PUBLICATION: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
DATE: June 19, 1997
SECTION: Metro, Pg. W-1
BYLINE: Daniel Pinchot
DATELINE: Moon Township, Pennsylvania
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Tony Kownacki, resident
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that as a result of new, temporary flight patterns due to runway repairs at the Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) International Airport, hundreds of residents in Moon Township have complained about the jet noise. Officials in Moon Township said they have received nearly 200 phone complaints about noise, and nearly 100 residents turned up at last week's Moon supervisors meeting demanding that Allegheny County do something to stop the noise.
According to the article, the airport's runway 14-32 is being resurfaced in a project that will take about eight weeks. As a result, planes have only three runways to use, said aviation department spokesperson Richard Holmes. Bad weather has compounded the problem, the article says, because nearly a week's worth of easterly winds forced jets to take off on Runway 10 Left and travel straight over Sharon Hill and Amherst Acres, two residential neighborhoods. Terry Thornton, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration, said jets don't take off on Runway 10 Left except under rare circumstances. However, residents and supervisors weren't satisfied, the article says. They want the airport to come up with an alternative that doesn't require jets to take off on 10 Left.
The article reports that Supervisor Chairman George Semich said he's received complaints that range from rattling dishes to a shattered window. A Sharon Hill resident, Tony Kownacki, said that planes have traveled over his home for a week, and he is worried about noise, as well as pollution and other risks.
The article goes on to say that according to aviation department spokesperson Holmes, Runway 10 Left hasn't been used for take-offs since June 10 when the winds shifted back to their normal pattern. He told residents the runway won't be used again unless absolutely necessary. Deputy Aviation Director Kelly Fredericks also promised to look into ways to lessen the noise if 10 Left is used again, but he added that changing flight patterns would result in noise in other areas of Moon.
PUBLICATION: The Seattle Times
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: East; Pg. B3; Briefly
DATELINE: Bellevue, Washington
The Seattle Times reports that the City Council in Bellevue, Washington has approved changes to the city's noise ordinance that will allow construction noise between 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. In addition, subcontractors will now be fined up to $250 for making noise during quiet hours. Previously, the article reports, the city charged the general contractor of a project for noise violations.
The article also reports that Bellevue Mayor Ron Smith stepped aside for the vote on the noise ordinance, because he co-owns a construction company that will be affected by the changes.
PUBLICATION: Business Wire
DATE: June 17, 1997
DATELINE: Los Angeles, California
Business Wire reports that the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners Tuesday awarded a $1.17 million contract to Wyle Laboratories of El Segundo, California for services related to the Los Angeles International Airport's soundproofing program. Under the contract, Wyle Labs will provide acoustical and architectural design services for about 600 residences in the Los Angeles communities of Westchester and Playa del Rey.
According to the article, the soundproofing program includes 8,900 eligible residences in the communities that have a recorded Community Noise Equivalent level of 65 decibels or higher. Soundproofing measures undertaken in the program will reduce interior noise by one-half through the installation of double-paned windows, solid core doors, and insulation. The article reports that under the contract, Wyle Labs will also provide noise measurements before and after the soundproofing measures have been installed, to rate the reduction of noise in the residences. Wyle also will assist with construction bid packages and provide dwelling inspection training to city inspectors, the article says.
The article goes on to say that Los Angeles Sixth District Councillor Ruth Galanter, whose district includes the airport, said the soundproofing program was important for the community, and she was glad it was proceeding quickly. John Driscoll, Executive Director of Los Angeles World Airports, said the board is committed to an accelerated schedule for soundproofing to encourage high levels of homeowner participation.
The Los Angeles World Airports Residential Soundproofing Bureau administers the soundproofing program. For more information, contact Nancy Niles at Los Angeles World Airports, 310-646-5260.
PUBLICATION: St. Petersburg Times
DATE: June 18, 1997
SECTION: Pasco Times; Pg. 1
BYLINE: Jo Becker
DATELINE: Dade City, Florida
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: David "Hap" Clark, Pasco County Commission Chair; Lee Cannon, County Sherrif; Jean Alston, Gus Piscenza, Marie Wyche, residents
The St. Petersburg Times reports that the Pasco County (Florida) Commission and sheriff's office have been trying to create and pass a noise ordinance to respond to frequent noise complaints, but have been delayed by legal worries about whether the ordinance would hold up in court.
The article reports that county commissioners and the sheriff's office have been trying on and off for two years to enact tougher noise laws to help address the more than 10 noise complaints a day the sheriff's office usually receives. For awhile, the effort faltered, the article says, but recently, under the leadership of County Commission Chair David "Hap" Clark and Sheriff Lee Cannon, work began on a new ordinance.
Still, the article reports, there are problems. The kind of ordinance Pasco County would like to pass gets mixed reactions from the courts. And at Tuesday's Commission meeting, last-minute questions kept coming up. Harold Sample, executive assistant to Cannon, said the sheriff's office wants to make sure "when we do it, we do it right." County Attorney Karla Stetter described the ordinance as "ticklish."
According to the article, the county's current noise ordinance doesn't regulate music played in the daytime hours, leaving sheriff's deputies unable to respond to daytime complaints. The current noise ordinance does prohibit music over a certain decibel level at night, but because the county has only three decibel meters, deputies aren't always equipped to levy charges against violators. Part of the proposed fix to the ordinance is to extend it to cover daytime noise, making it illegal to cause noise louder than 55 decibels, punishable by up to $500 or 60 days in jail. The Sheriff's Office also wants the flexibility to charge a violator even if the deputy who responds doesn't have a decibel reader. In addition, the article says, some types of bass noises don't register on decibel readers. However, a similar provision in an ordinance in Lee County was successfully challenged in court as too vague. County Attorney Stetter said she worries that if the ordinance has both a decibel provision and a disturbing-the-peace provision, the county might wind up in court. She said, for example, a deputy might write a ticket under the disturbing-the-peace provision, and then be challenged by the violator that the decibel level was actually under 55 decibels. Stetter said she would bring a revised proposal before the County Commission on July 8.
Meanwhile, residents are eager for the county to get on with it, the article reports. Some residents who attended Tuesday's meeting brought petitions in favor of a noise ordinance. Resident Jean Alston listens to loud, pounding rock music from her neighbor's souped-up stereo system day and night. She said she finally bought her own decibel reader and began keeping a log after frustration at inaction by county officials. Alston told commissioners Tuesday, "You can't hear your own television for the boom, boom, boom shaking the whole house." Resident Gus Piscenza, who lives across the canal from Sam's Beach Club in Hudson, described himself as a "Perry Como kind of guy," and said he can't take the rock music much longer.
Residents from New Port Richey who attended the meeting, had hoped the proposed noise ordinance could be used to stop people from discharging guns in the open areas near Star Trail, the article reports. Resident Marie Wyche told commissioners she was living in a war zone. But officials said the noise ordinance was not the best way to handle gunfire noise problems, because gunfire is almost impossible to measure. Sample, of Sheriff Cannon's office, said he would meet with residents to discuss the problem, the article says.
PUBLICATION: Japan Economic Newswire
DATE: June 17, 1997
DATELINE: Tokyo, Japan
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Terumichi Morioka, attorney for the plaintiffs
The Japan Economic Newswire reports that a group of Japanese lawyers representing residents near the U.S. Yokota Air Base in Tokyo's western suburbs will visit the United States on Saturday for a nine-day tour to ask U.S. officials to respond to their lawsuit against noise from the air base. A group of Japanese residents named the U.S. government in a lawsuit last year, but Japan's court dismissed the suit in March of this year, saying Japanese jurisdiction doesn't cover the U.S. The plaintiffs have appealed the ruling to the Tokyo High Court, which has continued with the case. U.S. officials told the court last fall that the government would not respond to a lawsuit, because it is not subject to Japanese law.
The article says that a group of about 3,100 residents surrounding the base filed a lawsuit in April of last year with the Tokyo District Court's Hachioji Branch. The residents demanded a halt to noisy night and morning flights at Yokota and payment of compensation. In February of this year, another 2,800 residents filed a second suit. The April lawsuit was the first case to name the U.S. government as a defendant in noise pollution suits.
The article reports that a 19-member team of lawyers from Japan will arrive in Washington on Sunday and meet with U.S. peace activists later in the day. On June 22, the lawyers are scheduled to lobby the White House, the State Department, and the Justice Department. Lawyer Terumichi Morioka said, "We will tell the U.S. side that our first suit was dismissed and ask them to file an answer to our second suit." The article says that the plaintiffs in the suit sent a first lobbying team to the U.S. in September.
The article also says that the U.S. Yokota Air Base is the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force in Japan and the U.S. 5th Air Force covering the northwest Pacific. The base is located in Fussa and its vicinity, some 40 km west of the center of Tokyo. In 1983, landing and takeoff drills by U.S. aircraft carriers began, the article reports.
PUBLICATION: Sarasota Herald-Tribune
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: A Section, Pg. 1A
BYLINE: Leslie Freeman, Sarasota resident
DATELINE: Sarasota, Florida
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune printed the following letter-to-the-editor from Leslie Freeman, a Sarasota, Florida resident, regarding the city's new noise ordinance. Freeman says the ordinance is unworkable because the decibel limits are too low, and calls on citizens to oppose the 10 p.m. weekday curfew on outdoor music. The letter follows:
A big, warm thank you to the staff of SNN News, who on June 7 showed the new noise ordinance for what it is: completely unworkable. While measuring lunchtime patron noise at several downtown outdoor cafes, sans music, SNN got decibel readings in the upper 60db to lower 70db range. Must we whisper at our lunch tables now? Is our downtown area for people or empty vacant buildings, the way it was before new artists and restaurateurs, including the Venafro family, breathed new life into a virtual Main Street cemetery?
Most people want to believe that their city is an exciting, vital, growing place for entertainment and enjoyment, and that their city commissioners will make decisions that reflect the desires of the populace. Let's put this one to a vote along with the bridge! Is anyone listening? Or are my decibels too loud? And while we're at it, take note of the time frames in the new ordinance as well: a 10 p.m. outdoor-music curfew on weekdays, and midnight on weekends. The midnight curfew may be workable, but 10 p.m. is not! Most of the folks who run the plays and operas, and those who service our fine restaurants, don't even get out of work until 9 or 10 p.m.! And now our fine commissioners have determined that our service workers' patronage, dollars, and enjoyment aren't a priority. Whose dollars do they think contribute to the ability of the restaurants, theaters and clubs to exist downtown?
Come on, people, make your voices heard, (under 70db, of course), to change the 10 p.m. rule, and make a fair decision on decibel levels. Downtown is not St. Armands, and is not residential. Sarasota has a wealth of musicians, restaurants and club owners who have shown, meeting after City Commission meeting, that they are dedicated and willing to go the extra mile for a fair and workable noise ordinance. All this so that Sarasotans can enjoy the beat that makes the toe tap and the heart sing.
PUBLICATION: Telegram and Gazette
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: Local News; Pg. B2
BYLINE: Bill Fortier
DATELINE: Southbridge, Massachusetts
The Telegram & Gazette reports that the Southbridge, Massachusetts Town Council General Government subcommittee held a meeting last night to consider a proposed noise bylaw. The subcommittee and several residents who attended the meeting were concerned about excess noise at all times of day, but especially late at night and early in the morning.
The article reports that Town Councillor Dale Johonnett said he believes noise is becoming a big problem, and the town should do something about it. The proposed noise bylaw provides for a $25 fine for the first offense, and a $100 fine for the third and subsequent offenses. Town Manager Florence Chandler said the bylaw was modeled after similar bylaws in several communities, including Lowell and Lawrence.
No action will be taken on the issue, however, until the newly reconstituted Town Council takes over July 1, the article reports. New subcommittees will be formed shortly thereafter.
PUBLICATION: The Kansas City Star
DATE: June 16, 1997
SECTION: Johnson County/Metro; Pg. B1
BYLINE: Matt Ebnet
DATELINE: Kansas City, Kansas area
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: William and Joan Schneck, Carolyn and Harry Harrison, Floyd Crowell, residents
The Kansas City Star reports that one year after the Kansas Department of Transportation built the state's first noise barriers on Interstate 435 near Kansas City, many residents living near the Interstate say that noise levels are much improved. Other residents, however, believe the walls are ugly and not that effective.
