriers, which they say are expensive.

According to the article, Scott Dworschak, the authority's governmental and community affairs manager, said he gets a number of calls every week about building noise barriers. He added that after the authority built noise barriers along the Tri-State tollway in 1993, calls requesting noise barriers in other areas skyrocketed. However, Dworschak said that the authority won't erect a barrier unless the noise level of the tollway is at 67 decibels or more, the standard set by the Federal Highway Administration. In addition, noise barriers cost about $25 per square foot, Dworschak said, which adds up to "well over a million dollars a mile." Still, Dworschak said that although it's expensive, "we feel we have a commitment . . . to the people who live near the road."

The article reports that Dworschak went on to say there is no money budged for building barriers in this or next year's budget, but this does not mean that money cannot be found for worthy projects. He added that areas being considered for noise barriers include a stretch in Downers Grove; in Hoffman Estates, near the Northwest Tollway; in Burr Ridge, near the Tri-State tollway; and along the recently widened Tri-State stretch between its junction with the Kennedy Expressway and 95th Street. Some noise barriers were already built along that last area, Dworschak said, but the area is being re-evaluated for stretches that may have been missed.

Meanwhile, residents try to cope with living next to non-stop traffic noise, the article says. Shay and Robert Donahue, residents of Downers Grove, live near 16 lanes of traffic from two tollways. Shay said, "We can't sit and have a conversation. It's just a loud whine. This is pollution. It's noise pollution...and it needs to be cleaned up." In the York Woods subdivision in Oak Brook, a noise barrier is interrupted by a gap in front of a vacant lot. Residents say noise pours in through the gap and into their homes. Stewart Ward, president of the York Woods Community Association, said, "We just want the wall finished."

Authority officials considering the noise barrier option for Downers Grove could make a decision as early as later this month, the article says. Residents are optimistic about the chances, the article reports. Diane Butler, who co-chairs an Orchard Brook subcommittee that has been pushing for the walls, said, "We're the only area in the state of Illinois where you have two toll roads running side-by-side." Association members presented noise data earlier this year at a meeting with authority members which indicated that nearly one-third of the subdivision's 325 homes had average readings of 67 decibels or more. The home of one resident, Mike Foster, had regular readings at 80 decibels, dangerously close to the 85-decibel limit at which federal standards call for ear protection in the workplace. Foster's home is less than 150 feet from the center of the East-West Tollway, the article reports. Foster said, "You get used to it after a while, but the motorcycles and trucks are tough. It never gets totally quiet here."

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Amsterdam Airport Accused of Negligence by Aviation Authority for Delay in Instituting Noise Mitigation Measures

PUBLICATION: ANP English News Bulletin
DATE: August 5, 1997
DATELINE: The Hague, Netherlands

ANP English News Bulletin reports that civil aviation authorities in the Netherlands are accusing officials at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport of negligence because they delayed implementing noise mitigation measures that would prevent the airport from exceeding national noise limits. Civil aviation authority officials said the airport did not need to get approval from the government before implementing its latest plan to ban nighttime flights.

The article explains that Schiphol officials announced last month they would impose a ban on nighttime take-offs for the noisiest wide-body planes, and would introduce a so-called slot allocation system, which transfers the granting of take-off permits to an independent body. Airport officials said the measures were being undertaken because legal noise limits would soon be exceeded if drastic steps were not taken. However, civil aviation authority officials said the airport was legally required to ensure that noise limits were not exceeded, and did not need government approval. But Shiphol officials said government approval is needed, especially if the airport is not to be inundated with damage claims from airlines affected by the tougher measures.

The article concludes that Transport Minister Annemarie Jorritsma Monday approved the airport's plans, but also said they were insufficient and ordered airport officials to prepare new proposals for presentation to her by September 1.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Residents Concerned About Possible Airfield Expansion in Wisconsin City

PUBLICATION: Capital Times (Madison, WI)
DATE: August 5, 1997
SECTION: Local/State, Pg. 5A
BYLINE: Bill Dunn
DATELINE: Middleton, Wisconsin
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Jeff Walker, resident and acoustics specialist at Digisonix Inc.; Ron Linzell, resident

The Capital Times reports that residents in Middleton, Wisconsin who are concerned about possible expansion of Morey Field told town officials that airpcraft noise is already a problem at the airfield. The city is considering purchasing the airport as an option to having it develop as a private business park.

