Information and resources on the impacts of airplane noise and pollution, community responses across the U.S. to NextGen implementation, and other related issues can be found under the topics listed below: 1) Reagan National Community Noise Working Group: -For the most recent Presentations made to the Working Group and for additional information regarding Working Group meetings & minutes, please go to this link: Reagan National Community Noise Working Group . -MONTHLY NOISE WORKING GROUP MEETINGS (OPEN TO THE PUBLIC): The public is welcome to attend the monthly Reagan National Community Noise Working Group meetings. Seating is available to the public. -Information about upcoming Working Group Meeting dates, times, and agendas is available here: Reagan National Community Noise Working Group . -Directions on how to get to the NWG Meetings: -Metro Accessible: National Airport Metro Station on the BLUE and YELLOW lines. -Driving Directions: Follow signs to Garage A Parking. Use pedestrian tunnel from Garage A to Terminal A. Signs in the pedestrian tunnel will provide direction to Terminal A - Historic Lobby Conference Center. -Conference Center is also readily accessible from Terminal A traffic circle. -Selected information presented at prior Reagan National Community Noise Working Group Meetings is provided here: Selected Presentations to the Working Group on Procedures Affecting Montgomery County. 2) Dangerous, Harmful Human Health Effects of Airplane Traffic Over Communities (for example, airplane noise, airplane emissions such as pollution, gases, toxins, particulates, and debris):
-Airport pollution may have been 'seriously underestimated,' study suggests (MinnPost, June 2, 2014):
-Global, regional and local health impacts of civil aviation emissions (Environmental Research Letters, Feb. 26, 2015) ("The MIT Study")
- The harms to health caused by aviation noise require urgent action" - British Medical Journal
3) Metro Washington Airports: - Overview of Current Air Traffic Levels and Trends in the DC Metro Region: -FAA cites over 40K complaints of plane noise from residents that live near local airports (WJLA ABC7 News, Sept. 18, 2017) - Issues on Overutilization of DCA: - Issues on underutilization of IAD: - DCA Prior and Current flight paths and air traffic (amount, types of planes, frequency, etc): - DCA Reports of safety concerns (e.g. near collisions): 4) Nationwide NextGen Implementation and Community Responses Across the U.S., and Other Related Issues: - National Picture: -NextGenRelief: an educational resource and gathering place for citizens, reporters, regulators, Members of Congress and their staff, and community activist groups all over America dealing with the repercussions of the FAA’s NextGen program. -Aviation Impact Reform: provides detailed, up-to-date data and analysis on NextGen issues and other aviation related topics. -NextGen Noise: provides information, news, and multiple resources regarding NextGen issues across the country. -National Quiet Skies Coalition: provides a description of the U.S. Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus, a listing of quiet skies community organizations across the country, a national petition, and NextGen related news and information. -Airport Noise Law: provides news about lawsuits and legal issues concerning airport noise, information about federal laws regarding airport and flight noise, and citations to articles on airport noise policy, health effects, measurement, etc. - Community Organizations Across the Country Advocating for Change: MARYLAND / WASHINGTON, DC AREA: Washington, DC (DCA): STATE OF MARYLAND Lawsuit Against the FAA: -CLICK HERE for a copy of the State of Maryland's Opening Brief that was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit on January 16, 2019. -The State of Maryland’s legal action challenges the FAA’s deeply flawed decision in 2015 to move and simultaneously consolidate multiple flight procedures for airplanes approaching DCA into a single flight path over Maryland’s citizens and resources. As stated in Maryland’s Reply Brief (copy below) that was filed on May 9, 2019, the FAA in altering and consolidating the flight paths “provided no public notice of its plan, performed no noise analysis, and did not evaluate the potential impacts to historic resources, parks, or recreational areas.” The Reply Brief further notes that there is “no