PUBLICATION: Bangor Daily News
DATE: December 16, 1999
BYLINE: Tom Groening
DATELINE: Rockland, Maine
According to the Bangor Daily News, county commissioners in Knox County, Maine have called for a public advisory committee to the master plan for the Knox County Regional Airport. Of particular interest are noise and air pollution.
The article said that committee members also want the master plan to document the increased number of noise complaints in recent years.
Because many neighbors of the airport say the increase in corporate jet traffic has affected their lives, Knox County established a dedicated telephone line that residents may use to call in their complaints.
The article goes on to say that some neighbors are skeptical of the new public advisory committee, but hope the new committee was not just for show.
According to the article, some neighbors believe the airport ought to buy decibel meters and other equipment to monitor the oily residue which they attribute to jets landing and taking off.
The article said that a series of public hearings on the plan will be held in late February or early March 2000. The commissioners must accept the plan in its final form.
PUBLICATION: Kennebec Journal
DATE: December 16, 1999
SECTION: Local; Pg. C2
BYLINE: by Mechele Cooper
DATELINE: Hallowell, Maine
According to the Kennebec Journal, Hallowell city council members were surprised when nobody showed up for a public hearing on a proposed ordinance regarding noise.
City Manager Michael Huston said the council tabled any action on the proposed amendment until its next meeting.
PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times
DATE: December 16, 1999
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 5; Metro Desk
BYLINE: Sean Kirwan
DATELINE: Orange County, California
According to the Los Angeles Times, a local cable company in Orange County, California will not be held accountable for noise and traffic complaints filed against it. The Orange County Planning Commission also granted the company permission to continue using its land in a residential neighborhood for least a few more months.
The article said that Cox Communications proposed limiting its scheduled maintenance trips to Wednesdays and Thursdays, shuttling workers to reduce traffic and building a sound wall around the facility's generator.
PUBLICATION: County Record
DATE: December 16, 1999
SECTION: News; Two Star P; Pg. L3
BYLINE: Kenneth Lovett
DATELINE: West Milford, New Jersey
According to the County Record, a New Jersey city councilman is trying to mediate a dispute between a local gun club and some of its neighbors.
The West Milford Township Council was to have considered a one-year renewal of the operating permit for the Meadowbrook Rifle and Pistol Club but voted instead to extend the permit only until the end of January.
The article said that neighbors have complained for years about noise from the gun club, particularly on weekends.
The article goes on to say that one city councilman raised environmental concerns about lead from the bullets leaching into the ground.
According to the article, gun club members, meanwhile, have said the noise complaints are overstated, and outright dismissed the environmental concerns.
According to the article, councilman Robert Moshman proposed that the gun club's permit be renewed for a full year at the end of January with several stipulations, including a four-hour limit on how long high-powered rifles can be shot outside at the club on weekends and holidays. Shooting outside designated hours would have to be done with new technology.
The article went on to say that the mayor and one city council member are concerned that the council could be overstepping its bounds by making such stipulations part of the permit-renewal process.
PUBLICATION: Sun-Sentinel
DATE: December 16, 1999
SECTION: Local, Pg. 6B
BYLINE: Kai T. Hill
DATELINE: Hollywood, Florida
The Sun-Sentinel reports that one Florida playground has received both complaints and positive comments from its neighbors.
According to the article, some neighbors have chosen to stay indoors because of the foul language and loud noises coming from the playground. The problem is that the addition of basketball courts to the playground and after-school programs have resulted in an increased noise level. Property owners say they were never consulted about the additions and now say they are facing a stone wall in their attempts to get the problem resolved.
The article says that the basketball court, which closes at 9 p.m., is purposely not lighted after dark to deter late games, and the children in the after-school program are only at the center from 2 to 6 p.m.
The article goes on to report about confrontations between basketball players and residents.
According to the article, the center has submitted expansion plans to the city for review.
PUBLICATION: Birmingham Post
DATE: December 15, 1999
SECTION: Pg. 19
BYLINE: Sid Langley
DATELINE: England
According to an article in England's Birmingham Press, regular columnist Sid Langley refers people who are plagued with noise to two organizations committed to noise. The article named the two organizations: Pipedown, PO Box 1722, Salisbury, SP4 7US; The UK Noise Network, PO Box 968, London, SE2 9RL.
According to the article, Pipedown gives members little cards to leave in establishments where they have been annoyed by the piped muzak.