The article reports that at a recent town board meeting, Jeff Walker, a Hickory Woods resident and acoustics specialist at Digisonix Inc., presented board members with data showing that aircraft noise patterns peak at about 88 decibels. Walker said, "To me it's a community noise source and a problem. I have concerns if the airport expands, the noise may become unbearable." Resident Ron Linzell, who works in his home, said he often sees planes flying only 100 feet above the treetops, and that he can see the landing gear and the pilot clearly. Lizell added, "It's a nuisance."

The article goes on to say that the cost to purchase the land and make improvements is estimated to costs about $4.5 million, of which state and federal funds would cover all but about $1 million. Easements or air rights for about 50 acres more would be needed, the article reports. Supervisor Greg Held said he is not aware of plans for any large-scale expansion at the airport, but he added the runway would be lengthened to accomodate small jets. In addition, Held said there probably would need to be increased air traffic for the airport to make money.

The article reports that Town Board Chair Ed Tallard said the board may be interested in a joint ownership venture, but any decision is a long way off. The city has the first option to buy the property until next July, but developer Bob Blettner has extended his option to buy the property if the city's not interested.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Debate Over Aircraft Noise at New Zealand Airport Begins in the Environment Court

PUBLICATION: The Evening Post (Wellington, New Zealand)
DATE: August 5, 1997
SECTION: News; National; Pg. 1; Noise Debate
BYLINE: Suzanne Green
DATELINE: Wellington, New Zealand
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Maxine Harris, spokesperson, Residents Airport Noise Action Group

The Evening Post reports that the Environment Court in Wellington, New Zealand is being asked to decide how Wellington Airport and its neighbors can best live with each other. A three-week court hearing started yesterday to hear appeals against airport noise provisions in Wellington City Council's proposed District Plan. Judge Shonagh Kenderdine, assisted by three environment commissioners, is hearing the case.

According to the article, Chris Mitchell, attorney for the City Council, told the court yesterday that that the airport will effectively close if residents get their wish for tighter noise controls, because the number of flights in and out of the airport would have to fall substantially. Mitchell said the airport would be able to operate only at about 11% of its current capacity, the article reports, which would effectively close it down.

But members of residents' groups rejected Mitchell's assertion today, the article says, claiming that the use of quieter aircraft can allow the airport to continue full operation. Maxine Harris, spokesperson for the Residents Airport Noise Action Group (RANAG), said, "It has never been the residents' aim to close the airport. We recognise it's valuable for Wellington, but it needs controls so we can live together."

RANAG, which will present its case to the court in about two weeks, is calling for stricter noise controls and a reduced airport noise boundary beyond which airlines must keep to a stipulated noise level, the article reports. The City Council's District Plan delineates a boundary that includes about 700 homes, but RANAG members say that area is too big, and the boundary should be located at the airport's perimeter. Mitchell maintained that the noise boundary and other controls in the District Plan were valid. "In the council's view the proposed controls are the best solution currently available and will promote both the continued health of the airport and provide an acceptable level of amenity for the residents who are affected by its operations," he said.

The article goes on to say that Mitchell said in court that the Board of Airline Representatives of New Zealand (BARNZ) had originally wanted new residential development inside the airport noise boundary to be prohibited, but now wants it to be a non-complying activity. Mitchell said this would impose significant penalties on 660 property owners, and would "encourage" people to move away. People should be able to build new homes within the boundary if they agree to controls that ensure an acoustically-improved living environment, Mitchell argued. He concluded that there will be no set of controls that will satisfy all parties, and that the court must decide what solution achieves the best possible balance.

Mitchell also said in court that Air New Zealand, which has its hub at Wellington Airport, has hushkitted Boeing 737 jets which contribute significantly to overall noise levels. Although Air New Zealand has for several years indicated that it would replace the jets, the company now says it cannot guarantee the upgrading, which, Mitchell said, the City Council finds "extremely regrettable."

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Europe Continues to Limit Aircraft Noise

PUBLICATION: Aircraft Value News
DATE: August 4, 1997
SECTION: No. 16, Vol. 6
DATELINE: Europe

Aircraft Value News reports that several recent actions in Europe have continued to place limitations on aircraft noise. As a result, the article says, residual values for a number of aircraft types may be called into question.

