PUBLICATION: South Bend Tribune
DATE: June 30, 1999
SECTION: Local/Area, Pg. D3
BYLINE: David Tyler
DATELINE: Elkhart, Michigan
South Bend Tribune reports that an Elkhart, Michigan common council member and Republican mayoral candidate has proposed changes to toughen the noise ordinance; common problems in the community include motorists playing loud music and having loud exhaust systems. 154 noise violations have been written already this year. The current range for fines of $25-$100 would be raised to $100-$2500. Hours of enforcement would be changed from between 9 PM and 8 AM to around the clock. Violators could be identified with three criteria: noise audible at 50 feet from the source, noise registering 83 decibels or higher 15 feet from the source, or any inherently offensive or patently obnoxious noise. The words inherently and patently were added after complaints that the language was too vague.
The article goes on to say that the full council will consider the proposal next week. The current Democratic mayor called some parts vague (including the language mentioned above) and unenforceable, and some have said that the two men's opinions are politically charged by the upcoming election. The Republican mayoral candidate has proposed in other cases that judges be allowed to sentence noise violators to listen to lounge music, and police officers be allowed to work with citizens to set up 'noise traps' similar to common speed traps.
PUBLICATION: The Arizona Republic
DATE: June 30, 1999
SECTION: Tempe/Ahwatukee Foothills Community; Pg. Ev1
BYLINE: by Betty Beard
DATELINE: Ahwatukee Foothills, Arizona
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Carolyn Riedl of Taxpayers for Responsible Planning
The Arizona Republic reports that residents in Ahwatukee Foothills, Arizona are still being annoyed by noise from Sky Harbor International Airport; in March, the airport began increasing use of a route over the community to better balance the use of its two runways and to deal with increasing winds from the West. Officials still claim that the change only resulted in 48 more flights per day for the first eighteen days in June. At a village planning commission meeting, concerns from a U.S. Senators, a Representative, and a Phoenix Councilman, together with a petition signed by 647 residents, aimed to pressure the FAA to do something to reduce noise in the community. The FAA -- which was in attendance -- says that it is looking at some measures, but says that redirecting flights will only shift the noise burden to other communities.
The article goes on to note that in January, federal regulations will require that older, noisier aircraft be fitted with noise-reduction equipment or not fly at all. Those aircraft make up about 14 percent of planes, and are the ones most likely to fly at lower altitudes. Also, planes will be allowed to climb faster on departure from Sky Harbor, increasing the height at which planes fly over communities. The airport is the fifth busiest in the country, and is third for long delays.
The article goes on to note that an increase in complaints could be due to increased press on the subject; residents may be more attuned to the noise now. Also, the spring weather which draws people outside may be a factor.
The article concludes, noting that a local councilman and Carolyn Riedl of Taxpayers for Responsible Planning want a city-wide study, which takes into account the planned expansion at nearby Williams Gateway and Chandler Airport.
PUBLICATION: Birmingham Evening Mail
DATE: June 30, 1999
SECTION: Pg. 19
DATELINE: London
Birmingham Evening Mail reports that a 25-year-old student at London's Royal College of Art has designed a "Smart Curtain" which combats irritating noise. The electronic device reduces sound intensity by up to eight decibels, and filters noise to allow only soothing frequencies to pass. The student received a prize of 2,000 pounds from the British Standards Institution for creating a design which promotes environmental best practice. The inventor notes that "Having control over a noisy environment makes people feel less stressed out and more comfortable."
PUBLICATION: Flight International
DATE: June 30, 1999
SECTION: Features; Pg. 19
BYLINE: Annabel Wells
DATELINE: World
Flight International reports that NVX Active Noise and Vibration Control Technology, designed by the Lord Corporation, has received approval from the FAA. The system, which has been successfully tested for a year on Air Canada flights, is designed to reduce noise by up to 25 decibels or 95% on DC-9s and MD-80s. The system also reduces vibration on cabin floors and fixtures.
