PUBLICATION: Financial Times (London)
DATE: March 13, 1999
SECTION: National News; Pg. 07
BYLINE: Michael Skapinker
DATELINE: London, England
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (HACAN)
The Financial Times (London) reports BAA yesterday called for legislation to ensure the proposed fifth terminal at London's Heathrow airport did not lead to an increase in aircraft noise. However, a local environmental group said it still believes the additional terminal will unduly disrupt lives.
According to the article, BAA, which owns Heathrow, was speaking as the public inquiry into Terminal Five draws to a close after nearly four years, the longest in UK history. Roy Vandermeer, the inspector, is expected to spend two years preparing his recommendations to the government, although BAA said yesterday it hoped he could work more quickly. BAA says the terminal should open in 2006. Sir John Egan, BAA's chief executive, called for a range of the group's environmental promises to be made into law. He said this was necessary to persuade local communities that the terminal would not disrupt their lives unduly. Sir John said the government should introduce legislation to ensure noise levels at Heathrow remained the same as in 1994. He said the number of night flights should be frozen by law at the present level and the number of car parking spaces at the airport should be capped by law. BAA has called on the government to rule out building a third Heathrow runway. BAA says the terminal will make fuller use of the existing two runways and that the number of flights will increase by only 8 per cent. However, the company rejected the idea that the increase in flight numbers should also be capped by law, arguing that overall noise levels were more important.
The article reports the terminal has been strongly opposed by local authorities and environmental groups. In its final submission to the inquiry, the Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise said it could not trust BAA's forecasts of flight numbers. "The air transport industry, whenever it is seeking to expand Heathrow, produces forecasts of flight numbers which turn out to be hopelessly inaccurate. This is not due to incompetence. The forecasts always turn out to under-estimate future flight numbers. The industry has the habit of significantly under-playing the environmental impact of expansion," HACAN said.
The article says Sir John yesterday paid tribute to the "determination and persistence" of the terminal's opponents but said they did not represent the majority of people living near the airport. Des Wilson, BAA's communications director and one of the UK's most experienced radical campaigners, said opinion polls had shown widespread public support for a fifth terminal. He said Gallup had conducted seven polls over four years within a five-mile radius of Heathrow. They had all shown that more residents supported the terminal than opposed it. In the most recent poll, residents were informed of BAA's environmental pledges. The poll showed 56 per cent of residents supported the terminal, with 30 per cent against. HACAN told the inquiry, however, that 95 per cent of more than 20,000 people who had written to the inquiry were against Terminal Five.
PUBLICATION: Orlando Sentinel Tribune
DATE: March 13, 1999
SECTION: Local & State; Pg. D1
BYLINE: Derek Catron
DATELINE: Daytona Beach, Florida
The Orlando Sentinel Tribune reports Volusia County, Florida, leaders agreed that their new noise law was not intended to silence music during spring break at Daytona Beach.
According to the article, enforcing noise control is a balancing act. With spring break in full swing and 150,000 students expected to visit the World's Most Famous Beach by month's end, the beach patrol has more important things to worry about than stereo volume. Speed is one of them. In addition to its Feb. 18 request for noise control, the County Council asked that speeders be ticketed. Beach personnel had been handing out warnings to first-time offenders, but the council said speed-limit postings should be warning enough. "We're much more aggressive about ticketing now," Deputy Chief Joe Wooden said. Speeders on the beach risk a $76 fine. But noise is a different issue. The residents whose complaints prompted the county's new ordinance were mostly from the New Smyrna Beach area, where car stereos or boomboxes were played so loudly they sometimes rattled windows at neighboring houses.
The article reports that's not a problem in the commercial core of Daytona Beach. "It's a balancing act," Wooden said. "Here at spring break we've got all kinds of loudspeakers set up on pool decks and live broadcasts on the beach. We've got to be sensitive to that and not be overbearing to those who are here for spring break." County officials knew enforcement of the council's directive would be tricky. The County Attorney's Office is preparing a new law that should make things simpler. In the meantime, the beach patrol has been enforcing state standards, which prohibit noise that's audible more than 100 feet from its source. The penalty for a noisy boombox is $42, but beach officials are more likely to ask individual offenders to turn down the volume while they turn a deaf ear to the loud music at hotel pool deck parties and corporate sponsor tents.
The article states that practice seems to be OK with the council. Member Big John, the most outspoken critic of boomboxes, said spring break events weren't what council members had in mind. "[W]e were not thinking about special events. Where there's no harm, there's no problem." The only problem would be if the county tried to muffle the music at spring break, said Courtney Brauninger, a 19-year-old from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. "We picked this spot because of the music," she said, struggling to be heard over the speakers that blared rock 'n' roll music from a corporate vendor's tent behind the boardwalk. "This is the biggest party in Florida," she added. "It wouldn't be much of a party without music."
PUBLICATION: The Washington Post
DATE: March 13, 1999
SECTION: Editorial; Pg. A20
DATELINE: Washington, DC
The Washington Post published an editorial criticizing Sen. John McCain's bill that would, in part, increase slots at Reagan National Airport. The editorial takes exception to leverage that can be taken by the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee in efforts to get certain bills passed, calling it "bad national policy."
According to the editorial, "Here's a quickie quiz for frequent fliers and anyone within earshot of the air traffic at Reagan National: What is causing (a) a halt at Dulles in building a moving-sidewalk tunnel to replace the mobile lounges, a larger baggage facility and an addition to the main terminal, (b) a freeze on renovation of the old historic terminal at National, (c) a threat of 48 more flights a day at National and (d) a serious possibility of damage to airline competition at Dulles and BWI? One answer fits all: Sen. John McCain's power-play determination to ram more air traffic into National." The editorial sees the senator's blocking of $211 million in construction money for National and Dulles improvements as taking leverage for enactment of his noise-and-traffic plan. "Sen. McCain, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, has held up confirmation of three federal appointments to the regional authority that runs National and Dulles. That in turn stops the projects at the two terminals because of an ill-conceived congressional requirement that the Senate must confirm the appointments before any money can flow."
The editorial sees help on the way in both the Senate and the House. Sens. John Warner and Charles Robb have introduced a separate bill to eliminate the link between Senate confirmations and money for the projects. In the House, Rep. Bud Shuster, chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and committee member Eleanor Holmes Norton are promoting a two-pronged approach: The committee has approved legislation that would release the money and allow six additional daily takeoff and landing slots at National -- no more than two extra flights in any hour. "The House shouldn't have to allow any more flights at all, and under any circumstances should reject all attempts to go beyond six," the editorial says. The House committee bill also keeps intact a 1,250-mile limit on flights in and out of National; and it would require that all planes using additional slots comply with federal Stage 3 aircraft noise regulations. "House members should rally in support of the committee's proposal not merely as a favor to colleagues from this region, but because Sen. McCain's proposal would be bad national policy. It would mean that National would get air traffic that it could handle only with great difficulty and possible risks, while Dulles could stand to lose millions of dollars in business that it is well equipped to handle," according to the editorial.
The editorial sees Washington's airports as operating under a carefully balanced arrangement that encourages airline competition at Dulles and BWI and protects National from flight overload, excessive noise and congressional micromanagement. "To scrap this -- and to undermine the regional authority that the Reagan administration and Congress put in place to make improvements efficiently -- would be reckless. The personal flight plans and favorite home-state airlines of senators should not dictate the traffic load and flight distances allowed at National Airport," concludes the editorial.
PUBLICATION: The Associated Press State & Local Wire
DATE: March 12, 1999
SECTION: State And Regional
BYLINE: Paisley Dodds
DATELINE: Boston, Massachusetts
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Jim St. George, member of Tax Equity Alliance of Massachusetts; Francis Doran, resident
The Associated Press State & Local Wire Associated Press reports the Massachusetts Port Authority is using paid advertisements to promote a new runway at Boston's Logan Airport, a move that has angered some airport and noise activists.