The article reports that the European Commission has banned Chapter 2 aircraft after 2001, and individual airports are considering noise limits that probably will hurt Chapter 3 aircraft as well. In addition, officials at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport plan to ban flights between 11 pm and 6 am in order to limit the noisy, wide-body air freight flights and charter flights operating at night. The article says that it will be very difficult for either freight or charter operators to fly from the airport after nighttime flights are banned, because the number of movements at the airport is capped. The article goes on to point out that the European Commission proposal to ban modified Chapter 2 aircraft after March 1999 would prevent the use of a new method to reduce aircraft noise -- the Raisbeck Engineering Noise Abatement System, recently certified by the Federal Aviation Administration for the Boeing 727-100. The Raisbeck system costs about $695,000, compared to $1.6 million for a hushkit, the only previously available method.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


New Technology for Stage 3 Aircraft Standards Completes FAA Certification

PUBLICATION: Aviation Week and Space Technology
DATE: August 4, 1997
SECTION: Air Transport; Vol. 147, No. 5; Pg. 39
DATELINE: Dallas, Texas

Aviation Week and Space Technology reports that Raisbeck Commercial Air Group, Inc. of Seattle has completed Federal Aviation Administration certification of its noise abatement system for the Boeing 727-100. The new system allows planes to meet Stage 3 aircraft noise requirements without the use of hushkits, which till now were the only method available.

The article reports that according to James Raisbeck, chief executive officer of the company, the noise abatement system taps the performance margin inherent in the aircraft's wing, but restricts deflection of the trailing-edge high-lift devices to 25 degrees during takeoff and landing to minimize drag. The article says that new takeoff and landing speeds and distances in an Airplane Flight Manual Supplement also is part of the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) authorizing the modifications. According to Jeffrey Lown, a vice president at Raisbeck, the system can be installed during an overnight or B maintenance check, and requires about 30 man-hours, the article reports. Lown also said that the Raisbeck system "leaves the 727 in its original configuration as built by Boeing, with no hushkits, winglets or other structural changes."

The article goes on to say that the Supplemental Type Certificate applies to all 727-100s. However, aircrafts must already have been modified with two new cowlings on the outboard engines and a new tail pipe on each engine to meet Stage 2 requirements in accordance with Boeing's "Quiet Nacelle" program. The Raisbeck system costs $695,000, and has already been installed on a 727-100 used for corporate flights. The article reports that the Supplemental Type Certificate is valid for -100s powered by Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7, -7A, -9, -9A, -15 and -15A engines. According to Raisbeck, the company is also moving forward with certification of an increased gross weight program for the 727-200.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Editors Advise Giving Chicago's "Fly Quiet" Nighttime Aircraft Noise Reduction Plan Another Chance

PUBLICATION: Chicago Sun-Times
DATE: August 4, 1997
SECTION: EDT; Pg. 19
DATELINE: Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago Sun-Times printed an editorial which argues that Chicago's "Fly Quiet" voluntary nighttime noise reduction plan for O'Hare International Airport flights should be given a second chance. The program has only been underway for a month, the article points out, and deserves a longer chance to see if it will work.

According to the editorial, suburban officials embroiled in fights with the city over aircraft noise were skeptical of the program to start with, believing it was an attempt to lay the foundation for adding new runways at the airport. Now, after the Fly Quiet program has been underway for a month, the Chicago Aviation Department has received 1,000 complaints about noise, more than twice the number in May. According to city officials, 60% of the calls were legitimate, but only 20% involved planes flying overhead at night.

The editorial explains that under the Fly Quiet program, jets taking off and landing at O'Hare between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. are asked to fly over forest preserves, expressways, and industrial districts instead of residential areas. The city's aviation department says about 70% of nighttime flights are adhering to the program. Meanwhile, opponents are lobbying for legislation that would ban flights between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.

