Aviation and the Environment: Impact of Aviation Noise on Communities Presents Challenges for Airport Operations and Future Growth of the National Airspace System Page: 2 of 38
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GAO
Accountability. Integrity. Reliability
Highlights
Highlights of GAO-08-216T, a testimony
before the Subcommittee on Aviation,
Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, House of Representatives
Why GAO Did This Study
To address projected increases in
air traffic and current problems
with aviation congestion and
delays, the Joint Planning and
Development Office (JPDO), an
interagency organization within the
Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA), is working to plan and
implement a new air traffic
management system, known as the
Next Generation Air
Transportation System (NextGen).
This effort involves implementing
new technologies and air traffic
control procedures, airspace
redesign, and infrastructure
developments, including new or
expanded runways and airports.
Community opposition is, however,
a major challenge, largely because
of concerns about aviation noise.
As a result, according to JPDO,
aviation noise will be a primary
constraint on NextGen unless its
effects can be managed and
mitigated.
GAO's requested testimony
addresses (1) the key factors that
affect communities' level of
exposure to aviation noise, (2) the
status of efforts to address the
impact of aviation noise, and (3)
major challenges and next steps for
reducing and mitigating the effects
of aviation noise. The testimony is
based on prior GAO work
(including a 2000 survey of the
nation's 50 largest airports),
updated with reviews of recent
literature, FAA data and forecasts,
and interviews with officials from
FAA and the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA),
industry and community
representatives, and aviation
experts.
To view the full product, including the scope
and methodology, click on GAO-08-216T.
For more information, contact Gerald L.
Dillingham at (202) 512-2834 or
dillinghamg @gao.gov.AVIATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Impact of Aviation Noise on Communities Presents
Challenges for Airport Operations and Future Growth
of the National Airspace System
What GAO Found
Key factors affecting the level of aviation noise that communities are exposed
to include jet aircraft operations, land uses around airports, and aircraft flight
paths. With more stringent regulatory standards for aviation noise, enabled by
advances in technology, aircraft operations have become quieter, but aviation
noise is still a problem when communities allow incompatible land uses, such
as residences, schools, and hospitals, near airports. Aircraft flight paths also
expose communities to aviation noise, and airspace redesign efforts, which
are intended to improve aviation system safety and efficiency, may expose
some previously unaffected communities to noise, raising concerns in those
communities about higher noise levels.
A number of efforts are underway or planned to address the impact of
aviation noise on communities. More stringent noise standards for aircraft
have been implemented, billions of federal dollars have been spent to
soundproof buildings around airports, federal and private funding for research
and development has advanced technologies to reduce aviation noise,
NextGen technologies and procedures are being planned and will contribute
to reducing communities' exposure to noise, some airports have imposed
restrictions on the operation of certain aircraft, and airports are reaching out
to communities to address their concerns about aviation noise and gain
support for projects to increase airports' safety and efficiency.
Major challenges for reducing or mitigating the effects of aviation noise
include continuing to make technological advances; obtaining substantial
funding-from the federal government for NextGen in particular and from
industry for equipping aircraft with new technologies-and cooperating on
land-use issues. Next steps could include state and local actions to limit
incompatible development, FAA's issuance of guidance related to the disposal
of land acquired with federal funding for noise mitigation purposes, and the
passage of legislative proposals that would address environmental issues,
including the reduction of aviation noise.
FAA and NASA officials generally agreed with the information presented in
this testimony and provided technical clarifications that GAO incorporated.Source: Cambridge-MIT Institute.
.United States Government Accountability Office
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United States. Government Accountability Office. Aviation and the Environment: Impact of Aviation Noise on Communities Presents Challenges for Airport Operations and Future Growth of the National Airspace System, text, October 24, 2007; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc292787/m1/2/: accessed March 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.