Advocacy

NOISE assists and advises communities in working with Congress to address the issue of excessive aviation noise. 

Many of these issues may be addressed through changes in federal law.  Over the years, NOISE has maintained an active set of Legislative Priorities and has represented local communities through participation in FAA and other advisory and policy panels.

View as a .pdf: NOISE Legislative Priorities(current 5/2011)

AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AS REVOLVING GRANT FUND
NOISE supports current law (49 USC §47107), which states that when land purchased by airports with Airport Improvement Program (AIP) noise grants are developed or otherwise no longer needed for noise compatibility purposes, the airport must dispose of the land and return the federal investment portion to the Trust Fund or reinvest it in another federally approved noise compatibility project.

ESTABLISH NOISE COMPATIBILITY PILOT PROGRAMS
NOISE supports inclusion of Section 712 in the FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act (S. 223) which establishes a pilot program at up to four public use airports that have approved Part 150 airport noise compatibility programs under which airport operators may use grant funds or Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) revenue to “encourage airport-compatible land uses and generate economic benefit to the local airport authority and adjacent community”.

ESTABLISH GUIDELINES FOR COOPERATIVE LAND USE PLANNING APPLICATIONS
NOISE supports a provision included in the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011(H.R. 658), would require airport operators to conduct land use planning jointly with neighboring local jurisdictions when applying for a noise compatibility program.

COMPLETE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS FOR RNAV IMPLEMENTATION
NOISE supports complete environmental assessment and review processes for implementation of RNAV procedures at all airports to determine actual noise and emissions impact on all affected neighborhoods and communities.

DEVELOP A LOW FREQUENCY NOISE STANDARD
NOISE encourages the FAA to develop standards for low frequency noise mitigation and to examine the impact of low frequency noise on a given locality, recognizing that the issue of low frequency noise is increasingly of concern in residential neighborhoods near the nation’s airports.

ESTABLISH NEW NOISE METRICS (PAST PRIORITY)
The current method of measuring the impacts of aviation noise on individuals and communities (Day-Night Sound Levels, DNL) is woefully inadequate. N.O.I.S.E supports a national initiative to study, define and establish new Noise Metrics meant to quantify the impact of a noise emission on the health and welfare of the general public.

ENHANCE MITIGATION POLICIES
NOISE supports setting 60 DNL as the minimum for the threshold of community compatibility. NOISE opposes the categorical exclusion from environmental review of air traffic control procedures that occur above 3,000 feet (FAA Order 1050.1D), and supports raising the 3,000 foot exemption to 10,000 feet.