The editorial argues that banning all late-night flights at O'Hare is premature. The city has not taken action about aircraft noise for more than a decade, the editorial says, and thus the noise-reduction plan now underway deserves more than a 30-day trial. The editorial admits that the program will not solve all the airport's noise problems, but advises opponents to let the program succeed or fail before pushing for a nighttime flight ban.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Aviation Industry Angry Over Move by European Body to Place Further Restrictions on Chapter 2 Aircraft

PUBLICATION: Commuter/Regional Airline News International
DATE: August 4, 1997
SECTION: Vol. 10, No. 6
DATELINE: Europe

Commuter/Regional Airline News International reports that the aviation industry is reacting in anger over moves by the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) to prevent the influx of hushkitted Chapter 2 aircraft into its 36 member countries after April 1, 1999, three years ahead of the date set for all Chapter 2 aircraft to be banned from ECAC countries. The article reports that ECAC officials also have said they intend to recommend that Chapter 2 aircraft not be allowed to join the ECAC fleet after April 1999, even if they are fitted with hushkits to bring them into compliance with Chapter 3 noise level standards. It is believed that ECAC has proposed the earlier date in order to stop Chapter 2 aircraft from flooding their market if, as expected, the aircraft are banned in North America before 2000, the article says.

According to the article, ECAC's draft recommendation will be considered at a meeting of directors-general in December and is expected to be adopted at a plenary session in spring 1998. The draft recommendation will affect airlines operating Fokker F-28s, Boeing 727s and 737-200s, BAC One-Elevens and DC9s. The article says Gunner Emausson, ECAC technical officer, said the draft recommendation will have no legal binding when adopted, but that he expected it to be backed by legislation from the European Commission. A spokesperson for the European Commission (EC) confirmed that a draft recommendation to stop Chapter 2 aircraft from joining the ECAC fleet is likely to be proposed this fall.

The article goes on to say that according to ECAC's Emausson, the draft recommendation has been developed because hushkits barely bring Chapter 2 aircraft within Chapter 3 noise regulations. Emausson said, "The MD-80s, newer 737s and Airbus aircraft all pass the Chapter 3 standard by a margin of 5 decibels, and some approach being 10 decibels quieter. There is a significant difference between these and all hushkitted Chapter 2 aircraft, which either now or in the future will barely comply with Chapter 3." Emausson added, "ECAC has stated noise emissions from aircraft should not increase beyond 2002, even though the number of aircraft movements in the ECAC area is forecast to double by 2015. If airlines are operating hushkitted Chapter 2 aircraft, there will be an increase in noise levels, and that is not acceptable to the directors-general." ECAC also will be searching for ways to keep Chapter 2 aircraft from non-ECAC countries out of its area, Emausson said. As the second-hand value of Chapter 2 aircraft is reduced, Emausson said, airlines will lose money. But, he went on to say, "...the political power of people living around airports also has to be considered. That is underlined by the number of airports that are banning Chapter 2 aircraft. We would like to avoid such local restrictions if possible as they make it very hard for airlines to operate."

The article goes on to outline the ways in which European countries have begun to ban Chapter 2 aircraft. Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport banned Chapter 2 aircraft from using the hub between 6:00 pm and 8:00 am from April 1, the article reports, and currently is working on a further nighttime ban. In addition, Chapter 2 aircraft were banned at Brussels Airport between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am starting June 1. Jersey airport, on the Channel Islands, is instituting a blanket ban on Chapter 2 aircraft in January 1998, the article says.

In response to the restrictions at Jersey, European Air Charter, which uses the airport on on behalf of three tour operators in the UK, plans to fight the ruling. Terry Fox, commercial director of European Air Charter, said, "There are too many people dictating aviation law in Europe. The moratorium is 2002, and airlines have been working to that only to find ECAC trying to change the ballpark." The article points out that the airline has been working with the U.S. company Quiet Nacelle on a $40 million project to develop a hushkit that would bring the BAC One-Eleven to Chapter 3 levels. The airline owns 24 BAC One-Elevens, and plans are to use two of them in noise tests later this year.

The article reports that aviation industry officials are so angry over ECAC's moves that some have suggested the ECAC measure is being driven not by environmentalists, but by Boeing and Airbus, which stand to gain if airlines are forced to buy new equipment instead of modifying older aircraft. According to Chris Holliday of the European Regions Airline Association, it is unfair to change the rules after airlines have made strategic decisions about the future of their business and have invested in hushkits. Holliday said, "By saying hushkitted Chapter 2 aircraft are different to Chapter 3 equipment, ECAC is creating a subdivision within Chapter 3 and obsoleting aircraft that are not obsolete." To come into complaince with Chapter 3 standards, airlines can hushkit their older aircraft or install new, quieter engines. However, new engines can be an expensive option, according to Holger Lapp, head of public affairs at BMW/Rolls-Royce.