The article goes on, noting that electromagnetic actuators on the engines cancel vibrations before it reaches the main fuselage; the system runs by computer and considers existing cabin noise. The loudest seats hear a 95% noise reduction, and the average is 80% noise reduction for all passengers. Even rapid throttle changes and taxiing noise can be canceled by the technology almost instantly.
PUBLICATION: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
DATE: June 30, 1999
SECTION: News North Pg. 8
BYLINE: Marie Rohde
DATELINE: Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that after a noisy air conditioner at Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin's Municipal Building drew complaints from a neighbor, the village has decided to build a wall to cut the noise. The neighbor pointed out that while the unit is 2.5 feet from his property line, the city failed to secure a variance to the 10-foot requirement. The village will spend a partial $18,600 wall, and may spend an additional $5200 if the first section isn't sufficient.
The article notes that the neighbor has been unable to use the backyard of his $266,700 home because of the constantly present noise. The problem began in 1995 when the air conditioning unit -- which was supposed to be quieter than the unit it was replacing -- was installed at a total cost of about $50,000. An independent firm reported in 1997 that there was a 'significant' noise emanating from the units. Previous attempts to quiet the noise have been unsuccessful.
PUBLICATION: The Orange County Register
DATE: June 30, 1999
SECTION: Metro; Pg. B02
BYLINE: Mary Ann Milbourn
DATELINE: Orange County, California
The Orange County Register reports that more than three dozen residents turned out with their children at the last Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting to emphasize the effect that noise from a proposed new airport at the former El Toro Marine Base would have on their families. Recent jet-noise tests -- which included 25 jet takeoffs and landings -- disturbed many of these families. "My kids were outside playing when the test was going on, and they held their ears as hard as they could," said Aliso Viejo resident Rod Rangel of his daughter Chenoa, 8, and son Gabriel, 5. "It's wrong, it's wrong for our children. "
The article continues, noting that the jet-noise data, gathered by the county, would be released in two weeks, and a complete analysis would be available in late summer as part of the environmental impact study. The board voted to hire two Washington, D.C. lobbying firms for $396,000 to promote the El Toro airport plan, with a 10% bonus if the Navy approves transfer of the base property by June 30, 2000.
PUBLICATION: PR Newswire
DATE: June 30, 1999
SECTION: Washington Dateline
DATELINE: Washington, D.C.
PR Newswire reports that the National Campaign for Hearing Health offers four tips to protect your hearing during the upcoming Fourth of July fireworks and beyond. First, wear ear protection when you plan to be around loud noise such as fireworks. Second, discipline yourself to listen to music only as loud as necessary. Third, cover your ears when loud noise such as sirens or aircraft surprise you. Fourth, watch fireworks from a comfortable distance, or use ear protection. Fireworks can produce noise up to 190 decibels, 110 decibels higher than the point at which ear damage can begin to occur. Toxic noise such as that can lead to tinnitus, or potentially deafness.
PUBLICATION: The Times-Picayune
DATE: June 30, 1999
SECTION: Metro; Pg. B7
BYLINE: by Tom Piazza
DATELINE: New Orleans, Louisiana
The Times-Picayune prints an editorial, in which the author points out problems with the currently pending Senate Bill 909 that would limit sound levels New Orleans' Jackson Square. The law would mean that "sound producing devices" could not be used in a public place "in a manner likely to disturb, inconvenience, or annoy a person of ordinary sensibilities." Further, the sound can't be more than 55 decibels within ten feet of an entrance to a hospital or place of worship. The author notes that the ambient noise in Jackson Square is already above that number, and that someone who coughs could be tagged as a violator if the mouth was considered a 'sound producing device." Violators could get up to 30 days in jail.
The article continues, noting that traditional events held blocks away could violate the new bill. The author contends that an existing city ordinance limits noise in Jackson Square to 78 decibels 50 feet from the source during church services, provided that signs were posted to acknowledge that a service was happening. Officials at a prominent cathedral in Jackson Square who have complained of noise admit that if the existing city ordinance were enforced properly
PUBLICATION: Chicago Tribune
DATE: June 30, 1999
SECTION: Trib West; Pg. 6; Zone: D
BYLINE: Meg Dedolph.