The article goes on to say that the Noise Network has replaced England's Noise Abatement Society, which addresses localized noise problems.
The article quotes Langley as saying that noise is going to become one of the key issues in the next century, and compares people who complain about noise to people in the 1940s and 50s for complaining about smoking.
PUBLICATION: Central Maine Morning Sentinel
DATE: December 15, 1999
SECTION: Local; Pg. B1
BYLINE: Betty Jespersen
DATELINE: Farmington, Maine
According to the Central Maine Morning Sentinel, the Farmington Planning Board denied the International Paper Co., of Jay a permit the expansion of a wood-sorting operation.
The article said that neighbors of the paper mill, testifying in often-heated comments, firmly opposing the expansion of the 2.9 acre lot. The article goes on to say that residents cited truck traffic, noise and exhaust fumes as reasons for their opposition.
The article says that the application was officially denied because of the impact it would have on the health and welfare of the residents by increasing the level of traffic, noise and fumes.
The article goes on to say that the Planning Board has 30 days to complete a report that lists the reasons for denying the application. Once the report is reviewed by a lawyer, the company has 30 days to submit a request for an Appeals Board review.
PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times
DATE: December 15, 1999
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 3; Metro Desk
BYLINE: Jean O. Pasco and David Reyes
DATELINE: Orange County California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Todd Spitzer, county supervisor
According to the Los Angeles times, Orange County officials may have permitted John Wayne Airport to have aircraft traffic exceed required levels over a period of six years--all without approval.
The article said that two supervisors have raised the question about the airport's record.
A county special airport attorney, who has represented county matters for the past 20 years, said that no court approval was needed to change the 1985 agreement as long as all the attorneys involved agreed in writing.
The article says that county attorney Richard Oviedo said that changing the 1985 agreement involves a three-step process: All the attorneys must sign a stipulation; the federal court must approve it; and the county's airport access plan must be amended.
The article says that county lawyers cannot explain why there is no record of a judge having signed the 1993 noise increases--which occurred as a result of changes in takeoff procedures--or a 1994 action by supervisors to allow cargo flights at John Wayne Airport.
County supervisor Todd Spitzer suggested during the meeting that "if this is true," county officials may have purposely acted to increase noise over John Wayne's neighbors to increase pressure for construction of a second airport at the closed El Toro Marine base.
PUBLICATION: Bergen County Record
DATE: December 15, 1999
SECTION: News; Two Star P, Also In, One Star B; Pg. L3
BYLINE: Leonor Ayala
DATELINE: Haledon, New Jersey
The Bergen County Record reports that the Borough Council is scheduled to vote on an ordinance that would curb the hours of operation of a local quarry, lessening its impact on neighboring residents.
The article says that after nearly two years of legal battling, officials a settlement agreement before a New Jersey state Superior Court Judge.
The article quotes Haledon's mayor Kenneth Pengitore in a statement on behalf of residents. "This is a benchmark of relief for some residents because it sets a standard" for the quarry.
The article says that the two sides had reached a tentative agreement in September but were at odds over the facilities hours of operation.
The article says that the new ordinance replaces a law restricting the quarry's hours of operation and was prompted by residents complaints about noise, dust, and truck traffic from the 80-year-old quarry off Central Avenue.
According to the article, the Superior Court restricts the quarry's hours and calls for monthly municipal review of the facility's dust-control and noise levels. Quarry owners must set up an annual trust fund of $10,000 to pay for those reviews by consulting experts.
Also in the settlement, the quarry also must submit a lengthy application for license renewal every three years, that includes an environmental impact study, which must detail the affect of the operations on nearby residents.
Included in the settlement is a stipulation requiring the quarry to submit traffic plans five days prior to nighttime operations.
PUBLICATION: Wednesday
DATE: DECEMBER 15, 1999
SECTION: News; Pg. A21
BYLINE: Pamela J. Podger
DATELINE: Sonoma Valley, California
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, In an attempt to appease Sonoma Valley residents fretting over more NASCAR-size events, the Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma Valley, California voluntarily reduced its proposed grandstand seating to 35,000 people in an effort to appease Sonoma Valley residents who objected to more NASCAR-sized events near their neighborhoods. The original estimate was over 100,000. Race officials also plan to plant a grove of trees and other landscaping technology to hide the raceway.
The article said that a public hearing on the final environmental impact report for the raceway is scheduled for early 2000.
According to the article, county planner Scott Briggs said the environmental reviews and a staff analysis are part of the process for the facility to obtain a new use permit for its expansion.
