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06/26/1986 - Airport Relations Commission CITY OF EAGAN AIRPORT NOISE COMMITTEE AGENDA THURSDAY JUNE 26, 1986 4:30 PM I. ROLL CALL AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES II. COMMITTEE UPDATE A. Eagan- Mendota Heights Corridor Study B. Runway 4/22 Extension III. OLD BUSINESS A. Airport Relocation IV. NEW BUSINESS V. DISTRIBUTION A. Health Aspects of Noise Exposure B. FAA Report on Fleet Modernization VI. OTHER BUSINESS VII. ADJOURNMENT MEMO TO: CHAIRMAN BAKER AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE AIRPORT NOISE COMMITTEE FROM: ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT HOHENSTEIN DATE: JUNE 18, 1986 SUBJECT: AIRPORT NOISE COMMITTEE MEETING FOR JUNE 26, 1986 A meeting of the Eagan Airport Noise Committee is scheduled for Thursday, June 26, 1986, at 4:30 p.m. in the Eagan Municipal Center Conference Rooms A and B. Please contact Jon Hohenstein at 454 -8100, if you are unable to attend the meeting. The following discussion is intended to provide background on those items to be reviewed at the meeting on Tuesday. I. MINUTES A copy of the minutes of the Eagan Airport Noise Committee meeting of May 13, 1986 is enclosed for your review. These minutes, subject to any change, require approval by the committee. II. COMMITTEE UPDATE A. Eagan- Mendota Heights Corridor Study -- Enclosed in your packet for your review are two items. The first is a copy of the map showing Departure Flight Tracks used in the Part 150 Study. This map will allow you to reference neighborhoods in the vicinity of such flight tracks. Also in your packet, you will find a copy of the Mendota Heights Resolution passed in 1984 relative to the corridor. City Staff and Chairman Baker have engaged in a series of meetings with the Metropolitan Airports Commission Staff regard- ing a contention by the FAA and the MAC that the Cities of Eagan and Mendota Heights arrived at an accommodation in 1984 which allowed the corridor to be defined by the extended runway center- lines. As you will note, the resolution which was presented does not mention runway centerlines, rather it acknowledges the 105 degree heading as being the legitimate location of the corridor. As Staff and MAC will likely have another meeting before the committee meets, we will be available to discuss the progress on the matter with you at that time. B. Runway 4/22 Extension -- The City Council received the Airport Noise Committee's Runway 4/22 Extension Resolution at their June 17 meeting. As I am dictating this in advance of the meeting, I do not know the outcome of their deliberations at this time. I will be available to answer questions on the outcome at the committee meeting. III. OLD BUSINESS Airport Relocation -- At the request of the Airport Noise Commit- tee, the airport relocation item was continued from the May 13 meeting so that Joe Harrison, who had requested that the item be placed before you, could be present. The body of that item is reproduced here for your consideration. The MAC has in the past and continues to consider the potential for relocating the Minneapolis -St. Paul International Airport. As many of the Committee members may remember, considerable time and effort was spent on such proposal in the late 1960's and early 1970's with a site in Ham Lake, Minnesota being the most likely candidate. The project was turned down by the MAC at that time for a variety of reasons relating both to its cost and the diverse interests of the Metropolitan community. Since that time, the cost of replicating the current facility has risen dramatically, though a review of such a possibility continues to be carried out. MASAC considered relocation of the airport as one of the possible elements for the Part 150 study, but chose not to include it in the final recommendations to the Airports Commission. The airport does have two search areas at which it is considering locating a second major airport. The first of these is at Airlake in Lakeville and the second is in the western metro area near Lake Minnetonka. The latter is the preferred location and was referred to in MAC planning as Search Area B. While staff was unable to locate printed material concerning this item, MAC has placed the cost of building a major new airport at roughly $15 billion. Moreover, they have projected the implementation phase of such a decision to span roughly 15 years. This would mean that such a facility would be operational no sooner than the year 2000 if it were to receive all evironmental and locational approvals this year. This is the same time period in which it is anticipated that Stage 3 aircraft will come to dominate the airline fleet, thereby reducing the impact of even