FAA Noise Policy Review – October 2022-Current
Date: October 2022-Current
Description: After reporting the Neighborhood Environmental Survey (NES) results on January 13, 2021, FAA stated its plan to “bringing on board the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) to assist with designing an inclusive and participatory policy review framework and process that prioritizes input from substantially affected stakeholders, including local communities”. The FAA/FMCS Interagency Agreement (IAA) was signed September 10, 2021. On May 1, 2023 the FAA announced it would review its Noise Policy and solicited comments to the Federal Register.
15. Media Coverage: “Community Participants Give Mixed Review of July Panel Discussion with FAA,” Airport Noise Report (ANR)
November 3, 2023 – An ANR newsletter article features three AICA members who led the community side of the panel discussion on how effective the July 13, 2023 webinar was. Airport Noise Report (ANR) vol. 35, no.36 (November 3, 2023).
14. Media Coverage: “Communities Call Claim of Significant Reduction in Noise Exposure Misleading,” Airport Noise Report (ANR)
October 20, 2023 – The ANR newsletter features an article on the AICA’s response to A4A, IATA, ACI-NA, and AAAE Comment ID No. FAA-2023-0855-4396 in the Federal Register regarding FAA’s Request for Comments on Review of the Civil Aviation Noise Policy, Docket ID No. FAA-2023-0855. Airport Noise Report (ANR) vol. 35, no.34 (October 20, 2023).
13. Media Coverage: “Updated Noise Policy Should Include Next-Gen Impacts, New Annoyance Data,” Airport Noise Report (ANR)
September 15, 2023 – The ANR newsletter features an article on the AICA’s public comment in the Federal Register regarding FAA’s Request for Comments on Review of the Civil Aviation Noise Policy, Docket ID No. FAA-2023-0855. Airport Noise Report (ANR) vol. 35, no.29 (September 15, 2023).
12. AICA’s Federal Register Comment on Noise Policy Review
September 9, 2023 – AICA’s public comment in the Federal Register regarding the FAA’s Request for Comments on Review of the Civil Aviation Noise Policy Review, AICA Comment ID FAA-2023-0855-2206.
Note: The FAA presentation on Noise Policy Review Update at the ANE Symposium 2024 stated 4,857 comments were received and 643 (13%) comments were endorsements of a comment made by the Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance (AICA).
11. Media Coverage: “Take advantage of FAA’s extended comment period on jet noise standards and mitigation,” Guest Commentary, La Jolla Light
July 17, 2023 – Dr. Matthew Price, Chris McCann and Anthony Stiegler, co-founders of Quiet Skies La Jolla and San Diego, inform La Jolla Light readers about the Noise Policy Review (NPR) comment-extension period to 9/30/23, citing their work with AICA.
10. Webinar: FAA Noise Policy Review – Panel Discussion with FAA and AICA
July 13, 2023 – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance (AICA) held a virtual panel discussion moderated by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). FAA and AICA agreed to discuss the review framework and facilitate the submission of meaningful comments by members of local communities who are substantially affected by noise and noise impacts.
9. Letter: Seventy-One Community Organizations Request 60-Day Extension for Noise Policy Review and Advanced Air Mobility Federal Register Comments
June 7, 2023 – Seventy-one community organizations requested a 60-day extension to comment on two Federal Register Notices: FAA Noise Policy Review and DOT Advanced Air Mobility.
8. Letter: QSC Sends Letter to Honorable Pete Buttigieg – Identical to FAA Letter Requesting FAA to Establish a Community Group Noise Policy Advisory Committee and Answer AICA questions on FAA/FMCS Interagency Agreement
January 20, 2023 – The QSC letter states “we sent an identical letter to the FAA on December 1, 2022 and are waiting for a written response.”
7. Media Coverage: “Quiet Skies Caucus Asks FAA to Form Advisory Committee of Community Groups Within 30 Days,” Airport Noise Report (ANR)
December 9, 2022 – The ANR newsletter features an article about the December 1, 2022 Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus letter to the FAA that requests the formation and participation of an impacted-communities advisory committee in the FAA’s noise policy review. The ANR article lists ten questions to the FAA about the Interagency Agreement and noise policy process that are posed in AICA’s Letter to Quiet Skies Caucus, November 7, 2022. Airport Noise Report (ANR) vol. 34, no.40 (December 9, 2022).
6. Letter: QSC Requests FAA to establish a Community Group Noise Policy Advisory Committee and answer AICA questions on FAA/FMCS Interagency Agreement
December 1, 2022 – The QSC is “unsatisfied with the lack of information and communication about the [noise policy] review process” and requests that the FAA form a community group advisory committee and answer AICA questions. The Quiet Skies Caucus letter is based on new information AICA obtained on November 1, 2022 through FOIA of a modified FAA/FMCS IAA document, a corresponding AICA Executive Report 2.0 and the prior documents of the AICA Executive Report 1.0 and AICA Letter to the Quiet Skies Caucus October 10, 2022.
5. AICA “Executive Report 2.0 on FAA Noise Policy”
November 7, 2022 – AICA received a copy of “Modification One”, a modified version of the FAA/FMCS Interagency Agreement (IAA), via responses from FAA and FMCS FOIA requests. Subsequently, this assessment report was written. Report 2.0 includes an updated timeline and questions for the FAA to answer.
4. Letter: AICA Letter and Requests to Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus (QSC) Re: AICA Executive Report 2.0 on FAA/FMCS Interagency Agreement
November 7, 2022
- FAA November 1, 2022 Cover Letter to FOIA Request filed on September 20, 2022
- “Modification One” of the FAA/FMCS Interagency Agreement; signed September 1, 2022
3. Media Coverage: “Local Community Groups Hit Hardest by NextGen Left Out of Noise Policy Review,” Airport Noise Report (ANR)
October 21, 2022 – The ANR newsletter features an article about the FAA/Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) Interagency Agreement for the FAA’s Noise Policy Review. It references the AICA’s Executive Report 1.0 and AICA’s Letter to Quiet Skies Caucus and includes quotes from ten impacted community groups. Airport Noise Report (ANR) vol. 34, no.35 (October 21, 2022).
2. AICA “Executive Report 1.0 on FAA Noise Policy”
October 10, 2022 – The AICA obtained a copy of the FAA/FMCS Interagency Agreement (IAA) through a FOIA request to FMCS and subsequently wrote an assessment report including questions for the FAA to answer.
1. Letter: AICA Letter and Requests to Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus (QSC) Re: AICA Executive Report 1.0 on FAA/FMCS Interagency Agreement
October 10, 2022
- FAA/FMCS Interagency Agreement; signed September 10, 2021
Key Related Resources
- Nicholas Miller Comment to ID No. FAA-2023-0855-0150, May 17, 2023
- J.J. Alonso, T.C. Rindfleisch, D.C. Jackson, Metroplex Overflight Noise Analysis (MONA) project, Comment to ID No. FAA-2021-0037-3754, FAA Request for Input on Research Activities to Inform Aircraft Noise Policy, April 14, 2021
- Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance, FAA-2021-0037-3765 FAA Request for Input on Research Activities to Inform Aircraft Noise Policy, April 14, 2021
- Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance, Comment to ID No. DOT-OST-2023-0079-0104, DOT Request for Information on Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), August 10, 2023
- Studio Cities for Quiet Skies, Comment to ID No. DOT-OST-2023-0079-0021, DOT Request for Information on Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), July 31, 2023
- Dr. Martin Roosli “Updating Swiss Guidelines for Transportation Noise” – Aviation Noise and Emissions (ANE) Symposium 2022