Cong Grace Meng | Grace Meng Official Photo
Cong Grace Meng | Grace Meng Official Photo
Measure would put the EPA in charge of addressing the problem
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) reintroduced the bipartisan Quiet Communities Act, a measure to help combat aircraft noise over Queens and other impacted areas around the country.
The bill would require that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) take over efforts to mitigate aircraft noise over communities near airports, taking over this responsibility from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The EPA’s office of Nosie Abatement and Control (ONAC) was defunded in 1981 by the Regan Administration due to budget cuts, however, the Quiet Communities Act would reopen this office.
“Being unable to sleep or get peace of mind throughout the day is a quality-of-life issue that nobody in Queens or around the country should be forced to endure on a daily and nightly basis,” said Congresswoman Meng. “For years, constituents have been calling our office to ask that something be done about this excessive airplane noise. The Quiet Communities Act would address these problems by reopening the Nosie abatement and Control office, allowing the EPA to oversee the issue of airplane noise. By allowing the EPA to head up the airplane noise battle, it ensures that the federal government addresses this issue from an environmental perspective.”
Although airplane noise has long existed over Queens due to the proximity of New York's airports, the increased sounds of jets significantly increased in 2012 when the FAA implemented new flight patterns over the borough. These new routes, which are for airplanes departing LaGuardia, have increased the frequency of flights over residential neighborhoods in Queens, and the substantial rise in aircraft noise has negatively impacted borough residents.
A recent New York Times article reported that consistent exposure to chronic noise poses health risks that in some extreme cases can increase the risk of hypertension, strokes, and heart attacks.
A copy of the bill can be viewed here.
Original source can be found here.
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