According to the article, it's an advertisement that shows a businessman late for a meeting and a boy anxiously waiting for his father to take him ice skating. The message: 120,000 hours are lost each year due to delays at Logan International Airport. The goal of the television ads, paid for by the Massachusetts Port Authority, is to inform people about renovations underway at Logan and to drum up support for a new 5,000-foot runway. The additional runway, Massport officials argue, would reduce delays and spread noise more equitably throughout the Boston area. The delay was calculated by totaling the number of hours that more than a 1,000 planes a day are held up, Massport said. An extra runway would also help cut pollution by reducing the time that planes circle waiting for an available runway, Massport said. Massport will spend about $200,000 for the commercials, scheduled to air next month.
The article reports activists, some who say the runway will make the airport busier and bring more ground traffic to their neighborhoods, are angry that taxpayer money is being spent to promote the proposed runway, a project that still needs to gain state regulatory approval. "It is, I think, outrageous to contemplate government resources being used to intervene in a policy debate," said Jim St. George, of Tax Equity Alliance of Massachusetts. "What's next, advertising for minimum wage hikes, or other things on the table in the Legislature?" Peter Blute, executive director of Massport, said the advertisements may help counteract some of the negative publicity the project has received over the years. The runway is in the best interest of most Massachusetts residents but a small group of community activists have been successful - since the 1970s - in blocking runway plans, Blute said.
The article states in 1974, residents won a court injunction preventing Massport from building a new runway. Francis Doran was one of those residents who staged protests to halt Massport's runway plans. "We're old enough now to want to have a little peace and quiet but we're not too old to protest," the 59-year-old man said. "The runway is wrong and spending our money to advertise for it is wrong." Doran, who lives in East Boston, says the air traffic is so loud in the summer that neighbors try to guess what type of plane is flying overhead by the noise it makes. If the added runway is approved by regulatory agencies, Massport will still have to take the fight back to court. The 1974 injunction still stands.
According to the article, Massport said the commercials are not out of the ordinary and have been used to inform the public about other public works projects. In the past the agency has been criticized for not telling neighbors of expansion projects, said Jeremy Crockford, spokesman for Massport. "We'd rather be criticized for doing something in the open and the fact is Logan tops the list in delays. People need to know that," he said.
PUBLICATION: St. Petersburg Times
DATE: March 12, 1999
SECTION: Tampa & State; Pg. 1B
BYLINE: Bill Coats
DATELINE: Lutz, Florida
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Roger Hall, resident; Dottie Casper, resident
The St. Petersburg Times reports Hillsborough County, Florida, officials have put an end to noisy treks through Cheval by a company working on the Suncoast Parkway.
According to the article, a procession of noisy dump trucks, which had generated insomnia and protests among nearby residents in the exclusive northwest Hillsborough subdivision, was stopped halted in its tracks Wednesday night by county officials. Hillsborough County's Environmental Protection Commission ordered road builder Cone Constructors "to immediately cease construction activities of the Suncoast Parkway in the Cheval community during the hours of 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m." because it was violating the county's noise and nuisance ordinances. Cone officials said they received the order about 6:30 p.m. as 24 Cheval-bound dump trucks waited to be loaded with dirt. The trucks soon were parked for the night. "They were all ready to go," marveled Roger Hall, a residents of Chemille Drive, which runs beside part of the haul route. "They had trucks running, tractors running, lights on, gates open." Then, Hall said, "I saw a white truck come hauling a-- down the site and said, 'I bet that's a cease-and-desist order.' "
The article reports in a meeting Thursday morning at EPC headquarters, company president Mike Cone told EPC's executives that he wanted to eliminate night work in the subdivision, but he said he had counted on it to meet deadlines for Cone's section of the 42-mile tollway. Cone repeatedly turned to Allan Adderley, the construction project manager for the Florida Department of Transportation, and asked for a deadline extension. "If the DOT will grant us some time to complete the project, then we'll single-shift it," he said. But Adderley did not respond to Cone's appeals. Later, a DOT spokeswoman said the agency would not decide the question until it received a formal request for a time extension. "Just like always, when the (DOT) does receive those, they'll do the standard procedures investigating the issue," said Joanne Hurley, public information officer for the Suncoast Parkway. Cone has $75-million in contracts to build the southern third of the highway. If Cone's work isn't completed by Sept. 8, 2000, the company is subject to penalties of up to $35,000 a day. The job requires delivery of 2-million yards of fill dirt to the Hillsborough portion alone, company officials said. Both Mike Cone and Roger Stewart, executive director of the EPC, said they have worked out problems together during past projects and can do so again. But on Thursday, each side also was protecting its legal options. Stewart said he would ask Hillsborough County commissioners next week for permission to take Cone and the DOT to court over the hauling, if necessary. Cone's attorneys repeated their argument that Hillsborough's noise restrictions don't apply to construction equipment.
According to the article, Cheval residents, meanwhile, were simply happy for their nighttime tranquillity. Dottie Casper, a Chemille Drive resident, said she discovered the trucks' absence shortly after their 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. shift was to begin. "It was so delightfully quiet that I went out to look," Casper said. Roger Hall agreed. "It was pleasant last night," said Hall. "We went out and dusted off the furniture and sat outside."
PUBLICATION: Chicago Tribune
DATE: March 12, 1999
SECTION: Your Place; Pg. 14; Zone: C; The Rehabber.
BYLINE: Bernard Gladstone
DATELINE: United States
The Chicago Tribune published a question, in a column called "The Rehabber," asking advice about noise control for an office located in a residence.
"Q--We use the extra room near our living room as an office for my law practice. However, even with the door to this office closed, I can still hear music and conversation in the next room. What can I do to keep this noise out, and to make sure conversations with my clients will not be heard in the next room?
"A--If the door between the two rooms is hollow (most are), replace it with a solid wood door, which is a better sound barrier."
PUBLICATION: Chicago Tribune
DATE: March 12, 1999
SECTION: Mchenry County; Pg. 1; Zone: Mc
BYLINE: Mark R. Madler.
DATELINE: Woodstock, Illinois
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Lynn McEstes, resident; Tony Hennen, resident; Diane Turnbull, resident and consultant to Create Awareness for Responsible Environment (CARE)
The Chicago Tribune reports concerns over the effects of noise from a proposed electricity-generating power plant near Woodstock, Illinois, dominated the third night of public hearings. Some citizens question the impartiality of noise specialists hired by the power plant.
According to the article, a crowd of about 80 people gathered before the McHenry County Zoning Board to question two noise specialists hired by Indeck Energy Services on the effects the planned facility would have on nearby residents and their quality of life. The two experts testified Wednesday that the noise from the plant would meet standards set by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and would cause no problems for residents. "We live here, we have invested here," said Woodstock resident Lynn McEstes. "We want to know what the noise will do to our families, our animals and our lives." Replied licensed audiologist Robert C. Beiter, "These are really low levels of sound, and a steady sound when it is on. I don't think it will change anything." A continuous sound, such as the one that would come from the proposed facility, is less disturbing than an on-again, off-again noise, added acoustical engineer James Barnes. Regardless, Tony Hennen, a leading opponent of the facility, said during a break that he was not assured by what the experts had to say because they were hired by Indeck. "We are going to have our own witness that will be more unbiased," Hennen said. "The No. 1 problem as I personally perceive it will be the low-frequency rumble, and it will cause vibrations, no doubt in my mind."
The article states the proposed power plant has generated much opposition, with an average of about 80 people turning out to hear testimony Tuesday and Wednesday. Buffalo Grove-based Indeck has filed for a conditional-use permit to build and operate the power plant on 22 acres north of Illinois Highway 176. Two turbines fueled by natural gas would generate 300 megawatts of electricity during peak demand and would not run on a daily basis. The power would be sold wholesale on a five-year contract by Indeck to Commonwealth Edison Co. or any other company that would supply electricity to the region. The group Create Awareness for Responsible Environment (CARE), whose members wear buttons reading "Stop the Stacks," opposes the power plant, claiming it would create air and noise pollution, lower property values and threaten the quality of life of nearby residents. They also say that the facility should not be built on land identified in the county's 2010 land-use plan as agricultural.