The article said that several issues are still of major concern for residents in the Sonoma Valley, including: noise abatement, the type of activities hosted by the track, the environmental impacts of a parking lot proposed on wetlands east of Highway 121, a proposed pedestrian bridge and the expansion of track-related businesses.
The article said that one of the raceway's closest neighbors, Tony Lilly, said the revisions were "a very positive change" but still failed to address the noise problems. He said the noise is deafening on Wednesday nights when the track hosts drag races.
PUBLICATION: Sun-Sentinel
DATE: December 15, 1999
SECTION: Local, Pg. 1A
BYLINE: by Mel Melendez
DATELINE: Highland Beach, Florida
The Sun-Sentinel reports that Highland Beach residents lodged complaints against a riverboat that hosts parties while it travels on the Intracoastal Waterway. Residents have asked the Town Commission to intervene and help bring the noise level way down. The town has a noise ordinance.
The article says that commissioners sent a letter to the Ramblin' Rose II owner, asking him to do address the issue.
According to the article, while the riverboat is equipped with a stereo system, passengers can bring their own entertainment on board. Some groups even hire disc jockeys to spin dance music for guests.
The article says that riverboat officials want to maintain their good reputation and want to remain good neighbors.
PUBLICATION: The Times
DATE: December 15, 1999
SECTION: Overseas News
BYLINE: Adam Sage
DATELINE: Paris, France
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Dominique Voynet, Green Party Environment Minister; Jean-Claude Delarue, head of SOS Bruit
The London Times reports that French cabarets have been targeted by anti-noise groups, and will either have to close or install soundproofing. Up to 2,000 of the 3,000 French bars that stage concerts will close, according to their owners.
The article says that street cafes are the heart of French song traditions and the bars provide music and drink, without worrying about the noise. Most believe that pedestrians and neighbors should be given the benefit of their live music.
The article notes that attitudes have changed and although many French people proclaim the need to save France's musical heritage, they don't want it in their bedrooms. This new attitude prompted lobby groups such as SOS Bruit and the Green Party to introduce the controversial anti- noise Bill last year. "No one has the right to stop us sleeping," Jean-Claude Delarue, the head of SOS Bruit, said.
PUBLICATION: The Washington Post
DATE: December 15, 1999
SECTION: Metro; Pg. B09
BYLINE: Lyndsey Layton
DATELINE: Washington, D.C.
The Washington Post reports that the new, smaller buses the local transit company bought to reduce noise on narrow District streets, are noisier than the large buses they replaced. Screeching brakes are the reason, the report says. As a result, the local transit company, Metro, will spend about $32,000 to change the break linings on 40 buses.
The noise measures at about 130 decibels, and transit buses shouldn't be louder than 83 decibels, according to Phil Wallace, Metro's acting general superintendent for bus maintenance.
The article says that the transit agency will try to recoup its costs from Orion, but according to Orion, Metro has not asked the manufacturer to replace the brake linings or pay for new linings.
PUBLICATION: Central Maine
DATE: December 14, 1999
SECTION: Local; Pg. B1
BYLINE: Betty Jespersen
DATELINE: Farmington, Maine
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: resident and wildlife biologist James Parker
The Central Maine Morning Sentinel reports that the International Paper Company submitted plans for noise reduction as it expands one of its log sorting yards.
The article said the plans include: using trees as sound buffers; limiting operation hours; and redesigning the yard. The article revealed that some residents have rejected the company's plans because they are inadequate.
'I am calling on the Planning Board to reject this plan because it is incompetent and inadequate, and it goes against the town's site review ordinance,' said wildlife biologist James Parker. The article said the public had not chance to comment on the site review.
According to the article, the site review ordinance regulates areas of concern such as noise, traffic, fumes and air pollution. The article says that a new zoning ordinance would not have allowed the log yard to do because it does not meet the zoning standards for light commercial/residential activity. For this reason, Parker asked that the operation's plans not be accepted.
According to the article, the paper company has received a significant number of complaints from residents and neighbors. They've complained about noise, dust, early start-ups, and the racket made by a slasher that cut trees into eight-foot logs. The wood hauled in by logging trucks is unloaded and sorted by species into piles, then reloaded and taken to IP.
PUBLICATION: Journal of Commerce
DATE: December 14, 1999
SECTION: Air Commerce; Pg. 10
BYLINE: by Gene Linn
DATELINE: Washington, D.C.