the worst of the current flight patterns. Moreover, the MAC has indicated that the likelihood that all operations would be shifted to a new facility is very slight. A more likely scenario is that a major reliever airport would be developed on the western edge of the City and the capacity of the entire metropolitan airport's system would be expanded rather than maintained at its current level. One possible offshoot of a major reliever at a remote location would be the portential for the MAC to limit the flights at the Minneapolis -St. Paul International due to the availability of an operational alternative within the same community. The potential for this to occur depends entirely upon the scale of the facility they might develop in Search Area B and the predisposition of the MAC to use such strategies. It should be borne in mind, that the City of Eagan as a whole has a mixed interest in the location of the airport. Certainly the residential community most affected by aircraft noise finds this location to be detrimental and would encourage any change which would minimize the impacts within the residential areas. However, much of the commercial and industrial development of the area, particularly the growing service industry portion depends upon the proximity of the airport and other transportation facilities for their livelihood. Likewise, many employees of the airport, its facilities and airlines live within the City and do so because of the convenience of airport access. Therefore, the issue of airport location is one that requires consideration of both types of interests. Staff will be available to discuss this item further with Committee members. ACTION TO BE CONSI ^EKED ON THIS ITEM: None at this time. IV. NEW BUSINESS There is no new business to come before the group at this time. V. DISTRIBUTION A. Health Aspects of Noise Exposure -- Enclosed in your packet, please find two items concerning noise impacts on an individual's health. The first is a reprint from the Wellness Workbook by Regina Ryan and John Travis. The outline concentrates on the impact of various noise levels on the sense of hearing. It goes on to correlate the stress related to airport noise to a higher level of nervous disorders in noise impacted communities. A similar scenario is described by the second article which is reprinted from U.S. News & World Report's July 16, 1984 issue. Both articles contain tables comparing noise levels in decibels to common sounds in and around the home. B. FAA Report on Fleet Modernization -- Also enclosed in your packets, you will find a copy of the Staff summary of the "FAA Report to Congress on Aircraft Fleet Modernization ". The report in its entirety is available at City Hall and may be distributed to Airport Noise Committee members upon request. Perhaps you can determine in your review of the memo what items need further explanation. Staff would be open to any suggestions for action which arise out of this report. VI. OTHER BUSINESS VII. ADJOURNMENT The committee will adjourn at or before 6:00 p.m. Administrative Assistant JH /mc MINUTES OF THE EAGAN AIRPORT NOISE COMMITTEE EAGAN, MINNESOTA MAY 13, 1986 A regular meeting of the Eagan Airport Noise Committee was held on Tuesday, May 13, 1986 at the Eagan Municipal Center at 4:30 p.m. The following members were present: Chairman Tom Baker, John Gustin, Carolyn Braun, Otto Leitner, and Dustin Mirick. Absent were Carol Dozois and Joe Harrison. Also present was Administrative Assistant Jon Hohenstein. MINUTES Upon motion by Gustin, seconded by Braun, all members voting in favor, the minutes of the April 10, 1986 meeting were approved. MAC REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR Administrative Assistant Hohenstein reported that member Mirick and he had attended the special Metropolitan Airports Commission meeting held on April 28, 1986. The purpose of the meeting was to review and approve the MAC report to the Governor on aircraft noise abatement. Hohenstein further reported that MAC Chairman Glumack had insisted that an item be included in the report which called for improved compliance with the Eagan- Mendota Heights departure corridor. The committee discussed problems with corridor compliance and expressed concern over the increased fre- quency of overflights of noise sensitive areas. Member Mirick reported that he had monitored departure headings given by the control tower in both January and April of this year. He indicated that the headings given in January ranged between 90 and 105 degrees and that the headings given by the control tower in April ranged from 100 to 120 degrees. Chairman Baker asserted that this change may be a result of the retirement of tower manager, Les Case. Member Leitner