TagSound Insulation(132)

The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) Second Chance Noise Insulation Initiative offers free acoustical improvements to eligible residential property owners who previously declined or did not respond to earlier phases of the Noise Insulation Program. To qualify, properties must fall within the 65-decibel CNEL noise contour, have been built before October 1, 1998, and owners must agree to grant a perpetual avigation easement to SFO and the City and County of San Francisco. Eligible improvements may include window and door replacement, caulking, weather-stripping, and central fresh air ventilation installation.

Senate Bill 1167, introduced by Sen. Patty Murray in April 2023, would allow airports to receive additional federal funding to repair or replace sound insulation previously installed in nearby homes under the Airport Improvement Program. The bill provides a one-time waiver allowing airports to seek new federal assistance for sound insulation projects without prior government costs counting against them, provided the homes fall within the DNL 65 noise threshold or the original insulation caused physical damage. This legislation is particularly relevant to communities around Sea-Tac Airport, where aging soundproofing materials and ongoing aircraft noise concerns have prompted calls for updated noise mitigation support.

The Sound Insulation Treatment Repair and Replacement Program Act, introduced by Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), would allow the FAA to waive a rule that currently prevents airports from using Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds to repair or replace sound insulation in the same home more than once. The bill addresses problems caused by faulty materials and poor installation during noise mitigation programs in the 1980s and 1990s, which have led to structural damage and mold in some homes near airports like Sea-Tac. Eligible homeowners must have their issues verified by an FAA-compliant noise auditor, and repairs are generally limited to residences still within the airport's current 65 DNL noise contour.

H.R. 2533, the Sound Insulation Treatment Repair and Replacement Program Act, was introduced in April 2023 to allow airports to receive additional federal funding to repair or replace previously installed sound insulation in homes affected by aircraft noise. The bill allows the Secretary of Transportation to grant a one-time waiver so that prior government spending on a home's soundproofing does not count against the allowable project cost for new work. Homes are eligible if they fall within the FAA's DNL 65 noise standard or if an FAA-certified auditor determines that the original soundproofing caused physical damage to the residence.