The article states both sides believe they are getting their points across to Zoning Board members. "The questions from our attorney and those from the audience members indicate there might be a concern with the thoroughness of the studies done so far (by Indeck)," said Diane Turnbull, a Woodstock resident acting as a consultant to CARE. "With our own expert witness we will show those deficiencies." Dan Curran, the attorney representing Indeck, said, "I think we are getting the facts out. And it's encouraging that the audience is getting their questions answered and are learning about what we are proposing."
PUBLICATION: The Associated Press State & Local Wire
DATE: March 11, 1999
SECTION: Washington Dateline
DATELINE: Washington, DC
The Associated Press State & Local Wire reports New Jersey lawmakers took some action Thursday toward making the skies quieter.
According to the article, they inserted provisions in an aviation spending bill pressuring federal officials to make progress on developing quieter airplane engines and to implement a national redesign of air space. Reps. Bob Franks, R-Berkeley Heights, and Bob Menendez, D-Union City, pushed for language encouraging the development of more restrictive standards for airplane engines. Residents of Staten Island and central New Jersey have complained for years about noise from Newark International Airport, one of the busiest and fastest-growing in the nation.
The provisions were added to a measure that would double funding for the Federal Aviation Administration over the next five years, to about $20 billion in 2004. The House Transportation Committee passed the measure by voice vote. An amendment offered by Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-Paterson, said it is "the sense of Congress" that the FAA should finish and implement the air space redesign it began last year. The study could re-map air routes for planes leaving all three New York City-area airports - Newark, La Guardia and Kennedy. Also, Menendez released a letter from FAA Administrator Jane Garvey ruling out a live test of ocean routing - sending planes out over the Atlantic Ocean before turning them westward. Garvey said such a test would require extensive changes to flight paths in the New Jersey and New York area and that the time would be better spent on the national airspace redesign.
Franks proposed legislation requiring the FAA to test ocean routes as a method of reducing Newark aircraft noise. The idea has the backing of a citizens group, the New Jersey Coalition Against Aircraft Noise.
PUBLICATION: The Baltimore Sun
DATE: March 11, 1999
SECTION: Local ,1B
BYLINE: Sheridan Lyons
DATELINE: Carroll, Maryland
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Kenneth and Lois Begly, residents; Dana Lyons, resident;
The Baltimore Sun reports neighbors of a gun club in Carroll County, Maryland, have filed a nuisance suit seeking court-ordered relief from the noise created at the shooting range.
According to the article, neighbors say beginning in 1995, the Deep Run gun club began attracting more members and guests to its popular cowboy-action, Annie Oakley and bowling-pin shoots. Participants come from as far away as New York and Georgia. The issue of the increased attendant noise is now in Carroll County Circuit Court, where the neighbors' private-nuisance lawsuit seeks court-ordered relief. The nonjury trial began in January and is scheduled to resume Monday. Some of the neighbors in court are former members of the club. But where they used to hear about one shot per second -- a manageable sound, the neighbors said -- the gunfire has become almost constant and the noise level beyond their endurance. A noise-control specialist for the Maryland Department of the Environment testified in January that his readings were so far above normal levels as to threaten hearing and mental health -- far beyond 13 other gun-range investigations. But Thomas E. Hickman, an attorney for the Deep Run Rifle & Revolver Club, said it is exempt from state noise -pollution laws -- grandfathered -- because it has been in existence for so long. The neighbors' lawsuit was the last of its kind to be filed in Maryland, said their attorney, Michael P. Darrow, because it beat by one day the July 1997 effective date of a law that protects gun clubs against private-nuisance actions.
The article reports David Reazin , president of the 137-member club defends the popular new activities. "The types of events have changed -- but nobody's doing the funky chicken anymore as a dance, either," he said. "It's cyclical -- and the same is true of shooting sports. Trap-shooting has remained constant at two weekends a month for as long as anyone can remember." In the Sunday cowboy-action shoots, authentically garbed shooters act out several timed events with revolvers, rifles and shotguns aimed at metal silhouettes of the bad guys, he said. "It can look chaotic, but it is very well- orchestrated," Reazin said. The monthly event was drawing about 80 participants when it was split to include a Saturday -- in part to appease the neighbors. The club now has about 60 participants Sundays and 20 in the Saturday event. And shooting five tenpins off a table might not sound exciting, Reazin said, but a bowling pin is difficult to hit right. Semiautomatics are allowed at this timed event. Reazin blames Kenneth Begly for the dispute, saying the man across the street wants to use the club land for dog walking and ball playing as he did when it was less active. The club has 137 members. He said the club didn't ignore a 1997 letter from Begly -- with 30 neighbors' signatures on a petition. His vice president was arranging a meeting when someone mentioned a lawyer, the club called its attorney -- and the peace talks stopped before they started.
The article states Kenneth and Lois Begly are long-time neighbors of the Deep Run Club. They coexisted peacefully for years. Begly, a gun owner who describes himself as conservative, emphasizes that he is no newcomer, and that he knew the club was there when he bought his home 18 years ago. "I'm not opposed to shooting. I have guns. Why would I move near a shooting range if I'm anti-gun?" he said. "We're reasonable people, with reasonable sensibilities, and that lived in peace with this club for years until they introduced new and different competitions, and activities that increased exponentially along with the noise levels," Begly said. Now, hearing protectors are kept in the Begly home near the computer where Kenneth Begly keeps his records: bar and line graphs showing decibel readings; marked calendars of club events; and correspondence with the club, state health officials, and state and Carroll County politicians in his quest to lower the volume. "I'm not telling anybody that they don't have the right to shoot," said Begly. "Just be good neighbors -- and they're not. Not anymore. The club thinks we're anti-gun and an anti-gun club and we're out to shut them down, and we're not. If they go back to the traditional ways of shooting, that probably would be the end of it."
According to the article, in the past few years increased activity at the 53-year-old gun club has driven some neighbors indoors or out to the malls, and frightened their children and livestock. Dana Lyons has lived next to the Beglys since 1991. Things have changed in her relatively short time there, she said. "This used to be real God's country. People were different, more respectful. "When I first moved here, I kept horses across the street, and if I was riding, working with a horse, someone shooting would ask, 'Do you want me to stop shooting?' Not anymore." She stopped pasturing her horses near the club after a pregnant mare bolted at the sound of a gunshot.
The article reports Reazin believes it's also in fashion these days to prey on gun clubs. "A gun club is a pretty easy target -- pun intended -- for neighbors and for anybody who does not engage in shooting activities," said Reazin. "I don't know if noise is like pain: It's hard to remember how much it hurts when you cut your finger, you forget how much it hurts. As people retire, they're around more and they notice more than when they were working. I think this state administration is very forceful in taking a strong stand against guns and anything to do with them, and it's just a very good time in our society to assault a gun club."
PUBLICATION: EIU ViewsWire
DATE: March 11, 1999
SECTION: Country briefing from European Voice
DATELINE: Washington, DC
EIU ViewsWire reports the European Union has given in to intense pressure from Washington, DC, and delayed a decision on plans to outlaw new aircraft equipped with 'hush kits.'
According to the article, the proposed ban on planes equipped with the kits, which reduce the noise levels of aircraft to the levels required under international rules, has prompted furious complaints from the US. It claims that the move would affect more than 1-billion euro worth of American-made aircraft and equipment, and Congress has threatened to retaliate with a ban on flights to New York by Air France and British Airways' supersonic Concorde. Congressman James Oberstar, who sponsored the bill to bar the Concorde, told European Voice that the EU legislation "would have the greatest impact on American-built jets and equipment, and we feel that this is an unfair, thinly-veiled attempt to close the European market to these US products."
