TagNoise Monitors(39)

A Des Moines, WA resident and airport advisory committee member submitted this public comment to challenge the noise analysis in the Sea-Tac Airport (SEA) expansion environmental review, arguing that the standard Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) metric fails to capture how frequently aircraft noise actually occurs in nearby neighborhoods. Using direct measurements from five Port of Seattle noise monitors, the analysis found that some community locations currently experience roughly 529 aircraft noise events per day with a median quiet gap of only 1.5 minutes between them—conditions the commenter projects will worsen by 2032. The submission calls on the Port of Seattle to supplement its environmental review with event-based noise metrics that reflect real community exposure, including nighttime event counts and inter-event recovery time, as required under Washington State's environmental review law (SEPA).

A Des Moines, WA resident and airport advisory committee member submitted this public comment challenging the noise analysis in the Sea-Tac Airport (SEA) expansion environmental review, arguing that the standard Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) metric used by the Port of Seattle fails to capture the true burden of aircraft noise on nearby communities. Using direct measurements from Port noise monitors, the analysis found that some locations currently experience around 529 noise events per day with a median gap of only 1.5 minutes between events, conditions projected to worsen significantly under the airport's own growth forecasts. The comment calls on the Port to supplement its environmental review with event-based noise metrics—such as event frequency, quiet-period gaps, and nighttime disturbances—that research links more directly to health impacts like sleep disruption and cardiovascular disease.

This document outlines the Fly Quiet Program at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Washington, D.C., describing the airport's efforts to reduce aircraft noise impacts on surrounding communities. Key measures include FAA-approved flight procedures, a nighttime noise rule with financial penalties for violations between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., limits on engine run-ups, and requests to airlines to use quieter aircraft. The program also operates a public noise complaint system, flight-tracking tools, and a noise monitoring network to keep residents informed and engaged.

The Port of Seattle Commission held a regular meeting on May 13, 2025, covering a range of operational and administrative items, including a consent agenda item (8h) authorizing a contract extension with Passur for its Noise Monitoring and Flight Tracking System for up to ten years at a cost not to exceed $4,000,000. The meeting was held both in person at Port of Seattle Headquarters and virtually via Microsoft Teams, with public comment accepted by email, phone, or in person. Additional agenda items addressed airport infrastructure, ADA compliance, airfield equipment, and labor agreements.

The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Noise Working Group met on February 10, 2025, to review ongoing noise management initiatives, including quarterly updates to the Late Night Noise Limitation Program, which voluntarily monitors takeoff and landing noise levels between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. The program tracks noise exceedances against established decibel thresholds at four runway monitor locations and contacts airlines when those thresholds are exceeded. The meeting also covered late-night runway usage trends for 2025, aircraft go-around activity for December and January, and a summary of public noise complaints received in December.

This 2022 FAA guidance letter explains how airports can legally spend airport revenue on noise insulation projects, such as new windows, doors, and air conditioning, for homes and schools located within the DNL 65 dBA noise contour — the federal threshold for significant aircraft noise impact. Spending airport revenue on noise insulation for properties outside that noise boundary is generally prohibited as revenue diversion, unless a lower local noise standard has been officially adopted or 'block rounding' has been approved. The letter also clarifies that airports may purchase mobile or permanent noise monitoring equipment using airport revenue, provided certain conditions are met, but monitors cannot be used to enforce noise abatement flight procedures.