Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance Submits Legislative Proposals to Congressional Committees

Miki Barnes
April 13, 2023

The mission of Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance (AICA) is "to protect communities from harmful levels of aviation noise and emissions through selective projects for changes in legislation and industry practices in the United States... AICA was co-founded in June 2020 by Cindy L. Christiansen – BOS Fair Skies (MA), Anne Hollander – Montgomery County Quiet Skies Coalition (MD), and Darlene Yaplee – Concerned Residents of Palo Alto."

To access the letter sent by AICA to the House Transportation and Senate Commerce Committee click here.

Oregon Aviation Watch is one of the 67 community groups that signed on in support of the bills and other legislative proposals discussed in the above letter.

An April 7, 2023 Airport Noise Report (ANR) article, Community Coalition Defines Issues They Want Addressed in the FAA Reauth. Bill reported on AICA's efforts to promote legislative change.

Article Highlights from Anne Kohut, ANR Editor

• "In unified action that shows their evolution into a more potent and cohesive political force, some 67 grassroots community groups from around the country submitted to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee legislation and ideas for legislation they would like to see enacted in the new FAA reauthorization bill currently under development."
• "In past years, community groups have acted individually to get noise issues of concern addressed in prior FAA reauthorization bills. This is the first year where ANR has seen a large coalition of community groups speaking to Congress with one voice"
• AICA comment, "Our slate of legislation empowers community group efforts with their local Congressionals by verifying local issues as a national problem and providing confirmation by 67 community groups that the issues are shared nationally."

Aviation Bills Introduced

On April 10, 2023, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) introduced five aviation related bills.

H.R.2561 - To require the Secretary of Transportation to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to produce a report that identifies and recommends a system of measuring aviation noise, and for other purposes.

H.R.2562 - To direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide for a report on the health impacts of air traffic noise and pollution, and for other purposes.

H.R.2563 - To require the disclosure of beneficial ownership by a foreign person of aircraft registration, and for other purposes.

H.R.2564 - To require the Secretary of Transportation to periodically report the number of individuals in the United States who are exposed to certain levels of aviation noise, and for other purposes.

H.R.2565 - To direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to establish an advisory committee for communities impacted by aviation, and for other purposes.

Take Action: Contact your federal representative. Ask them to co-sponsor these bills.

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Aviation Noise and Emissions Symposium (ANE)

AICA founders, Darlene Yaplee and Cindy Christianson are scheduled speakers at the annual University of California Davis Aviation Noise and Emissions Symposium (ANE).

This year's ANE Symposium - "Adapting for Tomorrow, Today" will be held May 1-3 at UC Davis, California, link here. Featured community perspectives include the chairs of sessions and speakers, link here.

• Understanding and Addressing Noise Beyond 65 DNL:
• Session Co-Chair Darlene Yaplee, Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance (AICA)
• Speaker Cindy L. Christiansen PhD, Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance (AICA)
• Health in Aviation Impacted Communities:
• Session Chair - Debi Wagner, Quiet Skies Puget Sound and Quiet Skies Coalition and Co-Chair Elena Austin, University of Washington
• Leveraging NOMS Technology to Maximize Benefit:
• Session Co-Chair Darlene Yaplee (AICA)
• Speaker Marie Jo-Fremont, Concerned Residents of Palo Alto
• FAA Communitiy Engagement Scorecard (FAACES):
• Speaker Darlene Yaplee (AICA)
• Healthy Schools–From Research to Policy
• Session Chair and Panelist Debi Wagner, Quiet Skies Puget Sound and Quiet Skies Coalition
• Community Meetings on May 1st
• Discussion with Community Health Based Researchers, Non-industry hosted by Debi Wagner
• Perspectives on Topics of Overflight Concentration and Aviation Law: opening comments and Q&A hosted by Darlene Yaplee