The article reports that the noise barriers were finished in late 1995, but it wasn't till the summer of 1996 when construction to add lanes on I-435 was completed and the walls were truly tested. The noise barriers were erected along 1.2 miles between roughly State Line Road and Mission Road, with an additional stretch east of Metcalf Avenue, at a cost of about $1 million. The state undertook the project to meet federal regulations requiring noise barriers.
According to the article, William and Joan Schneck, residents of Cherokee Lane, believe the noise barriers helped preserve the value of their home, and are happy with the results of the walls. Joan said that before the walls went up, it was impossible to talk without yelling in the area behind the noise barrier in her yard. The article goes on to say that the barriers seem to have brought a new way of life to the area, with residents now having cookouts, doing gardening, and gathering in their yards to talk.
But, the article says, some residents aren't completely happy with the barriers, which consist of mud-brown walls flanked by a sloping berm of dirt, and surrounded by weeds, daisies, and a few skimpy trees. Some residents say the walls haven't done enough to reduce the noise, and won't be able to handle increasing noise. Transportation Department officials say that the former decibel level of 69 was lowered to 61 after construction of the walls. But some residents counter that the wall, which has seams they believe let in noise, can't stop the sound of the 121,000 cars per day that use the Interstate now, much less the 156,000 cars per day that are projected to use the highway by 2016.
The article reports that the residents living closest to the barrier are those who are most dissatisfied. For instance, Floyd Crowell, a Pawnee Lane resident who lives near the sound barrier, said the noise is scarcely better than it was before. He admitted it is easier to have a conversation on his porch, but added, "It probably didn't help my home value. And, wow, I have this great big ugly wall. It's surrounded by a bunch of weeds." Resident Harry Harrison said he believes the barrier was a waste of money and resources. He said he got used to the highway traffic noise, and he misses seeing the traffic. But his wife, Carolyn said, "Don't pay any attention to that. It's better than it was before. My husband well, the reason that he's saying what he's saying is because he's a little deaf."
PUBLICATION: The Seattle Times
DATE: June 16, 1997
SECTION: Editorial; Pg. B5; Letters to the Editor
BYLINE: June Schumacher, Seattle resident
DATELINE: Seattle, Washington
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: June Schumacher, Seattle resident
The Seattle Times printed the following letter-to-the-editor from June Schumacher, a Seattle resident, about overflight noise from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport:
The overflight noise problem at the Highline Schools has been bad ever since the second runway opened for business, got a lot worse when air fares were deregulated, and took another "bump" upwards a couple of years ago when there was another surge in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's free-for-all flight operations.
Now the Port and the FAA are projecting huge new increases (final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement) even without a third runway. How much worse does it have to get before the Port of Seattle and the Federal Aviation Administration get serious about remedying the problem?
PUBLICATION: The Ottawa Citizen
DATE: June 16, 1997
SECTION: City; Letters; Pg. D5
BYLINE: John Taylor, resident
DATELINE: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: John Taylor, Ottawa resident
The Ottawa Citizen printed the following letter-to-the-editor from John Taylor, an Ottawa resident, about the noise from loud music at the city's Italian Week festival:
It is unfortunate that the organizers of the Italian Week festival have so little consideration for the welfare of their fellow citizens that they blast their music. It can clearly be heard in bedrooms as far away from its source on Booth Street as Churchill Avenue in the west. (No doubt the noise travels equally far in the other three directions.) They can hardly be unaware that there have been numerous complaints to city councillors in the past. These seem to have fallen on deaf ears. I wish the noise would do so too.
Those who choose to go to the festival can hear it without amplification to that degree. There is no reason to force it down the ears of those of us who have chosen to remain in our own homes.
There is a noise bylaw in Ottawa that prohibits this excessive noise after 11 p.m. However, city council has seen fit to grant an exemption in this case. Apparently some are more equal than others.
If you would like to balance the scales somewhat, you might call your councillor. Their telephone numbers are listed in the blue pages of the telephone book under City of Ottawa. Municipal elections will be held again in November.
PUBLICATION: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
DATE: June 19, 1997
SECTION: Neighbors Pg. 3
BYLINE: J.R.S. Owczarski
DATELINE: Brown Deer, Wisconsin
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Jerry Freidenfeld, resident
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Village Board members in Brown Deer, Wisconsin told a resident Monday they don't believe they have the power to restrict lawn mower noise. The resident, Jerry Freidenfeld, had asked the board to help him turn down the noise on the volume of the lawn mowers used by some of his neighbors.
According to the article, Freidenfeld said after the noise from the lawn mowers ruined several of his Sunday afternoons, he started to wonder whether they had to make so much noise. He called the Briggs and Stratton Corp. and discovered that an Ohio firm makes mufflers for small engines that cost $15 to $30 each. "If people can spend $2,000 for a tractor, I think they can afford $30 for a muffler," Freidenfeld said. The noise "cannot be tolerated," he added. "It's obscene."
In response to Freidenfeld's complaint, the village referred the matter to its Traffic and Public Safety Committee, the article reports. That committee said the board had no way to police mower noise levels. Trustee Robert Moranski said "to go out and tell someone they've got to get a muffler on their lawn mower, I don't think the village wants to get involved in that." Trustee Mary Kust said she was sure Freidenfeld is not the only resident dealing with loud lawn mower noise, and she recommended that the village place a call for courtesy in its next newsletter, urging residents to be considerate when deciding when to mow.
PUBLICATION: Business Wire
DATE: June 17, 1997
DATELINE: Ontario, California
Business Wire reports that the Los Angeles World Airports will award $1.5 million to the City of Ontario, California for implementing a sound insulation project.
According to the article, the Ontario International Airport will implement a Part 150 Sound Insulation Project with the money, providing sound insulation for homes in Ontario that are impacted by aircraft noise. The funds from Los Angeles World Airports will match grant monies from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Lloyd Klefstad, airport manager at Ontario International Airport, said the funds represent a commitment from Los Angeles World Airports. He added that the airport is growing and will continue to grow.
The article goes on to say that the $1.5 million is part of a $6 million award to the City of Ontario to mitigate residences impacted by noise. The city earlier received $1.7 million in April to soundproof homes and acquire property in affected areas.
The article also says that Los Angeles World Airports owns and operates the Ontario International Airport, as well as Los Angeles International Airport, and Van Nuys and Palmdale airports. For more information, contact Dennis Watson at the City of Los Angeles, Dept. of Airports, 909-988-2720.
PUBLICATION: Providence Journal-Bulletin
DATE: June 20, 1997
SECTION: Editorial, Pg. 7B
BYLINE: Froma Harrop
DATELINE: Providence, Rhode Island
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Kevin Boyd, author in the publication Science Notes; Right to Quiet Society
The Providence Journal-Bulletin reports in an editorial that an average day is a day of "audio assault," whether you live in the city or the country. The editorial writer discusses some of the noises that constitute "outrageous invasions," and cause stress, fright, heart disease, and violence.
According to the editorial, noise from gardeners can be extremely frightening to pets and other animals. While the noise from leaf-blowers makes household pets and birds afraid, it may cause even more damage to fish. Kevin Boyd, writing in the publication Science Notes, said, "What if a gardener wielding a leaf-blower posted himself outside your bedroom window and ran his machine for several hours every day. For marine life, noise from supertanker engines, seismic oil exploration, sonar, and other machines may be even more disturbing than the leaf blower would be to you."
The editorial says that it used to be that people could escape noise by going to the country. Now, the writer believes, rural areas may have surpassed the cities in noise annoyance. The chain saws, lawnmowers, power hedge clippers, power log splitters, and tractors used in the country all make stunning amounts of noise, the writer says. Both urbanites and rural dwellers suffer from boom boxes blaring from vehicles. Another irritant is noise at seaside resorts from jet skis. The editorial reports that San Juan County in Washington State tried to ban jet skis, but the law was successfully appealed by a maker of personal watercraft, Bombardier. Barking dogs are another noise problem that plague people no matter where they live, the editorial says. Construction workers and house renovators who decide to work early Sunday morning also are extremely annoying, the writer says. Such people deprive an entire five square blocks of the right to enjoy a peaceful Sunday in their gardens, the editorial says. The writer also raises the issue of talking car alarms. She gives an example of this noise polluter: "You are walking through a parking lot and invading the "personal space" of an automobile when the barbaric device screams: 'YOU ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE VEHICLE; PLEASE MOVE AWAY!'" The writer says the talking car alarm is a humanoid voice yelling at 127 decibels. By comparison, a typical jet plane takeoff is 100 decibels.
The editorial writer wonders what a reasonable person is to do. She says these noises that are "outrageous invasions" are the equivalent of having a stack of tires burnt in your yard. The writer says that an anti-noise group in Canada, the Right to Quiet Society, has pointed out even environmental organizations sometimes add to the problem. At a Earth Week rally in Victoria, British Columbia, a speaker at a microphone spoke to the audience at a volume of 105 decibels, loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage after a few minutes. The activist group noted wryly, the speaker "was accompanied by someone signing for the deaf!"
PUBLICATION: The Orlando Sentinel
DATE: June 15, 1997
SECTION: Seminole Extra; Pg. K10
BYLINE: Doug McGrigor, Maitland resident
DATELINE: Orlando, Florida area
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Doug McGrigor, Maitland resident
The Orlando Sentinel printed the following letter-to-the-editor from Doug McGrigor, a Maitland, Florida resident, regarding noise levels from aircraft at the Orlando Sanford Airport:
I was shocked at the lack of objectivity in the June 1 story "Aircraft noise complaints soar." The piece read as though it were produced by the public relations folks at the Sanford Airport Authority. When airport officials measured decibel levels at Chase Groves, was the testing conducted by an engineering test firm or the airport authority? (It wasn't mentioned in your article). To imply that a hedge trimmer and a million-plus-pound aircraft produce the same amount of noise is absolutely ludicrous. What else wasn't mentioned? The shock waves and resulting concussion from the aircraft engines also produce a sound that can be felt as well as heard.
This is an invitation to Jack Dow, Wes Pennington and Elaine Backhaus to visit our house west of Chase Groves at 3 a.m. to observe, hear and feel the effects of a million-pound hedge trimmer as it flies 800 feet over our house.
PUBLICATION: Chicago Tribune
DATE: June 18, 1997
SECTION: Metro Du Page; Pg. 1; Zone: D
BYLINE: Jon Hilkevitch
DATELINE: Chicago, Illinois
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Arlene Mulder, Arlington Heights Mayor and chair of the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission; John Geils, Bensenville Mayor and chair of the Suburban O'Hare Commission
The Chicago Tribune reports that Chicago Mayor Richard Daley announced Tuesday a cooperative venture to quiet nighttime jet noise around O'Hare International and Midway Airports. The mayor was joined by Arlington Heights Mayor Arlene Mulder, who is also chair of the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission. But other suburbanites interpreted Daley's move as a precursor to airport expansion, and said the initiative is an old, unworkable plan with a new name.
According to the article, the "fly quiet" program will not fine violators or impose mandatory flight plans on air-traffic controllers or pilots, but will use $4 million in new noise-monitoring equipment to identify aircraft that stray from assigned routes or fly too low over the most populated areas. Most of the major airlines have pledged to support the plan, though they insist pilots will continue to put weather and safety-related concerns ahead of noise considerations. The effort is aimed at reducing aircraft noise between 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., the article reports. Mary Rose Loney, Chicago's commissioner of aviation, said a manual on noise abatement will be distributed to all commercial pilots serving Chicago, and pilots would be encouraged to use the total runway on takeoffs, in order to avert low flights over residential areas when the planes are in full-thrust mode. Mark Kapeghian, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association branch at O'Hare, said that he believes the educational effort is needed to help formalize guidelines. Kapeghian said, "The tendency of Joe Controller is to give the pilot the closest runway and to get him out of town. This program will help to remind us that there are neighborhoods outside the airport."
However, critics say the only comprehensive answer to airport noise pollution is a cap on flights and a runway-construction ban at O'Hare, the article reports. Most of the critics are members of the Suburban O'Hare Commission (SOC), which has 11 member towns. They say the city's plans have already been recommended to pilots, and have largely been ignored, for years. Arlington Heights Mayor Arlene Mulder was once one of the critics, but this year she accepted an offer to chair Mayor Daley's new O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission, the group which instigated the "fly quiet" program. Mulder said, "In the past, we were never able to get all the entities -- the city, airlines, suburbs -- to buy into a program. The suburbs have tried for 15 years, independently or through SOC, and what has it achieved? This is a new approach. We're trying to work cooperatively. How can you turn your back on that?"