DATELINE: Villa Park, Illinois
Chicago Tribune reports that the Villa Park, Illinois Village Board is considering changes to its noise ordinance that will allow police to crack down on drivers of refrigerator trucks who leave them idling all night. Residents near a motel lot where refrigerator trucks often idle complained at a recent board meeting. The current ordinance prohibits the trucks from running between 8 PM and 6 AM, but suggested changes would make the property owner responsible for not allowing the trucks to idle. One board member suggested putting the regulation under traffic laws, allowing easier enforceability.
PUBLICATION: Calgary Herald
DATE: June 29, 1999
SECTION: News; A17
BYLINE: Damian Whitworth
DATELINE: Washington, D.C.
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Joel Reynolds, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defence Council
The Calgary Herald reports that a recent Natural Resources Defense Council report calls for more study and stricter regulations that would protect sea life from noise pollution. Human-generated noise can harm sea life, by compromising their ability "to find food and mates, to guard their young, and to avoid predators." Whales have even been known to avoid noise even if it means abandoning traditional breeding grounds. Noise contributions from super tankers -- which are subject to almost no regulation -- and military sonar are significant.
PUBLICATION: The Evening Standard
DATE: June 29, 1999
SECTION: Pg. 17
BYLINE: Peter Gruner
DATELINE: London, England
The Evening Standard reports that an industrial designer at London's Royal College of Art will receive a 2,000 pound prize from the British Standards Institution tonight for inventing the "smart curtain." The curtain is a rubber sheet embedded with electronics which reduces noise up to eight decibels, and transforms annoying noise into soothing sounds. 173,000 complaints were received by the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health Officers in 1997, and so such an invention could have a major impact on quality of life in London and elsewhere.
PUBLICATION: The Fort Worth Star-Telegram
DATE: June 29, 1999
SECTION: Metro; Pg. 1
BYLINE: Tawnell D. Hobbs
DATELINE: Carrollton, Texas
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the city of Carrollton, Texas has canceled its annual fireworks show to avoid disturbing egrets at a nearby rookery (a traditional young-raising spot for large numbers of birds). Last year, it was fined $70,000 and paid $126,000 more for wildlife rehabilitation after essentially destroying the rookery while trying to remove large piles of droppings, killing at least 300 birds and injuring hundreds of others.
The article also notes that a fireworks test indicated mild disturbance of birds by light and sound from fireworks. While fireworks advocates say that it would not be enough to drive the birds away, an official at the Texas Wildlife Department noted that federal law prohibits 'harassment' of these birds, whether they are driven away or not. Young egrets are particularly susceptible to falling out of nests if they are startled before they can fly.
The article continues, noting that the contractor who would have been in charge of the fireworks display had offered to shoot the 12-minute display 2,400 feet away from the rookery, which is more than three times the state's safety distance of 700 feet. Without the fireworks, the traditional attendance of up to 25,000 people will likely drop. Alternative sites presented safety issues because of stronger winds. The fireworks contractor said "This is setting a dangerous precedent; the essential message is [that] they value the wildlife over the population." God Forbid.
PUBLICATION: Press Association Newsfile
DATE: June 29, 1999
SECTION: Home News
BYLINE: Nathan Yates
DATELINE: London, England
The Press Association Newsfile reports that a 25-year-old student at the Royal Art College in London will receive a 2000 pound prize for his invention of the 'smart curtain.' The invention is a translucent rubber curtain, embedded with electronics disguised as a grid pattern, that cuts noise by up to eight decibels; it also transforms irritating noise into pleasant melodies and sounds such as the 'ocean' that you hear when putting a sea shell to your ear. The inventor is now searching for a company to back production of the curtain. The curtain is 2.4 meters by 1.2 meters, but weighs only six kilograms.