The Journal of Commerce reports that beginning January 1,2000, new U.S. noise reduction rules take effect for aircraft. It's the deadline for cargo and passenger aircraft to comply with Stage 3 noise rules for take-offs and landings at U.S. airports, the article says.
The article says that the move to quieter planes has reduced the number of people subject to annoying noise at airports in the United States from 7 million in 1975 to 600,000 in 2000. Editor's note: this statement is untrue. Some large airports in the U.S. currently impact well over a million people.
The article goes on to say that planes that do not meet Stage 3 regulations have been fitted with hushkits or re-engined.
The article quotes Ron Priddy, vice president for operations at the Washington-based National Air Carrier Association as saying that Stage 3 standards are "acceptable and technically feasible, and the period of time we had to respond was economically reasonable." he said.
The article says that industry experts fear the next level of noise rules will not be so benign.
The article goes on to say that carriers want Stage 3 rules to stay in place long enough for them to make up for the expense of compliance, at least give to seven years.
According to the article, the industry also is lobbying to have realistic new standards phased in gradually on an international level. In addition, the article says that the National Air Carrier Association wants new rules to be set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, which will begin defining alternative rules in mid-2000.
PUBLICATION: The Plain Dealer
DATE: December 14, 1999
SECTION: Editorials
DATELINE: Youngstown and Toledo, Ohio
An editorial in the Plain Dealer discusses the obligation of the Ohio Turnpike Trustees to develop a noise policy because of the dramatic increase in traffic over the years and its subsequent impact on homes that have been built during that time.
The editorial calls for trustees to fulfill a "neighborly duty to address adjacent residents' complaints about noise." Requests from residential areas have asked turnpike officials to consider various sound barrier technology, but have been given the cold shoulder in response.
The editorial notes that the rules are different for the turnpike because, unlike the interstates, the Ohio Turnpike receives no federal funding and is exempt from federal noise laws governing highways. In addition, the turnpike is financed by tolls, and consequently exempt from regulations from ODOT.
The editorial discussed sound barriers built along the interstate and around Greater Cleveland, but cautioned that some of the barriers were eyesores and were petitioned to be removed.
The editorial concluded, stating that with a 40 percent increase in turnpike traffic over 10 years, and truck traffic reported to have reversed a decline, the timeliness of such a move speaks for itself.
PUBLICATION: Bergen County Record
DATE: December 14, 1999
SECTION: News; Two Star P; Pg. L1
BYLINE: Kenneth Lovett
DATELINE: West Milford, New Jersey
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: resident Joseph Winterberger
The Bergen County Record reports that the West Milford Township Council is in an intense, five-year-old dispute between a gun club and some of its neighbors. According to the article, at issue is whether the council should renew the club's operating permit for another year.
According to the article, the tension between the Meadowbrook Rifle and Pistol Club and its Van Orden Road neighbor surfaced in late 1999, but is now a bitter dispute.
The article says that resident Joseph Winterberger is one of many neighbors who complained for years about the noise from the gun club disturbing home life, particularly on weekends.
When tempers flared in 1999, the council required that the club submit to a noise -level test, something the club fought, the article said.
The article says that when council members measured the noise from gunfire, they recorded decibel levels between 70 and 76, which are within limits for non-constant noise. The article goes on to say that neighbors say that because the noise often lasts hours at a time, the decibel levels should not exceed 65, which is the limit for constant noise.
In addition to noise, Winterberger raised environmental concerns over whether there has been contamination at the range by lead from bullets shot into the soil.
The article says that gun club members claim they are being unfairly targeted, and that the club, which has 150 members, was on its 17-acre Van Orden Road site before the neighboring houses were built. In addition, they call the noise complaints overstated and add that gun clubs are not subjected to noise ordinances in New Jersey.
The article says that gun club President John M. O'Connor wants the council to renew the license for three years in order to "end the unpleasantness of having to go through this process on a yearly basis.
The gun club lawyer, Stephan T. Mashel, states that "There are no issues," referring to neighbor complaints. "Why are the council members giving weight to it?"
According to the article, councilman Robert Moshman wants to find middle ground to resolve feud, claiming the main problems center around the noise from high-powered rifles. He said one solution may be to limit the hours such weapons can be used at the range. Another could be to require that club members shoot the rifles through a concrete tube designed to absorb the noise.
The article says Moshman recommends that the council renew the permit for only one month so discussions can continue, although he doesn't know if the idea will have the support of his colleagues. In addition, the article says he admits there may not be a solution acceptable to both sides can be found.