Meanwhile, Bensenville Mayor and chair of the SOC, John Geils, said that since the early 1980s Chicago has rejected "hundreds of remediation proposals" for noise problems proposed by the suburbs. He insisted the city doesn't want to talk seriously about mitigating noise.
PUBLICATION: Extel Examiner
DATE: June 16, 1997
SECTION: Company News; Other
DATELINE: London, England
The Extel Examiner reports that officials of BAA PLC, operator of London's Heathrow Airport, said they will introduce a legally binding noise cap on noise levels around the airport and will not allow the number of night flights to increase if the airport's proposed Terminal 5 is approved. The article says that BAA said in a statement that if Terminal 5 is approved, their pledge "would limit noise levels at the airport to an area no greater than that within the most recent air noise contours published by the government," and that if "the noise level around Heathrow will not get any worse."
PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times
DATE: June 19, 1997
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 6; Zones Desk
BYLINE: Jill Leovy
DATELINE: Burbank, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Dennis Barlow, Burbank City Attorney
The Los Angeles Times reports that Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Emilie Elias Wednesday dismissed a request by the City of Burbank (California) for an injunction blocking Burbank Airport's proposed new terminal.
According to the article, the city thinks the terminal will be too noisy, but the judge said there wasn't enough evidence to act on that assumption. The city plans to appeal the decision. The airport was not surprised by the court's decision.
The article goes on to say that the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority has proposed that the new terminal be expanded to 19 gates from 14, with the option of adding 8 at a later time. The city wants the expansion to stop at 16 gates.
The article concludes by noting that Burbank had tried to say that an existing noise limit in effect at the airport did not apply, and should be replaced by a lower noise limit.
PUBLICATION: The Daily News of Los Angeles
DATE: June 20, 1997
SECTION: News, Pg. N1
BYLINE: Tony Knight
DATELINE: Van Nuys, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Gerald Silver, spokesperson, Stop the Noise, a coalition of 26 homeowner groups
The Daily News of Los Angeles reports that UNC Corp.'s Jet Center is considering setting up a "completion center" to customize the interiors of new Boeing 737 business jets at the Van Nuys (California) Airport. Supporters of the idea say the new business would be a boon for the airport, but residents who are already upset about noise from existing jets are outraged. The issue comes at a time when a Federal Aviation Administration study of noise at Van Nuys and a city master development plan for the airport are bogged down in political fights between the interests in and around the airport, the article says.
The article reports that the new business jets, which can cost more than $30 million, are becoming popular with the rich and famous. Sales of the jets have far outstripped expectations -- by 1999, production is expected to be 24 jets per year, more than four times what was projected when Boeing started the product line last year. The planes are delivered to the buyer as empty but flyable shells, and the buyer then can have the cabin and cockpit interiors customized at a "completion center."
According to the article, Jet Center President Robert Mays asked in a Jan. 31 letter to Airport General Manager Ron Kochevar about the possibility of using the cavernous World War II-vintage hangar formerly occupied by Hughes Aircraft Co. as their "completion center," if the airports department would bring the earthquake-damaged building up to code. The Jet Center is a longtime airport tenant that already services and customizes big business jets. The company has 200 employees and $26 million in gross sales, and already maintains and customizes Gulfstream jets and an occasional MD-87 or Boeing 737, Mays' letter said. If the company expanded into the old Hughes hangar, Mays said in the letter, "we would be able to employ 50 to 100 more people and generate another $10 million to $15 million in gross sales." The Airport Commission voted unanimously earlier this week to approve plans to repair the hangar, the article reports.
Most airport officials reacted favorably to the concept, the article says. Airport General Manager Ron Kochevar said, "To me it's a win-win. The way I look at it, these are high-paying jobs, they're quiet aircraft and there's very little impact." The new line of Boeings, according to airport officials, are among the quietest of the business jets. George Jerome, a member of the Van Nuys Airport Citizens Advisory Committee appointed by Los Angeles Councillor Laura Chick, said he thinks the plan could be an economic boon to the airport. "It would mean a lot of high-paying jobs," Jerome said. "It would be a tremendous boost to the local economy. There are no restrictions that I know of that would prohibit this activity." But one official wasn't as enthusiastic about the plan. Gerald Lee, deputy executive director of the Department of Airports, said, "We have some concerns about the size of the aircraft that would be coming down. We walk a tightrope out there between more noise and businesses that want to locate at the airport."
Meanwhile, homeowners are enraged at the idea of adding 737 jetliners to the airport. Gerald Silver, spokesperson for Stop the Noise, a coalition of 26 homeowner groups, said, "This is an airport that is already under fire from residents for noise problems. It's totally unacceptable the way it is without bringing any more jets in. This will be bitterly resisted by residents." Silver went on to say "Finishing Boeing 737s on a production line was never ever contemplated for Van Nuys Airport. The master plan never envisioned this kind of operation. We had heard rumors, but if this is in fact true, it will be resisted by the residents, and it will have political consequences." Silver also objected to the Airport Commission's vote earlier this week to repair the old Hughes hangar, saying they were trying to sneak more big jets onto the airport "through the back door."
The article goes on to say that in a controversial and somewhat mysterious move in February, the Department of Airports evicted Syncro Aircraft Interiors from a hangar that was the airport's second largest after the old Hughes hangar. No explanation was offered for the eviction, which has been delayed pending a hearing before the Airport Commission. Syncro owner Barbara Cesar said, "I think they want our hangar." Meanwhile, David Duffer, infrastructure chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said more than $1 million in federal earthquake recovery funds is expected to be authorized this week for the repairs of both hangars, the article reports.
The article also offers more details about the noise levels of the new line of Boeing business jet. The plane is actually a Boeing 737-700 body equipped with wings and more powerful General Electric engines from the 737-800, the article says. The engines generate noise levels during takeoffs and landings of 85-95 decibels, according to General Electric literature. By comparison, the Lear 25, one of the noisiest jets flown from Van Nuys Airport, has a target noise level of 103.6 decibels on takeoff as part of the airport's Fly Friendly noise abatement program, the article reports. The article says that Jet Center's parent company, UNC Corp., is being merged with Miami-based Greenwich Air Services, and the new entity is being acquired by General Electric Engine Services of Evendale, Ohio. General Electric Co. is a partner with Boeing in the 737 business jet venture, the article says.
PUBLICATION: The Idaho Statesman
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: Local ; Pg. 1b
BYLINE: Charles Etlinger
DATELINE: Boise, Idaho
The Idaho Statesman reports that the Boise (Idaho) Planning and Zoning Commission discussed at its meeting Monday whether there was enough evidence to justify revoking the conditional-use permit of a Home Depot store at 1200 N. Milwaukee St., after residents complained about noise from the store. Boise Planning Director Wayne Gibbs said the store is making progress in reducing its noise levels, the article says. No decision was made on the permit, and according to Rinda Just, acting chair of the commission, no revocation would occur until the city attorney's office had studied the issue.
The article reports that the Home Depot store said it is making the following changes to address noise concerns from residents: purchasing and using quieter forklifts; relocating two saws; installing sound-proofing around the saws; and turning off of the garden center address system at 8 p.m. In addition, planning director Gibbs said the store is no longer using its rear area, which was a major source of complaints. City officials have said the store violated its permit in the past by such practices as operating forklifts late at night, the article says.
PUBLICATION: The Mirror
DATE: June 21, 1997
SECTION: News; Pg. 4
DATELINE: Great Britain
The Mirror reports that British Circuit Court Judge Patrick Moran yesterday halted a 3-million-pound building project because construction was interfering with court proceedings. The article says the construction company, Sisk and Co., are refurbishing the 150-year-old Courthouse in Washington Street. The judge warned the builders they would have to pay legal costs if the case had to be dismissed because the jury could not hear, the article says.
PUBLICATION: The Palm Beach Post
DATE: June 20, 1997
SECTION: Local, Pg. 1B
BYLINE: Frank Cerabino
DATELINE: Boca Raton, Florida
The Palm Beach Post reports in an editorial that noise from ice cream trucks is against the law in Boca Raton, Florida. The editorial writer goes on to lament that ice cream trucks have had their friendly bells and music taken away, and to say that silent ice cream trucks are ridiculous.
The editorial writer says he heard a jingle from an ice cream truck recently in his neighborhood, but later found out a neighbor called the police, and the driver of the Broadway Joe's Ice Cream truck was cited for violating a city noise ordinance. The city ordinance reads, "No peddler, nor any person in his behalf, shall shout, make any outcry, blow a horn, ring a bell or use any sound device, including any loudspeaking radio or sound-amplifying system ... for the purpose of attracting attention to any goods, wares or merchandise." The editorial writer says for all practical purposes, this bans ice cream trucks. Joe Orandello, owner of Broadway Joe's Ice Cream, said, "That's Florida for you. They're courteous enough to take your money for a peddler's license, but then they don't want you to attract attention to yourself." Orandello added, "You have to use music or bells to attract people. Otherwise, you'd have to knock on doors like a solicitor."
The editorial says that Boca Raton is not the only place that requires silent ice cream trucks. The writer says Palm Beach County has a similar ordinance, that says street peddlers can't make sounds that are "audible across the land line of any inhabited residential land." Palm Beach Gardens also has an ordinance against noise from ice cream trucks, the editorial says, although it appears to have a loophole for bells.
Orandello said he knows many places have laws against noise from ice cream trucks, but they are rarely enforced, the editorial says. "I've been doing this for 29 years," he said. "I'm used to it. You know which neighborhoods to not run in, and we stay away from there."
PUBLICATION: Las Vegas Review-Journal
DATE: June 16, 1997
SECTION: D; Pg. 1D
BYLINE: Adam Steinhauer
DATELINE: Las Vegas, Nevada
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that a Las Vegas, Nevada air tour executive has said that Arizona business interests and relatives of the U.S. Interior Secretary stand to benefit most from limiting air tour flights over the Grand Canyon. According to the article, Cliff Evarts, chief executive officer of Eagle Canyon Airlines, said at a lunchtime Rotary Club meeting last week that "The issue of Grand Canyon overflights and aircraft noise is not really about noise, nor is it about protecting the environment. Instead, it is about using environmental issues to accomplish various political and economic goals of our neighboring states and about the friends and family of the secretary of the interior wanting to take tourist dollars out of Las Vegas and Southern Nevada."
The article reports that the U.S. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt has brothers who are part of a partnership proposing to develop Canyon Forest Village at the south entrance to the Grand Canyon, a development with 5,000 hotel rooms, 425,000 square feet of retail space, 250 recreational vehicle camping spaces, and 260 condominiums. The article says that Babbitt worked as an attorney for Canyon Forrest Village Inc. before assuming his Cabinet post. National Park Service officials have said that the proposed development could help pay for a mass transit system to reduce traffic through Grand Canyon National Park, and the developers already have offered their complex as the hub for a mass transit system. However, the project has divided the communities of northern Arizona, which depend heavily on tourism. Many fear that the development would draw larger crowds to the canyon, and would draw tourists away from hotels in Tusayan, Flagstaff, and other Arizona cities. According to Evarts, Las Vegas is also at risk if air tour flights are restricted because most Grand Canyon air tours originate there.
The article goes on to say that according to a recent University of Nevada, Las Vegas study, the air tour industry contributes about $500 million a year to the Las Vegas economy. In addition, the article says, air tour officials claim air tour flights are the easiest way for foreign visitors to Las Vegas to see the Grand Canyon, with about 1.6 million international visitors in Las Vegas visiting the Grand Canyon in 1996.
The article also says that new air flight restrictions over the Grand Canyon took effect in May. The new rules limit the number of tour flights to 1996 levels and establish morning and evening curfews. An additional proposal, to double the size of the "no-fly" zone over the canyon, has been delayed by the Federal Aviation Administration. Another proposed restriction under consideration would outlaw 113 types of aircraft that deemed too loud from Grand Canyon airspace. According to a 1995 Park Service study, only 31% of the national park was "naturally quiet," defined in federal guidelines as the naturally occurring level of noise, without any mechanically produced sound. Federal law mandates that 50% or more of the park should be naturally quiet for 75 percent of the day, the article reports.