PUBLICATION: Providence Journal-Bulletin
DATE: June 29, 1999
SECTION: News, Pg. 1C
BYLINE: Meredith Goldstein
DATELINE: Dighton, Massachusetts
The Providence Journal-Bulletin reports that noise from equipment testing at a power-plant in Dighton, Massachusetts is too loud. The plant management -- which is performing last-minute tests of equipment before putting the plant online -- began construction on the $110-million facility in October of 1997, and had expected the plant to be finished by May 10. Due to equipment problems, they say the new scheduled completion date is July 16, and noise should stop by the end of the week.
The article goes on to say that neighbors, who have complained to the police, the Board of Selectmen, and plant managers say that they have continually been told the noise will stop 'soon'. The sound is reportedly similar to the groan of a steam-engine, or even 'hurricane-like'. The noise has been happening through the last few months, and has gotten louder in recent weeks. Originally the noise was planned for several consecutive days, but unexpected problems required that it be done on sporadic days over several months; they have tried to operate machines at low levels at night and not at all on holidays.
PUBLICATION: AP Online
DATE: June 28, 1999
SECTION: Domestic, Non-Washington, General News Item
DATELINE: Los Angeles
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Joel Reynolds, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council.
AP Online reports that the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) want stricter regulation of super tankers -- used for international shipping -- and military sonar to reduce underwater noise that may adversely affect marine life. The council says that marine creatures use their hearing "to seek food, find mates, guard their young and avoid predators."; human noise can disrupt these activities, and may even effect migration and breeding patterns. Cornell University bioacoustics expert Christopher W. Clark said of several sites including Monterey and San Diego bays where sea life is abundant, "If you just went out and listened... you're just in the middle of an acoustics traffic jam." International shipping generates a large amount of the noise pollution, but is subject to almost no regulation.
The article goes on to say that since sound travels faster in water than air, sound can be more of a problem than it is for land animals. New research is looking into whether behavioral changes caused by noise can hurt marine life in the long-term. The NRDC says that federal agencies should set guidelines for acoustic output of noise on the water; they could set target emissions on noise the way the Clean Air Act does now for air pollution, and work towards setting international standards. The council also calls for establishing marine preserves.
PUBLICATION: The Daily News of Los Angeles
DATE: June 28, 1999
SECTION: News, Pg. N1
BYLINE: Jesse Hiestand
DATELINE: Los Angeles, California
The Daily News of Los Angeles reports that the latest airplane crash in the communities surrounding Los Angeles' Van Nuys Airport is just part of living in the flight path of America's busiest general aviation airport. This time, a twin-engine Cessna crashed into two school busses, miraculously causing only two minor injuries; the gauges had been acting strangely earlier that day, and the plane was being returned for an inspection. In recent years there have been four emergency landings in the same area. Despite the crashes, neighbors say they are more concerned about the incessant noise from airplanes that 'buzz' their homes regularly.
The article goes on to mention other recent crashes, including a July 1991 crash that narrowly missed several homes, a 1996 crash that took out six other planes while trying to land in fog, and one in 1997 that crashed into a Reseda home. The occupants narrowly escaped, and are now selling their house -- which has undergone $300,000 in repairs -- due partly to painful memories of the crash but mostly to continued airplane noise.
The article continues, noting that officials from the airport are planning a series of meetings to address concerns; the western regional administrator will be present at the meeting to field questions. In September, the Airport Board of Commissioners will consider a new rule to limit noisy Stage 2 aircraft at the airport, and the Department of Transportation will evaluate the airport's compliance with state noise regulations.
The article concludes, noting that even with the seemingly frequent air crashes, the airport's record in the last ten years has included 5.6 million safe takeoffs and landings compared to 22 crashes. Gerald Silver, president of Homeowners of Encino says that more air traffic should be diverted to Palmdale, or Van Nuys is essentially just waiting for another accident to happen.