The article reports the granted delay was the culmination of an unprecedented lobbying campaign by the US administration to defend its aviation industry. The EU measure at the center of the controversy would prevent airlines from registering planes fitted with hush kits in Europe from next month, and those registered in other countries from flying in the EU from 2002. The Union claims that hush-kitted aircraft do not always comply with international environmental noise regulations, and that planes should instead be fitted with new engines guaranteed to meet the standards laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The article states Washington argues that the proposed ban is not justified on scientific grounds. The US would be hit hard by the restrictions because leading US aircraft manufacturers make most of these kits and hundreds of American-built planes are equipped with them. It says the move would unfairly discriminate against US-made aircraft and engines. The US Congress intensified its campaign against the proposed ban this week as the House of Representatives endorsed Oberstar's bill to prevent Concorde flights from landing at New York's JFK Airport. The bill will now go to the Senate and then for signing by President Bill Clinton. "We have worked closely with the administration in crafting this bill and moving it through the legislative process," said Oberstar. "Therefore, unless conditions change, I am confident that the president will sign the bill." The Concorde has been given a waiver from international noise standards for two decades, and Oberstar argues that a ban would reduce noise levels at JFK by 20%. But the move has prompted furious protests from BA and Air France. "It is grossly unfair and wrong to take reprisal action against innocent airlines and their customers because of legislation which is being brought in the EU," said BA spokesman Andre Clodong.
PUBLICATION: The Gazette (Montreal)
DATE: March 11, 1999
SECTION: News; F1 / Break
BYLINE: Anne Sutherland
DATELINE: Montreal, Quebec CANADA
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Youssef Sabeh, director of airport environment committee
The Gazette reports new procedures to reduce noise at Montreal International Airport (Dorval) have been in effect for one month, but it's too soon to judge their effectiveness.
According to the article, the new procedures, mandated by NavCan, the body that governs air traffic, are part of comprehensive noise-reduction plans implemented by an environment committee that are meant to cut down on aircraft noise over the residential areas. The committee is made up of representatives from NavCan, Aeroports de Montreal, Transport Canada, Transport Quebec and the municipalities of Dorval, Pointe Claire, St. Laurent and Montreal. Combined with the noise-reduction rules that govern when certain types of aircraft are allowed to land and take off, the committee is looking to "harmonize relations with nearby residents." One example is requiring planes taking off from Runway 24-6 to climb to 4,000 feet over Lac St. Louis before making their turns. Runway 24-6 is the longest runway and is used for 80 per cent of all takeoffs, including the largest jets. By requiring those jets to climb to 4, 000 feet, the noise exposure forecast for parts of Pointe Claire, Beaconsfield and Baie d'Urfe should be reduced. Youssef Sabeh, director of the environmental committee said, "We felt it was better to overfly the lake than the houses. We'll still need a longer period of time to judge the effectiveness of this new procedure." In addition, the committee is also working on eliminating noisier, older planes. Aircraft such as the DC- 9 and Boeing 727, are slowly being phased out and will not be permitted to land at Dorval past 2002. They are being replaced by the Boeing 767, the Airbus 320 and McDonnell Douglas 80, which have quieter engines.
The article reports the committee is prepared for the barrage of telephone calls that typically pour into airport offices complaining about aircraft noise that follows the publication of any article about the airport. To better serve the residents who call about aircraft noise, ADM spent $1.2 million last year on a Global Environment Management System (called GEMS) to track noise and verify complaints. Eight sound monitors have been installed on the roofs of municipal buildings. "The sound monitors are located in line with the runways, close to houses to we can hear what the people hear," Sabeh said. When a complaint is received, the GEMS searches the data bank for information on flights that took off in the time frame in question. With flight-plan information from NavCan, the system can check the altitude and noise levels of the aircraft in question. Any violations by aircraft will be cause for an investigation, Sabeh said. Turnaround time for responses to calls is 95 per cent within 24 hours and 100 per cent in 48 hours, Sabeh said. "With all the information from GEMS, we can measure the noise for the different craft and pressure the airlines to change their fleet and change the soundscape," he added. "Counting complaints is the last thing we do but analyzing the complaints - this is what we look at," Sabeh said.
PUBLICATION: The Hartford Courant
DATE: March 11, 1999
SECTION: Main; Pg. A8
BYLINE: Paul Marks
DATELINE: Wndsor Locks, Connecticut
The Hartford Courant reports consultants hired by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, which operates Bradley International Airport, will report this month to residents the results of a noise study.
According to the article, neighbors troubled by the steady noise of jets departing Bradley International Airport will learn possible relief measures March 30, in Windsor Locks, when the state holds its latest briefing on a noise study begun in September. Engineers specializing in noise control are performing an environmental assessment of departure procedures from Bradley's busiest runway. The objective of the mini-study is to determine whether airport officials could reduce the noise impact on residents of Suffield, Windsor and Simsbury by changing the flight paths that planes use after they take off.
The article reports the airport received more than 1,000 noise complaints last year, most of them from Suffield residents. Runway 6, used more heavily for takeoffs than any other, sends flights northeast over Suffield. Consultants Harris Miller Miller & Hanson Inc. already have ruled out fanning out the planes over multiple headings, to spread the bothersome noise around. It would be better to pick the path that affects the smallest number of people, they say. Ted Baldwin, a vice president with the noise analysis firm, said decibel readings taken last fall have been matched with Federal Aviation Administration records of flight paths to produce " noise contour" maps. The maps, which will be displayed March 30, illustrate the average 24-hour sound level at all affected points, and the readings are weighted to emphasize the irritation of jet noise occurring between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. They also forecast the likely growth of air traffic and attendant noise during the next five years. Baldwin said he will present a noise analysis for three alternative paths for planes using Runway 6 toward Suffield, and three alternatives for planes using Runway 24 over Windsor and Simsbury. A plan to route flights over Suffield on a straight-ahead path will be among the options considered, he said.
PUBLICATION: The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA)
DATE: March 11, 1999
SECTION: Local; Pg. B01
BYLINE: Anne M. Peterson
DATELINE: Fontana, California
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Eileen DeMarzio, resident; Janice Rutherford, Fontana Planning Commission chairwoman
The Press-Enterprise reports nighttime testing at the California Speedway will be prohibited, officials said Wednesday in response to hundreds of complaints by residents who suffered through noisy late-night and early-morning road tests two weeks ago in Fontana, California.
According to the article, Mercedes-Benz rented out the speedway during the week of Feb. 22 to test two cars for endurance-style racing. On Feb. 26, the cars ran for a 24-hour period. Hundreds of residents bombarded local law enforcement, county and city officials with phone calls complaining about the noise. After meeting with county planning staff members during the past two weeks, speedway officials agreed to ban testing from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. For neighbors, banning late-night auto testing means they can sleep peacefully again. "I don't think any of our local officials will tolerate this many residents being disturbed," said Janice Rutherford, Fontana Planning Commission chairwoman who lives about two miles north of the track. "You can't keep that many people awake that many nights." Resident Eileen DeMarzio, who lives about 11/2 miles north of the track, said, "I think they knew they were doing something that wasn't going to go over well. I think they were testing the residents. They were hoping if they got away with it, they could get away with something else."
The article reports the county operating permit requires that the racetrack adhere to county-mandated noise levels for an industrial area. The track is not allowed to exceed a noise level of 70 decibels during any day or night operation. However, the noise level cannot exceed 45 decibels in a neighboring residential area from the hours of 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. The racetrack is allowed to exceed the noise levels only during six scheduled races throughout the year. The county-issued permit bars any racing during the l0 p.m. to 7 a.m. period. At the time, California Speedway spokesman Jay Lucas said the racetrack's operating permit allowed all-night testing. However, on Wednesday, Lucas said speedway officials had reconsidered the testing. "We've agreed we won't conduct any nighttime operations that would potentially cause that type of noise, " he said. "The sports cars caused quite a disturbance. That was the first time in 21/2 years," he said, that all-night testing was done. After the all-night testing session, racetrack officials sent apology letters to all residents who complained about the noise levels.
PUBLICATION: St. Petersburg Times
DATE: March 11, 1999
SECTION: Pasco Times; Pg. 1
BYLINE: James Thorner
DATELINE: Zephyrhills, Florida
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Louise Barone, resident
The St. Petersburg Times reports life has gotten louder recently in Zephyrhills, Florida, where quiet living is disappearing for some residents as activity increases at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.
According to the article, neighbors on 19th and 20th streets, who live under the flight paths of planes using Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, have recently begun to inundate city officials with noise complaints. One group recently sent a letter to the City Council, urging local pilots to "change their attitude" or "go elsewhere." Louise Barone, who has lived in her 19th Street house for 22 years, said the din is constant, disrupting neighbors even on Sunday mornings. "This is every day, every day," Barone said. "I think they're trying to make a new Tampa airport out there. I grew up in this town, and it's gotten annoying."