PUBLICATION: Seattle Times
DATE: December 14, 1999
SECTION: Local News; Pg. B2; Pacific Northwest
BYLINE: Seattle Times Staff
DATELINE: Seattle, Washington
According to the Seattle Times, the Seattle City Council delayed voting on new noise regulations this year because of a possible infringements of First Amendment rights of demonstrators and because it threatened the existence of the city's nightclubs.
The article said that the council voted instead to rework the city's 22-year-old noise regulations from the beginning.
PUBLICATION: Associated Press
DATE: December 13, 1999
SECTION: State And Regional
DATELINE: Hollis, New Hampshire
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Carol Shaw, resident
An Associated Press article reports that neighbors of a gun club in Hollis, New Hampshire have organized into Citizens to Stop the Noise.
"All we want is to stop the noise; we don't want to shut them down," said Carol Shaw, one of the first people to move onto the street 17 years ago. "I don't care if they enclose it in a building. Whatever it takes. I just can't live like this anymore."
The article says the Lone Pine Hunters Club gun club assert the club has been on the property since 1966, far longer than the homes that about it so they shouldn't be penalized, according to the club's attorney, Rick Mitchell.
According to the article, the neighborhood group claim gunfire has increased during the past six years, disturbing the neighbors' sleep, work, outdoor activities and family life. They also claims the club is violating town zoning rules.
The Associated Press said that gun club president Connie Kelleher said the club has about 150 members and opens its gates to the community often. Kelleher added the club hosts hunting-education programs and also allows local police, the Nashua SWAT team and even the Secret Service to use the range for firearm training.
PUBLICATION: The Lawyer
DATE: December 13, 1999
SECTION: Litigation Recent Decisions; Pg. 22
DATELINE: London, England
The Lawyer reports that the rights of local council to monitor underground rail noise are on trial in High Court.
The article says that the London Borough of Camden issued an abatement notice, acting on the Environmental Protection Act 1990 because of noise complaints from someone living adjacent to Russell Square Station.
The article says the resident claimed that he experienced continual noise from the station's elevator motor room, separated from his living room only by a party wall.
To date, the High Court has reserved judgment on the case.
PUBLICATION: Newsday
DATE: December 13, 1999
SECTION: Viewpoints; Page A34
DATELINE: Huntington, New York
According to an editorial in Newsday, residents of a 248-unit housing development have agreed to co-exist peacefully with a neighboring farm stand.
The editorial praises the ability of the two diverse occupants because when "remnants of agriculture are marooned in upscale suburbia, this is unusual-and welcome."
According to the editorial, at issue was the initial objection of condo dwellers to the smells and noise that accompany farm life.
The editorial revealed that after negotiations, White Post Farms, a 28-acre Melville institution for the past 62 years, agreed to get rid of its peacocks and hens to minimize the noise. The editorial added that the farm is cutting back its expansion plans.
PUBLICATION: Plain Dealer
DATE: December 13, 1999
SECTION: Metro; Pg. 1B
BYLINE: James F. Sweeney
DATELINE: Youngstown and Toledo, Ohio
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Kim Alexander, resident
According to the Plain Dealer, the Ohio Turnpike Commission is spending $1.3 billion to enhance rest stops and add lanes, but it refuses to listen to residents who want sound barriers to block traffic noise.
The article says that Turnpike officials claim they are not obligated to erect sound walls because the turnpike was built before people built their homes near it.
The article says that neighbors object to that claim because the traffic rumble and whine wakes them up and keeps them out of their back yards.
The article says that residents are aware that turnpike officials have no obligation because the turnpike is largely independent of outside control--either state or federal. It is owned by the state, but not a part of the state's transportation department. It is governed by a board appointed by the governor.
The article says that a dramatic increase in traffic, 40 percent from 1988 to 1998, from 31.1 million to 43.6 million. In addition, the article says that passenger traffic is expected to continue rising 1.6 percent a year.
The article said that when told of the neighbors' complaints, at least one member indicated a willingness to review the noise wall policy. "I don't think we should have a closed mind," said commission member Earl W. Williams.
According to the article, members Tim Greenwood of Toledo and Steve Strnisha of Cleveland, who were appointed in August, said they would have to study the issue.
The article says that two nonvoting members of the commission, State Sen. Jeffrey Armbruster, Republican of North Ridgeville, and Rep. Stephen Buehrer, Republican of Lima, said the noise wall policy should be re-examined.
