PREAMBLE: With the increasing urbanization, growth and technological development in the United States during the past 50 years, air transportation, in particular, has taken a quantum leap, both in terms of unprecedented increases in commercial aircraft operations in and out of the hub airports close to many urbanized communities, and corresponding significant increases in aircraft generated noise levels adversely impacting these communities. In order to control and mitigate these ever-increasing airport/aircraft noise levels, the governments at all levels (federal, state and local) have developed and enforced law regulations to minimize the detrimental effects of noise on people, properties, and flora and fauna. These include aircraft engine noise control technologies, land use and zoning requirements, and acoustical insulation of buildings and structures. However, the net effect of all these noise source, paths and receiver control strategies, has not significantly reduced the harmful impacts such as annoyance, speech and sleep interference, diminishing property values, socio-economic blight and deteriorating quality of life, health and education. The primary and secondary impacts of uncontrolled aircraft/airport generated noise on many of the surrounding urban communities have been devastating in terms of lost revenues, increased public service delivery functions, and the very survival as towns and cities.

Therefore, it is absolutely critical that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) work closely with the aircraft/airport noise impacted communities to mitigate and restore physical, environmental and economic vitality through strict enforcement of federal noise control statues, land use compatibility requirements, and disallowing further modifications and/or expansions of urbanized airports.

Following is the proposed resolution:

WHEREAS, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States government is responsible for approving comprehensive Master Plan Updates of major urban airports that include additions/modifications of exiting runways; construction of new runways; aircraft/airport noise control and mitigation strategies; complying with applicable local and state building, zoning, environmental and permitting requirements; assuring consistency between the relevant comprehensive land use and growth management policies/plans for the airport and its neighboring communities; and requiring full application of federal noise-control statutes; and

WHEREAS, it is the legal responsibility of the neighboring airport towns and cities to protect the health, welfare, safety, environment, property values, and quality of life of their residents from adverse/increasing noise level impacts resulting from significantly higher numbers of aircraft operations; and

WHEREAS, currently there is no formal mechanism available to cities and towns to influence the final decision(s) associated with airport modification, expansion and/or new runway construction, partially funded by federal taxpayer dollars through the FAA; and

WHEREAS, the detrimental effects of cumulative aircraft/airport noise on humans, flora and fauna, and buildings, result in unhealthy annoyance, speech and sleep interference, lack of enjoyment of personal property, diminished education and health opportunities, and destruction of residential and commercial land uses from airport buy-outs, clear zones and incompatibilities.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National League of Cities should work with the U.S. Congress to develop appropriate legislation(s) that requires FAA to include comprehensive cost/benefit analysis and involvement of local governments (towns and cities) in the decision-making process associated with the significant aircraft/airport noise impacts prior to any technical or financial assistance to urban airports.