The article also reports that Mike Sessions, sales director of British World Airlines, said he wonders whether a Chapter 2 aircraft registered in the ECAC region but not hushkitted to Chapter 3 standard before April 1, 1999 will be viewed by ECAC as an "addition to the fleet." Sessions said, "This measure could have major implications for us if the hushkit to take the BAC One-Eleven to Chapter 3 is approved after the 1999 deadline." He added, "Big investments are taking place on the basis of the original timescale to 2002. If an outside body can come in and change this, where do we stand? We can continue flying Chapter 2 aircraft until 2002 now, but there has already been pressure from the airports to change. I question whether what they [ECAC] are doing is legal."

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Resident Says Albany's Noise Laws are not Adequate or Enforced

PUBLICATION: The Times Union
DATE: August 4, 1997
SECTION: Main, Pg. A6
BYLINE: Paul Tick, resident
DATELINE: Albany, New York
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Paul Tick, resident and chair of the Environment Committee

The Times Union printed the following letter-to-the-editor from Paul Tick, a resident and chair of the Environment Committee, regarding noise regulations in Albany, New York:

Carol Wallace, First Ward Alderwoman, in her letter ("Let's enforce the noise laws we already have," July 24), says that the noise laws in Albany are satisfactory, that what we need in order to reduce noise from boom boxes and car stereos is citizens to report the relevant information to the police and to their elected officials.

As the former president of the Helderberg Neighborhood Association and as the chairperson of the Environment Committee for the past two years, I have exchanged many letters and had many conversations with both the mayor's office and the police department about the increasing noise problem. It seems to me that neither the mayor nor the police department have made an effort to resolve this problem using the current laws. Also, as the recent letter from Central Avenue residents to the Common Council shows, many of us think the current laws themselves are not adequate.

A frequent and unfortunate sight in our city is of the police driving or walking past cars or homes where stereos are blasting, or past pedestrians blasting their boom boxes. Nothing is done. If we call and ask for assistance, we sometimes get it, sometimes not.

I started this letter at 6 a.m., after a car and its stereo rudely stirred me from my sleep. I hope this election year will stir the mayor and the police to finally take action on this important quality-of-life issue.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Chicago and Suburb of Bensenville Argue Over Who Can Talk at Public Meeting About Airport Soundproofing Plan

PUBLICATION: Chicago Sun-Times
DATE: August 3, 1997
SECTION: NWS; Pg. 10
BYLINE: Heather Ryndak
DATELINE: Chicago, Illinois area

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that officials in Bensenville, Illinois invited residents to a meeting Tuesday to learn about how and when soundproofing would be done in a program to dampen jet noise from O'Hare International Airport. The article says that Chicago aviation officials were furious when they weren't allowed to do the talking, but contractors were.

According to the article, Aviation Commissioner Mary Rose Loney wrote in a letter sent Friday to Bensenville Mayor John Geils, "We must be able to have access . . . and communicate openly with homeowners as well as Bensevnille officials to ensure the timely and effective administration of our sound insulation program." City aviation officials also claimed that when Bensenville officials didn't let them talk directly to homeowners, a settlement agreement was violated. City aviation spokesperson Dennis Culloton said, "The city was basically told to shut up and sit down, but contractors are not as familiar with the proceedings. We hope to cease this behavior so we can go on with the soundproofing."

Meanwhile, Bensenville Mayor John Geils responded that input from the city isn't necessary because contractors have the information residents need to know, the article concludes.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Resident Says if Florida Airport Allowed to Grow, Noise and Safety Problems Will Worsen

PUBLICATION: Orlando Sentinel Tribune
DATE: August 3, 1997
SECTION: Seminole Extra; Pg. K9
BYLINE: Robert Betts, Lake Mary resident
DATELINE: Orlando, Florida area
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Robert Betts, Lake Mary resident

The Orlando Sentinel Tribune printed the following letter-to-the-editor from Robert Betts, a Lake Mary, Florida resident, regarding noise problems from the Orlando-Sanford Airport:

In response to the recent editorial in the Seminole Extra, "Real solutions to airport noise, " I find the content both confusing and amusing.