"We shouldn't issue a flat no," Buehrer said.
PUBLICATION: Press Association Newsfile
DATE: December 13, 1999
SECTION: Home News
BYLINE: Chris Court, Pa News.
DATELINE: Torquay, Devon, England
A Press Association Newsfile article reports that an argument over noise led to the violent death of a Plymouth University student.
The article said that Ross Woolaway died from a knife wound to the heart in the stabbing outside his neighbour's flat in Torquay, Devon. He also suffered stab wounds in the right arm and back. His head was then stamped with the imprint of his attacker's footwear left on his face.
The article said that previously, Woolaway had gone to the lower ground floor flat of Barry Andrews to complain about about the loud music which had awakened him. Woolaway had threatened to smash the stereo if the music was not turned off.
According to the article, on January Woolaway was later seen wrestling with Andrews outside the lower ground floor flat and exchanging blows because of Andrews's noisy stereo.
According to Andrews, Woolaway had grabbed him round and neck. "I stabbed him again and again because I thought he was going to kill me," he said.
PUBLICATION: Seattle Times
DATE: December 13, 1999
SECTION: Editorial; Pg. B4; James Vesely
BYLINE: James Vesely
DATELINE: Seattle, Washington
The Seattle Times reports that residents of several suburbs have come together to protest what they feel as being railroaded by the Port of Seattle staff regarding modification study of jet flight paths over Lake Washington.
According to the article, the problem is that modifications are fraught with the jargon of jet traffic in a congested airspace.
The article explained that in 1987, an air traffic flow study asked residents of the Lake Washington shoreline whether northbound airplanes be spread over the airspace of Lake Washington, or left concentrated in a narrow corridor that arcs over some Seattle neighborhoods and then Medina? Then, the answer was no. Today, the answer is maybe.
The article says that people are angry because they have been left out of the debate. The article goes on to say that a citizens' committee formed to assess changing flight paths and make a recommendation to Port of Seattle staff excluded neighborhoods south of I-90 on the east side of the lake.
The article says that residents have a legitimate concern that their community, the most affected by the new, right-turn option, was underrepresented and essentially sold out. The article goes on to say, however that people in other communities are puzzled at their response.
According to the article, the argument is posed best by Citizens for Airplane Noise Equity (CANE), who say they've got all the noise, let's spread it around so that everyone has some but nobody has all of it.
The article says that several people proposed a win-win solution: to route much of the northbound Sea-Tac traffic west, away from Lake Washington, out the Duwamish industrial corridor and then over Elliott Bay, but that raises problems with residents in Medford, Oregon.
PUBLICATION: Virginian-Pilot
DATE: December 13, 1999
SECTION: Local, Pg. B10
DATELINE: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Letters to the editor of the Virginian-Pilot call for community leaders to implement an anti-noise plan because of jet overflights at Oceana Naval Air Station near Virginia Beach. The editorial asks community leaders to act immediately because jet over flights have reached a level where the noise adversely affects the quality of the residents' lives.
Community leaders must act when the noise level caused by the air operations activity at Naval Air Station Oceana reaches a level where it affects the quality of its citizens' lives. They must cooperate with federal officials to prepare a plan to reduce the noise to a level at least no worse than it was before the recent precipitous increase in aviation force structure at Oceana.
We have heard the debate; now it is time for action. Every elected official who represents Virginia Beach in city, state and federal office should be asked to take a position on the noise and describe his or her plan to deal with it. Incumbent officials who have not expressed any reasonable plan should be removed from office.
We want a reduction in the number of squadrons, the construction of hush houses for aircraft engine maintenance run-ups, the installation of noise -abatement barriers to mitigate ground-based jet engine noise and the introduction of restrictive hours for jet operations.
It is also time for the noise -level measurement system to be changed. Averaging decibel exposure over a 24-hour period is deceptive - 65 decibels averaged over 24 hours sounds reasonable; however, 100 decibels at any one time is outrageous.
Gregory A. Koumbis
Commander, U.S. Navy (ret.)
Virginia Beach
On Nov. 29, I crawled into bed around 10 p.m. However, I wasn't able to fall asleep until a little after 11. The reason? The sounds of jets flying directly over my apartment.
I have read a lot of the articles and editorials concerning the dilemma of jet noise from Oceana and, until that night, could see both sides. While I understand it is extremely important to our country's safety for the pilots to practice maneuvers, I don't understand why it has to be done that late on a week night. I comprehend that maneuvers must be practiced at night as well as during the day, but it now gets completely dark by 5:30, and there is no reason why the noise should continue so late. Children have to get up early for school, and many adults must get up early for work.