But in Evarts' speech, he said that other government surveys show only 26 complaints in 1996 about aircraft noise among 5 million Grand Canyon visitors, and that 94% of people thought the level of aircraft noise in the canyon was acceptable, the article says. Evarts also said there is a broad movement in Arizona and other Southwestern states to build their tourism economies through developing better access to the Grand Canyon and other natural wonders on the Colorado Plateau.
PUBLICATION: Deutsche Presse-Agentur
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: Entertainment, Television and Culture
BYLINE: Marion Trimborn
DATELINE: Cologne, Germany
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Axel Rudolph, acoustic designer
The Deutsche Presse-Agentur reports that Axel Rudolph, an acoustic designer in Cologne, Germany, designs sound systems that change irksome noise into sounds that people prefer to hear. According to Rudolph, noise profoundly influences people's feelings, but the field of acoustic design is in its early stages. The article goes on to outline some of Rudoph's projects and other applications for acoustic design.
The article reports that one of Rudoph's recent projects was at the Pflaums Posthotel, a plush hotel in Nuremberg. Diners on the terrace of the hotel used to be upset by the constant noise of traffic along the nearby road. Rudolph solved the problem by installing an 18-speaker sound system that absorbs the noise of traffic by mixing it with alienated car noise, water splashing, gentle birdsongs, and a symphony. Rudolph said, "Acoustically there is very little difference between the sound of a car engine and the splashing of water in a fountain. So an engine can easily be converted into a fountain -- acoustically, that is. And Wagner's music with all its wind and percussion instruments makes a good match."
The article goes on to say that Rudolph does his work by taking a microphone to the site of a project to record the existing, bothersome background noise. He then works on a computer to change the recorded noise into a more pleasant sound by changing the pitch and volume of the recorded noise and mixing in new sounds from CDs. Rudolph said, "My job is to convert irksome noise into a pleasant sound." In addition, he is sometimes called on to create appropriate sounds, as in projects the House of History in Bonn or the Archaeological Park in Xanten. For example, the article says, at the Bonn museum, he was commissioned to acoustically recreate the post-war era, which he did by recording the sound of shuffling footsteps, the creaking of a wooden wheelbarrow, and tired and worried voices asking: "Do you have any penicillin?" Another recent project included an elevator in an American architects' office that is intended to prevent claustrophobia. Rudolph said, "I changed the sound of the elevator into a quiet hum that grows louder as the elevator moves and heralds its arrival acoustically too. It is a sound that creates confidence and implies a commitment that you'll soon be there."
According to the article, in his 1993 PhD thesis, Rudolph observed 40,000 customers in a large Dortmund department store and found that everyday noise can influence people's feeling of harmony and, with it, their behaviour. He said, "Customers moved more slowly and stopped for longer when I filled the room like a cathedral with the sound of reverberating footsteps, murmuring, and snatches of conversation."
The article goes on to say that industry has been using acoustic designers for some years to boost sales by improving the sounds of their car engines, vacuum cleaners, and computer keyboards. However, the article reports, no one knows for sure how many acoustic designers there are in Germany. Rudolph, though, has identified 183 fellow acoustic designers on an international Internet forum for natural acoustics, the article reports. He said, "Acoustic design is still very much in its early days. It can be compared with light design in the 1950s. Today many rooms open to the public have such appalling acoustics that, by comparison, they might be lit by a single, naked lightbulb."
PUBLICATION: Business Wire
DATE: June 17, 1997
DATELINE: Los Angeles, California
Business Wire reports that the Board of Airport Commissioners for the Los Angeles International Airport Tuesday awarded a $9.2 million grant to the City of Inglewood, California to insulate homes and acquire property in neighborhoods impacted by aircraft noise.
The article reports that the board's Executive Director, John Driscoll, said the award reinforces their commitment to work with surrounding communities in minimizing noise at the airport. Driscoll said, "We try to be environmentally sensitive to areas affected by LAX-related noise. The board's authorization of these grant monies actually complements our 'good neighbor' policy by approving the use of operating airport revenues to match the grant funds Inglewood received from the Federal Aviation Administration." The article says that $6 million of the grant will be used to acquire residential property and convert it to other uses, and $3 million will be used to sound-proof up to 150 homes.
For more information, contact Cora Fossett at Los Angeles World Airports, 310-646-5260.
PUBLICATION: The Daily News of Los Angeles
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: News, Pg. N4
BYLINE: Lee Barnathan
DATELINE: Los Angeles, California area
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Encino Homeowners Association; Mary Marks, resident
The Daily News of Los Angeles reports that the baseball leagues that use the Franklin Fields in Encino, California have had a four-week ban placed on their PA system after nearby residents complained about the noise. The ban, which began Wednesday, was imposed by the Army Corps of Engineers, which owns the land. If a league violates the ban, the Army Corps has said it will prohibit the league from using the field for two months.
According to the article, officials from the West Valley Little League and Mid Valley Baseball were angry about the PA ban. Al Zakosek, Mid Valley vice president, said, "I don't think those people over there are being put out that much. We're just announcing the kids' names." Brian Hansen, West Valley Little League president, said of the ban, "It's ridiculous. We can't put on what we want to put on, and we're not going to be equal with the other Little Leagues who are hosting tournaments at the same time. We're concerned with possible revenue hits."
The article reports that according to Franklin Fields President John Sullivan, the leagues lease the fields from the Army Corps with an agreement to keep the noise level below 60 decibels and not use the speakers before 8 a.m. and after sunset. But on June 7, at least five members of the Encino Homeowners Association complained about the noise level to Los Angeles City Councillor Laura Chick's office. Karen Constine, Chick's chief of staff, told the residents the city doesn't have jurisdiction in the matter, and referred them to the Army Corps of Engineers. Constine said Chick's office was sympathetic and hoped a solution could be found in which everyone was happy.
League official Hansen said the teams are now playing without a PA system. He said Saturday's games, which included a tournament, went "okay" but would have been more effective with the system.
Meanwhile, resident Mary Marks, whose back yard faces the playing fields, argues that her peace is important too, the article reports. Marks said, "The purpose of Little League is not just to teach children how to play ball. It's how to share, to be considerate. What is it teaching kids when you ignore the needs of your neighbors?" Marks, who has lived in her home for 22 years, added that the noise has increased during the past seven years. Franklin Fields President Sullivan said he had heard similar complaints about noise in his 20 years on the job, the article reports.
PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times
DATE: June 18, 1997
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 1; Metro Desk
BYLINE: Alan Abrahamson
DATELINE: Los Angeles, California area
The Los Angeles Times reports that the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners plans to buy a house at the end of a Los Angeles International Airport runway to use as a demonstration for its soundproofing program.
The article reports that the house in Playa del Rey was soundproofed in the 1980s; the home now includes double-paned windows and thick doors. The resident says the measures made it possible to live comfortably again in the house, but has agreed to sell.
The article says that the board is paying $231,750 for the house, and will use it to demonstrate its program that will invest $15-million into soundproofing 122 other homes. The house is in the loudest noise area, and will show how well soundproofing can hold up over years. Soundproofing is given to qualifying residents in exchange for a legal commitment that they will not sue the airport because of noise.
The article concludes by noting that in a separate issue, the Airport Commission Matched a $9.2-million Federal Aviation Administration grant that will go towards soundproofing in Inglewood. The new Airport Residential Soundproofing Bureau hopes to reduce the time needed to soundproof a house from 15 years to nearly half of that.
PUBLICATION: The Tampa Tribune
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: Pasco, Pg. 1
BYLINE: Mathew Horridge
DATELINE: Pasco County, Florida
The Tampa Tribune reports that the Pasco County (Florida) Commission will hold a hearing this morning on proposed changes to the existing noise ordinance that would define stricter noise limits and allow sheriff's deputies to issue violations.
According to the article, the proposed changes are a result of complaints to county officials and the sheriff's office by residents who say their neighbors play loud music around the clock. The current noise ordinance prohibits such noise between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., but county code enforcement officers aren't on the job then, and sheriff's deputies can't write tickets unless they use a noise meter, which is not standard equipment, the article reports.
The proposed changes to the ordinance would limit noise levels throughout the day, tightening them between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., and tightening them again after 10 p.m. The changes would also allow sheriff's deputies to write noise-violation citations, which are a second-degree misdemeanor.
PUBLICATION: Orlando Sentinel Tribune
DATE: June 15, 1997
SECTION: Seminole Extra; Pg. K10
DATELINE: Sanford, Florida
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Larry Dale, Sanford mayor
The Orlando Sentinel Tribune reported in an editorial that after residents in Sanford, Florida complained about noise from large jets bringing tourists in from England, a committee formed to resolve the problem tested noise levels and found them to be no louder than a lawn mower, in general. At that point, Mayor Larry Dale got involved in the issue, saying that even though noise levels didn't test significantly high, people's quality of life had been lowered, and the problem must be dealt with. The editorial goes on to describe Mayor Dale's actions and commend him for his work.
According to the editorial, last week Dale held a meeting with a noise-abatement committee which resulted in the start of both short-term and long-term solutions. Part of the solution, the editorial says, is to request that the Federal Aviation Administration set a slightly steeper glide slope for the large jets when they land. The steeper glide slope will result in planes flying higher and throttling back their engines to allow gravity to do more of the work. When Dale was in England recently, the editorial reports, he met with pilots who fly to Sanford and got their agreement on the change. The editorial goes on to say that aircraft taking off are held below 2,000 feet while in the area because of the large number of a flight school's trainer planes in the holding pattern. At that low altitude, the editorial says, the heavy jets must make a lot of noise to stay aloft. But Dale believes that problem can be worked out too, if all the parties come together to solve the problem. A cooperative spirit may also hurry along a long-term solution which is already proposed: a 10,000-foot extension to the north-south runway and an additional instrument landing system that would allow landing the jets from the north and east, away from densely populated areas.
The editorial notes that it helps that Dale is a pilot himself, one who has been flying jets for more than 30 years, knows the Sanford airport well, and knows the language of aviation and of the federal bureaucracy that controls it.
The editorial concludes that developing the airport is important for Sanford's and Seminole County's economic future and for growing tourism. The editorial says that Mayor Dale has chosen to face the noise problem head on and involve all interested parties to find a solution, which is how such problems should be handled.
PUBLICATION: Chicago Tribune
DATE: June 20, 1997
SECTION: Metro Du Page; Pg. 3; Zone: D
BYLINE: Wendy Foster
DATELINE: Batavia, Illinois
The Chicago Tribune reports that the City Council in Batavia, Illinois has approved changes to the current municipal code aimed at quieting outdoor music.
The article reports that the council has approved changes to the current definition of disorderly conduct and specifies what hours amplifiers can be used, so that violators can be ticketed. The article says that initially, a City Council committee had recommended requiring a permit for outdoor entertainment, including any activities using amplification equipment. But the city attorney told City Councillors that noise was more of a nuisance than an activity requiring a permit, resulting in the approved changes to the ordinance.
PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times
DATE: June 18, 1997
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 1; Zones Desk
BYLINE: Frank Williams
DATELINE: Encino, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Encino Homeowners Association; Mary Marks, resident and leader of the campaign
The Los Angeles Times reports that the Army Corps of Engineers -- which is responsible for enforcing noise rules in the Sepulveda Basin in Encino, California -- temporarily prohibited the use of a public address system that has neighbors complaining. The system exceeds the local 60-decibel limit for noise.
The article notes that the speakers -- which are only used during special games such as Tuesday's all-star game out of courtesy for neighbors -- are an important part of the game's feel; players and parents love to hear names and batting averages being announced. One player asked "if those people knew the baseball field was here, why would they move here anyway?"
The article goes on to say that neighbors love the sounds of the game, but dislike the noise from the speakers. They say that even while shut in their house they can hear the noise, and they only want existing noise rules to be enforced. Army Corps of Engineers' represenatives say that although they appear to be the bad guy, their role is to enforce local or county rules.
PUBLICATION: The Baltimore Sun
DATE: June 18, 1997
SECTION: Local (News), Pg. 1B
BYLINE: Dan Thanh Dang
DATELINE: Davidsonville, Maryland
The Baltimore Sun reports that builders constructing a farm utility building made of straw in Davidsonville, Maryland, in rural Anne Arundel County, say straw buildings have many advantages, one of which is insulation against noise.