The article states Airport Manager Jim Werme said the airport's four main flight patterns meet over 19th and 20th streets, giving neighbors west of the airport the biggest dose of engine noise. The congestion primarily comes from the need for pilots to steer clear of the skydiving drop zone on the east side of the airport. A company called Skydive City runs a popular and prosperous parachuting operation. The Federal Aviation Administration adjusted flight patterns to keep the skies clear for parachutists. "We're trying to make if safe for the aviation community and the neighborhood community at the same time," Werme said. Werme wants FAA permission to shift more flights to the most easterly runway, closer to Skydive City. Such a move could eliminate some of the noise over the center of the city. To date, no response to that request has come from the FAA. "We want to be a good neighbor," Werme said. "But the more active the airport is, the more noise there will be."
The article reports Zephyrhills officials are of two minds about the situation. They sympathize with the neighbors but realize the growing airplane traffic is a sign the airport is approaching solvency after years of losing money. A study published in 1996 predicted that the airport would average 27,000 takeoffs and landings by 2005. That projection already has been surpassed. Total flights are expected to reach 38,000 this year. The airport is so popular that the city has turned away pilots seeking to lease hangars. The hangars, including two under construction, are already booked.
PUBLICATION: The Toronto Star
DATE: March 11, 1999
SECTION: News
BYLINE: Bob Mitchell
DATELINE: Oakville, Ontario CANADA
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Peter Krysmanski, spokesperson for Oakville Stop-CN-in-their-Tracks
The Toronto Star reports after listening to residents' noise complaints, the Canadian Transportation Agency has ordered CN Rail to reduce noise levels at a rail yard in Oakville, Ontario.
According to the article, in a March 8 ruling, CN Rail was ordered to "significantly reduce" noise levels at Oakville's southwest rail yard. Nearby residents said the noise from CN's shunting operation was so bad that it often sounded like explosions were going off, often at 3 a.m. "At times it was like hell on earth," said Peter Krysmanski, spokesperson for the community group Oakville Stop-CN-in-their-Tracks. "It was like living next to a military artillery range. You couldn't enjoy your homes, your yard in the summer or talk to your neighbors without yelling. Basically, the noise went on . . . 24 hours a day."
The article reports the Canadian Transportation Agency also ordered CN to monitor noise levels twice a month and submit a long-term plan aimed at reducing noise by July. It could possibly include a nighttime curfew and installing noise barriers. In making its ruling, the agency agreed with area residents that the noise from CN's shunting operation - the rolling of cars from one train to another to sort traffic - was adversely affecting their lives. A petition signed by 211 residents of the Eastlake community was also filed with the agency. Their complaints centered on the increased activity in the Oakville yard after traffic was shifted from Hamilton. CN argued before the agency that shunting railway cars was a fundamental part of their operation and could not be performed without making noise. CN spokesperson Mark Hallman said they intend to comply with the agency's order but will review the entire ruling before deciding whether to appeal. "But we don't think it's a precedent-setting decision. We're reviewing all of our options."
PUBLICATION: Chicago Tribune
DATE: March 11, 1999
SECTION: Mchenry County; Pg. 1; Zone: Mc
BYLINE: Mark R. Madler.
DATELINE: Woodstock, Illinois
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Kate Halma, resident; John Kunzie, resident; Create Awareness for Responsible Environment planning group
The Chicago Tribune reports despite noise experts testifying to the contrary, residents of Woodstock, Illinois, are opposed to a proposed power plant because they believe it will bring noise and air pollution and generally lower the quality of life in their region.
According to the article, noise from a proposed electricity-generating power plant near Woodstock would not pose a problem for nearby residents, noise experts testified Wednesday before the McHenry County Zoning Board of Appeals. James Barnes, an acoustical engineer, and Robert C. Beiter, a licensed audiologist, were hired by Indeck Energy Services to study existing noise levels at the proposed site and initial noise estimates from the planned facility. "The levels would be considered to be low levels from a perception viewpoint," Beiter said to about 80 people gathered in an auditorium Wednesday evening.
The article reports even in this relatively rural location, the power plant has generated much opposition, with about 100 people turning out to hear testimony Tuesday night. The Create Awareness for Responsible Environment planning group, whose members wore buttons reading "Stop the Stacks," opposes the power plant because it would create air and noise pollution, lower property values and threaten the quality of life of nearby residents, according to the group. Other opponents, such as Kate Halma, believe the county should be following its own 2010 land-use plan that identifies the area where the plant would be located as agricultural. Halma and her husband Kirk bought land less than a year ago not far from the site of the proposed facility. Later, they learned that a power plant was to be built there on land designated as agricultural. "I couldn't believe it was true," Halma said. "Then I was angry, and then I was glad to hear that a community effort was being made to oppose it. And our opposition is to its location." John Kunzie, another resident who opposes the facility, said that even though there will be acoustical baffling to mitigate the noise of the turbines, it won't totally eliminate it. On summer nights when he keeps the windows open, he can already hear truck traffic from three miles away and trains on the Union Pacific Railroad tracks four miles away, Kunzie said.
The article states Buffalo Grove-based Indeck has filed for a conditional-use permit to build and operate the power plant on 22 acres north of Illinois Highway 176, between Dean Street and Illinois Highway 47. Two turbines fueled by natural gas would generate 300 megawatts of electricity only during peak demand hours. The power would be sold wholesale on a five-year contract by Indeck to Commonwealth Edison Co. or any other company that would supply electricity to the region. The average noise level at the facility would be 46 decibels, which would be below the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's cutoff, the equivalent of 51 decibels at night and 55 decibels during the day. "It will comply with the regulations," Barnes said. "I'm not saying there won't be times when people will hear it."
PUBLICATION: The Boston Globe
DATE: March 10, 1999
SECTION: Op-Ed; Pg. A23
BYLINE: Michael Capuano
DATELINE: Boston, Massachusetts
The Boston Globe published an editorial by Michael Capuano, US Representative from Massachusetts's 8th District. Capuano believes a third runway at Logan Airport should not be built for a variety of reasons including the fact it will increase noise in neighborhoods and communities already burdened with aircraft noise.
According to the editorial, Massport is proposing to construct runway 14/32, which the agency admits will triple airplane noise in Chelsea, South Boston's Andrew Square, Roxbury, East Boston, Somerville, Cambridge, Belmont, the South End, and Jamaica Plain-communities already seriously burdened by the thunderous noise of air traffic. However, Massport officials argue that the runway will decrease delays at Logan Airport. They also acknowledge that 14/32 and the additional flights it represents will only postpone the full onset of the problem for approximately five years. By their own admission, another runway is a short-term remedy, at best.
The editorial states, "If 14/32 will not permanently reduce delays, we shouldn't build it. The detrimental impact on our neighborhoods is too great. The burden of proof is on Massport to explain why there is a need for 14/32 when it will drastically increase airplane noise in many communities and doesn't even represent a permanent solution to the problem. Massport hasn't done nearly enough to meet that burden." Furthermore, Massport has pledged that this runway will remain unidirectional, but who will enforce this promise?
According to Capuano, Massport says that because 14/32 is a shorter runway, it can only be used for smaller aircraft. Yet Capuano says, small planes increase delays at Logan, while providing only limited passenger capacity. "If the airlines were required to rely on slightly larger aircraft rather than more frequent flights to meet the demands of smaller markets, delays would decline. Massport should be working to encourage this. Why would Massport propose a shorter runway (14/32) that encourages the use of the very aircraft that contribute to Logan's delay problems?" asks Capuano.
The editorial goes on to point our that runway space is not the only factor contributing to delays. Terminal space at Logan is also limited, contributing to delays in ticketing and baggage handling. Furthermore, aircraft often wait on the tarmac for an available gate, delaying that flight as well as others. "If people have trouble getting through the terminals and planes have trouble getting to the terminals, what sense does it make to bring in more planes and more passengers?"