What about a 9:00 or 9:30 cutoff? That would still leave four hours of night flying. I hope some sort of solution can be contrived, because it truly is miserable to begin drifting off to sleep and be awakened seconds later by such a loud noise.
Danya Powell
Virginia Beach
Like approximately 15 percent of local residents, I work a night shift and sleep during the day. I am awake now at 12:30 in the afternoon because Oceana planes are practicing maneuvers overhead. This occurs at least three times a week in my neighborhood (Princess Anne Plaza).
To my knowledge, our neighborhood is not a military threat. Why can't these "top guns" practice over the nearby ocean, where their noise won't disturb residents? I curse the day these additional aircraft came to Virginia Beach.
Gerard Preiss
Virginia Beach
PUBLICATION: Anchorage Daily News
DATE: December 12, 1999
SECTION: Metro, Pg. 1B
BYLINE: Martha Bellisle
DATELINE: Anchorage, Alaska
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Margaret Auth, resident;
The article report on citizens from a nearby town who asked the legislators to help alleviate the inordinate amount of air traffic and subsequent jet noise over many parts of the city.
According to the article, they believe the expansion plans at Anchorage International Airport will only aggravate what is already a problem.
The article says that neighbors of the airport told their legislators that they wanted more in depth noise studies before the expansion was built. Margaret Auth, one airport neighbor told legislators "When airport people come to talk to you about funds for expansion, make sure you include money for noise studies."
One representative advocated for both the expansion and concern for neighbors.
The same legislator informed people at the meeting of the finding of the Federal Aviation Administration officials that the skies over Anchorage are dangerously overcrowded because of the existence of three airfields serving the area.
PUBLICATION: The Las Vegas Review-Journal
DATE: December 12, 1999
SECTION: B; Pg. 1B
BYLINE: Joelle Babula
DATELINE: Las Vegas, Nevada
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Faye Roberts, Richfield resident; Pierce Howard, author of The Owners Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind/Brain Research
The Las Vegas Review-journal reports that residents of the Richfield Village in Las Vegas will soon be subject to increased road noise with the upcoming reconstruction of Interstate 15. Transportation officials are refusing to include sound walls in their plans because environmental regulations weren't in place when the interstate was built in the early 1960s.
Compounding the problem, the article says, is that the neighborhood of about 350 homes and several apartment complexes is surrounded by commercial areas, industry and businesses. Residents believe that the reconstruction will increase both the pace and noise level of traffic.
The article notes that the Richfield neighborhood is technically not in the reconstruction area but that residents are still apprehensive of the effects of the increasing traffic speeds and that there aren't any provisions for noise.
Transportation officials, the article says, agree that traffic speeds will increase, but noise and traffic problems can't simply be attributed to one project since Las Vegas is growing everywhere..
The article reports that one sound wall is part of the project, but is not targeted for the Richfield neighborhood, and there is no funding in place to add another one, especially Richfield is technically outside the project area.
The article states notes there are two types of funding available for sound walls--one targets new construction in new locations, and the other is a federal program, retrofitting areas after construction. Of interest is that the state policy is not to implement the federal program, and this has angered residents further.
Transportation officials say that a sound wall would cost about $600,000, and since the Richfield neighborhood only has about five homes, building one would be cost-prohibitive. The article quotes officials as saying buying the neighbors out would be more feasible.
The article reports that four lanes southbound and three lanes northbound will soon be four lanes both directions, and in other parts, eight lanes will increase to 12.
Changing from reporting on neighborhood feedback, the article also lists the health hazards of the noise: inner ear damage, noise can cause stress, which can lead to high blood pressure, headaches, sleeping problems and other maladies, all documented by the World Health Organization.
PUBLICATION: The New York Times
DATE: December 12, 1999
SECTION: Section 14Li; Page 24; Column 2; Long Island Weekly Desk
BYLINE: John Rather
DATELINE: Suffolk County, New York
According to the New York Times, the Suffolk County Legislature approved noise limits for boom boxes and other noise sources on county roads or in county-owned beaches and parks. One county official said that the legislation came about because existing loud noises have an adverse affect on the quality of life for Suffolk residents.
The article said that the new law set a limit on county property of 50 decibels on noise from 7 p.m. to 10 a.m., and of 65 decibels at other times.