As long as the Orlando-Sanford Airport is allowed to grow, the situation will only get worse. Sanford Mayor Larry Dale's sudden interest in the noise problem was not evident at the work session attended by the mayors and commissioners of Lake Mary and Sanford on Feb. 24.

The major item on the agenda regarded the noise created by the large charter jets flying in foreign tourists. Mayor Dale stated the intent was to encourage airport growth, and Lake Mary Mayor David Mealor said that the solution was complete cooperation between the two cities, the county and the state. Since the meeting, what has been done to resolve the problems associated with airport growth?

Lake Mary Commissioner Gary Brender was the only one at the work session to address the real problem: safety. How safe are those of us living under the west-to-east approach to the airport? Huge planes fly over thousands of residents and at least two schools. Not only does this pose a safety issue for our schools, but a recent study by two environmental psychologists at Cornell University showed that children who attend schools subjected to frequent airport noise do not learn to read as well as children who attend quiet schools because they tune out speech sounds along with airplane noise. Besides noise problems, what will be the effect on property values, salability of homes, pollution, right to privacy and peaceful use of property?

Federal, state and county tax dollars should be put to better use than airport expansion when we have two fine international airports nearby in Orlando and Daytona.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Regional Wisconsin Airport Builds New Runway to Improve Noise Levels Over Neighborhoods

PUBLICATION: Wisconsin State Journal
DATE: August 3, 1997
SECTION: Front, Pg. 1A
BYLINE: Marv Balousek
DATELINE: Madison, Wisconsin

The Wisconsin State Journal reports that this summer, work is beginning on a runway at the Dane County Regional Airport near Madison, Wisconsin. The new runway is being constructed in order to reduce noise levels for nearby residents and to improve safety, according to Airport Director Peter Drahn.

The article reports that the new 7,200-foot runway, at a cost of $25 million, in conjunction with existing runways, will allow up to 80% of commercial flights to take off and land from the north and northeast. That will reduce noise for residents on Madison's East Side, said Drahn. The article goes on to say that the new runway is not needed for more flights. Although the airport's master plan predicts a doubling of passengers and more than 250,000 takeoffs and landings by 2010, Drahn said he projects about a 3% to 5% annual increase in passengers.

The article points out that planes themselves will be getting quieter in the future. Beginning in 2000, new federal aircraft noise standards for planes go into effect. The article also notes that court decisions in large cities have established that noise levels should be less than 70 decibels outside airport boundaries. (By comparison, a loud motorcycle emits about 90 decibels at 25 feet away, while a military jet takeoff can create more than 130 decibels at 50 feet away.) An environmental impact statement prepared for the new runway shows that as a result of quieter planes and less traffic over populated areas, the land area which experiences noise levels averaging 65 decibels is expected to shrink from a region that stretches as far south as Lake Monona to a region that no longer covers the East Side by the year 2000.

The article also explains that residents of Madison's East Side have frequently complained about aircraft noise. A citizens group called the Noise Abatement Committee formed in 1980 to monitor noise complaints and work toward solutions. In response to actions in the 1980s, airport officials agreed to direct takeoffs and landings to the north and to schedule flights between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. whenever possible. Still, Resident Richard Dickinson said noise is still a problem. He said takeoffs of military planes bother him most. "It's just like a real bad thunderstorm when they go over," he said. "The throttle is wide open and it's straight over our heads." In 1994, airport officials offered Dickinson and nearly 300 other homeowners living under the flight path $2,000 for air rights over their homes. About 100 homeowners took the money, but Dickinson didn't. He said he was afraid the airport wouldn't pay if noise or vibrations shattered his windows, and he didn't want the airport to dictate whether he could keep his TV antenna tower. Now, he said, he's optimistic that the new runway will reduce airplane noise, the article reports.

Meanwhile, Airport Director Drahn said that the city hasn't protected the airport from residential development close to the airport, and that some development, such as along Portage Road and west of Packers Avenue, could bring more noise complaints.

