In previous issues of The Juniper Berry the concerns regarding airplane noise in our community were discussed in detail. Over the past couple of years the situation has gotten considerably worse. For those of you who are on the direct flight path of planes landing at LaGuardia Airport, you know what I am talking about! In fact, as I write this article there have been planes flying over my house about one every minute for the past hour!
There has been a lot of activity going on in recent months to educate our community on this issue as well as encourage people who are impacted by this problem to report the issue. A couple of months ago the Port Authority and the FAA made their rounds in our area including our JPCA Town Hall meeting in November. These presentations were very informative about the different types of noise we experience from takeoffs and landing. Charts were presented showing the types of sound detection devices that are used to collect and examine the noise around airports. But the question that still remains; when is the noise going to decrease?
When are planes going to stop landing after 11pm? Why is the problem growing?
Well, the answers to these questions are pretty complicated and some of the questions don’t even have a straight answer, but let’s see if we can break it down:
When is the noise going to decrease?
Hard to say, the various agencies are spending a lot of time recording the noise levels and evaluating that information. In the meantime, airplane traffic will continue to grow in our area.
When are planes going to stop landing after 11pm? There is no time restriction for planes to land. There is a recommendation from the FAA but it is just that, a recommendation.
Why is the problem growing? It depends on who you talk to. GPS technology has helped keep planes closer to the landing and takeoff flight paths. Now this is good for folks outside of these lanes but for the folks inside of the flight path, the plane frequency and noise increased considerably.
A not so silent killer:
So aside from the noise annoyance, there are health considerations. Studies have shown a strong association between noise exposure and cardiovascular disease. This also includes respiratory disorders and increased hospital visits for residents near airports.
What can I do to make a difference?
Report airplane noise at http://www.planenoise.com/panynj/daPRAbr9/
Follow latest news on government programs such as NextGen, Part 150 Study, Noise Decibel Levels, etc. go to www.Quietskies.net to sign up for their newsletters.
Write to our local and federal politicians about this issue, demand action!