PUBLICATION: Greenwire
DATE: June 28, 1999
SECTION: Worldview
DATELINE: World
Greenwire reports that according to a Natural Resources Defense Council, more needs to be done to reduce noise from military sonar and supertankers. Marine animals depend on sound to find food and mates, and to protect their young; man-made noise may "fundamentally alter the ocean habitat" by disrupting the communication that marine animals live by. No new evidence is offered by the report, but it points out that whales are known to avoid noise even when it means abandoning traditional breeding grounds.
PUBLICATION: News & Record
DATE: June 27, 1999
SECTION: General News, Pg. A1
BYLINE: by Taft Wireback
DATELINE: Greensboro, North Carolina
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Jack Saporito, president of Chicago's Citizens Aviation Watch; Les Blomberg of the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse
The News & Record reports that the debate is still raging in Greensboro, North Carolina over the potential impacts of a proposed $300-million FedEx hub at Piedmont Triad International Airport. Already, parts of Greensboro are in the 'noise cone' of the airport, and neighbors say that the proposed hub could cause similar impacts elsewhere in the community. The hub is scheduled to open in six years, and the overwhelming majority of the opposition cite increased aircraft noise as the problem.
The article continues, noting that some neighbors think the noise is "no big deal." Others worry that increased noise will devalue their property and make it hard for them to sleep. They say that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) evaluates noise using a decibel average that dismisses the impact of single-event noises that disrupt sleep. One resident said "People are not awakened in the middle of the night by averaged sound. What wakes people up is a single event or a series of events." The FAA counters that although this is true, an average is still useful in comparing overall noise impacts. Says an FAA spokesperson, "I've never had anybody tell me that they would prefer two loud events more than one."
The article notes that the FAA is currently conducting an environmental study to develop estimated noise contours for the new hub. The techniques used were developed over several decades with experts from the aviation field and environmental groups like the Environmental Protection Agency. "Day-night average sound levels" (DNLs) are calculated by estimating flight frequency, times, and types of aircraft; then noise contours are generated to determine the biggest problem areas. Those that fall in the loudest areas (over 65 decibels) are eligible for noiseproofing or buyouts by the federal government.
The article delves into science, explaining that jet noise is primarily caused by hot air that expands as it passes from the engine into the colder atmosphere. Jet-noise spikes of 90 decibels were shown by the U.S. Air Force to awaken approximately half the people sleeping in an area. Noise of that magnitude can be experienced by residents in a flight path, even if they are some distance from the airport. Some researchers have noted higher incidents of health problems including high blood pressure, strokes, gastrointestinal disorders and birth defects. The FAA claims that residents may exaggerate small noise impacts when they perceive a health threat, potentially reduced property values, or if they already believe the aviation industry is unsafe.
The reporter interviewed Les Blomberg of the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, who said that air cargo operations like FedEx are especially likely to cause disruption at night when many of their flights happen. FedEx hopes to avoid noise by using planes that are only half as loud as traditional ones, and by positioning their runway to take off to the west where flight paths avoid most residential areas. While FedEx could use those flight paths up to 95% of the time, bad weather will necessitate eastern departures and landings over residential areas up to around 26 days each year. Takeoffs and landings could eventually reach 60 per night. On the upside, the weather that necessitates the use of these paths may drown out some of the jet noise.
PUBLICATION: Press Journal
DATE: June 27, 1999
SECTION: A Section; Pg. A3
BYLINE: Chris Kauffmann
DATELINE: Vero Beach, Florida
The Press Journal reports that limitations on noisy night operations at Vero Beach, Florida's Municipal Airport may affect the airport's eligibility for federal grants, including one that was expected to help build an approved $4.6 million control tower. The 95-foot tower would replace the old one, which has structural problems and technological inadequacies according to the FAA.
