Annual NOISE Outstanding Community,
Airport and Legislator Awards

NOISE regularly recognizes community, airport and government partners in noise mitigation efforts with the presentation of the following awards.

BETTY ANN KRAHNKE COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Betty Ann Krahnke Community or Community Organization Award is presented to a local government or community partnership that has made extraordinary efforts on behalf of their citizens.  The award is named for the late Betty Ann Krahnke, a longtime Montgomery County, Maryland, Councilmember and national officer of NOISE.

Recent Community of the Year Award recipients include:

Oakland Airport-Community Noise Management Forum in recognition of its efforts on behalf of over one million people in the Oakland area by providing an open channel for communication between the Airport and noise-impacted communities regarding concerns about noise and overflight issues. 

Eagan, Minnesota for educational programs and preparation related to the opening of a new runway at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport;

Bridgeton, Missouri for developing innovative strategies to encourage the Lambert-St. Louis Airport to be sensitive to the concerns of local communities regarding airport expansion;

Aurora, Colorado for successful efforts to secure $25 million for noise mitigation programs in response to expanded traffic at Denver International Airport and adopting strong land use requirements near the airport;

Brook Park, Ohio for creating a Department of Airport Relations that has been successful in delivering unprecedented service to its constituents; and,

Richfield, Minnesota for its work with low frequency noise studies.

MARY E. GRIFFIN AIRPORT OPERATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

    The Mary E. Griffin Airport Operator of the Year Award pays tribute to those airports that truly exemplify what it means to be a good neighbor.  The award is named for Mary Griffin, a longtime San Mateo County Supervisor, NOISE member, and selfless public servant whose groundbreaking advocacy for her constituents impacted by airport noise involved engaging the local airport operator directly.   

    Recent Airport Operator of the Year Award recipients include:

Port of Oakland / Oakland International Airport, California for its Community Outreach Program that facilitates the collaboration of community groups and input in the implementation of its comprehensive Noise Management Program to minimize the impacts on communities that are most affected by aircraft noise.

Louisville, Kentucky Regional Airport Authority for exhaustive efforts to develop bold and innovative measures to minimize airport noise exposure in residential and other noise-sensitive areas of the community, including the development of a Community Noise Forum;

Centennial Airport, Colorado for cooperative efforts with with a unified delegation of civil leaders to ensure that the Airport remained a general aviation airport, yet also remained eligible for federal funding;

San Francisco International Airport for its history of cooperation, rather than confrontation, with surrounding communities.  Of particular note was the airports establishment of a community roundtable to bring representatives from eighteen regional cities together with airport officials to address community noise impacts from aircraft operations at the airport. 

LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

    The Legislator of the Year Award recognizes the efforts of Members of the U.S. Congress to assist local communities in aviation noise programs by advocating for community-friendly programs, policies and regulations which help to reduce noise exposure.  Recent recipients have included Congressman Jim Ramstad (MN-3), Senator David Vitter (LA) & Congressman Bobby Jindahl (LA-1), and Congresswoman Anne Northrup (KY-3).

NOISE President's Award

This award is presented at the discretion of the NOISE President for recognition of outstanding contributions to the NOISE organization or the area of noise mitigation. 

The premier recipient of the President's Award, presented during the 2006 Annual Conference in San Francisco, California, is David Carbone.  David is a senior planner for San Mateo County, CA and the coordinator of the San Francisco International Airport Community Roundtable.  He has been active in NOISE for many years, serving as Chair of the Conference Committee and directing the planning and arrangements for the annual conference and has dedicated countless hours and effort to making these events successful.