Would Allow Airports To Enact Noise Abatement Procedures Without Including The FAA

Legislation has been introduced by Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO) would give General Aviation Airports the authority to impose certain restrictions relating to noise concerns, such as limiting the number and type of aircraft that can operate, and setting curfews or specific hours for them to fly without including the FAA in those decisions.

Under current law, airports must undergo a lengthy and difficult approval process with the FAA before pursuing mandatory noise-based restrictions, such as a curfew or restrictions on flight operations, which very few airports are able to do successfully. The Aircraft Noise Reduction Act also stipulates that federal funds cannot be withheld from an airport by choosing to locally regulate air noise.

“This legislation is the result of months of conversations with community members and local leaders from Boulder County, Superior, Louisville, Lafayette, Nederland, and elsewhere,” said Congressman Joe Neguse. “Ensuring our local airports can effectively regulate aircraft noise pollution based on what works for them and their community is essential to promote the health and wellbeing of our communities."

Many local mayors in Colorado strongly support the legislation.

“The Town of Superior enthusiastically supports the legislation proposed by Rep. Neguse that will provide airports with meaningful tools to address community concerns about noise and environmental impacts,” said Superior Mayor Clint Folsom. “We appreciate Rep. Neguse’s ongoing commitment to not only engaging with our residents to hear their concerns but also taking action to draft legislation to help with solutions.”

“The City of Boulder strongly supports this legislation from Rep. Neguse to enable stronger local control over General Aviation airports,” said Boulder Mayor Sam Weaver. “As city leaders, we are very appreciative of efforts to allow our local residents and businesses to help determine the solutions for reducing noise pollution that best suits their needs.”

“Airport noise is a major concern that is continuing to escalate in the City of Louisville,” said Louisville Mayor Ashley Stolzmann. “It’s a problem that requires federal aid to solve, and we are therefore so appreciative for Congressman Joe Neguse’s support and willingness to work with us and surrounding communities to tackle this challenging issue.”

“I thank Rep. Neguse for hearing the concerns of Lafayette residents and quickly collaborating on this legislation that will provide the authority for our local airports to enact effective solutions to noise pollution,” said Lafayette Mayor Jamie Harkins. “This issue has a real impact on our community's quality of life and it's common sense to create more local control to solve it."

In September, Congressman Neguse hosted a listening town hall to hear constituents concerns over the aircraft noise specifically related to Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (RMMA). He also sent a letter to Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport to express these concerns and recommend potential procedures to alleviate the issues, which ultimately led to the airport enacting new noise abatement procedures such as adopting a voluntary curfew, educating flight school operators and pilots about these procedures, and discussing the issues with local community members.

However, the Daily Camera newspaper reports that while airport managers such as Denis Godfrey, Boulder Municipal Airport manager, doubt the legislation will ever overcome objections from the FAA and aviation advocacy groups to become law, Neguse says he feels the bill will gain traction with other anti-noise groups, such as the 45-member Congressional Quiet Skies Coalition.

(Source: Congressman Neguse news release and a cited)

FMI: neguse.house.gov
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