According to the article, Joe McCabe, a solar energy engineer from Bethesda, Maryland who has built three straw-bale structures in Arizona, currently is building a farm utility building from straw for farmer Sam Droege. On a recent Saturday, the article reports, people gathered to help put up the 480-square-foot building by stacking straw bales like giant bricks to make the walls, impaling the bales with bamboo sticks to hold them in place, stapling chicken wire to the walls, and putting stucco on top of that. Adding a wooden roof was the final touch on the fairly simple project, the article says.
The article goes on to report that while the straw building in Davidsonville has no electricity or running water, straw homes out West are built with multi-level floors, Jacuzzis, electricity, and other comforts. In the West and Southwest, some counties and cities have adopted straw building-code guidelines. Builders who use straw bales agree that straw building has caught on in the West, but Matts Myhrman, a straw-bale consultant, said the East has never been a leader in alternative building practices. Myhrman said of Easterners, "They're a little more rigid, conservative and cautious, so it'll take them a while to warm to the concept. But in time, I think it'll really catch on there, too. Pressure is on for builders everywhere to build at low cost and to be energy-efficient. Straw bale offers both and more."
The article says there are several advantages to straw buildings, including the fact that straw is readily available, which makes building with it cheap and quick. The Davidsonville farm structure cost $3,000, and the walls went up in a day, the article reports. A local farmer donated the straw, and the lumber had been destined for the garbage dump. In addition, straw buildings are energy efficient, keeping heating and cooling costs down by 20% if the building is also equipped with solar panels. Finally, builders say straw buildings are noise-proof. Even if heavy traffic is running outside, it couldn't be heard through the 20-inch-thick walls, the article reports.
Loyalists to straw building said the building practice has gained much media attention lately, but straw-bale building is not new. In Europe, the article says, 300-year-old straw-bale houses are still standing. In the United States, the technique was first used a century ago in Nebraska.
But skeptics of the building technique worry about rodents chewing through the straw, bacteria and bugs living in the walls, and fire swallowing the building quickly, the article reports. Experts, however, claim that tests conducted on the buildings show that none of those issues are a problem. Droege, the owner of the straw farm utility building, next wants to build a small schoolhouse out of straw. But regulators and business people remain skeptical. Frank Ward, director of Arundel's Permit Application Center said if the Davidsonville structure had been a house, he would have rejected it immediately. Glenn Parker Jr., an agent with Nationwide Insurance in Annapolis, said his company "wouldn't touch that with a 10-foot pole." He added, "From the homeowner's insurance point of view, straw or hay or whatever that is is just about the worst building material you can have for fire-resistance standards, I think." Lenny Urban, sales manager at Coldwell Banker Home Realty Professionals in Severna Park, seemed astonished at the news that buildings could be made of straw. "Wow, you don't say?" Urban said. "Straw, how about that? I'd like to see that myself, mostly out of curiosity. But I think it would be difficult to sell, really."
PUBLICATION: The Times
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: Home news
DATELINE: London, England
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Dermot Cox, chair, the Heathrow Association for the Control of Airport Noise
The Times reports that BAA, the operator of the Heathrow Airport in London, has proposed that noise levels at the airport be capped at the levels that applied in 1994. The article says the proposal, which would require legislation, is an attempt by BAA to calm noise protests from residents and win approval for a fifth terminal.
The article goes on to say that Dermot Cox, chair of the citizens group Heathrow Association for the Control of Airport Noise, said, "The only cap we are interested in, and the only one which would be effective, is that which should be imposed on the number of flights."
PUBLICATION: The Columbus Dispatch
DATE: June 19, 1997
SECTION: News Local & National, Pg. 1D
BYLINE: Jill Riepenhoff
DATELINE: Delaware, Ohio
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Don Wuertz, Delaware County Commissioner
The Columbus Dispatch reports that Don Wuertz, president of the Delaware County (Ohio) Commission, tried to respond to residents' complaints about noise from the Polaris Amphitheater Tuesday night, but could get no action from Columbus police. Wuertz says that the amphitheater has not been a good neighbor, and the city of Columbus is ignoring complaints of the residents who live near it.
The article says that Wuertz said he received several phone calls at his home from residents near the amphitheater complaining about noise from the heavy metal Ozzfest. In response, Wuertz called the amphitheater and was told to call Columbus police. Columbus police dispatchers, he said, treated him rudely and told him to call the Columbus city prosecutor's office. That office had only an answering machine, which asked him to call back in the morning. Finally, he left a message on Mayor Greg Lashutka's home answering machine, the article reports. Wuertz said yesterday, "I identified myself each time. It meant nothing. If I can't get results, I don't think a citizen can. I have a real concern. Who can we get in Columbus to enforce the noise ordinance?" Wuertz went on to say that the county has no jurisdiction to help in this matter, and he believes Columbus and Westerville residents who live near the amphitheater are being ignored by the city. "Polaris has not been a good neighbor, and the city of Columbus has not been responsive to . . . complaints," Wuertz said. "The city of Columbus wanted that area. They annexed that area. Now, they should provide services to that area. If this had been built in the Brewery District . . . there would be a different stance."
PUBLICATION: The Dominion
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: News; National; Pg. 10
BYLINE: Alan Samson
DATELINE: Makara, New Zealand
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Jenny Jorgensen, vice-president, Makara Guardians
The Dominion reports that residents in Makara, New Zealand who are fighting to oppose a proposed wind farm, have agreed to join an Electricity Corporation working party to address ways to mitigate unwelcome noise.
According to the article, Jenny Jorgensen, vice-president of the Makara Guardians, said residents were concerned about many issues related to the wind farm development, including noise. The residents decided to join the working party, Jorgensen said, because if the issues ultimately goes to court, residents do not want to be accused of having avoided the chance to discuss their concerns with Electricity Corporation (ECNZ). ECNZ spokesperson Karen Jones said the working party intends to look at all noise research on wind farms, including information from the wind farm in Martinborough, which had seven turbines and is said to be noisy. Jones said there are various types of wind turbines, and the design for the Makara turbines hasn't been chosen. The designs being considered ranged from 60 meters to 100 meters high, the article says. Jones added that the company had been careful to consult residents and would continue to do so. When asked if the company would reconsider the site if local opposition grows, she said it was too early to speculate on that possibility.
PUBLICATION: Newsday
DATE: June 19, 1997
SECTION: News; Page A41
BYLINE: Amy Cooper
DATELINE: New York, New York
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Mark Green, elected watchdog of city services; Chisun Lee, spokesperson for Green; Anne Strahele, community organizer in Green's office; David Nocenti, counsel to Queens Borough President Claire Shulman; Jon Procida, former community representative on Shulman's Aviation Advisory Committee; Jonathan Gaska, District Manager of Community Board 14; Dianne and Al Moore, residents of Far Rockaway; Mario Russo, Arverne resident; Michael Maye, warehouse manager in Rockaway
Newsday reports that air traffic noise from New York City's Kennedy Airport is again becoming a public policy issue. Residents in Queens and Rockaway are once again pressuring the Federal Aviation Administration to do something about the noise.
The article reports that residents in Rockaway have been agitating against aircraft noise for years. Mark Green, an elected watchdog of city services, said in a recent letter to the FAA that airplane noise over Rockaway is "intolerable." He suggested that takeoffs be more fairly distributed among communities, and that night flights fly over Jacob Riis Park, a nonresidential area in the Rockaways. But an FAA spokesperson said that planes have been routed over the park since January, air traffic and weather permitting, and that routing is scheduled to continue through the summer. However, Green's staff is skeptical, saying that Queens residents haven't noticed a difference. Chisun Lee, a spokesperson for Green, said, "It's possible that formally the routes have been changed, but pilots may be sticking to old routes. We need to follow up to make sure that these policy changes are being implemented in real life." David Nocenti, counsel to Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, agreed that pilots and air traffic controllers tend to keep to old flight patterns, the article says. But Jim Peterson of the FAA said that the pilot is ultimately in control of the plane, and must decide which routes are safest. He added there is no count of how often planes deviate from their flight paths.
Meanwhile, the article reports, Queens Borough President Claire Shulman's office calls Green's proposals for fairer flight distribution old news. Shulman's office pointed to its own continuous efforts to reduce noise by varying, or "fanning," flight paths, and by juggling departure runways so that no one neighborhood is unfairly impacted, the article says. And recently, three airlines applied to add flights from LaGuardia Airport flying over other parts of Queens, which was opposed by Shulman, who cited "excessive noise, increased pollution and unreasonable delays" from the changes. In her letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, Shulman said, "Queens County has more residents living in areas impacted by aircraft noise than anywhere else in the country."
However, officials with the FAA and Port Authority said they have been fanning flights for years and that they thought the noise problem was close to being solved two years ago, the article reports. A Port Authority spokesperson said that the fanning of flights, along with the advent of quieter airplanes, has meant that "the number of people impacted by aircraft noise has dropped dramatically since 1990."
But residents and officials don't agree, the article reports. Jonathan Gaska, District Manager of Community Board 14 which encompasses the Rockaways, said he has not heard from residents that the noise level has improved. Mario Russo, who has lived in Arverne since before the airport was built, said the rattling of his windows allows him to tell whether a given plan is carrying cargo. A resident of Far Rockaway, Dianne Moore, said she wakes up in the middle of the night scared to death because her house is shaking. Michael Maye, who has managed a warehouse in Rockaway across from the airport's traffic control tower for 35 years, burst out laughing when asked if air traffic noise has improved since he's worked there. Maye said he has no hopes that the roar surrounding the airport will ever be calmed. Anne Strahele, a community organizer in Green's office, said the airport has never encouraged community input, and is not a very good neighbor. "If Kennedy Airport had worked with the community on this in 1995, then this conversation wouldn't be necessary," she said. Jon Procida, who said he served as a community representative on Shulman's Aviation Advisory Committee for three years, said the airport does whatever it wants, and characterized his experience on the committee as a "total waste of time." "The FAA and Port Authority told us what they were going to do . . . When we made complaints, they weren't even noted down," he said. However, Nocenti, of Shulman's office, said he doesn't remember Procida, and that commmunity input is taken seriously.
PUBLICATION: The Guardian
DATE: June 20, 1997
SECTION: The Guardian Home Page; Pg. 13
BYLINE: Emily Sheffield
DATELINE: Wales
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Gillian Metcalf, founder, Freedom of the Skies; Harmut Ising, employee of Germany's Federal Environmental Agency
The Guardian reports that a group of parents in Wales is planning to sue Great Ministry of Defense over their children's hearing problems which they blame on low-flying military jets. The parents are submitting research conducted in conjunction with the Federal Environmental Agency in Germany, which has found a link between low flying aircraft and hearing impairments.
The article reports that parents and campaigners from the group Freedom of the Skies in mid-Wales are in the process of gathering their evidence that the jets damage hearing, particularly of children under the age of two. The group will be submitting new research to the Strategic Defense Review later this month. The report of the research conducted with the Federal Environmental Agency in Germany, says that aircraft noise can increase faster than the body's reflex protection mechanism, which normally prevents or reduces damage to the inner ear. The report, submitted by Harmut Ising of the agency, says: "Children under one year of age are highly vulnerable to high frequency hearing losses caused by military low altitude flight noise with fast level increase." The report warns that children could later develop severe hearing problems.
According to the article, military jets train in designated low-flying areas in mid-Wales, the Scottish borders, and the Scottish Highlands. The jets fly as low as 100 ft, causing substantial noise. Two or three jets will train at once, spending on average 12 hours a month at that height, the article reports.
Officials from schools in Ceredigion, West Wales, which helped with the research, said the jets frighten children and disrupt lessons. Gillian Metcalf, founder of Freedom of the Skies, said: "It is important this problem is brought to the Government's and the public's attention. Young children's hearing is being damaged daily. We will be seeking compensation if we can prove our claims."
In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense said the agency would consider compensation and changing training procedures if a link between deafness and noise from the jets is proved. The article reports that the Ministry of Defense last year paid 34,000 pounds to farmers in Wales for damage to livestock from low-flying jets. In 1994 the agency paid 703,000 pounds in compensation to farmers in Britain.