evidence that the FAA performed any environmental analysis” before altering the approach paths to DCA from the north. “The FAA has never issued a public decision document explaining why, when, or how it revised the…approach procedures,” the Reply Brief says. “Instead, the FAA published the revisions only on a technical website maintained by the FAA for pilots, airlines, and air traffic controllers.” -CLICK HERE for a copy of the State of Maryland’s Reply Brief that was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit on May 9, 2019. -On November 14, 2019, the State of Maryland gave oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit. -See also the News tab and the Downloads and Templates tab (Lawsuit_MD folder) for the most recent news regarding the State of Maryland lawsuit. -Some recent developments (see also the News tab tab for the most recent Coalition news): -Montgomery Co. council leader: ‘Explore legal action’ over airplane noise (WTOP, March 29, 2017) -Md. leaders take Reagan National airplane noise complaints to FAA (WTOP, May 9, 2017) -Local Elected Officials Request FAA Undertake Airplane Noise Study (Bethesda Magazine, May 10, 2017) -WHAG-TV News Story: "Montgomery County officials take first step in suing FAA" (June 16, 2017) -Legislative Update: MCQSC Speaks Out on FAA Reauthorization Bills in Congress (June 28, 2017) -Md. Gov. Hogan plans to sue FAA over air traffic noise (WTOP News, Sept. 12, 2017) -Montgomery Co. residents ask council for solution to growing plane noise (WTOP News, April 13, 2018) -Airplane pain: DC region fights the FAA (WTOP News, Aug. 20, 2018) - This WTOP News article includes video footage showing just a sample of the commercial jets and constant noise over MD neighborhoods, as well as interviews with impacted MD residents. -Also, see the News tab for the most recent Coalition news. Washington, DC (DCA): -The DC Fair Skies Coalition has pending legal actions against the FAA due to the NextGen flight path changes. In August 2015, several communities along the Potomac River, along with Georgetown University, retained counsel and filed a Petition for Review of the new flight path with the DC Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. The Petition seeks to suspend the new northern route (LAZIR) and to reinstate the prior flight path (National 328). -The DC Fair Skies Coalition also filed a formal Petition to the FAA on May 27, 2016 seeking expedited relief from the aircraft noise caused by this new route and other Reagan National Airport operations. The Petition was also signed by the DC Mayor, the Chairman of the DC City Council, DC City Council members Jack Evans (Ward 2) and Mary Cheh (Ward 3), and all At-Large City Council members. Click HERE to read the Petition and the Appendix containing declarations of residents. DC Lawsuit UPDATE: -You can listen to the January 11, 2018 oral arguments and read the Citizens Assn of Georgetown's lawsuit timeline and related documents in the pending lawsuit, Citizens Assn of Georgetown v. FAA, that is currently before the United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit: DC Fair Skies Coalition and Citizens Association of Georgetown's DC Fair Skies -The audio recording of the January 11, 2018 oral arguments is available to download from the United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit. To download the oral arguments audio recording, please click HERE and scroll down to the audio recording that is listed under date 01/11/2018, file name "15-1285; Citizens Assn of Georgetown v. FAA; Judges: Henderson, Tatel, Edwards."
Washington, DC (DCA): Washington, DC (DCA): -CAAN (Citizens for the Abatement of Aircraft Noise) CAAN's principal mission is to reduce aircraft pollution in the Metropolitan Washington area by working to balance economic interests with the environment and human costs of air transportation. This website provides useful historical and other information regarding the noise & pollution issues that continue to be faced today in the DC metro region. Baltimore, MD (BWI): -On February 9, 2017, Howard County Council authorized the Howard County Office of Law to institute legal proceedings against the FAA related to the implementation of NextGen air traffic noise from BWI. For a copy of the Howard County legislation, please see the "Howard County Bill No. 8-2017.pdf" document under the Downloads and Templates tab.
