Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus Outlines Aviation Noise Priorities

Washington, D.C. –  (July 17, 2015) We wanted to make you aware of the letter which was sent by Members of the U.S. House of Representative's Quiet Skies Caucus to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. This letter outlines priorities that the Caucus wishes to be included in the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization bill which the Committee is expected to consider in the coming weeks. We are excited to report that many of the Caucus's priorities are in line with those that our organization includes in our 2015 legislative priorities. Read the alert here.

FAA Overhaul Mark-up Scheduled for July 9

Washington, D.C. –  (June 25, 2015) We wanted to make you aware that  Congressional Leadership indicated this morning that the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will introduce their version of the FAA Reauthorization bill next week and hold hearings and a Committee "mark-up" on Thursday, July 9.  This is the first step in the reauthorization process, which needs to be completed or extended by September 30,2015 when the current law expires. The last reauthorization process was extended by nearly 10 years, so we will keep you updated on discussions of timeline for final passage. Read the alert here.

Congressional Letter to FAA Regarding DNL

Washington, D.C. –  (October 2, 2014) Twenty-four Members of Congress sent a letter to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta urging him to lower the DNL threshold for residential compatibility around airports to 55dB DNL from the current requirement of 65dB DNL. The letter was signed by Congressional Members from across the country, including Minnesota, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and California. Read the letter here.

Creation of Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus

Washington, D.C. –  (October 2, 2014) Advancing a long-time goal of N.O.I.S.E. Congressman Steve Israel (D-NY) has been working toward forming the first ever Quiet Skies Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives to focus on the issue of excessive aviation noise and its impacts on airport-adjacent communities.  This Caucus will closely examine the impact of airport noise on communities and facilitate lasting changes in public policy surrounding airport noise issues. N.O.I.S.E. staff has been working with Congressional staff to help establish this caucus and recruit Members to join. We will share updates as they become available. If you would like your Member of Congress to join the Quiet Skies Caucus, please contact Emily Tranter, N.O.I.S.E. National Coordinator, atejtranter@locklaw.com for more information. Find out more about the Caucus here.

FAA Public Comment Opportunity

Washington, D.C. –  (October 2, 2014) The FAA is extending the public comment period on CATEX2 until October 20, 2014.  As you may recall, in 2012, Congress passed a four-year renewal of federal aviation programs and included in that legislation was language that categorically excluded from environmental review, any Required Navigation Performance (RNP) and other performance-based navigation procedures that would result in measurable reductions in fuel consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, and noise, on a per flight basis, as compared to aircraft operations that follow existing instrument flight rules procedures in the same airspace. The FAA created a task group to try to define and find a path forward on implementation of that language. They are now asking for public comment on the legislation and the implementation plan. If you would like to weigh in on this issue or read more, please visit http://www.regulations.gov and search for “Docket Number FAA-2014-0510”  

N.O.I.S.E. President Brad Pierce Appointed to the NextGen Advisory Committee

Washington, D.C. –  (August, 2014) N.O.I.S.E. President and Aurora, Colorado City Council Member, Brad Pierce has been appointed to the FAA’s NextGen Advisory Committee (NAC). The NAC is Federal advisory committee which provides advice on policy-level issues facing the aviation community in implementing the modernization of the air traffic control and national airspace. Mr. Pierce is the environmental and community representative on the NAC.

N.O.I.S.E. Executive Director Participates in FAA Stakeholder Meeting

Washington, D.C. – (July 8, 2014) Dennis McGrann, Executive Director of N.O.I.S.E. (the National Organization to Ensure a Sound-controlled Environment) was invited by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to participate in a “stakeholders” conference in Washington, DC this week.  The FAA briefing follows a June 12th, 2014 notice in the Federal Register regarding the Agency’s proposed nationwide aviation noise and community annoyance survey. The survey is part of the FAA’s first major review of community impact noise & annoyance analysis since 1992.

