06/21/1985 - Airport Relations Commission MEMO TO: CHAIRMAN BAKER AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE AIRPORT
NOISE COMMITTEE
FROM: ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT HOHENSTEIN
DATE: JUNE 21, 1985
SUBJECT: AIRPORT .NOISE COMMITTEE MEETING FOR JUNE 27, 1985
A meeting of the Airport Noise Committee is scheduled for Thursday
June 27, 1985, at 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in Conference
Rooms A and B of the Municipal Center Building. The following
discussion intended to provide background on those items to be
reviewed at the meeting on Thursday.
MINUTES
A copy of the regular minutes of the Eagan Airport Noise Committee
Meeting for April 18, 1985 is enclosed for your review. These
minutes, subject to any change, require adoption by the committee.
COMMITTEE UPDATE
180 Degree Heading Procedure - Since the Airport Noise Committee's
last meeting, much has taken place with regard to the 180 Degree
Heading Procedure. Specifically, the procedure was recommended
to the Metropolitan Airports Commission by a 14 - 1 vote of the
Metropolitan Airport Sound Abatement Council (MASAC). The lone
dissenting vote was that of your Chairman, Tom Baker. The pro-
cedure was then reviewed by the Operations and Environmental Affairs
Committee of MAC on June 3. Most recently, the procedure came
before a meeting of the Metropolitan Airports Commission on June
17. At this meeting, the procedure was recommended for imple-
mentation. That recommendation has been passed onto the Federal
Aviation Administration. Staff has been present at all meetings
mentioned above and has presented city objections throughout the
proceeding. Most recently, Mayor Blomquist represented the City's
interest at the MAC meeting.
Attached as a part of this packet you will find a copy of the How-
ard- Needles Analysis of Runway 22 Departures and the most recently
developed sound contour maps. On the weight of this items, it
was determined that the procedure has a net benefit for persons
within the federally defined noise standards. Staff will be pre-
paring a response to this conclusion and forwarding it to the
Federal Aviation Administration for its consideration.
In addition to recommending the procedure, the Commission also
recommended that an Environmental Impact Statement be prepared
to determine the far - reaching impact of the procedure. This
too is merely a recommendation and the FAA can do with it as
they please. However, the MAC is on record in favor of an EIS
and the Eagan Airport Noise Committee may wish to express it's
desires to the Council in support of such a study. Staff will
be on hand at the meeting to completely review the progress
of this particular procedure and to answer any questions.
Airport Noise Committee Meeting
June 21, 1985
Page 2
Run Up Suppressor - Field Rule -
At previous Airports Noise Committee meetings, the Committee has
discussed the matter of the run up suppressor and the current use
of a field rule to attempt to control run up noise. Attached you
will find a copy of the current field rule for your considera-
tion. Mr. Darrell Weslander of the MAC staff has indicated that
the Airports Commission is attempting to tighten the observance
of the field rule. Unfortunately the MAC is not willing to fine
or otherwise penalize those who fail to observe the field rule.
The monitoring equipment which is currently being used has not
generated the type of information expected. Therefore, the rule
itself has not eliminated abuses of the run up requirements.
At its regularly scheduled meeting, the Operations and Environ-
mental Affairs Committee of the MAC discussed the status of the
run up suppressor. They do not feel that the construction of a
suppressing unit would be cost effective. Therefore, it is
likely that they will choose not to build a suppressor of any
kind. The MAC staff contends that a design specification, that
is a choice of a preferred unit, was made in 1980 or 1981. Staff
has objected to the MAC staff contention due to their pursuit of
two amendments to the control and legislation since that time.
Nonetheless, the MAC contends that it is in compliance with the
letter of the current law and is not willing to build a facility
at this time.
Once again staff will be available to answer any questions you
may have about the field rule over the status of the run up
suppressor.
MAC Response to City Resolutions -
Also enclosed in your packet, you will find copies of
correspondence from Mr. Lawrence McCabe and Mr. Darrell Weslander
of the Metropolitan Airports Commission. Further you will find a
copy of staffs response to those letters. As you will note, the
MAC indicates that they do not consider themselves to be in
violation of the resolutions or State law. Staffs response
points out inconsistencies in the MAC response in its letter to
Mr. Schmidt dated April 29, 1985. Since then, staff has received
no correspondence regarding this matter.
In light of the most recent developments relative to the run up
suppressor and 80 degree heading procedure, the Committee may
wish to discuss further pursuit of these resolutions.
Roger Sperling Nuisance Complaint -
As you may know, a citizen of the City of Eagan named Roger
Sperling has come before the City Council to request that the
City participate in filing a nuisance complaint against the
Federal Aviation Administration, and specifically any departure
Airport Noise Committee Meeting
June 21, 1985
Page 3
controller who sends aircraft outside the approved corridor.
While it may be prudent for the Committee to withhold any action
on this matter until after the City Attorney has completed
his investigation of the facts, the Committee may wish to discuss
the matter and express its feelings to staff and the City Attorney
at the time of the meeting.
Correspondence -
Enclosed in your packets you will find copies of correspondence
between the City and Representative Bill Frenzel and Secretary
of Transportation Elizabeth Hanford Dole. The City Administrator
will be on hand to discuss his on -going correspondence with
Representative Frenzel. This correspondence will become
especially important with regard to the 180 degree heading
procedure as a Federal agency begins its review of its possible
implementation. In addition, correspondence to Secretary Dole
was encouraged by the National Organization to Insure a Sound -
controlled Environment. This correspondence relates to the
large number of exemptions the Department of Transportation
has given to aircraft not meeting the standards of the Aviation
Safety Noise Abatement Act. Staff will be on hand to respond
to any questions concerning these matters.
DISTRIBUTION AND REVIEW
Ground Run Up Noise Control Facilities Survey -
Per the request of the Committee, staff obtained a copy of
the ground run up noise control facility report by Dave Braslau
and Associates. A copy of this report will be available at
the time of the meeting, however, because of its bulk we have
chosen not to make copies for everyone. If upon reviewing
the document and you wish to have a copy made, staff will be
happy to provide one.
Final Report - Noise Suppressor Study -
Staff also was able to obtain the final report on the noise
suppressor study prepared by Mr. Braslau. This too will be
available for review. It reflects a number of different contours
based on numerous assumptions about aircraft type and heading.
Joint Position Paper -
Several weeks ago the Committee was sent copies of a joint
position paper based on a meeting between representatives of
Burnsville, Eagan and Mendota Heights. As this position paper
had been sent to you earlier, it was not included in this packet.
If you wish to discuss its contents, please feel free to bring
your copy with you or refer to one which staff will have available
for comment.
Airport Noise Committee Meeting
June 21, 1985
Page 4
OTHER BUSINESS
As is reflected in the minutes of the meeting of April 18,
1985, discussion was had by the Committee members present about
the make up of the Committee. Concern was voiced that a number
of the members of the Committee have not been in regular attend-
ance of its meetings and a request was made that staff determine
the willingness of non - active members of the Committee to continue
their membership. Pursuant to this request, staff desires
an indication from each Committee member receiving this packet
as to whether he or she wishes to continue to be a member of
the Eagan Airport Noise Committee. Depending upon the responses
received, staff will present the information gathered to the
Airport Noise Committee at its June 27 meeting and to the City
Council if appropriate. We look forward to all members of
the Committee being present at the next meeting and the staff
and Council continue to appreciate your contributions to the
formation of policy in this regard.
•6 It! •- •- �_�
Af in strative Assistant
JH /sl
cc: Thomas L. Hedges, City Administrator
Dale Runkle, City Planner
Paul Hauge, City Attorney