The story says that starting last year, "touch and go" operations -- which are a major part of a local flight-school's operations -- are not allowed between 10 PM and 7 AM. The flight school is responsible for about half of all takeoffs and landing operations at the airport; the school, which employs 250 people and serves 350 students, is diverting its touch and go operations to other smaller airports. If noise restrictions become stricter, the school may leave the airport entirely.
The article mentions that since the new rule was instituted, operations are on course to drop from 226,813 to 214,000 this year: the fewest since 1994. If the airport's operations drop to below 140,000 annually, it will be classified as a type 1 airport and the FAA will no longer run the air-traffic control tower.
The article goes on to note that recent years have seen other noise-abatement policies that have affected the number of operations, including the shutting down of two of the three runways between 9 PM and 7 AM when the air-traffic control tower is closed; annually, there are about 15,000 operations during those hours.
PUBLICATION: The Times-Picayune
DATE: July 3, 1999
SECTION: Real Estate; Pg. R5
BYLINE: Gene Austin
DATELINE: New Orleans
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: CertainTeed Corp. of Valley Forge
In a question and answer column in the Times-Picayune, homeowners learn about insulating their houses and the cost of the work.
Question: We recently moved into a new home, and now are hearing all kinds of sounds from room to room, including noises from bathrooms, water pipes, family-room music in the bedrooms, and so forth. Couldn't this be prevented with insulation in interior walls and floors? Can insulating still be done?
Answer: Insulation can help reduce sound transmission from room to room, and is being increasingly used in new homes for this purpose, according to Tom Newton, a spokesman for CertainTeed Corp. of Valley Forge, Pa., a leading insulation manufacturer. Newton said many builders routinely use sound-deadening insulation in bathrooms, but that insulation for other areas, such as home offices, media rooms and bedrooms, is generally an extra-cost option.
It is much easier to effectively install sound-deadening insulation during construction, when there is access to the interiors of walls and floors. Blankets or "batts" of fiberglass insulation can be placed in the open walls or floors and corners and crevices can be filled.
It also is possible to take additional sound-deadening measures during construction, such as installing resilient metal channels to support the drywall on one side of a wall.
Enclosed walls or floors can still be insulated after construction by cutting small access holes and pumping particles of insulation into the cavities, but the cost rises along with the difficulty and also because of the need to repair and redecorate after insulating.
Some relatively simple measures can help reduce noises between rooms. For example, if any rooms have hollow-core doors, replace them with solid doors. If in doubt about a door, rap on it with the knuckles; a hollow door has an unmistakable hollow sound. Also use weather-stripping "sweeps" at the bottoms of interior doors to eliminate gaps at floors. Thick carpets and pads on floors also can help reduce noise transmission.
For more information, call CertainTeed Home Institute at 1 (800) 782-8777 and ask for a copy of the brochure "Practical Tips for a Quieter Home."
PUBLICATION: Arizona Republic
DATE: July 2, 1999
SECTION: Opinions; Pg. B8
The Arizona Republic prints letters to the editor regarding plans to build a park near the Tempe airport.
Sky Harbor International Airport has been in operation for over 50 years, back when there were less than 250,000 people in the Valley. But the population of the Valley grew, and many of those people moved closer to the airport, which naturally grew along with the community.
Now, residents gripe about the noise near the airport. Gee, who was there first? In an attempt to minimize the noise and complaints, many planes take off to the east and follow the dry Salt River. Noise complaints dropped substantially when this became a normal flight path. But now, Tempe decides to dump billions of gallons of precious desert water (during a state-declared drought emergency, no less) into the normally dry river, and make a fancy park. What happens next? No one will want to use the park because of the noise, and the complaints will skyrocket. Will people ever learn? - Bob Schaefer Phoenix
PUBLICATION: Jerusalem Post
DATE: July 2, 1999
SECTION: Features; Pg. 7
BYLINE: Matt Nesvisky
DATELINE: Jerusalem
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Matt Nesvisky
The following Op Ed article appeared in the Jerusalem Post.
Let's hear it for silence - but not too loudly. Quietude has become such a rare commodity these days that it seems unnatural. Silence actually seems to frighten people. I know of households where on principle the radio or TV is never shut off.