N.O.I.S.E. Executive Director Participates in FAA Stakeholder Meeting

Washington, D.C. – (July 8, 2014) Dennis McGrann, Executive Director of N.O.I.S.E. (the National Organization to Ensure a Sound-controlled Environment) was invited by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to participate in a “stakeholders” conference in Washington, DC this week.  The FAA briefing follows a June 12th, 2014 notice in the Federal Register regarding the Agency’s proposed nationwide aviation noise and community annoyance survey. The survey is part of the FAA’s first major review of community impact noise & annoyance analysis since 1992.

Washington, D.C. - (October 2, 2014) N.O.I.S.E. President and Aurora, Colorado City Council Member, Brad Pierce has been appointed to the FAA’s NextGen Advisory Committee (NAC). The NAC is Federal advisory committee which provides advice on policy-level issues facing the aviation community in implementing the modernization of the air traffic control and national airspace. Mr. Pierce is the environmental and community representative on the NAC. 

N.O.I.S.E. National Coordinator Presents at Global Aviation Conference

Washington, D.C.  - (June 25, 2014) Emily Tranter, National Coordinator of N.O.I.S.E. (the National Organization to Ensure a Sound-controlled Environment) recently spoke at the 2014 Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) Global Aviation Symposium. Ms. Tranter participated on a panel entitled, "View from the Front Line: Overcoming Tactical Operational Issues." The panel, which included industry leaders as well as FAA officials, discussed tactical issues affecting the efficiency of the National Airspace System, particularly when implementing Performance Based Navigation technologies. Ms. Tranter's focus was to share the community perspective of lessons learned from implementation of new PBN procedures and how to leverage those lessons to expedite implementation. NOISE staff are regularly invited to attend and participate in aviation conferences and symposiums, given their extensive subject matter expertise.

Aurora City Council Member Brad Pierce Elected President of National Committee

Aurora, Colo. – (April 23, 2014) City Council Member Brad Pierce was elected president of the National Organization to Insure a Sound-Controlled Environment (N.O.I.S.E) during its annual Legislative Summit held each year in conjunction with the National League of Cities (NLC) Congressional City Conference. Pierce has served on the N.O.I.S.E Executive Committee as vice president for several years. Aurora has been a member of N.O.I.S.E. for more than 30 years.

Due to the city’s proximity to commercial airports, Aurora continues to face issues related to airport noise. Throughout his 11 years of service in public office, Pierce has advocated for cost-effective and environmentally-sound regulations to limit the effects of aircraft noise. For his efforts, Pierce was awarded the Environmental Stewardship Award by N.O.I.S.E.  Representing Aurora, Pierce has served as a member of the Centennial Airport Community Noise Roundtable since its founding in 2009.

About the National Organization to Insure a Sound-Controlled Environment (N.O.I.S.E.)

N.O.I.S.E. is an affiliate of the NLC and has served for over four decades as America’s only nationwide, community-based association committed to reducing the impact of excessive aviation noise on local communities.  Composed of local elected officials representing thousands of citizens across the United States, N.O.I.S.E. serves to help communities join together and inject the concerns of their constituents into the national debate on aviation noise mitigation. NOISE hosts two major annual conferences in conjunction with the NLC, a spring summit in Washington, D.C. and a fall policy summit in various locations throughout the United States.

N.O.I.S.E. Executive Director Chairs FAA Center of Excellence Meeting

Washington, D.C. – (March, 2014) Dennis McGrann, Executive Director of N.O.I.S.E. – the National Organization to Ensure a Sound-controlled Environment – a 40 year affiliate of the National League of Cities (NLC), recently chaired the 22nd biannual and final meeting of the United States Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration’s Center of Excellence – PARTNER (Partnership for Air Transportation Noise and Emissions Reduction) in Washington, DC.  McGrann has chaired the Center's Advisory Board over its entire 10 year life and has overseen $130M federal investments in energy and environmental research impacting the aviation industry. The PARTNER-COE is a joint research effort of the FAA, NASA, Department of Defense, EPA, and Transport Canada and is led by a team of scientists and researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with support from 12 universities in the United States and Canada, including Harvard, Stanford, Purdue and Georgia Institute of Technology. The Center was charted by an Act of Congress to carryout advanced research in the aviation field and has led to breakthrough technological, operational, policy, and workforce advances for national security and the environment. The Center’s research is part of and supports the FAA’s multi-million dollar remake of the United States airspace and aviation system called NextGen – The “Next Generation Air Transportation System”. The organization’s operational headquarters is at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment in Boston, Massachusetts.