PUBLICATION: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
DATE: June 15, 1997
SECTION: Business, Pg. 01E
BYLINE: Mei-Ling Hopgood
DATELINE: St. Louis, Missouri area
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Pat Lang, leader, Citizens Against Aircraft Noise
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Federal Aviation Administration will rule this summer on whether the Lambert Airfield near St. Louis, Missouri can proceed with its expansion plan. By July, the FAA is expected to release a final study on the effects of expansion on the surrounding communities. As early as 30 days later, the agency will decide whether to approve or reject the expansion plan for a westward runway at the airport. The article goes on to report on all the details of the expansion plan, including the costs for the various parts of the project. A list of the country's busiest 20 airports is also given.
The article reports that the expansion plan, called W-1W, calls for a new runway to the southwest of the current airfield, which would raze about 2,000 homes and businesses in the city of Bridgeton. Lambert officials support this plan, and also hope to renovate and add on to the airport's main terminal and to build a new terminal. If the project goes forward as planned, it would be largest public-works project ever in the St. Louis region, and would cost an estimated $2.2 to $2.6 billion through 2015.
According to the article, the new runway would be the westernmost of the three primary runways at the expanded airport. The idea for W-1W was hatched in 1995 after an earlier expansion plan failed. The first and most costly part of the project would be to build the new airfield, which would cost up to $850 million and take more than four years, the article reports. This first phase of the project would involve acquiring the land, buying out homes and businesses, building the runway, and renovating the main terminal. A section of Lindbergh Boulevard would pass under the new runway through a new tunnel, and another part of Lindbergh would be relocated.
Airport officials say that later phases of the project would occur only if there's enough demand to justify them, and only if airlines and the airports can afford them, the article reports. The second phase, if undertaken, would add 300,000 square feet of space and four gates to the main terminal on its southwest side, and would expand the parking garage to add 3,000 spaces. In addition, the TWA hangar, the Missouri Air National Guard, Naval Reserve, and other support facilities would be moved. This second phase would take about four years, the article says. In a third phase, also taking about four years, a new Y-shaped concourse would be added onto the west end of the main terminal, which would create 925,000 square feet and 35 new gates. Phases two and three have been included in the price estimates of the project, the article says.
In a proposed fourth phase, not included in the cost estimates, a new terminal would be built in the middle of the airfield. Large portions of the main terminal would be destroyed, and passengers would ride an underground people-mover system to get to the 40 new gates, the article reports.
The article goes on to say that the cost estimates also do not include a noise relief program that the airport will be required to update after the expansion. Under that program, homes of residents affected by airport noise are bought out and/or insulated against noise. In addition, services that assist homeowners in selling their homes may be offered. Officials are still studying how much the program will cost, but the article says the cost will be in the millions.
Meanwhile, the article reports, the city of Bridgeton and a citizens group in St. Charles are threatening lawsuits to stop the expansion plan. Under the plan, a significant portion of the city of Bridgeton would be razed, and city officials have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on lawyers to help prevent this from happening. In addition, a St. Charles citizens group called Citizens Against Aircraft Noise has been gathering community support to fight the expansion, because they believe aircraft noise problems will stretch westward as the airport expands. Other groups that have opposed the plan include the Air Line Pilots Association and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, who maintain that the plan is a safety and environmental hazard. Some opponents also have argued that the new runway won't be worth the money and the airport won't have the money to pay for it. Pat Lang, head of Citizens Against Aircraft Noise, said, "Everybody is going to be paying for this boondoggle. And why do we have to wait for litigation to stop it? Everybody knows that's an unnecessary expense and we all pay for that, too."
Meanwhile, Airport Director Leonard Griggs has said he is confident the FAA will approve the plan, and that the plan will not get held up in court. Griggs and other airport officials say the airport needs to expand to handle traffic growth and to cut down on the daily delays, which are worse in bad weather. The FAA estimates that passenger-trips at the airport will grow from 12.6 million in 1995 to between 19 million to 21 million in 2015.
The article goes on to report that Bill Kessler, vice chair of the TWA branch of the Air Line Pilots Association, has said the new runway will not increase capacity much in bad weather. He said the new runway will be too close to an existing one to allow two planes to land at the same time, and will allow only 10 to 15 more landings per hour in bad weather.
Airport officials have disputed these claims, the article reports, saying that two planes will be able to land at the same time on the two outward runways. Consultants for the airport claim that the new runway could add a maximum of 39 to 53 planes per hour to Lambert's capacity -- depending on which direction the planes are taking off and landing. In the worst weather, they say, the runway could handle from 29 to 54 more planes an hour, as long as the FAA approves certain equipment and landing procedures, too, the article says. Airport officials also say that the new runway would cut the average delay per plane from a current 6 minutes to about 4.7 minutes. Runway taxiing times would increase, however, because the new runway would be farther from the airport. After landing, the average taxi time would increase from the current 5.1 minutes to between 5.5 to 6 minutes. Airport officials have said that in some cases, taxi times could reach 15 to 20 minutes if the planes have to travel to gates on the back side of the C and D concourses or the new east terminal. But they add that taxi times would decrease by up to 3 minutes if the new west concourse is built, the article says.
The article also reports that opponents of the expansion plan have recently started to criticize the way the airport plans to pay for the project. Airport officials say they will pay for the plan through airport revenue, bonds, and federal grants, and will get more money from passenger user fees as airport traffic increases. Landing fees also may increase to pay for the expansion. Airport officials say landing fees may rise from their current $3 per passenger to about $4.75, but TWA officials believe landing fees could triple. But the city of Bridgeton and other opponents of the expansion have challenged whether the airport or TWA, the airport's primary carrier, can afford the expansion plan, the article reports. The city of Bridgeton recently commissioned Scott Tarry, an assistant professor of public policy at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, to look at the airport's financial plan. Tarry's conclusion, released two weeks ago, was that the expansion plan relies too much on TWA's financial well-being. Tarry and other opponents called the financial plan "overly optimistic," the article says. For example, if TWA doesn't do as well as expected, then their passenger counts wouldn't grow, and the airline couldn't handle higher landing fees, Tarry said. He added that the federal pool of money for airports will shrink in the future.
Meanwhile, Airport Director Griggs has countered that the expansion plan does not rely on federal funding, and that only an expected 11% of the total cost of the project would be covered by federal funds. Airport planners have said that even if TWA fails, the airport will still experience a growth in passengers. The planners went on to say that the expansion plan's phases are demand-driven, which will "allow Lambert to expand in a controlled, fiscally sound manner." TWA officials have said they believe the expansion plan will save them money because it will allow their operation to become more efficient.
The article concludes by saying that construction cannot begin on the project until the city of St. Louis, which owns the airport, appropriates sufficient money. The FAA has said that the airport and the city will be liable if for some reason the airport does not have money to finish the project. Opponents of the project fear the airport could get in financial trouble, and then turn to the state to bail it out.
The article also printed the following data about the cost of the various parts of the project, and a list of the country's busiest 20 airports:
The Cost of Expanding Lambert
Estimated cost of the W-1W expansion plan (in Millions of $)
Calulated with an inflation rate of 3.5% per year through 2015
Land Acquistion
Land buyouts and noise mitigation: $326.1
Replacement of on-aiport facilities and relocation costs: $101.4
Road improvements (excludes new highways interchange): $174.7
TOTAL: $602.2
Airfield Construction
New west runway and related taxiways: $168.3
Aircraft parking aprons: $87.0
Airside service roads: $6.2
Aircraft fuel and glycol systems: $32.5
Airline support facilities: $66.0
Airfield rescue and firefighting facilities: $5.7
Airfield lighting, signs and navigational aids: $33.3
Utility relocations: $30.9
General allowances for repair and improvement: $120.9
TOTAL: $550.8
Terminal Buildings
Renovation of existing terminal: $113.9
Construction of new terminal and concourse: $1,074.1
Ground support systems for new gates: $9.1
Connector tunnel to west terminal complex (phase 1): $70.5
People-mover system (phase 1): $25.9
TOTAL: $1,293.5
Cargo and Other
Leasable Project: $36.0
Parking Structure and Parking: $35.6
TOTAL: $71.6
Landside Roads and Utilities
Re-route Lambert International Drive: $11.0
Drainage improvements: $9.9
New terminal-freeway interchange: $50.7
TOTAL: $71.6
GRAND TOTAL: $2,589.7
Source: St. Louis Airport Authority; Intercontinental Management Controls Inc.
Leading U.S. Airports, Passengers Arriving & Departing, In Millions (1985)
1. Chicago O'Hare 67.3
2. Atlanta 57.7
3. Dallas/Ft. Worth 54.3
4. Los Angeles 53.9
5. San Francisco 36.3
6. Miami 33.2
7. Denver 31.0
8. New York Kennedy 30.3
9. Detroit 29.0
10. Las Vegas 28.0
11. Phoenix 27.8
12. Minneapolis/St. Paul 26.8
13. Newark 26.6
14. St. Louis 25.7
15. Boston 24.7
16. Houston 24.7
17. Honolulu 23.6
18. Seattle 22.8
19. Orlando 22.4
20. Charlotte 20.9
Source: Airports Council International & Airlines
PUBLICATION: The Orlando Sentinel
DATE: June 15, 1997
SECTION: Seminole Extra; Pg. K10
BYLINE: Edward Thomas, Lake Mary resident
DATELINE: Orlando, Florida area
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Edward Thomas, Lake Mary resident
The Orlando Sentinel printed the following letter-to-the-editor from Edward Thomas, a Lake Mary, Florida resident, regarding noise and safety issues at the Orlando Sanford Airport:
A recent Sentinel story reported that Jack Dow, director of operations at Orlando Sanford Airport, checked noise levels of jets landing and taking off. He found that noise from a bus at a curbside is louder than the level recorded from a jet.
He should have checked his equipment for accuracy before testing his decibels. People in situations of authority always tend to maintain their position at all cost and drift away from reality. This is not just a noise problem. The planes are flying so low that people can smell the fumes, in addition to the danger that several homes and lives could be wiped out in case of mechanical malfunction or pilot error. Also, builders and developers failed to tell homebuyers what they should have expected. They knew of the airport expansion and the location of the beam for approaching aircraft. We were told that it would cost around $2 million to move that beam to a location where the approach will be over less-populated areas.
Let's not wait for an accident to happen. We must stop playing politics. We need responsible people handling these problems and studying the situation. They must consider people's well-being instead of money.
PUBLICATION: The Morning Call
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: Comment, Pg. A14
BYLINE: Robin Serfass, South Whitehall Township resident
DATELINE: Allentown, Pennsylvania area
The Morning Call printed the following letter-to-the-editor from Robin Serfass, a South Whitehall Township resident, about traffic noise along Route 22:
Give me a break! You want to hear noise? Try living a block from Route 22, where there are no sound barriers and should be.
I challenge anyone who thinks the noise from Dorney Park is loud to come by my house and let me know what the decibel levels are here. I can't even keep my back door open and hear the television unless it's blasting. Not to mention, installing a beautiful in-ground pool which would be perfect except for the noise we get. A little clattering of cars can't be nearly as bad as trucks flying by with tires blowing out, downshifting and sirens going, etc. Our picnics turn into shouting matches most times because you can't hear the person next to you speak. So, to all Dorney Park neighbors, and commissioners as well, come spend a few hours at my house. Then tell me who has it worse, you or me?
PUBLICATION: The San Francisco Chronicle
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: News; Pg. A15
BYLINE: Benjamin Pimentel
DATELINE: San Francisco, California area
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Airport Community Roundtable; Mike Florio, Atherton resident
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a new policy which took effect Sunday requires planes flying into San Francisco International Airport between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. to fly at least 7,000 feet over Woodside, about 1,000 feet higher than required in the previous guideline. The policy comes in response to residents' complaints about early morning noise from aircraft. Meanwhile, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote today on a resolution to allow cities in southern San Mateo County to appoint representatives to the Airport Community Roundtable, a Peninsula group concerned with airport noise and other issues.
According to the article, the change in policy was a result of a suggestion by the airport and the Airport Community Roundtable, and was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. Airport spokesperson Ron Wilson said, "We are doing this in response to those cities that complain about early morning flights waking people up. It is our policy to do whatever we can to help reduce the noise in those cities -- and this is one way." Atherton resident Mike Florio welcomed the change, saying, "It's five in the morning, and a 747 flies over your house -- it kinda wakes you up." Wilson said that there has been more air traffic over the southern Peninsula recently due to an increase in travel to and from the Pacific Rim.
