H.R. 897: Aviation-Impacted Communities Act

H.R. 897, the Aviation-Impacted Communities Act, introduced in January 2025, would require the FAA to provide noise mitigation funding to communities affected by airport noise even if they fall outside the current 65 DNL sound level threshold. The bill would make these communities eligible for Airport Improvement Program grants, allow them to establish local community boards to address airport noise, and direct the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a comprehensive study of aviation impacts at major hub airports—including Seattle's King County—and their surrounding neighborhoods.

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H.R. 897, the Aviation-Impacted Communities Act, introduced January 31, 2025 in the 119th Congress, 1st Session by Rep. Adam Smith of Washington and co-sponsors including Eleanor Holmes Norton, Mike Quigley, Joe Neguse, Ro Khanna, Julia Brownley, Jerry Nadler, Judy Chu, and Pramila Jayapal. The bill requires the FAA to provide Airport Improvement Program (AIP) noise mitigation funding to aviation-impacted communities outside the 65 DNL contour (vertical fenceline communities), establishes community boards under Section 5, provides grants under Section 7, and directs the FAA Administrator to contract with the National Academy of Sciences for a study examining aviation noise and emissions impacts at large hub commercial airports in King County WA, Boston, Chicago, New York City, Northern California Metroplex, Phoenix, Southern California Metroplex, District of Columbia, Atlanta, and other metros. Study scope includes Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL), noise monitor data, flight path trajectories, and emissions from takeoffs and landings.

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