NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION CONFERS
OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY & AIRPORT AWARDS

The National Organization to Insure a Sound-controlled Environment (NOISE), America’s oldest aviation environmental organization, awarded the Port of Oakland, California the Mary E. Griffin Airport Operator of the Year award, and the “Oakland Airport-Community Noise Management Forum” the Betty Ann Krahnke Community Organization of the Year award during the organization’s recent annual conference, held in the San Francisco bay area. 

The Port of Oakland was recognized with the Mary E. Griffin Airport Operator of the Year Award 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.  Named in honor of Mary Griffin, a longtime Supervisor for the County of San Mateo, California, NOISE member, and selfless public servant, the award is presented annually by the NOISE Executive Board to recognize airports that advocate and practice cooperation with their local communities in efforts to minimize the impact of airport operations. 

The Oakland Airport-Community Noise Management Forum received the Betty Ann Krahnke Community Organization Award 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.  The award, named for the late Betty Ann Krahnke, a tireless community advocate and longtime Montgomery County, Maryland Council member and national NOISE officer, is presented to a local government or community partnership that has made extraordinary efforts on behalf of their citizens, both in combating airport noise, but also by educating citizens as to its effects. 

NOISE, the nation’s oldest community based aviation noise environmental organization, represents millions of Americans across the county who are affected daily by aircraft operations in and around their communities.  An affiliate of the National League of Cities, NOISE members include communities and local governments throughout the United States that have joined together advocate responsible national public policy initiatives and effective mitigation programs to address aviation noise issues.  The organization held its 36^th Annual Conference and Aviation Noise Symposium in Burlingame, California in late September.  The conference was attended by international community leaders interested in addressing the serious environmental effects of aviation on communities and residents near major airports.

The NOISE Board of Directors also selected Executive Officers during the conference.  Milford “Skip” Lowry, Council Member from the City of St. John, Missouri, was elected as President of NOISE.  Mary Rose Evans, Commissioner from the City of Parkway Village, Kentucky was selected as Vice-President, and Sandra Colvin Roy, Council Member from the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota was elected as Second Vice-President.  Council Member Joe Carn, of College Park, Georgia, was elected as the organization’s Treasurer, and George Nichols, of the Washington Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, was elected to a second term as NOISE Secretary.

Two Regional Directors were also chosen by the organization’s board.  Council Member Brad Pierce, of Aurora, Colorado, was appointed as the Rocky Mountain Regional Director, and Council Member Vern Wilcox, of Bloomington, Minnesota, was selected as Director from the North Heartland Region.

For more information on NOISE, the 36^th Annual Conference, and other work to promote the interests of local communities in the national aviation noise debate, visit the organization’s web site at: www.aviation-noise.org or contact the Washington, DC office at (202) 544-9844.

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