indicated that he believes that aircraft are currently flying centerline departures on runway 11L and that diverging headings to the south are being flown on runway 11R. After further discussion, the committee suspended considera- tion of this item until the new business item on the same subject would be discussed. JOINT POSITION PAPER Administrative Assistant Hohenstein reported that the Joint Position Paper on aircraft noise had been passed by the cities of 1 Burnsville, Eagan, Inver Grove Heights, Mendota Heights and Savage. He indicated that the staff would be attempting to execute a cover letter for the Position Paper in the coming weeks. He further stated that the changes requested by the participating cities were few and that the Position Paper remained largely as passed by the Airport Noise Committee. Member Gustin suggested that the preceed- ing discussion of the Eagan- Mendota Heights corridor related to many of the elements of the Position Paper, particularly Item III concerning the potential for economic harm if restrictions are placed on aircraft operations. Chaiman Baker indicated that the environmental impacts of other businesses are quantified so as to allow the consideration of costs and benefits necessary to make difficult decisions on business operations. The committee accepted staff's report on the progress of the Position Paper and took no further action on it. RUNWAY 4/22 EXTENSION At the request of the committee, Administrative Assistant Hohenstein prepared and presented a resolution in opposition to the Runway 4/22 Extension Project currently under consideration by the MAC. The committee reviewed the resolution and made several comments. Member Mirick expressed concern that the resolution includes both the southerly turn from runway 4/22 and the runway extension. The committee discussed whether or not the resolution should be subdivided to treat each separately. No action was taken to effect such a division. The committee suggested that a clause be inserted in the resolution which recognizes the potential for the runway 4/22 extension to increase the capacity of the airport beyond its current limit. Upon motion by Leitner, seconded by Gustin, all members voting in favor, the resolution was approved, conditional upon the insertion of the requested language and a memorandum of review to be distributed to all members. NORTH EAGAN CORRIDOR MONITORING PROGRAM Administrative Assistant Hohenstein reported that the MAC staff would participate with the City staff in the development of a monitoring program for the north Eagan corridor to be accom- plished during the summer of 1986. The committee discussed the need for such information to be verifiable and requested that MAC prepare and distribute a methodology which would allow duplication of the monitoring technique by members of the committee. In addition, members expressed concern that the Metropolitan Airports Commission would gather data which would support their contention that corridor compliance is not a significant problem. Member Mirick indicated that he feels the development of an information 2 base is essential to the solution of any problems in this area and that the potential to check on and duplicate the MAC method will reduce the likelihood of skewed data collection. After further discussion, Leitner moved, Braun seconded, all members voted in favor to support the North Eagan Corridor Monitoring Program and further directed staff to cooperate with MAC staff in developing this project. OTHER BUSINESS Upon motion by Mirick, seconded by Gustin, all in favor, further business items were continued until a future meeting. FUTURE MEETINGS The next regular meeting of the Airport Noise Committee will be held on Thursday, June 12, 1986. Committee members requested that a special meeting be held on Thursday, May 29, 1986 if discussions of the North Eagan Corridor Noise Monitoring Program required attention at that time. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Baker adjourned the meeting at 6:15 p.m. JH Secretary 3 co Y 1 U tp y 1- ✓ + 0 A C u 0 T. 0 ~ 1- 0} d rn w 1,0 I- ■L t w .O • Z 1 0} N -0 0) 1 G D J 1- 1 >` y..-_- - - • ' i r =_ �= � _ � r ;. ., 1. ,, �� d�- 0 t ;W r 4 9 111111N "EE=J- E 1114 is ^` -, F • ` , t .•�[e[I Ii ilffi lal n t t .1-1 1. . ,,,,, .. „ brrl I v I 1 - 1m ` ��f4•• � < iiiiii. r i 1 j it - - G m" ': '}� a CU - ip, 1 1ur � • _ .14 t . . 44 ..:ii � _ :: M il i, `C ttFF iadi I \ ' , r L.- -. .i i • f• ' I l l . � � u lU�; h r t r }} 7 ; , rn[1111g . ' �- t . L IilrrrurtF # - a -: .... 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C�� ■ 1 11 ar 1� sl a; .� ` -f: ., i121 i 1311. 1 571 7 rialvat > g } f pi `ig. .... - rwlr i r' 111111111 �� S m i lt:- -7 73 - "` 7 211$;.x- .