TagAdam Smith(49)

The Sound Insulation Treatment Repair and Replacement Program Act, introduced in the 118th Congress by Mr. Smith of Washington, would allow airports to receive additional federal funds under the Airport Improvement Program to repair or replace previously installed sound insulation in residential homes affected by aircraft noise. The bill provides a one-time waiver so that prior government spending on a home's soundproofing would not count against the allowable project cost for new work. Eligibility is tied to whether the building falls within the FAA's Day Night Level (DNL) 65 noise standard or suffered damage from the original sound insulation treatment.

The Burien Airport Committee held a Study Session on March 16, 2021, focusing on airplane noise and its impacts on surrounding communities. Key agenda items included an update from Congressman Adam Smith's office on a letter urging the FAA to implement a noise mitigation program for homes, updates on the SeaTac Airport Roundtable (StART) process, and a discussion on preparation for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). The meeting was conducted virtually via Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions under Governor Inslee's Healthy Washington guidelines.

The Burien Airport Committee held a virtual meeting on October 20, 2020, to discuss issues related to Sea-Tac Airport's impact on surrounding communities. Key agenda items included comparing airport roundtables in other cities, reviewing next steps for the SeaTac Airport Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART), and examining a proposed University of Washington study on school air quality near the airport. The committee also discussed 2021 federal legislative priorities and received reports on meetings with congressional representatives Adam Smith and Rick Larsen.

Currently, FAA law has extremely complicated rules for establishing a noise boundary around airports. (A noise boundary is a geographic area inside which there is a certain acceptable noise level.) This is referred to as the DNL65. and it has several major flaws. The FAA Reauthorization Act Of 2018 attempted to address these flaws in several ways. This letter, from a caucus of Congressmen engaged on airport community issues complains to the Administrator that the spirit of the law is not being adhered to and demands that he make attempts to put his agency into compliance. The language is fairly technical, however there are a couple of basic points they raise: First, that the noise boundary be determined by actual noise measurements (currently the noise boundaries are 'modeled' and those calculations often do not reflect in any way the lived experience for residents.) Second, that the 'acceptable' noise level of sixty five decibels (hence DNL65) has been determined to be far too high to conform with current understandings of healthy living.

A bill introduced in the 116th Congress by Representative Smith of Washington would allow airports to receive additional federal funding under the Airport Improvement Program for noise mitigation projects on buildings that have already received such assistance. The bill would permit the Secretary of Transportation to waive the usual restriction on repeat federal funding if increased aircraft noise, deteriorating soundproofing, or damage caused by prior mitigation work justifies further action. Eligible buildings must fall within the DNL 65 noise standard and be certified by a state-licensed building inspector, making this legislation particularly relevant to communities near high-traffic airports like Seattle-Tacoma International.