Aviation Noise Comment Deadline Extended to April 14, 2021

Miki Barnes
April 12, 2021

FAA Neighborhood Environmental Survey Finds Significant Increase in High Annoyance Levels in Response to Aviation Noise

There are still 2 days left to submit comments.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is requesting input on civil aircraft noise. Public comments, posted on or before April 14, 2021, may help shape future aviation noise policies. The docket number, FAA–2021–0037, must be cited with all submissions.

Per the docket, "the Neighborhood Environmental Survey (NES) was conducted to create a new nationally representative dose-response curve to understand how community response to aircraft noise may have changed" since the last study was done.

See previous Oregon Aviation Watch update for additional details but please note that the original March 15 deadline was extended to April 14. "The NES consisted of over 10,000 mail responses from residents in communities around 20 statistically representative airports across the Nation, making it the single largest survey of this type undertaken at one time. In addition to the mail responses, the consultants also conducted a follow-up phone survey, which included over 2,000 responses to a series of more detailed questions."

Send comments identified by docket number FAA–2021–0037 using any of the following methods:

• ONLINE: Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your comments electronically.
• MAIL: Send comments to Docket Operations, M–30; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12–140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590–0001
• HAND DELIVERY or COURIER: Take comments to Docket Operations in Room W12–140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
• FAX: Fax comments to Docket Operations at (202) 493–2251 Please note the privacy policy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information the commenter provides.

This is a link to the Federal Register announcing the Department of Transportation and FAA request for public input: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-01-13/pdf/2021-00564.pdf.

This link includes a 'Browse Comments' section for those interested in reviewing concerns expressed by others. Overview of FAA Aircraft Noise Policy and Research Efforts: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FAA-2021-0037-0001.

If you send additional comments, note on your submission that they are in addition to previous comments rather than a replacement for them.

Sky Justice National Network Suggested Talking Points

The Sky Justice National Network has suggested the following talking points:

• It is way past time for the FAA to recognize that noise is not simply "an annoyance" or "a nuisance." It is a health hazard. Surgeon General William Stewart stated in 1978 that "Calling noise a nuisance is like calling smog an inconvenience. Noise must be considered a hazard to the health of people everywhere." EPA Administrator Russell Train recognized the impact of aviation noise back in 1976 when he called for a safe, quiet, healthy air transport system.
• Decades of scientific evidence show that aviation noise causes annoyance, stress, and sleep disruption and adversely affects cardiovascular health, mental health, learning, productivity, and quality of life. These outcomes impose substantial economic costs to our Nation, for health care, lost productivity, and remedial learning. The relationship between noise and cardiovascular disease is well understood, involving elevations in stress hormones, blood pressure, heart rate, and other risk factors that raise the risks of stroke, ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, metabolic disturbances, and mortality. Studies have shown that annoyance and sleep disruption from aviation noise can also disrupt cognition, learning, and productivity.
• The low frequency noise produced by aircraft is particularly hazardous to health and is known to travel over long distances and penetrates walls and windows.
• The FAA needs to employ additional metrics that are meaningful for human health. For example, the number of aviation events over [a threshold dB], for assessing excessive aviation noise in areas affected by general aviation noise or noise from concentrated flight path procedures to and from commercial-service or cargo airports; and metrics that properly weight low frequency components.
• The FAA has acknowledged the detrimental effects of aviation noise on health and learning and spent hundreds of millions of dollars installing sound insulation in schools and residences. Although these measures are laudable, they are insufficient. Much more is needed.
• Further research is not necessary for the FAA to implement changes to alleviate the suffering of so many in and around the flight paths of aircraft. Whether it is the NextGen jets or helicopters, we already know from the plethora of existing research studies that constant exposure to loud aircraft is a serious health hazard.
• Research knowledge must constitute the core of American aviation policy to protect the health of the public. We do not need more research to know that aviation noise is dangerous for human health and function.
• The FAA needs to translate the findings of the NES into health, learning, productivity, and economic implications using statistical modeling methods implemented by independent health outcomes and health economics experts. Statistical modeling will enable the FAA, health agencies, and Congress to work together on the basis of an informed precautionary principle to develop plans that are feasible for industry but that prioritize protecting public health.
• The FAA's decision-making processes should include national health agencies and experts, and the use of "Health Impact Assessments" (recommended by the World Health Organization) that enable decision-makers to "make choices about alternatives and improvements to prevent disease or injury and to actively promote health." Health Impact Assessment is "based on the four interlinked values of: democracy (promoting stakeholder participation), equity (considering the impact on the whole population), sustainable development, and the ethical use of evidence."
• The population of communities adversely affected by aircraft noise needs to be expanded. The NES report is limited to "those living near airports." Yet there are many communities negatively affected by aircraft noise that are not living near airports, but rather that are located along aircraft flight paths, including but not limited to those residing in rural areas.
• To mitigate the effect of noise pollution on a community, airport curfews would be a direct form of noise restriction by not allowing any operations at an airport during a specific time period.
• Similarly, the population needs to be expanded to those not just living near heliports but living as well under busy tourist and commuter helicopter flight paths (including but not limited to New York City and the New York metropolitan area; Long Island, NY; New Jersey; Hawaii, HW; Washington, DC; Colorado; Los Angeles; and the Grand Canyon in Arizona). The FAA's community involvement activities must be expanded to include those communities (not just the 20 airport communities in this NES survey).
• The FAA should implement noise mitigation policies that not only consider indoor noise but also residents' rights to the peaceful enjoyment of their private outdoor property and public outdoor parks and public spaces funded by taxpayers.