Anything to fill the void, to sandbag the silence, to keep it at bay. Okay, I admit it, I'm hypersensitive to noise. I'm even distressed by the thought of one hand clapping. Obviously it's an age thing. I can dimly recall a time when I thrived amid sonic distraction. In the newsroom, for example, the clatter of the telex machines, the cries for the copy boys, the blaring news broadcasts, the shouted phone conversations, the questions, the laughter, the curses - none of that kept me from doing my work.
No longer. Now everyone works with his face pressed to a computer screen, text glides by lubricated by silent electrons, and no one utters a word. But the damn tippy- tapping of your keyboard can derail my train of thought. And quit clicking that mouse so loudly, will you? Youngsters, meanwhile, can't get enough of noise. When they aren't at the local mosh pit head-banging (pressing their ears against megawatt amplifiers to induce heavy-metal migraines), they're wired to their Walkmans. Or driving about in their mobile boomboxes. Ever tried to hold a conversation on a street corner in downtown Jerusalem amid the diesel groan of the buses, the sirens, the motorcycles, the honking, the hawking? Best to equip yourself with flash cards and felt- tip pens. I've long held that noise is the most inimical form of pollution. Filth in the air and water merely wrecks our physical health. Noise pollution erodes the soul. Silence is golden, but people abandoned the gold standard long ago. We live in the information age. Twenty-four-hour news.
Everything just a click away, Instant updates, instant replays, everything instant. And insistent. Now if everybody would just shut up maybe we could absorb something. If you're lucky enough to live in one of those old-fashioned yekke neighborhoods, you just might get some reprieve from the cacophony between 2 and 4 p.m. Or in a religious neighborhood during Shabbat, at least when the chanting dies down. 11. A suggestion: Let's put the Sha back in Shabbat. My first thought, and my chief regret, when Israel was induced to give back the Sinai: there goes the silence. Sinai was the last quiet place I knew of in this part of the world. Been to your local library lately? Sounds like a soccer stadium. 13. Best reason for rising before dawn: It's quiet. Until the damn birds start up. Two minutes of silence each year for the fallen. As it should be. But how about a couple of minutes of silence each day for the rest of us? You can shut your eyes. You can hold your nose. But I've yet to find earplugs that work effectively. On occasion I've considered an ice-pick to the tympanic membrane. My luck, it would be in one ear and out the other. Speaking of weapons, silence is among the most potent. Ask any Jewish husband, any Jewish wife. Perusing the Talmud one day in search of loopholes, I discovered in Tractate Gittin 56b the ironic question, "Who is like unto Thee among the silent?" This so-called "silence of God," e.g., during the Holocaust, troubles a number of Jews. But it's never bothered me. The subtext of celestial silence speaks loud and clear: "It's your move." Silence: music to my ears. I once tried silent meditation. Some clown in the next room kept moaning, "Ommmmm." No doubt about it. If a tree falls in a forest, I'll hear it. Music in elevators. In swimming pools. On hold. White noise puts me in a black mood. Silent as the moon. Silent as the tomb. Silent as a mouse peeing on worn velvet. When was the last time you had to ask an Israeli to speak up? There's a call for more dialogue. Which is like saying we need more sunshine and sand. Unsilence I relish: laughter, especially that of children.
Hoofbeats and whinnies. Water gurgling over rocks. Pouring rain. A purring cat. The rustle of leaves, or of paper money. Kol Nidre. John Coltrane. End of list. You may now turn the page - quietly.
PUBLICATION: The Palm Beach Post
DATE: July 2, 1999
SECTION: Local, Pg. 1B
BYLINE: J.J. Thompson
DATELINE: Palm Beach, Florida
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Kurt Weiss, United Civic Organization of Century Village president;
The Palm Beach Post reports that Palm Beach International Airport's (PBIA) runway construction work has some residents consulting heir attorneys.