N.O.I.S.E. Executive Director Presents at 2013 Global Aviation Symposium

N.O.I.S.E Executive Director Dennis McGrann (center) participates in an expert panel alongside FAA Assistant Administrator, Carl Burleson (seated second from left) at the annual RTCA Global Aviation Symposium held in Washington, DC.

Washington, D.C. – (June 6, 2013) As part of the RTCA (Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics) 2013 Global Aviation Symposium, N.O.I.S.E Executive Director Dennis McGrann participated on an expert panel discussing environmental aviation problems, including how to obtain support to implement emissions and noise reduction and fuel savings procedures. Other panelists included the Deputy Assistant Administrator of Policy, International Affairs and Environment at the FAA and leading aviation industry experts. 

NOISE Aviation Community Empowerment / Policy Summit Press Release

NOISE Policy Summit briefs community leaders and workshop participants on the importance of aviation-noise research, sound insulation and technological developments

Phoenix, AZ – (November 10, 2011) The National Organization to Insure a Sound-controlled Environment (NOISE) held its 3rd Annual 2011 Aviation Policy Summit/Community Involvement Workshop,   in conjunction with the National League of Cities (NLC) Congress of Cities and Exposition in Phoenix, AZ on November 9th.  The Congress of Cities and Exposition is the NLC's annual convention that brings together thousands of local elected officials from across the United States and offers a broad range of learning opportunities through cooperative dialogue and workshops.

Continuing the tradition of local collaboration, NOISE partnered with the North Tempe Neighborhood Association (NTNA) to solicit community and citizen participation in this year's event.  Through NTNA's efforts, NOISE was able to secure a varied and in-depth panel of local and national aviation noise abatement stakeholders. Tempe, Arizona Mayor Hugh Hallman spoke at length on the City’s history working with Phoenix Sky Harbor to address the impacts of the airport on his community.

“North Tempe Neighborhood Association was delighted to have Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman speak before attendees about Tempe – Phoenix Sky Harbor relations,” noted Barbara Sherman of NTNA.  Mayor Hallman noted that Tempe benefits greatly from Phoenix Sky Harbor and simply wants the airport to be a good long-term neighbor.

Workshop attendees included elected officials, noise abatement experts and community activists. The group heard presentations on various topics including advances in sound insulation studies, a federal legislative/regulatory update, and a European airport overview. 

“This forum is always a unique opportunity for elected official to learn new strategies to influence change in our communities regarding excessive aviation noise. This year’s Policy Summit / Community Involvement Workshop was no exception. I was especially pleased with the presence of sound-insulation industry leaders, who spoke on residential insulation issues. Those within the industry are key to making people aware of the implications of potential changes at the FAA regarding this important component of aviation-noise mitigation,” said Parkway Village Mayor Mary Rose Evans, who serves as NOISE Vice-President.

Participants and NOISE members expressed a continuing interest in discussing the growing evidence of aviation-noise related health impacts on humans. To provide for this important request, attendees were first given an overview of PARTNER (the Partnership for AiR Transportation Noise and Emissions Reduction) which is a leading aviation research organization and a FAA “Center of Excellence.”

NOISE Executive Director Dennis McGrann and PARTNER Advisory Board Chair then spoke on the upcoming research project (known as Project 44) that will be the first national-scale investigation of health impacts of airport noise in the US.

“The NOISE Policy Summit is the ideal place to brief community leaders and workshop participants on the importance of aviation-noise research and technological developments and to highlight the critical importance of PARTNER research,” said McGrann.

NOISE has been a long time advocate of the PARNTER program and led the effort to secure initial federal financial support.

N.O.I.S.E. Solicits Input for 2011 Fall Conference Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Organization to Insure a Sound-controlled Environment (N.O.I.S.E.) is soliciting input for their upcoming 2011 Aviation Policy Summit/Community Involvement Workshop, which will be held in conjunction with the National League of Cities’ (NLC) Congress of Cities and Exposition in Phoenix, AZ.  The Summit will take place on Wednesday, November 9th from 10:30am-4:30pm at the Phoenix Convention Center (reception to immediately follow).