■-- SC.D.r -�V11a (i .�. roc. . - , CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA RESOLUTION NO. 84 RESOLUTION REGARDING AIR TRAFFIC PATTERNS WHEREAS, the City of Mendota Heights, through Land Use planning, has provided a corridor through the southern area of the City for the safe and unobtrusive operation of aircraft arriving and departing from the Twin Cities International Airport; and WHEREAS, during the past three years there has been a continuing and increasing movement of the departing tracks of aircraft over well established residential neighborhoods, located to the north of the compatibly zoned land; and WHEREAS, the operations of departing aircraft on runways 11L, due to heading turns out of the provided corridor, have resulted in an intolerable situation for the residents of the City; and WHEREAS, it has come to the attention of the City that at least a part of the condition is a result of the designation of a small residential area (specifically the Timberline Addition in the City of Eagan) south of the flight path by the FAA as a no overflight area; and WHEREAS, the City of Mendota Heights has been provided with noise contour maps from the MAC and Metropolitan Council which indicate field operations should be conducted in a manner that restrict the excessive noise to the non - residential corridor provided; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Mendota Heights that the MAC and the FAA Air Traffic Control be required to maintain all departing aircraft on Runway 11L to a compass heading of ao less than 105 degrees or such heading as is necessary to maintain all traffic in the corridor provided and shown in exhibit A attached hereto. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in the event that such operations cannot be accommodated and effective on or before July 10, 1984, that the MAC close Runway 11L to all departing turbo jet traffic on a 24 -hour a day basis until such time as operations can be maintained in such a compatible manner. Adopted by the City Council of the City of Mendota Heights this Twentieth day of June, 1984. CITY COUNCIL CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS By ATTEST: Robert G. Lockwood Mayor Kathleen M. Swanson City Clerk • (z) s Rim & 6 ,, ,.$). ,........._ ,,_......_ .....4 , ,.._...... . , , _,........_ , -,-,- . . CA -- L J A j 2m u co'J L 1 - 11 - Km MIA si[m 2ic ,....11 ......41 by Regina Sara Ryan and John W. Travis M.D. Foreword by Dorothy Jongeward, Ph.D. Sensing 77 - trong feelings associated with before becomes offensive. The rain, of the wind in the trees, of the „hildhood experiences can be fumes from a single car passing us stars in their travels in the night triggered by a whiff of a long on a deserted road smell horrible; sky —these are the food of the soul. forgotten scent. Recall the smell of imagine what effect the thousands Just imagine what your world would grandmother's house? Of the on the freeway must be having on be like without them. incense or candles in church? Of a our bodies. We taste the sodium On the other hand, excessive funeral parlor? A new car? We often benzoate in bread. We are sound input can cause serious respond to smells of food cooking overpowered by the deodorants in complications, and this is a growing with emotional intensity, and strong public toilets. When we can detect problem in our industrialized memories. Hamburgers on the grill? these warning signals, we can world. The insidious background A slow - cooking soup? The spices in choose to suffer and be discour- noise in our environment, which the spaghetti sauce? The cotton- aged that things are getting worse, many of us have come to take for candy at the circus? Sometimes the or we can choose to minimize the granted, has been increasing on the smell will generate an emotional amount of poisons in our environ- average by about 1 decibel per year. response even though we are ment, or separate ourselves from We have known for a long time unaware of the specific memories them. that hearing loss is one of the associated with it. On the pleasant side, we can occupational hazards of being Almost every living thing emits a become aware of the unique scent around noisy equipment. In scent. Along with water vapor the of each of our loved ones and of reporting on the causes and skin is constantly secreting our own bodies, of the wonderful treatment of deafness one doctor unnecessary by- products. These scents of flowers and trees calling wrote back in 1831: odors produce each individual's out to us from afar, and the subtle The blacksmiths' deafness is a consequence unique body scent. While these aromas of food. A fuller appre- of their employment; it creeps on them cents change with