Also included in the ordinance, the article says are lawn mowers, leaf blowers, other power tools, tractors and other equipment in use on county property would not be affected, if they make more than 85 decibels of noise at the county property line.
The article reported that exempt noise sources are emergency sirens, snowblowers, fire trucks, construction, demolition, municipal celebrations and amplified public speaking.
The article said that boom boxes in cars is a commonly reported problem, but only boom boxes in cars traveling on county roads could be regulated.
Lending teeth to the ordinance is a a $500 fine or up to one year in jail for each violation.
PUBLICATION: Stuart News/Port St. Lucie
DATE: December 12, 1999
SECTION: Letters To The Editor; Pg. A8
DATELINE: Stuart, Florida
The Stuart News printed a letter to the editor regarding golfers, noise and jet noise. The letter was written by an international captain flying with American Airlines in response to jet noise interfering with golf games.
Editor:
On Dec. 4 you ran a letter from an individual named Chrystal on aircraft-induced noise in the Stuart area.
I am an international captain with American Airlines and fly 400,000-pound jets all over the globe. The closest Stuart comes to having a "big jet" near it is when I fly over flashing my lights to say "hi" to my son. The jets flying out of the Stuart airport are small corporate types with highly trained individuals operating them. When they take off and climb out over the Martin County Golf
Course, the last thing on their mind is what someone playing golf is thinking.
Takeoff is a very critical phase of flight. In essence, you are making a mad dash up to a critical altitude in order to clear obstacles and give you a fighting chance if something should go wrong. For each aircraft, jet or prop, this phase is a well-rehearsed event that seldom changes. The critical altitude will be somewhere between 600-1,000 feet, depending on the aircraft. At that point, you will lower the nose and reduce takeoff power to climb power. Takeoff power settings consist of either max power or reduced power; neither takes into account a headwind component. The reason reduced power is ever selected is to lessen strain on engines. The components involved are runway length, density altitude, temperature and weight.
An airport either has a NAP ( noise abatement profile) or it doesn't. What this individual saw that day on the golf course was these aircraft reaching a critical altitude in a shorter linear distance and reducing to climb power. This was due to the headwind factor - airplane 101 stuff! And these so-called "big jets" weigh on the average about 70,000 pounds and for the most part are equipped with the most advanced noise - and power-efficient engines available.
I can assure you that if a given airport has a NAP, it will be briefed and flown if at all possible. If for any reason the NAP has to be abandoned, it will be marked up to operational necessity. The suggestion that professional pilots trying to keep their aircraft in a safe situation, at the same time allow the performance of their aircraft to deteriorate so as not to offend someone playing golf, is ludicrous. To the point that a pilot guilty of this absurdity should be stripped of his responsibilities immediately.
D.G. Aders International Captain, American Airlines
Sewall's Point
PUBLICATION: The Toronto Star
DATE: December 12, 1999
SECTION: T14
DATELINE: Toronto, Canada
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Martin Gerskup, investigative architect and building science specialist
The Toronto Star printed a letter from someone asking for advice and help regarding elevator noise in an office building turned condominium.
The article reported information from a noise specialist, revealing that building codes address airborne sound control but not impact noise and vibration control.
According to the article, condominiums are made to handle these noises in addition to airborne sound by design. For example, noise-sensitive spaces such as a bedroom are purposely not placed above or near noisy spaces such as party rooms.
The article said that even though the writer's suite is separated from the elevator by a stairwell and garbage room, he or she could still hear elevator noise. The article suggested that the height of the office building is greater than that of a typical residential building, and that even a hairline crack in the partitions above the ceiling could result in sound leakage.
The article said that the elevator noise doesn't always infer a structural problem. Instead, the article said that perhaps the degree of sound control when the building was converted might be inadequate in isolating the elevator noise from the reader's suite.
The article went on to say that isolating interior sound is acutally based on a rating system called the Sound Transmission Class (STC), and is referenced in the Building Code. An STC rating of 55 or higher is required for partition walls between residential spaces and elevator shafts. In addition, the article said that noise level guidelines for residential condominiums rate noise according to a criteria (NC) that rates background noise levels within suites. An acceptable range for most condominiums would fall within NC25 to NC35.
In summary, the article said that attention to detail coupled with a high standard of workmanship must be followed. The article suggested that the corporation hire an acoustical engineer to find where additional measures be taken.
Previous week: December 5, 1999
Next week: December 26, 1999
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