According to the editorial, "The most effective way to reduce noise is to reduce the number of flights to and from Logan." In order to find a way to increase access to Greater Boston while reducing noise, Massport must follow the lead of most major markets, such as New York and Washington, DC, and increase reliance on secondary airports. "Massport should be doing all it can to encourage the growth of other airports to serve the Eastern Massachusetts market."
The editorial concludes with, "Massport officials should go back to the drawing board and develop a proposal that addresses the reasons behind the delay dilemma. It must include a review of terminal space, aircraft size, peak pricing, regionalization, and other alternatives. Only then will the residents of Greater Boston feel that they are being presented with all the facts. And only then will the neighborhoods feel that Massport has made a good faith effort to address their concerns."
PUBLICATION: Chicago Daily Herald
DATE: March 10, 1999
SECTION: News; Pg. 9
BYLINE: Robert C. Herguth
DATELINE: Washington, DC
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Suburban O'Hare Commission
The Chicago Daily Herald reports a proposal to eliminate flight caps at O'Hare International Airport moved closer to reality on Tuesday.
According to the article, the U.S. House subcommittee on aviation approved a bill that would remove restrictions on the number of planes taking off and landing at O'Hare-as well as at two New York airports-beginning next year. Currently, the airfields are allotted a certain number of "slots" which translate into flights. The panel, which is headed by Rep. John Duncan from Tennessee, unanimously approved a five-year Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization measure containing the provisions. "The slot issue really wasn't discussed much," said an official with the subcommittee. "I was somewhat surprised by that." The proposal is similar to a Clinton administration plan also calling for seemingly unlimited flights at O'Hare. But it differs from a competing U.S. Senate plan advocating for 30 additional daily commercial flights at O'Hare.
The article reports any plan relating to more flights, and increased noise, at O'Hare has been a volatile issue locally. "We cannot let whatever politics that is pushing this attempt to lift the caps create a major safety catastrophe at O'Hare, and that's beyond the monopoly and noise issues and all that," said Joe Karaganis, attorney for the anti-noise and anti-expansion Suburban O'Hare Commission. Rep. Henry Hyde, a critic of O'Hare, has said he will oppose any new flights at O'Hare.
The article states the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will consider the bill on Thursday. "We think it's a bill that has a lot of merit," said Chicago aviation spokesman Dennis Culloton. "We'll have to see how it develops."
PUBLICATION: The Patriot Ledger
DATE: March 10, 1999
SECTION: News; Pg. 13C
BYLINE: Ray Mceachern
DATELINE: Quincy, Massachusetts
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Dennis Carson, resident
The Patriot Ledger reports the city license board of Quincy, Massachusetts, voted to keep a trash truck terminal quiet until 7 a.m. after residents complained of losing sleep due to early morning noise made by the company.
According to the article, early morning clanking at the Browning-Ferris Industries terminal on Nightingale Avenue has been keeping awake its South Quincy neighbors. Urged by Ward 4 City Councilor Michael D'Amico, the city license board voted 4-0 yesterday to order BFI to keep its trash truck terminal quiet until 7 a.m. D'Amico said BFI trucks often leave the terminal as early as 5 a.m., while a neighbor, Dennis Carson of Gilbert Street, said loud noise begins about 4:30 a.m., when dumpsters are loaded onto trucks. "Sometimes it sounds like a truck is coming through the house," Carson said. "We've got a spare bedroom if any of you want to come over and see if you can sleep through it." Board Chairman Joseph Shea said that by prohibiting BFI operations before 7 a.m., the city was enforcing a noise ordinance that prohibits noise from industrial plants and machinery before 7 a.m.
The article reports when Fire Chief Thomas Gorman, vice chairman of the board, suggested allowing BFI to begin operations at 6 a.m., D'Amico objected. Police Chief Thomas Frane, a board member, also opposed Gorman's suggestion, saying making an exception for BFI would not be legal unless the city council changed the ordinance. Shea agreed, pointing out that the police chief has authority to permit early morning work during emergencies such as fires, storms and water-main breaks. But trash collection, he said, didn't qualify. Officials said the ruling will be in force until the city council can legally change BFI's starting time to 6 a.m. Carson, the Gilbert Street resident, said he and other neighbors could live with a 6 a.m. starting time. In the meantime, D'Amico said he would organize a neighborhood meeting with BFI officials to seek ways to make the terminal a good neighbor. Besides eliminating early morning noise, D'Amico said, he will seek the company's cooperation in eliminating graffiti from its terminal, landscaping the grounds, and banning truck traffic from Gilbert Street.
The article states Robert Costigan, the local BFI manager, pledged the company's support in improving operations. He agreed to adhere to the ban on operations before 7 a.m., but he said it was safer to dispatch trucks earlier, before traffic gets heavy. "There will be some accounts I cannot service," said Costigan, who said some customers specifically ask for the early pickup before parked cars get in the way. Costigan was accompanied yesterday by Maryann Cotton, BFI community affairs director, and Steve Benton, BFI marketing vice president for the Northeast and Eastern Canada. Both said after the meeting that they were optimistic the problems could be resolved. "I think we feel very comfortable that we've started a productive dialogue with the neighborhood," Cotton said. Benton said, "An hour does make a difference." He said that for safety's sake he hoped the council would approve a 6 a.m. starting time. He added, "Just as all politics is local, trash is also local."
PUBLICATION: The Gazette (Montreal)
DATE: March 9, 1999
SECTION: Newspaper In Education: Flash; B4
DATELINE: New Haven, Connecticut
The Gazette (Montreal) reports a Connecticut man who attended a rock concert with his son in New Haven, Connecticut, is suing for damages, claming hearing loss.
According to the article, a university music professor claims a Smashing Pumkins concert damaged his hearing. Peter Jeffrey has filed a lawsuit against the band, the city of New Haven, Connecticut, and the New Haven Coliseum. He claims he lost hearing in his left ear and experienced ringing in both ears after attending his first rock concert with his young son on January 25, 1997. Jeffrey claims the music exceeded a safe decibel level, and the earplugs he wore did not protect him from the excessive noise. He is suing for $15,000 US.
PUBLICATION: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
DATE: March 9, 1999
SECTION: Ozaukee Washington Pg. 2
BYLINE: Jeanette Hurt
DATELINE: Cedarburg, Wisconsin
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Kathy Weigl, resident; April Dietz, resident
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports a Cedarburg, Wisconsin, automotive plant has been given another chance to get in compliance with noise laws, despite urgings by neighbors to start legal proceedings.
According to the article, the Common Council is allowing Amcast Automotive plant officials to continue with their noise abatement improvement plan. Despite neighbors' pleas to serve the company with fines and citations, the Common Council on Monday decided to allow Amcast to try their improvements before any final decision on legal action would be made. "Amcast is not in compliance, and we are not giving up any of our rights," Mayor Keith Kaiman said. "We want to get to that point where we can all live together."
The article reports Paul Sivanich, plant manager, told the city and the neighbors that the company was in the process of adopting new policies and procedures to limit noise, especially at night. Sivanich said that all of the night supervisors would carry cell phones, and neighbors and city officials would be given those phone numbers so that if there is a problem, it could be addressed immediately. "The phone will actually ring on someone's belt if there's a situation that needs to be addressed," Sivanich said, acknowledging that one problem neighbors have had is reaching someone at night. Sivanich said the company also would be working on night deliveries and on other operational problems.
The article states several neighbors shook their heads when Sivanich and Kaiman were talking. "The city has had just an all-too-cozy relationship with Amcast," Kathy Weigl said. April Dietz said that while Amcast has been given yet another extension, the neighborhood is still suffering. "We're not getting any of our sleep back," Dietz said. "It's like we're being punished. These things were all supposed to be done (last year), and we were supposed to notice a difference. Nothing's changed."
PUBLICATION: The Plain Dealer
DATE: March 9, 1999
SECTION: Metro; Pg. 1B
BYLINE: Karen Farkas
DATELINE: Twinsburg, Ohio
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Eugene Klecha, resident
The Plain Dealer reports in the wake of increased noise complaints from residents, the Ohio Department of Transportation will conduct a new noise study to determine if a section of Interstate 480 warrants sound barriers.