The article reports that PBIA's main runway is under construction, so nighttime flights will land on the cross. Residents who live northwest and southeast of the airport complain that the change in the flight path will result in an increase in existing aircraft noise over their homes. One resident, Kurt Weiss, has already contacted his lawyer.
In the article, Weiss said there's already a lot of airplane noise, and is opposed to more over his residence, which is northwest of the cross runway.
Unfortunately, it's too late for Weiss and his neighbors, and they will just have to live with more noise.
In a statement to the Post, Weiss, who is president of the United Civic Organization of Century Village, stated it "...is progress I guess."
But according to the article, the new flight path is a welcome change in Pal Beach.
The article says that PBIA will divert traffic from 8pm to 6am to the cross runway weekdays from until September 2000, when the project is scheduled for completion. The article adds that the project extends the west side of the main runway by 1,200 feet and 811 feet at the east end of the runway.
The Post said that the 95 daily takeoffs and landings before expansion will increase to 137 during construction, a 44 percent increase.
In addition to the increase in traffic, according to the article most of the air traffic on the cross runway will fall between 10pm and 11pm, with a projected average of 11 landings.
Two areas are controversial--King's Academy and Century Village in the northeast--where jets usually takeoff; and Glen Ridge and Cloud Lake, in the southeast, where planes land. When he direction of takeoffs and landings is reversed, the process is reversed.
The report said that commercial aircraft will be using the cross runway, which is routinely used by corporate jets and commuter planes, which are quieter than commercial planes.
The report gave two examples of the contrast in noise levels. One commercial plane flying over the Century Village area measures 83.2 decibels, slightly louder than a vacuum cleaner. However, a smaller, private just crossing over Century Village after takeoff measures 69.4 decibels, what one would hear from a running garbage disposal three feet away.
According to the Post, Lisa Waters, PBIA's director of noise abatement and technical services said that safety and noise control should be improved due to the expansion of the main runway by giving more space for landings, and higher altitudes for nonstop flights to Europe and the West Coast making flights quieter over neighborhoods.
PUBLICATION: Portland Press Herald
DATE: July 2, 1999
SECTION: Front, Pg. 1A
BYLINE: Dennis Hoey
DATELINE: Bath, Maine
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Gary Anderson, a petition organizer and Bath resident;
The Portland Press Herald reports that Bath Iron Works (BIW), a Navy shipbuilder, apologized to its South End Bath neighbors for construction noise at night when people were trying to sleep. Kevin Gildart, a spokesman for the company, assured residents that measures to lessen the noise were in progress, and more solutions were forthcoming.
The company acknowledged that blasting and dredging of the Kennebec River exceeded the state's limits for several weeks, and admitted that the it had not responded to noise complaints in a timely manner.
According to the article Gildart made a public apology at a neighborhood meeting of about 25 people, which included state legislators. "I apologize for what the people have been through. "This is not what we intended to happen. We want to be good corporate neighbors."
The article said that BIW scheduled the neighborhood meeting after a petition opposing night construction. Residents forwarded the petition on to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
The Press Herald reports that Gary Anderson, one of the petition's organizers claims that the company's state and federal permits grant the shipbuilding platform over the Kennebec River, but are not blanket permission for construction work after 4pm. BIW disagrees, the article says, and claims that those permits do allow for work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "We believe we are operating at night in compliance with our DEP and our Corps of Engineers permits," Gildart said.
According to the Press Herald, a noise consultant hired by BIW admits that that equipment noise is over the state limit from one to six decibels. Scott Bodwell, the consultant said the majority of the noise is from tugboats, diesel exhaust systems and a hammer drill. Bodwell said the diesel exhaust engines would soon have mufflers and if necessary, the company will shut down equipment at night.
Whether the steps taken by BIW will alleviate residents' concerns is not yet known, but the company wants to continue monthly meetings with its neighbors to maintain communication.
"We're going to continue to work on these problems. We're not stopping here," said Gildart.
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