The article goes on to say that the noise increase has caused some of the cities affected by the noise to seek inclusion in the Airport Community Roundtable. The Roundtable currently is composed of representatives from the airport and from San Francisco and nine other cities, mostly in northern San Mateo County, the article reports. The Roundtable was formed in 1981 and serves as an advisory forum to address noise and airport operations. Recently, the cities of Woodside, Atherton, and Portola Valley have asked to become voting members of the panel, the article says.
The article also reports that the proposal to include the new cities on the panel is supported and opposed by different members of the Roundtable. Representatives from some of the cities in northern and mid-San Mateo County believe the inclusion of the new cities is unnecessary. Roundtable member and San Bruno City Councillor Chris Pallas said, "We have a feeling that they (the southern county cities) don't trust us. It's insinuating that we're not doing the job for them. We tell the southern part of the county to come to us and tell us your problems, and we'll work it out." However, the article says, the proposal is supported by airport officials and some of the existing member cities. Airport Director John Martin said, "The Roundtable has always been an inclusive organization. I would rather have all communities with noise concerns to be at the same table."
PUBLICATION: Rocky Mountain News
DATE: June 20, 1997
SECTION: Local; Ed. F; Pg. 36A
BYLINE: Mike Patty
DATELINE: Arapahoe County, Colorado
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Mark Kolber, pilot and vice president of an organization representing 30 homeowners associations and about 5,000 residents; Robin Backstrom, member, Hills of Cherry Creek Homeowners Association; Mark Kaplan, attorney and Hills of Cherry Creek resident; Kevin Evans, attorney and resident
The Rocky Mountain News reports that a hearing was held before the Arapahoe County (Colorado) Public Airport Authority board Thursday to consider changes in operation for Centennial Airport. In response to the proposed changes, which could lead to larger aircraft and expanded cargo and passenger service operations, a standing-room only crowd of residents said they opposed the changes.
According to the article, the proposed changes would allow increase the weight limits on aircraft, thereby allowing larger jets to use the airport, which is currently a busy general aviation airport. In addition, the changes would allow travel brokers to operate charter flights out of Centennial. The board will make a decision on the changes in several months, the article reports.
Many residents spoke out against the proposed changes at the hearing, the article says. Mark Kolber, vice president of an organization representing 30 homeowners associations and about 5,000 residents, said his group wants to keep the current character of Centennial. Kolber said, "As a pilot who flies out of Centennial, I am concerned about the changes. The maximum weight limitations would open the door for Boeing 737 aircraft." Kolber added that the effect of permitting charter flights would result in 52 daily flights to six locations in Colorado seven days a week, which "sounds like regularly scheduled passenger service." Robin Backstrom, a member of the Hills of Cherry Creek Homeowners Association complained that every year there is an effort to increase the noise at Centennial, and the proposed changes are "the equivalent of the camel's nose under the tent." Mark Kaplan, a resident the Hills of Cherry Creek and an attorney, said Centennial has an impact on about 18,000 people and 8,500 households. He added, "I'm not here to make threats. But should the airport expand operations you would likely have a lawsuit and about 18,000 angry voters. I ask you to consider the consequences of airplanes over people." Another resident and attorney, Kevin Evans, showed the board a video of low, noisy aircraft over his house at all hours of the day and night. Evans said he didn't move his family from Chicago to Denver to listen to airplane noise, and that the board should be considering ways to reduce the noise that's already there.
A few citizens at the hearing supported the proposed changes, the article reports. Bill Payne said that Centennial should change its weight limits to maintain a competitive edge, and that increased weight limits don't necessarily mean an increase in noise. Bill Ulrich said the airport was the economic engine for the area. However, the article says, a show of hands at the hearing showed that only a few people supported the proposed changes.
PUBLICATION: Sun-Sentinel
DATE: June 16, 1997
SECTION: Local, Pg. 3B
BYLINE: Karla Schuster
DATELINE: Boca Raton, Florida
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Susan Saxon, member, Noise Compatibility Advisory Committee; Boca Raton Airport Action Group
The Sun-Sentinel reports that the 17-member Noise Compatibility Advisory Committee in Boca Raton, Florida will meet for the first time on Tuesday. The committee, which consists of pilots, airport officials, city officials, and community representatives, will meet regularly to discuss noise and growth issues at the Boca Raton Airport.
According to the article, the advisory committee was created by the Airport Authority after pressure from the City Council and a coalition of homeowners' groups. The city's representative on the committee, Planning and Zoning Board Chair Robert Hagerty, said, "It's hard to say right now what it's going to be all about, but I think if nothing else, it's a chance to air gripes in a forum that will be heard and to take things directly to pilots before they get out of control." The article goes on to say that the committee's meetings will be open to the public, and the group will be led by Jeffrey Tennant, a Florida Atlantic University professor who participated in the airport's 1990 Federal Aviation Administration noise study.
The article also says that air traffic at the airport has increased 51.6% since 1990. Planners estimate that the airport will be the site of 438 takeoffs and landings a day within the next decade. The future growth of airport and the proposal to build a control tower caused 16 homeowners' groups near the airport to form a coalition called the Boca Raton Airport Action Group (BRAAG) in order to lobby for their concerns. The formation of the advisory group, the article reports, came about after a joint City Council-Airport Authority meething. Susan Saxon, one of six community representatives on the committee, said the advisory committee is long overdue. She added, "The Airport Authority wants us to research issues and make recommendations and I'm hoping that once we do, they'll listen to us. I think this could be an important step in the community and the airport getting along better."
PUBLICATION: Bangkok Post
DATE: June 16, 1997
SECTION: News; Pg. 02
BYLINE: Marie Lamboray
DATELINE: Bangkok, Thailand
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Ura Siranoot, Suchart Watcharin Charoen, residents and workers; Sonthi Kochawat, director, the monitoring section of the Environment Impact Evaluation Division of the Office of Environmental Planning and Policy; Lim Siak Piang, supervisor, Acoustic Laboratory at the National University of Singapore
The Bangkok Post reports that in Bangkok (Thailand), where traffic jams are part of daily life, it is hard to escape noise pollution. And for people living near the expressway, escape is impossible, the article says. The article goes on to discuss where noise barriers have been built in the city, and what types are most effective.
According to the article, Ura Siranoot, lives and works under the expressway in Klong Toey. She said the noise is "awful," especially at the bicycle shop she works at, where she hears noise from the the main road, the train, and the expressway. She added the noise is so bad her ears hurt, and she tries to escape by listening to her walkman. Next door to Ura's bike shop, Suchart and Watcharin Charoen dealt with the noise problem by installing glass windows, airtight windowframes, and air conditioning in their china shop. Some people, the article says, live with noise pollution but are unaware or unconcerned about its effects. For example, Sa-nguan Nataphan, a parking lot attendent under the expressway, said his first three months of working there were "horrible," but now he's gotten used to it. He said when he goes back for a visit to the rural village he came from, he misses the traffic noise. He said he has no hearing problem, but added that he's never had his hearing checked. Another parking lot attendent, Smarn Penpha, said the nose makes him restless, but he's gotten used to it.
The article goes on to report that experts say noise is a health threat that can lead to hearing loss, headaches, nausea, hypertension, cardiovascular complaints, psychological and emotional changes, nervous breakdowns, and ulcers. The hazard from noise is greater with prolonged exposure and with high decibel levels.
However, the article says that traffic noise can be reduced to some extent by noise barriers, which have been built along some sections of the Bangkok expressway system. According to Sonthi Kochawat of the Office of Environmental Planning and Policy (OEPP), most areas on the first stage of the expressway do not have noise barriers, because when the that stage was built, the 1992 Environment Act, which has a provision against noise pollution, was not in effect. During the construction of the second stage of the expressway, however, three kilometers of noise barriers were built, giving highest priority to high-density residential areas, temples, and schools.
More noise barriers were not installed on the expressway, the article says, because they are expensive. The least expensive barriers reduce noise by 15-20 decibels and reflective or dispersive surfaces. The most effective barriers are absorbant, and reduce noise by 30 decibels. The absorbant barriers cost about 15,000 baht per square meter, while the dispersive barriers cost 10,000 baht per square meter. The barriers on the Bangkok expressway are dispersive barriers, which an expert said is not appropriate for an urban environment. Lim Siak Piang, supervisor of the Acoustic Laboratory at the National University of Singapore, said dispersive barriers reflect noise upward, toward nearby buildings, the article reports.
The article goes on to say that Sonthi Kochawat of the OEPP heads the monitoring section of the Environment Impact Evaluation Division, and explained that there are two standards used to control noise on the expressway -- the hearing loss standard and the annoyance standard. If the noise level fails to meet these standards, noise barriers must be installed. The hearing loss standard is a noise level of 70 decibels. The article says that all of the 14 monitoring stations installed by the OEPP on the Bangkok Expressway System record noise levels higher than 70 decibels. The annoyance standard stipulates that when the background noise of an area experiences an increase of 3 decibels after the construction of a part of the expressway, noise barriers must be constructed.
The article reports that Sonthi Kochawat says the noise levels on the expressway are increasing. For example, the Mongkut Klao Hospital near the second stage of the expressway is protected by dispersive barriers, but the noise level has gone from 60 decibels in 1991 to 66.9 decibels today. In Soi Ruam Rudi noise levels went from 57 decibels before the first stage of the expressway was built, to 71.2 decibels after the second stage was built, to 81.1 decibels today. At Phra Haruethai Convent school in Klong Toey, the noise level exceeds 75.5 decibels, according to the OEPP. The OEPP has instructed the Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (ETA) to build noise barriers in that area but the ETA insisted they monitored the level below 70 decibels. However, the ETA said it would make new measurements, and went on to say that the agency would build dispersive barriers near Soi Ruam Rudi and a few other residential areas, including Klong Toey.
The article says noise reduction in Bangkok is difficult because of the traffic jams and the high buildings. In buildings located next to the expressway, higher floor levels receive direct traffic noise that is magnified by reflected or dispersed noise from the noise barriers. Taller barriers could minimize the problem, according to Dr. Kohei Yamamoto, director of the Kobayashi Institute of Physical Research in Tokyo. He said in Japan, extremely tall barriers have been built along expressways, but they can cause poor sunshine or poor television broadcast reception. While tall barriers may be effective, they have posed a hazard in the past, the article says. Residents on Rama VI road near Samsen schools said one noise barrier fell off the elevated road. The article reports that people living in apartment buildings along Charoen Krung road on floors higher than the expressway complain about noise even when barriers are present. At night, things get no better because there are many overloaded trucks, residents said.
PUBLICATION: M2 Presswire
DATE: June 17, 1997
M2 Presswire issued a press release from AST Computer which says the company will release two new desktop PCs that use noise-reducing technology on noise from the hard disk and fan.
The press release says that the computers, the Bravo LC 5166 and the LC 5200, are designed for entry-level business use. Like the rest of the Bravo PC line, the new computers will utilize the AST-SNR System Noise Reduction technology, which reduces hard disk and fan noise. The press release says the technology is important in home environments and in open plan offices where computer noise be irritating, potentially reducing productivity.
PUBLICATION: The Indianapolis Star
DATE: June 21, 1997
SECTION: Business; Pg. C01
BYLINE: Mary Francis
DATELINE: Indianapolis, Indiana
The Indianapolis Star reports that the Indianapolis (Indiana) International Airport has proposed new noise programs designed to provide relief to residents. The proposals include soundproofing and buying homes southwest of the airport, and in areas less affected by noise, providing some compensation for homeowners unable to sell their homes at appraised values. In addition, the proposals include having departing planes change the times when they turn toward their destination, which could lessen noise impacts.
According to the article, the new programs were outlined before the Indianapolis Airport Authority Board on Friday, and six public workshops in July will allow the public to comment on the programs. The programs will be submitted for approval to the Federal Aviation Administration in the fall, with implementation likely to begin in 1998.
The article reports that Melanie DePoy, the airport's environment and safety director, said the new programs constitute an update of the airport's ongoing noise mitigation program. Since the last update in 1992, DePoy said, night flights at the airport have increased, due to air cargo operations from carriers such as Federal Express and the U.S. Postal Service.