-You can listen to the March 17, 2017 oral arguments and read the City of Phoenix's lawsuit timeline and related documents in the pending lawsuit, City of Phoenix, Arizona v. Michael Huerta and FAA, that is currently before the United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit: PHX Sky Harbor Aiport's Website regarding Legal Action on Flight Paths Issues -The audio recording of the March 17, 2017 oral arguments is available to download from the United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit. To download the oral arguments audio recording, please click HERE and scroll down to the audio recording that is listed under date 03/17/2017, file name "15-1158; City of Phoenix, Arizona v. Michael Huerta; Judges: Rogers, Griffith, Sentelle." -U.S. Court of Appeals Rules Against FAA in Phoenix, August 29, 2017: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit overturned a Federal Aviation Administration order from Sept. 2014 that set new departing flight paths for Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport. The Court agreed with the City of Phoenix and residents' arguments that the FAA's approval of the new paths was "arbitrary and capricious." -For status updates on the City of Phoenix lawsuit against the FAA, please click here: https://www.skyharbor.com/FlightPaths Scottsdale, AZ (PHX and Scottsdale Airport): CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles, CA (LAX): -Culver City, CA: -On March 16, 2018, the City of Culver City, Santa Monica Canyon Civic Association, and other impacted parties filed a federal lawsuit against the FAA regarding the FAA's Southern California NextGen Project. The FAA's NextGen project will increase aircraft noise to over 8.6 million people around 21 different airports in Southern California. The FAA's NextGen changes will also waste more fuel and emit more pollution. The FAA has claimed that there is a "Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)" for the FAA's Southern California Metroplex Project (SoCal Metroplex). However, this March 2018 lawsuit seeks the federal court to review the FAA's findings. For more information on this lawsuit, click here: Lawsuit against FAA SoCal NextGen -CLICK HERE for a copy of Culver City's Opening Brief. This lawsuit, Benedict Hills Estates Association v. FAA, was filed on March 16, 2018 in the United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit. -On October 18, 2019, the Los Angeles City Attorney sent a 30-day "cease and desist" letter demanding the FAA revert to the "historic flight path". The cease and desist letters were ignored by the FAA, expiring on November 18, 2019 without response from the FAA. -CLICK HERE for a copy of the Cease & Desist Letters that were sent by the Los Angeles City Attorney to the FAA on October 18, 2019. -On December 12, 2019, the Los Angeles City Attorney filed suit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit against the FAA in response to Burbank Airport’s new flight path, which sends departing planes “in a singular, repetitive departure track” at extremely low altitudes over new communities. The city is also suing the FAA under the Freedom of Information Act to ascertain the reasons behind the flight path change. L.A. City Attorney Michael Feuer stated that the "FAA has allowed this change in departure flight tracks with no public notice, public comment or proper environmental review. The southerly shift has caused a significant increase in airplane noise and traffic, and the lawsuit seeks judicial action to require FAA to order its air traffic controllers to direct aircraft to depart the airport using historic departure tracks" and that "we're urging the Court to order the FAA to return to previous flight patterns, and divulge information about Burbank Airport airplane traffic which the public has long been entitled to see." -CLICK HERE for a copy of Los Angeles City's Petition for Review that was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on December 12, 2019. -On February 26, 2020, the Los Angeles City Attorney filed a "Petition for Review of Actions by the FAA with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. This concerns LA's lawsuit over three NextGen RNAVs that the city claims were established without proper environmental review. The petition makes specific mention of the FAA's inability to produce evidence of its justification for using a CATEX to bypass such review. Quoting the petition: "FAA’s clear error warrants summary disposition of this petition. It is undisputed that FAA was required to, but did not, complete an environmental review of the Arrival Routes prior to making its decision." -CLICK HERE for a copy of Los Angeles and Culver City's Petition for Review that was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on February 26, 2020. Burbank, CA, Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR): and Van Nuys Airport (VNY): -North Hollywood, Toluca Lake, Studio City, Valley Village, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Hollywood Hills, Laurel Canyon, Coldwater Canyon, Beverly Glen, Bel Air, and other areas in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley: -YouTube Video: "Burbank Airport Noise Disturbs Residents" (Oct. 15, 2019) Informative news segment in which Studio City, CA residents describe how noise from the Burbank Airport has increased tremendously in recent years. Burbank Airport Noise Disturbs Residents (NBC4 News Los Angeles, Oct. 15, 2019) -Very Informative Video: "NextGen Hell in the Santa Monica Mountains" (Nov. 8, 2019) From Sherman Oaks & Encino for Quiet Skies:
Ontario, CA (ONT): -Lake Arrowhead, CA: -The threat of legal action, combined with public and political pressure, appears to have convinced the FAA to revert to a previous flight path. See article: FAA announces change to controversial flight path over Lake Arrowhead (ABC7 News, Nov. 9, 2019) Orange County, CA, John Wayne Airport (SNA): -Laguna Beach, CA; and Newport Beach, CA: -Click HERE for the lawsuit documents that have been filed by the City of Laguna Beach, the City of Newport Beach, and the County of Orange, CA against the FAA regarding the changed flight paths due to NextGen. San Diego, CA (SAN): San Francisco, CA (SFO): -Santa Cruz, CA: -Palo Alto, CA: -Los Altos Hills, CA: FLORIDA: Orlando, FL (MCO): MASSACHUSETTS: Boston, MA (BOS): -Milton and Greater Boston: -Boston west: MINNESOTA: Minneapolis, MN (MSP): NEW YORK: New York, NY (LGA; JFK): -Long Island: -Brooklyn: -Queens: NORTH CAROLINA: WASHINGTON STATE: Burien/Seattle, WA (SEA): -Results of the City of Burien's lawsuit against the FAA regarding NextGen related flight path changes: -CLICK HERE for a copy of the City of Burien’s brief that spells out the city’s position that was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on November 30, 2018. -On October 23, 2019, the City of Burien made its oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. A core element of the City of Burien’s suit is its contention that, by circumventing a thorough environmental review, the establishment of a new flight path by the FAA was “arbitrary, capricious, and in violation of law”. -On November 27, 2019, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has handed down a decision in favor of the City of Burien, WA. The court granted the petition by the city and has directed the FAA to go back to the drawing board and consider the potential cumulative impact of future operations. Here is one significant passage from the court’s decision: "NEPA requires agencies such as the FAA to consider and document the environmental impacts of their actions prior to implementing them. Although NEPA usually requires agencies to conduct some form of environmental analysis before they act, an agency may identify certain actions as “categorical exclusions” (“CATEXs”) that are exempt from environmental review. CATEXs are reserved for actions that do not "individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment.” While agencies promulgate their own rules for identifying and applying CATEXs, all agencies must “provide for certain extraordinary circumstances in which a normally excluded action may have a significant environmental impact” such that environmental review is required." -CLICK HERE for a copy of the Court Opinion on the City of Burien Lawsuit that was announced by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on November 27, 2019. -Steve Edmiston, who is an activist, attorney, and filmmaker, presents the real facts about NextGen to the Port of Seattle Commission: Additional Community Organizations are listed here: CANADA: Toronto, Ontario (YYZ): -Toronto Aviation Noise Group (T.A.N.G.) is the community action group that addresses the increased airplane noise & pollution caused by NAV CANADA's changes in 2012 to the flight paths at Toronto Pearson International Airport. -NAV CANADA is a privately run, not-for-profit corporation that owns and operates Canada's civil air navigation system (ANS). NAV CANADA is the private company responsible for managing flight routes in Canada. -In February 2012, NAV CANADA shifted the Toronto Pearson International Airport's flight paths and condensed the flight traffic over smaller areas in greater metropolitan Toronto, thus causing significantly increased airplane noise and pollution problems for many Toronto neighborhoods. -NAV CANADA implemented these new, concentrated flight path patterns in 2012 at Pearson Airport with minimal consultation with the local communities or elected representatives. As a result, numerous Toronto residents are currently living beneath these new flight patterns that are too low, too loud, and too often. -This experience in Toronto with NAV CANADA's flight path changes is similar to the significantly increased airplane noise and pollution problems that are currently being experienced by multiple cities and neighborhoods across the U.S. due to the FAA's NextGen implementation. 5) Options to Reduce Airplane Noise and Revise Air Traffic Flow Out of DCA:
- Shift flights from DCA to IAD - Night restrictions
- Increase angle of departure path - Legislative proposals - Legal action (lawsuits)
- Other options to be added(MCQSC updates this "Information and Research" page on an ongoing basis as additional information becomes available.) |