According to the article, a concrete or wood sound barrier is not very appealing, but Eugene Klecha is willing to try anything to alleviate the traffic noise behind his home. "I live at the top of the hill, and it is terrible," said Klecha. Behind his house is Interstate 480. About four years ago, the Ohio Department of Transportation conducted noise tests, but the level was not high enough to warrant sound barriers, said Ed Deley, assistant environmental engineer for District 4. But because of more complaints from residents, ODOT staffers will test again this spring and summer, he said. The level of noise that would warrant barriers is 67 decibels, he said, which is about equivalent to standing 100 feet from a gas-powered lawnmower.
The article reports residents, including City Councilwoman Judith Koncsol, said the noise level is likely to meet that threshold because traffic has increased due to growth in Twinsburg and Streetsboro, two cities served by I-480, and the increase of the speed limit in 1996 to 65 miles per hour. Deley said the noise from the freeway will be measured from back yards for 20 minutes during morning or afternoon peak traffic times. It would probably be measured on I-480 from the Cuyahoga-Summit line to the Ohio 82 interchange. Most of the homes are in a 2-mile stretch west of Ohio 82 on the north side of the freeway.
The article states sound barriers, usually made of wood or concrete, cost about $1 million per mile to build, Deley said. The local community is asked to contribute 50 percent but can seek outside funding, he said. Koncsol and Twinsburg Mayor James R. Karabec said the city could not commit any funding until the ODOT study is done and solutions, including the installation of sound barriers or vegetation, are discussed. Klecha and Koncsol said the noise level seemed to increase last year when brush was removed so new fences could be installed along the freeway. Deley said vegetation would have to be dense and wide to reduce any noise. "Some of our studies show you need a 100-foot-wide corridor and dense vegetation and trees to reduce noise by 5 decibels," he said.
PUBLICATION: The Boston Globe
DATE: March 8, 1999
SECTION: Letters To The Editor; Pg. A13
DATELINE: Boston, Massachusetts
The Boston Globe published a letter from Massachusetts resident Jacques Weissgerber criticizing Massport's disregard of residents of Boston and nearby communities as it proceeds with its plan to build a third runway at Logan Airport. Weissgerber writes:
"Regarding your Feb. 11 editorial, "Progress at Logan": You fail to mention, and it is immediately clear upon hearing the Massachusetts Port Authority's sales pitch, that the proposed runway is only a quick-fix, a Band-Aid type solution to the congestion at Logan Airport. Yes, Runway 14/32 will initially bring some relief, but as it allows more unrestrained expansion, it will only be a few years until Logan gets strangled again. What will Massport do then? Massport executive director Peter Blute doesn't know.
"Meanwhile, communities all over Boston are being battered for hours on end by increasing air traffic. Thousands of people have no choice but to live with this abuse. The first low-flying jet wakes them up at 6 a.m., and the procession follows at a rate of one plane every two minutes or more.
"The more efficient use of the airport, which Runway 14/32 is supposed to bring about, will result, over time, in a 200 percent traffic increase over the city, making even worse an already disastrous situation. Some neighborhoods, such as the South End, Roxbury, and Jamaica Plain, which happen to be under the flight path of Runway 27, will experience a 300 percent traffic increase.
"To this issue, Massport is only paying lip service and insults our intelligence with its promise of quieter planes, home insulation, and arcane " noise abatement goals." Massport's strategy is also to pit communities against each other with the appalling notion of a more equitable distribution of the pain (i.e., the noise). The new runway will mean some relief (at least for a while) for East Boston, for example, at the expense of Roxbury. According to Massport, it is only fair.
"But if we are talking about fairness, why are some communities entirely absent from the " noise redistribution" scheme? Why do we never hear about planes flying over Brookline, Newton, or Wellesley? As for the posh communities surrounding Hanscom Field, they have made it clear that they shouldn't be bothered. Who can blame them? While toxic waste is usually confined and kept away from people, under what logic should noise be distributed among more people?
"It is time for public opinion to make quality of life a priority, and to rise up against Massport's economic machismo. A city is more than the sum of its businesses and convention centers; it is a place where people are trying to live. If Boston becomes unlivable, how can it thrive economically? There must be alternatives to the current proposal.
"Farsighted and enlightened solutions to Logan Airport's problem are out there, but Massport will not come up with them unless forced to."
PUBLICATION: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
DATE: March 8, 1999
SECTION: Ozaukee Washington Pg. 2
DATELINE: Cedarburg, Wisconsin
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the Common Council of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, may decide tonight to take legal action against Amcast Automotive for noise violations.
According to the article, during a closed session, the Common Council will be reviewing the information gathered from an on-site visit of the plant last week. A number of town officials, including Mayor Keith Kaiman, City Building Inspector Roger Kison, and the city's noise consultant visited the plant and tested sound levels. City officials met with Amcast officials, who have asked for another extension so that they can install additional silencers. For the past two years, residents who live near Amcast's plant on Hamilton Road have been petitioning the city and complaining about the noise.
The article reports, last fall, following several assurances from Amcast, the city issued the first notice of non-compliance to the company. The second notice was sent earlier this year. Following the closed session at 6:30 p.m., there will be a discussion and possible action.
PUBLICATION: AAP Newsfeed
DATE: March 7, 1999
SECTION: Nationwide General News; Australian General News
DATELINE: Sydney, Australia
AAP Newsfeed reports airlines breaching Sydney Airport's noise curfew could face bigger fines under a review of airport regulations, federal Transport Minister John Anderson announced today.
According to the article, two overseas airlines are under investigation for violating the curfew, which operates between 11pm and 6am daily, and if found guilty faced maximum fines of $110,000 each, Anderson said. However, the fine might not be a big enough deterrent, he said. "I will not hesitate to increase the penalties for curfew breaches if it becomes clear that the $110,000 fine is no longer adequate," Anderson said. "I have instructed my department to re-examine the regulatory mechanisms that affect access to the airport as a possible way of strengthening the curfew."
The article reports Anderson said preliminary reports of a near miss at Sydney Airport last week between an Air New Zealand jet and a smaller domestic plane showed the pilot of the 747 carried out a standard go around when he did not receive a landing clearance. Anderson said he had asked Airservices Australia to install an instrument landing system at the eastern end of the east-west runway, which would help share aircraft noise further and increase airport safety. "Airservices will shortly be introducing a new operating mode-mode eight. The new mode will particularly benefit residents in suburbs like Summer Hill and Croydon."
The article states Anderson said many pilots on long flights such as Los Angeles-Sydney requested the use of the main runway. "Starting this week, however, Airservices will ask airlines to explain the choice of runways to make sure that pilots only request alternative runways for valid safety reasons. I recognize that some people in Sydney are concerned about the progress that the government has made in implementing the Long Term Operating Plan (LTOP). We are committed to sharing the noise but this must be done in a way that does not jeopardize air safety." Anderson said the LTOP had significantly reduced aircraft noise to the north of the airport.
PUBLICATION: Orlando Sentinel Tribune
DATE: March 7, 1999
SECTION: Seminole Extra; Pg. K7
DATELINE: Lake Mary, Florida
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Randy Neal, resident
The Orlando Sentinel Tribune published a letter from Randy Neal of Lake Mary, Florida, questioning a recent assertion that jets from the Sanford Airport are quiet. Neal writes that is not at all his experience:
"I was happy to learn from your recent article that the jets flying over my back yard in Lake Mary are not noisy. Evidently, the noise is simply a figment of my imagination. It still doesn't explain the landing gear tire marks and scorches from jet exhaust on my roof.
"I have written letters to the Sanford Airport Authority and the Federal Aviation Administration to complain about specific incidents of excessive noise and dangerously low-flying aircraft. I have called their noise-complaint line only to get a recording. I have even called the tower to report a barnstormer that buzzed my house during a particularly low-flying, death-defying, full-throttle banking maneuver.
"I tried calling the FAA noise-complaint line listed in the phone book. The number was disconnected. I called the FAA Flight Standards District Office, and they said I needed to talk to the Airports Division, who said I needed to talk to the Flight Standards District Office. The only response I have received is a form letter from the airport that stated they were taking action by forming a committee. Yeah, right.