N.O.I.S.E. is an affiliate of the NLC and has served for over four decades as America’s only nationwide, community-based association committed to reducing the impact of excessive aviation noise on local communities.  Composed of local elected officials representing thousands of citizens across the United States, N.O.I.S.E. serves to help communities join together and inject the concerns of their constituents into the national debate on airport expansion policy. N.O.I.S.E. seeks a resolution to aviation and airport noise concerns by bringing affected communities, local airport officials, and federal policymakers together to work on federal policies to reduce unreasonable levels of aviation noise through a combination of quieter aircrafts, increased noise abatement resources, and opportunities for local communities to contribute to airport expansion decisions. NOISE hosts two main conferences a year (one in the fall and one in the spring), both in conjunction with NLC.

The 2011 Aviation Policy Summit/Community Involvement Workshop is an all day event designed to encourage dialogue between aviation noise abatement experts and community leaders to learn from each other and share best practices. In the past, presenters have included a range of elected officials, community activists, sound insulations and land use planning experts, FAA representatives, among others.  In an effort to ensure the organization’s members get the most beneficial information out of this summit, N.O.I.S.E. is accepting speaker and topic ideas for the 2011 Aviation Policy Summit/Community Involvement Workshop until August 31st.

“We strive to always provide a varied and worthwhile panel to our members.  As a community-based organization, we find it beneficial to highlight local communities and provide a forum for our participants to both learn and share their unique stories and experiences with each other.  Understanding that each of our members have slightly different needs we also bring in policy and industry experts and are always open to speaker and topic suggestions to best address the dynamic needs of our group”, said President of N.O.I.S.E. and NLC Board Member, Minneapolis Councilmember Sandy Colvin Roy.

The Congress of Cities and Exposition is the NLC's annual convention that brings together thousands of local elected officials from across the United States. The Congress of Cities and Exposition offers a broad range of learning opportunities through cooperative dialogue and workshops for over 4,000 participants, including more than 2,000 elected and appointed officials and stakeholders interested in implementing various programs and policy. 

N.O.I.S.E. Congratulates Curtis Holsclaw: New Deputy Director of the Office of Environment and Energy, Federal Aviation Administration

8/15/11 -- Washington, D.C -- The National Organization to Insure a Sound-controlled Environment (N.O.I.S.E.) extends its congratulatons to Curtis Holsclaw, the new Deputy Director of the Office of Environment and Energy in the Federal Aviation Administration.

Executive Director Lourdes Maurice, in a release to PARTNER stakeholders:

"[Holsclaw] has 30 years of experience, encompassing assignments in industry and Federal service.  During the last 19 years, Curtis has been a Manager in the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Environment and Energy.  His experience covers all aspects of environmental issues, including oversight and enforcement of Federal environmental regulations, research and development, and international environmental policies and standards.  Curtis has acted in the Deputy Director position since April.

AEE and APL are very fortunate to have someone of Curtis' caliber in this position.  Please join me in congratulating him."

N.O.I.S.E Announces New Online Presence

Washington, DC - July 26th, 2011

As the National Organization to Insure a Sound Controlled Environment continues to advocate for members in the aviation noise debate, the organization is pleased to announce the new look of its online presence.

Emily Tranter, National Outreach Director for NOISE, said “The NOISE organization is continuously working to advance its messaging and communications strategy. That is why I am pleased to announce to NOISE members the redesigned and user-friendly aviation-noise.org website.  The new design gives NOISE members the most current information they need to stay informed about NOISE media appearances, upcoming events and on-going advocacy work.”

Ongoing developments intend to make the site more user-friendly and allow for electronic registration and remittance. The organization enters the dynamic world of social media, as well.  Elected officials on Twitter are encouraged to follow and “mention” @AviationNoise.

“We encourage NOISE members to visit the new website and provide us with comments of suggestion as to how we can better serve you and, at the same time, offer greater visibility to the general public and potential new members,” Tranter said.