Community Corner
SFO, and CHARLES NAVIGANTE: I Challenge You to Follow the Spirit of the FAA Aviation Noise Abatement Policy! You are NOT even TRYING to Make Life Bearable for Your Neighbors! Shame on YOU!
FROM THE FAA: "Aircraft noise abatement is a complex and controversial issue. In the wealth of information about the subject and midst the labyrinth of jurisdictional responsibilities, there are a few simple thoughts that should not be forgotten. In a society in which we are making rapid strides to improve the quality of life for all of our people, the continuing annoyance and irritation of excessive aircraft noise is an unwarranted intrusion upon the lives of some six million Americans. The federal government remains committed to taking all technologically feasible and economically reasonable actions to reduce excessive aircraft noise at its source and, working with airport proprietors, to reduce its impact on people.
It is clear, however, that the only successful attack that can be launched on this problem is one that involves the cooperative participation of all levels of government -- state, federal and local -- as well as airport operators, air carriers, aeronautical manufacturers, and airport neighbors. Only if each of these parties performs all the functions for which it is uniquely suited will we achieve significant and lasting progress in reducing both the number of people exposed to serious levels of aircraft noise and the severity of noise exposure for each and every American.
Although federal action to reduce the noise levels of operating aircraft has been long in coming, we hope that the time has enabled us to develop a policy which will work and will result in less noise exposure over the longer term as well as provide immediate relief. By the actions set forth in this policy, including those directed by the President, we are exercising those federal responsibilities that the Congress has required of us. We have set forth a federal action plan for the future so that other essential parties in the noise reduction effort can take complementary action and make their plans with a clear understanding of what the federal government has done and intends to do. Finally, we have set forth what we believe to be the responsibilities of other parties -- airport operators, industry and local government -- since the effectiveness of the federal action we take today is contingent on what these other parties do.
Find out what's happening in Millbraewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
We thus invite these other parties to consult with us about their plans and proposals, to suggest innovative ways of meeting the noise problem in their communities, and to tell us how we can do our job more effectively. In turn, we will not hesitate to advise local governments and airport proprietors that they must exercise control over land use development and acquire additional land around airports to ensure that the national objective of confining severe-aircraft noise to within the airport boundary is achieved. Nor will we hesitate to inform the air carriers and aeronautical manufacturers what this policy requires of them.
Working together, in the spirit of close cooperation and open communication, we will bring about quieter skies for all American citizens."