TagAirport Noise Law(32)

FAA Record of Approval for Bradley International Airport’s Part 150 Noise Compatibility Program, detailing approved and disapproved noise abatement and land use compatibility measures. The program includes 17 measures comprising 2 noise abatement measures, 10 land use compatibility measures, and 5 continuing program measures.

A 2003 Washington State legislative memorandum outlines a proposed striking amendment to HB 2276, which would establish Aviation Mitigation Zones (AMZs) around large regional airports like Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to address noise impacts on nearby communities. The amendment would require the Port of Seattle to levy $10 million annually from 2004 to 2007 into a dedicated mitigation fund, with spending restricted to affected areas within the AMZ. An advisory board and competitive grant process would be created to help distribute funds to eligible local governments, schools, and nonprofits in impacted neighborhoods such as Burien, Des Moines, Tukwila, and Normandy Park.

In April 1980, the Federal Aviation Administration ruled that Orange County, California's noise abatement policy at John Wayne Airport was unlawfully discriminatory because it blocked new airlines from entering while protecting existing carriers. The FAA warned the county to accommodate pending entry applications from airlines like Continental and Frontier without further delay, or face legal and financial penalties. While the FAA supported local noise control efforts, it made clear that such policies must treat all qualified air carriers equally and not place undue burdens on interstate commerce.

This 1979 Airport Noise Control Procedure Manual, approved by Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality, outlines the procedural steps required for compliance with noise control regulations for airports (OAR 340-35-045). It describes how the Department calculates Noise Impact Boundaries for non-air-carrier airports, including the flight operational data and mapping information needed to make accurate assessments. The manual was issued under the authority of ORS Chapter 467 and was designed to minimize the administrative burden on smaller airport facilities.

In this January 25, 1979 letter, Washington State Representative John Jovanovich (31st District) writes to Ms. Jean Pihlman explaining that the Sea-Tac Comprehensive Plan (STCP), adopted by the Port of Seattle and King County, primarily addresses the airport and its noise-impacted areas. He urges that citizen representatives on the Policy Advisory Committee — the body responsible for monitoring the plan — should come directly from the noise-impacted communities, so that their needs are properly understood by decision-makers.

This 1979 Washington State legislative act amends the definition of an 'impacted area' for aircraft noise abatement purposes near airports. It expands the eligible zone from three to six miles beyond the paved end of any runway, and from fifteen hundred to thirty-three hundred feet from the runway centerline, within which port districts may undertake noise mitigation programs. Areas meeting these geographic criteria are officially designated as 'impacted areas' subject to noise investigation and abatement efforts.

A 1978 Washington State House of Representatives bill analysis outlines proposed legislation to limit airport noise, giving local governments that own airports the authority to restrict aircraft use and flight times to keep residential community noise levels below 65 decibels. Airports with more than 30 scheduled flights per day would be required to take action to meet this standard, with special attention to reducing noise during evening and nighttime hours. A public hearing on the legislation was held on December 7, 1978, at the Burien Public Library near Sea-Tac Airport.

This document presents F.A.A. Density Guidelines for North Sea-Tac Park, a neighborhood near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It maps out population density limits across different zones, ranging from 1.5 people per acre in the Clear Zone closest to the airport, to 2 people per acre in the Extended Clear Zone, up to 20-40 people per acre in areas farther from the runway. The guidelines reflect FAA safety and noise policy restrictions that limit how many residents can live in areas most directly affected by airport flight paths.