The article also notes that although 747s and other large aircraft can land at the airport, there aren't enough passengers for airlines to justify bringing them in, according to Deputy Airport Director Rod McLean. Currently, passengers can fly directly from the airport to six cities: Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, and Detroit. In addition, the article notes, eight airlines serve the airport: United, United Express, American Eagle, Trans World Express, ComAir (Delta), Midwest Express, Skyway (Midwest Express), and Northwest.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


City in New York Continues Campaign to Ban Nightly Truck Traffic on Residential Street

PUBLICATION: Capital District Business Review
DATE: August 4, 1997
SECTION: Vol 24; No 16; pg 9
BYLINE: William Tuthill
DATELINE: Watervliet, New York
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Paul Murphy, Watervliet General Manager; Peter Torncello, attorney

The Capital District Business Review reports that the city of Watervliet, New York is continuing its campaign to ban most nightly truck traffic on 25th Street, a residential street that has provided access to the major routes into and out of the city for nearly a century. Previous ordinances have been implemented twice, but have been challenged successfully in court. Each time, the ordinance has been rewritten by the city to address problems arising from the court challenges. Now, the city council is considering whether to enact another rewritten ordinance, and is seeking public input at a public hearing on August 7.

The article reports that according to Watervliet General Manager Paul Murphy, the goal of the city's long effort to enact an ordinance is to reduce the noise, fumes, and other disturbances caused by trucks on what is a normal-width residential street. Residents on 25th Street have complained for years about the trucks, the article says, which pass through the area en route to the industrial area northwest of the city, in the town of Colonie. In addition, 25th Street provides the quickest access to Routes 32 and 7 and to Interstate 787. Since the early 1980s, several temporary agreements have led to re-routing truck traffic. And in 1994, the city almost banned trucks from the street, but held off after a compromise was reached in which businesses diverted some of their trucks to other streets, with the understanding that a permanent solution would be found when a planned access road was built.

However, the article goes on to explain, money was not found for the access road, and in May 1995, the city passed an ordinance banning trucks at night on the street. But Hauser Trucking Corp. challenged the law, and a state Supreme Court justice ruled that the ordinance could not impose a time restriction on road use without regard to vehicle size. The city re-wrote the ordinance and approved it in December 1996, spelling out the type, weight and length of trucks prohibited from using the street at night. That ban was in effect for about a month when, on January 17, 1997, the ordinance was again challenged by Hauser, joined this time by Callanan Industries, a highway construction firm, and Stone Management, a warehousing company. While the lawsuit was pending, the city stopped enforcing the restrictions, the article says. During the hearing, the plaintiffs successfully argued that by concentrating the truck traffic in the daytime hours, the city was creating a potential strain on the environment. In April, State Supreme Court Justice Mary Donohue ruled that the city must conduct a environmental assessment before implementing the ordinance again.

The upcoming public hearing is part of the so-called state environmental quality review process, according to Peter Torncello, deputy corporation counsel for the city. Torncello added that the city officials believe that there is no environmental impact on restricting truck traffic to daytime hours. After hearing testimony at the public hearing, the city council will move to re-implement the ordinance as it is, or amend it. The ordinance being considered would ban trucks passing through Watervliet, with an origin and destination outside city limits, between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., the article reports.

Top
NPC Noise News
NPC Home


Previous week: July 27, 1997
Next week: August 10, 1997

Indexes

Indexes

Aircraft Noise
Amplified Noise
Effects on Wildlife/Animals
Construction Noise
Firing Ranges
Health Effects
Home Equipment and Appliances
Industrial/Manufacturing
International News
Environmental Justice
Land Use and Noise
Lawsuits
Civil Liberty Issues
Miscellaneous Noise Stories
Noise Ordinances
Noise Organizations Mentioned
Outdoor Events
Noise in Our National Parks/Natural Areas
Regulation
Residential and Community Noise
Snowmobile and ATV Noise
Research and Studies
Technological Solutions to Noise
Transportation Related Noise
Violence and Noise
Watercraft Noise
Workplace Noise

Chronological Index
Geographical Index

NPC Menu Bar NPC Home Page Ask NPC Support NPC Search the NPC Home Page NPC QuietNet NPC Resources NPC Hearing Loss and Occupational Noise Library NPC Noise News NPC Law Library NPC Library