The new soundproofing program in the proposal would allow homeowners in an affected area to choose between having their homes soundproofed or selling their homes. The airport would provide certain soundproofing measures, such as triple-pane windows, extra insulation, and/or air conditioning, and homeowners would be able to see how they liked the measures. If they are dissatisfied, the airport would buy the home and re-sell it. DePoy said costs for soundproofing range from $3,000 to $25,000 per home. As part of the proposal, the article says, the airport has added new locations to the areas where it automatically will purchase homes, including the Brunswick Park subdivision in Hendricks County, and a small group of homes north of Hanna Avenue, west of Lynhurst Drive, and south of I-70. The funding for the purchases and soundproofing will come from both federal sources (80%) and local sources (20%).
The article says that in areas less impacted by noise, airport officials propose to start a sales assistance program. If homeowners sell their home for less than the appraised value of the house, DePoy said, the airport will pay the difference up to 5 percent of the appraised value, with money that would come from the local airport budget. The areas targeted for this program southwest of the airport in Hendricks County, just north of Morgan County and in various pockets south of the airport north of Kentucky Avenue.
Airport officials also are proposing that planes fly in a manner that will limit the noise corridor, the article reports. Planes would fly straight to a specific point 5.5 miles from the north end of the runway before turning in the direction of their destinations. DePoy said that data collected by the airport showed that there are great variations in the time when aircraft would reach a 3,000-foot altitude and turn, so that noise impact was spread over a larger area. The new proposal is designed to concentrate the noise impact over a lesser area.
The article reports that DePoy encouraged residents to come to the public workshops, the first of which is scheduled for July 14 at Plainfield Baptist Church. Another legally required public hearing will be set for August, the article says.
PUBLICATION: Telegram and Gazette
DATE: June 16, 1997
SECTION: Local News; Pg. B1
BYLINE: Harold Gushue Jr.
DATELINE: Southbridge, Massachusetts
The Telegram & Gazette reports that the General Government Subcommittee in Southbridge, Massachusetts will review a proposed bylaw tonight designed to prohibit unlawful noise which "annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of any reasonable person, of normal sensitivity, residing in the area." The Town Council must hold three readings on the noise bylaw before voting on its acceptance, the article says.
According to the article, the proposed ordinance stipulates a $25 fine for the first violation, increasing to $100 for the third and subsequent offenses. The noise prohibitions in the proposed bylaw include the following: -- Backfiring, racing vehicle engines, and screeching tires because of quick starts. -- Using horns or signaling devices for anything other than a warning. -- Vehicle engines that don't exhaust through a muffler, vehicles that are defective, or vehicles that are carrying a load that causes unnecessary noise. -- Causing loud or excessive noise by unloading or opening boxes. -- Using power tools between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., and using non-power tools that disturb residents between the same hours. -- Hawkers and peddlers creating a disturbance, yelling, shouting, or singing on public streets, especially between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. -- Keeping animals or birds which disturb residents. -- Playing loud radios or music, or using public address systems for advertising. -- Doing construction work, demolition, or repair of buildings between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m., except in emergencies. -- Using farming equipment between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
The article goes on to say that exemptions to the proposed bylaw include cries for help and warning calls, tires screeching from emergency stopping, aircraft, trains, noises from churches such as bells or chimes, and permitted exceptions. In addition, reasonable use of public address systems for noncommerical purposes would be allowed. The proposed bylaw also stipulates that if the violator cannot be found, the person in control of the premises (i.e., the owner, occupant, or lessee) would be held responsible.
PUBLICATION: The Washington Post
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: Metro; Pg. B01
BYLINE: Charles Babington
DATELINE: Annapolis, Maryland
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Cheryl and Scott Delamater, Prince George's County residents
The Washington Post reports that Maryland Governor Parris Glendening announced yesterday that the state will provide bigger budgets and looser rules for building noise barriers along highways. The governor's action was prompted by complaints from residents in noisy neighborhoods near highways.
According to the article, Governor Glendening said the state will spend about $22 million over the next few years (about $8 million per year) to build sound barriers in four counties. Glendening announced the plans at a news conference in the backyard of Cheryl and Scott Delamater's home in Prince George's County's Bellemead section. The Delamaters and their neighbors have fought for years to get noise barriers built between their homes and the busy U.S. 50. Traffic on the highway has increased due to a road widening, creating so much noise that ordinary conversation in the residents' backyards is now almost impossible.
The article reports that some planners are opposed bo building noise barriers, because doing so diverts money away from road construction and repair. However, the governor said he wants to "make our existing neighborhoods better," and one way is to reduce vehicular noise.
The article goes on to say that as part of Glendening's new policy, the spending limit on noise barriers will go up from $40,000 per affected home to $50,000. In addition, the policy will allow noise barriers to be built along existing highways if most of the affected homes were there before the highway was built. In such cases, local governments must pay 20% of the cost, the article says.
In nearby Virginia, the article reports, the spending limit for noise barriers recently was raised from $20,000 per affected home to $30,000. In addition, Virginia policy limits noise barriers to new road projects only, according to transportation spokesperson Bill Worrell. The article goes on to say that elected officials around the Washington area have been under increasing pressure to build noise barriers. O. James Lighthizer, a former Maryland transportation secretary, said, "It's very, very politically popular. The problem is, they're expensive as the dickens, and where do you draw the line? Almost everybody wants sound barriers.... As soon as you give them to one group, the other groups want them." David Winstead, Maryland's current Transportation Secretary, said the new noise barrier program is a reasonable part of his agency's nearly $2 billion annual budget. "The governor has a high commitment to quality of life," Winstead said, and "noise is another environmental concern."
The article also says that the new noise barriers will be built in the Prince George's County communities of Kingswood (affecting 87 homes), Landover Hills (78 homes), Calverton (34 homes), Lanham Station (32 homes), and Laurel Ridge (13 homes). Barriers also are planned for Montgomery County, near sections of the Capital Beltway in Indian Spring and in Woodside Forest, and Howard County, near eastbound Interstate 70 east of St. John's Lane. An additional barrier will be built in Baltimore County.
PUBLICATION: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
DATE: June 19, 1997
SECTION: Zone West, Pg. 01
BYLINE: Cynthia Billhartz
DATELINE: Creve Coeur, Missouri
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Judy Pass, City Councillor; Sen. Betty Sims (R-Ladue)
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Missouri Department of Transportation is planning to conduct noise-level testing along the eastern side of Interstate 270 between St. John's Mercy Medical Center and DeSmet High School in Creve Coeur, to determine whether a sound wall should be built between the highway and neighboring homes. The agency decided to undertake the testing after receiving a letter from Sen. Betty Sims (R-Ladue) requesting the test on behalf of her constituents.
According to the article, the Department of Transportation is waiting for a letter of request for the test from Creve Coeur City Administrator Mike McDowell, after which the tests could begin soon, said Karen Yeomans, a senior highway designer. At a recent meeting, City Councillor Judy Pass urged the council to support the residents by writing a letter requesting the test. "I think this is something we ought to get behind," Pass said. "Apparently the sound has increased since the speed limit has increased." However, Yeomans said the Department of Transportation has not determined that complaints have increased as the speed limit has increased, the article reports. She added, however, that for every increase of 5 mph in speed, the noise level rises two decibels. Yeomans said the department has noticed more complaint calls about traffic noise, which may be a result of more media attention on the issue.
If the tests along I-270 show that noise levels are 65 decibels or higher, then a noise barrier can be built, Yeomans said. The Federal Highway Administration has set a 65-decibel guideline for noise barriers, because, according to Yeomans, that level is supposedly "the point at which people should be able to carry on a normal conversation standing three feet apart." The article reports that if noise levels are 65 decibels or higher, the state transportation department will pay 25 percent of the cost to build the noise barriers, and Creve Coeur will pay the remaining 75 percent. Noise barriers cost about $18 a square foot, depending on the type of material used, the article notes. Yeoman said the tests would probably be done in the late morning or early afternoon when traffic was at a high volume and moving at the quickest speed. She added that testing wouldn't be done during rush hour, because the traffic would be moving slower, causing less noise.
On a related matter, Yeomans said that the department also might conduct a computerized prediction study to estimate noise levels along Highway 40, the article reports. The department is in the preliminary stage of planning interchange work along Highway 40 between Spoede Road and Lindbergh Boulevard. If tests determine that a noise barrier is needed along Highway 40, it would be included with the interchange project and the department would pay 100 percent of the cost.
PUBLICATION: Chicago Sun-Times
DATE: June 17, 1997
SECTION: News; Pg. 3
BYLINE: Fran Spielman
DATELINE: Chicago, Illinois
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Joseph Karaganis, attorney for the Suburban O'Hare Commission
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Chicago Mayor Daley, along with airline executives, is scheduled to announce an anti-noise initiative today called the "Fly Quiet" plan. The plan reportedly calls for pilots to fly over non-residential areas during nighttime hours, including industrial parks, railroad tracks, forest preserves, and expressways. But according to the Suburban O'Hare Commission, a group fighting O'Hare Airport expansion, Daley's plan is a ploy to lay the groundwork for new runways.
The article reports that Mayor Daley has already supported plans to build one and possibly two new runways at O'Hare in order to reduce flight delays during bad weather. Meanwhile, Governor Edgar has said he will use his veto power to block new runways until there is a consensus among the suburbs surrounding O'Hare on noise mitigation issues.
According to the article, Joseph Karaganis, attorney for the Suburban O'Hare Commission, said the mayor's new plan "is all intended to create a spin of being a good neighbor so they can say, 'We've solved the problem at O'Hare. Therefore, give us new runways.'" Karaganis added that the Commission believes O'Hare has enough traffic, and a new airport should be built. In addition, Karaganis said, any new runway at O'Hare would go over a populated area.
However, according to Aviation Department spokesperson Dennis Cullotin, the "Fly Quiet" agreement between the city and the major airlines has nothing to do with new runways. Cullotin said, "As usual, SOC [the Suburban O'Hare Commission] is way off base and closed-minded to positive initiatives that can be achieved with the city and suburban leaders working together."
PUBLICATION: Chicago Sun-Times
DATE: June 18, 1997
SECTION: News; Pg. 1
BYLINE: Fran Spielman
DATELINE: Chicago, Illinois area
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Mary Wundt, Park Ridge resident; Ron Carlow, Des Plaines worker; Arlene Mulder, Arlington Heights resident and chair of the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that executives from United and American Airlines serving Chicago's O'Hare Airport agreed Tuesday to follow long-ignored flight paths designed to reduce nighttime jet noise that disturbs suburban residents. The flight paths call for pilots to fly over industrial parks, railroad tracks, forest preserves, and expressways at night. The flight paths are already in place, but according to Aviation Commissioner Mary Rose Loney, they have been "largely ignored due to unawareness." Loney maintains that compliance will increase now that airlines and the unions representing air traffic controllers and pilots have backed the plan.
According to the article, there are an average of 250 flights between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. at O'Hare. These flights represent only 10 percent of total operations, but they generate half of the noise complaints, the article says. Chicago Mayor Daley said the new plan for compliance by the airlines was not an attempt to lay the groundwork for new runways. Daley said, "This is not a PR stunt. We just want to get it done. This is not a press conference for runways. I will not give you that headline." Airline executives seconded Daley's claim. American Airlines CEO Robert Crandall said an additional runway is needed to reduce severe weather delays, but he said talks have been going on about a new runway for a long time, and it was not something he anticipates in the short term. Gerald Greenwald, CEO of United, said, "Anybody who tries to combine runways with this effort is playing games." He said the plan is "a sincere effort to reduce noise that we are subjecting ourselves to by having monitors out there that will measure the results so we can quit yelling at each other and go see the facts."
Some residents were skeptical anything will change, the article reports, while others have hope that the new commitment will work. Park Ridge resident Mary Wundt said the plan is a good idea if it can be enforced. She added, "The noise level is so loud at night right now, you can hardly hear the TV and sometimes you can even smell the fumes. Anything would help." Ron Carlow, a worker in Des Plaines, said the jet noise stops his conversation at times.
The article also mentions that the only suburban mayor in attendance at the City Hall news conference Tuesday that announced the new commitment was Arlene Mulder of Arlington Heights, the chair of the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission. "The suburbs have tried for 15 years (to reduce O'Hare noise) . . . and what has it achieved? Have noise levels decreased?" Mulder said. "This is a new approach. We're trying to work cooperatively with the city, the airlines, the pilots and controllers. It's worth a try."
Previous week: June 8, 1997
Next week: June 22, 1997
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