"I notice that the FAA has established a "no-fly" zone over Disney's Animal Kingdom, which has been declared a noise -sensitive area. Apparently the citizens of Lake Mary don't rank as high on the bureaucratic food chain as Disney's zoo animals. Is it possible that I could obtain similar protection if I get a couple of elephants and a giraffe or two to keep in my back yard?"
PUBLICATION: The Patriot Ledger
DATE: March 12, 1999
SECTION: News; Pg. 01
BYLINE: Andrew Nelson
DATELINE: Hull, Massachusetts
ACTIVISTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS MENTIONED: Philip Lemnios, Hull town manager; MaryBeth Lidington, resident
The Patriot Ledger reports Massport has agreed to study the noise impact a new Logan International Airport runway would have on the Hull peninsula, a town whose residents have already had enough of airplane noise.
According to the article, the study is not going to reduce local opposition to the plan that would ultimately send more planes over Boston Harbor and Hull during peak flying hours. "The people of Hull have shared a very significant burden from the airport," Town Manager Philip Lemnios said. "We might seek some other sort of recourse in the court system." Even though none of the planes using the proposed new runway would fly over Hull, it would allow Massport to increase the use of two existing runways that send flights over the town. Massport spokesman Jeremy Crockford claims Logan needs all three runways running during peak flying hours. Flights coming in over the harbor are less affected by northwest winds, he said, and delays due to weather would be reduced. Massport is now developing a study of noise levels in Hull related to airport operations, said Massport's director of aviation and planning, Betty Desrosiers. Massport has hired a Burlington engineering firm, Harris, Miller, Miller & Hanson, to conduct the noise studies which would most likely would be conducted during the summer.
The article reports the proposed runway has experienced major opposition, prior to that brewing in Hull, including a recent barrage of complaints from Boston residents before the Boston City Council, which voted to oppose the runway. The city already has a court injunction dating to the 1970s that prevents Massport from building additional runways at Logan. In addition to getting that injunction lifted, Massport would have to get environmental approval, a process that would take at least a year, to build another runway, Crockford said.
The article states at a selectmen's meeting in February, Hull town leaders announced their intention to fight the runway. In addition to calling for a noise study, they are asking Massport to hold a community meeting in Hull and for a private meeting with Massport's top official, Executive Director Peter Blute. Although organized opposition to the runway is still developing in Hull, real estate agent MaryBeth Lidington of Prudential Prime Properties said the selectmen will have no problem finding citizens who oppose the runway plan. "The planes can be loud, and if it increases, you are not going to have happy people," Lidington said. The airport is only 6 to 8 miles away from parts of Hull, Lidington said, and in bad weather planes come down out of the clouds and zoom right over the peninsula. "You can practically see people in the plane," she said. The areas near Hull Gut and Point Allerton hill seem to be the worst spots in town for airplane noise, but anywhere from the Kenberma Shopping Center and Sunset Point to the tip of town can be bad. "The people who are impacted by the sound now will be impacted day and night," Selectman Carl Katzeff said. /P>
PUBLICATION: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
DATE: March 12, 1999
SECTION: Editorial, Pg. 2A, Letters To The Editor
DATELINE: Boca Raton, Florida
The Sun-Sentinel published the following letter from George W. Blank, past chairman of the Boca Raton Airport Authority and Chairman Emeritus, Federation of Boca Raton Homeowner Associations. Mr. Blank writes to advocate for the Airport Authority and inform readers of the work accomplished towards reducing noise during his tenure:
"I represented the Boca Raton Federation of Homeowners on the Boca Raton Airport Authority for many years and was involved in the FAR Part 150 Study conducted for the Boca Raton Airport in 1989-90. The Airport Authority has implemented every study recommendation that was within the power of the Authority. One recommendation, which originated with a Part 150 Study Committee member representing a community adjacent to the airport, requested the overrun extension of the runway in order to decrease aircraft takeoff noise over his community. This was implemented despite reservations of some members of the Authority concerned over the possible impact on other neighborhoods.
"The only Part 150 Study Recommendation not implemented was for the city to rezone lands with the 65 DNL noise contour. As chairman of the Airport Authority at that time, I made a written request to the city to discuss this matter. During the meeting, the Airport Authority was advised by the city staff that any action for zoning or land use constraints was an internal city matter beyond the purview of the Airport Authority.
"The Airport Authority, of its own volition, has taken numerous additional actions beyond the Part 150 recommendation or Federal Aviation Administration requirements in order to address and reduce aircraft noise. These actions include the purchasing of an aviation easement over noise-impacted residentially zoned land, establishing a Noise Compatibility Advisory Committee dominated by noise-impacted area homeowners, the hiring of a full-time Noise Abatement Officer with extensive experience, and the implementation of touch-and-go landing restrictions. Because of growing activity at the airport, the Authority developed a 1996 update of the Noise Exposure Map as suggested by the Part 150 Study.
"In addition, the Airport Authority has programmed funds and has obtained grant aid commitments from the FAA and Florida Department of Transportation for a full update of the airport Part 150 program that will begin soon. The aircraft control tower being constructed at the airport will provide a means to manage air traffic arriving and departing the airport to make airspace around the airport more safe and to potentially reduce noise from aircraft. This will be accomplished by providing safe separation between aircraft, discouraging training activities at the airport, eliminating go-arounds by jet aircraft that now occur and, when appropriate, authorizing straight-in approaches to landing aircraft which now must fly lengthy maneuvering patterns at low altitudes over residential areas.
"I am no longer involved with the Airport Authority and the present homeowners' representative is Bruce Benefield. Area homeowners having questions or suggestions regarding noise or other airport matters should contact him or the Airport Communications and Noise Abatement Officer Diane Gullo at 391-2202."
PUBLICATION: The Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)
DATE: March 8, 1999
SECTION: Local; Ed. Final; Pg. 7A
BYLINE: Deborah Frazier
DATELINE: Winter Park, Colorado
The Rocky Mountain News published an editorial saying springtime in Winter Park, Colorado, may bring in a wave of noise complaints as residents open their windows to warm, fresh air and the continuous blaring of train whistles.
According to the editorial, in July, the Winter Park Town Council voted to ban train engineers from sounding the whistles at two crossings. However, federal law overrides city rules, and mandates use of whistles at intersections. Winter Park has always been a train town since 1913 when the town began as West Portal, a construction camp set up when Moffat Tunnel was cut through the Continental Divide. Train whistles continued to punctuate daily life in 1940, when the town's name changed to Winter Park as the ski area opened. Residents were used to 10-12 long whistles a day. But last year, Union Pacific Railroad closed off a route, sending about 30 freight and coal trains through town. They whistle at two intersections about once an hour, around the clock. And not everyone in Winter Park objects to the sound. Guests at the Gandy Dancer Lodge and cabins ask for rooms near the tracks so they can hear the whistle, said owner Dan Drake.
The article reports complaints about the whistles also are a sign of the times. The population in Winter Park has more than tripled in 10 years. "It's part of the growing pains," said Tim Flanagan, who owns a ski rental store in Winter Park. Many of the new people weren't used to living anywhere near active railroad tracks. For now, noise complaints have slowed. "The snow tends to muffle things," said Mayor Nick Teverbaugh. "And, when it's cold out, people don't open their windows." Last year, Teverbaugh built his home 105 feet from the rails. He double-insulated the walls against the train noise and put the bedroom on the other side of the building, facing the creek. "We lived on that land for 20 years, we were used to the sound."
The editorial assert everyone else in Winter Park may have to get used to train whistles, too. Federal law requires train engineers to blow the whistle at major road crossings, said Ed Trandahl, a railroad spokesman. "Half of all collisions and deaths involving trains occur at road crossings," he said. Train whistles also were a problem in Gering, Nebraska, in 1996 when railroad consolidation sent 40 to 50 trains a day through the farming community, Trandahl said. A Union Pacific employee invented a stationary horn that sounded a more conservative warning, and the device has worked for several years. But Trandahl said the federal railroad administration hasn't approved the horns.
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