emotional state, ciation of the fragrance of life gradually, in general at about forty or fifty iet, and season, they are a is one of the benefits of wellness. years of age.. . chemical signature. An animal These losses are due to prolonged detects its baby from a group of exposure to sound levels of many similar babies based on this. The Sense of Hearing between 90 and 100 decibels, and In some cultures, it is only when because they damage the nerve they two persons are within smelling The energy conversion which cannot be mended. Hearing aids are distance of each other's bodies that allows us to hear happens in the largely ineffective in remedying the they feel themselves to be making inner ear. The cochlea is lined with condition. Realizing the magnitude meaningful contact. This is an about 24,000 tiny hair cells of of this problem the U.S. Department essential part of their social extreme sensitivity. When of Labor publishes occupational interchange. Sexuality is closely tied stimulated with sound, these hairs safety and health standards which to the sense of smell. vibrate, creating impulses which include guidelines for the levels In our ultra- hygienic culture such pass along the auditory nerve into of noise allowable in industrial and organic body odors are usually the brain, where they are business establishments. The Envir- abhorred. We go to great lengths to interpreted. "Ah, yes. It's you, onmental Protection Agency makes cover them up with artificial scents mother." recommendations for acceptable and deodorants for underarms, It is through the child's acute levels of noise in the environment genitals, mouth —in the same way hearing that s/he will learn the at around 45 to 55 decibels? that we deodorize the bathroom, sounds which make up the Hearing loss is not the only kitchen, or trash can. In our language used for communication. problem associated with noise. obsession to eliminate natural odors Moreover, infants depend upon the Noise increases stress and irritability . we have surrounded ourselves with soothing sounds of a familiar voice and may even be a factor in more a host of new unnatural ones. for their security. As adults, we serious emotional disturbances. As we move towards high level know this and so approach a strange People who live near Heathrow .vellness, we often experience our child with baby -talk and gentle coos Airport in London showed a 31% sense of smell becoming more in order not to frighten. higher rate of nervous breakdown acute. On the unpleasant side, We need, expect and appreciate than did those in similar economic smoke which didn't bother us sound. The sound of music, of the areas away from the airport. In the 78 Wellness Workbook Sound Levels and Human Response community of Inglewood, California, where the noise level of Noise jet aircraft exceeds 90 decibels, Level Common Sounds (dB) Effect UCLA researchers Meecham and Smith found that the mental Carrier deck jet operation 140 Painful) Air raid siren y loud hospital admission rate was 29% higher than in a comparable, but quieter, community. 130 Awareness and self-responsibility in regard to noise pollution may be Jet takeoff (200 feet) as simple as using a set of acoustic Thunderclap 120 Maximum vocal effort Discotheque earmuffs, or earplugs, to protect Auto horn (3 feet) yourself when working around loud Pile drivers 110 machinery. Attending certain concerts or parties where loud music is played will require some Garbage truck 100 conscious action on your part. We hear stories of rock musicians who at the age of thirty or forty are Heavy truck (50 feet) Very annoying suffering from severe hearing loss. City traffic 90 Hearing damage (8 hours) The sound levels at discos have been reported to average about 100 Alarm clock (2 feet) 80 Annoying decibels. Some are even blasting Hair dryer away at up to 140! The longer you Noisy restaurant stay in these environments, the Freeway traffic 70 Telephone use difficult more accustomed your ears, your Man's voice (3 feet) whole nervous system, will become to the sounds. It may no longer Air conditioning unit (20 feet) 60 Intrusive bother you. But what you are doing is drugging yourself with a form of sensory overload. It will therefore Light auto traffic (100 feet) 50 Quiet take greater amounts of input to stimulate you, at the same time that Living room you lose an appreciation of the Bedroom 40 subtleties. Quiet office Hearing loss is not always Library physically caused. Some losses Soft whisper (15 feet) 30 Very quiet result from the desire to avoid hearing something, or the wish for distance in a relationship. Broadcasting studio 20 Sometimes the event which triggers it occurs long before the actual hearing loss is detected. Our 10 Just