Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Co-Chair of the Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus (QSC), joined a bipartisan group of 40 members of the House to send a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker urging the agencies to prioritize community engagement as they implement airplane noise provisions in this year’s FAA Reauthorization Act. The letter supports the Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance's (AICA) July letter to the Transportation Secretary "seeking sufficient representation for FAA committees and community feedback provisions in FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024."
“Greater Boston neighborhoods and surrounding towns have been continuously impacted by airplane noise that has disrupted their daily lives for years,” said Rep. Lynch. “It is very concerning that many areas, from South Boston to Dorchester to Milton and the South Shore, are disproportionately impacted by their exposure to airplane noise and poor air quality. We cannot allow our most burdened areas to continue to be subjected to the increased health risks that come with living in close proximity to the FAA’s designated flight paths. It is vital that the communities that suffer the most have the opportunity to provide input as the FAA begins to implement the airplane noise provisions included in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.”
"I hear from D.C. residents almost daily about the negative impact of aircraft noise on their lives, despite the airspace restrictions related to being the nation’s capital," said Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Co-Chair of QSC. "The noise can be damaging to health and quality of life and can even harm the structural integrity of homes. As a co-chair of the Quiet Skies Caucus, I am pleased to join my colleagues to urge the FAA to consider feedback from representatives of airport-adjacent communities when making policy determinations."
"Airplane noise is an issue today in part because the FAA has continually failed to consider community input over the years," said Rep. Tom Suozzi, Vice Chair of QSC. "On the heels of the bipartisan passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, we urge the FAA to ensure robust community participation throughout the implementation of the Reauthorization's airplane noise provisions."
“I’m proud to represent communities around Chicago’s O’Hare airport," said Rep. Mike Quigley. "With that comes the responsibility of listening to residents who are understandably frustrated about excessive airplane noise, which can impact both mental and physical health. This Congress, I worked with my colleagues to include critical provisions in the bipartisan FAA Reauthorization bill to ensure communities impacted by airplane noise can provide feedback to the FAA. I urge the FAA to implement these provisions quickly so communities impacted by airplane noise can have a voice."
Members of airport-adjacent communities as far as 20 miles away from a major airport have long known what the FAA has only recently acknowledged: that aviation noise poses a far greater daily nuisance and health risk than originally anticipated. Studies show that aviation noise disrupts sleep, causes chronic stress, and leads to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and mental illness. These risks, combined with the FAA's past failures to recognize the effects of its aviation noise policies, underscore the importance of incorporating community feedback into policy conversations.
You can read the letter here.
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