audible associate, Jerry, remembers deciding when he was a teenager to turn off his hearing. The decision was 0 Hearing begins certainly related to his later problems. (See Jerry's Story.) Care and consciousness; This decibel (dB) table compares some common sounds and shows how they rank in potential harm to hearing. Note moderation and body trust; self= that 90 dB is the point at which noise begins to harm hearing. To the ear, each 10 dB increase seems twice as loud. responsibility and love —these need Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ork Sensing 79 ►ise Around Our Homes Jerry's Story Sound Level for Noise Source Operator (In dB) Refrigerator 40 About seven years ago, I was arrested and sentenced to serve forty Floor Fan 38 to 70 weekends in a county jail. I found the experience very degrading, Clothes Dryer 55 Washing Machine 47 to 78 especially the strip search, which happened each Friday evening. On the Dishwasher asher 54 to 85 eighth weekend, I started becoming sick within the first hour after I Hair Dryer 59 to 80 arrived at the jail. I had contracted the London Flu that was going around Vacuum Cleaner 64 to 85 that year. Sewing Machine Electric Shaver 75 As a child, I learned to use illness as a way of eliciting sympathy from Food Disposal (Grinder) 67 to 93 my parents and other authority figures. In this way, I got lots of attention, Electric Lawn Edger 81 and was able to get out of doing things I did not want to do. One of my Home Shop Tools 85 Gasoline Power Mower 87 to 92 favorite ways was to contract a sore throat, which became a head cold Gasoline Riding Mower 90 to 95 and fever, swollen glands, and finally an earache. As a result, I developed Chain Saw 100 a severe hearing loss in my right ear, which stabilized at puberty. Stereo Up to 120 Source: EPA In jail, I suffered the highest fevers I have ever had. I would complain to the jailers, and they would give me some aspirin and tell me to go see a to be the guiding principles in doctor when I got out on Sunday evening. They said there was no doctor exercising respect for this available to see me. So, I kept making myself sicker. magnificent sense. When I finally was let out on Sunday evening, I would go home and receive care from a nurse- friend. I got better during the week, but would Creative Sound and Silence still feel pretty weak when Friday rolled around again. I had a lot of anxiety about having to return to jail each weekend. One day, I was 'ithout music listening to the noon news on the radio, when my left ear "popped." I life would be a mistake. couldn't hear anything out of it. I assumed that this was just a temporary — Nietzsche situation, and that my hearing would soon return. It didn't. I still have enough hearing left in my right ear to profit from a hearing aid. My left Just as sound can cause illness and ear does not have enough hearing left for me to even use an aid. injury and set you on edge, so it can In retrospect, I realize now that I did not just lose my hearing. I turned be one of the easiest ways to relax it off. My subconscious mind was trying to do whatever was necessary to you, supply you with new energy, get me out of an intolerable situation. Past experience had taught me that and even transport you into other making myself sick was the way to accomplish this. So when one method states of consciousness. Listening to didn't work, I would just try another. I also know that since I turned my the movement of air through your hearing off, I am also capable of turning it back on. Obviously, there is nostrils, the music of a beautiful still a "payoff' for me to continue the status quo. symphony, the sounds of a chime — these can be great aids to awareness i Hints for a Quieter Home Some Helpful and balance. For centur p eo p le have used music and singing as a ❑ Use carpeting to absorb noise, especially in ❑ lnsh heating lI washing and machines in e same e room part of ritual celebration. Chanting areas where there is a lot of foot traffic. g d o Hang heavy drapes over windows closest to preferably in an enclosed space away from — intoning the same note —serves outside noise sources. bedrooms. to tune the chanters into the "same ❑ Put rubber or plastic treads on uncarpeted ❑ If you use a power mower, operate it at vibration." Songs generate energy stairs. (They're safer too.) reasonable hours. The slower the engine for patriotism, for propaganda, for ❑ Use upholstered rather than hard - surfaced setting, the quieter it will operate. f urniture to deaden noise. ❑ When listening to a stereo, keep the volume religious devotion. A rhythm and a frequency set the nervous system, ❑ Install sound - absorbing ceiling tile in the down. kitchen. Wooden cabinets will vibrate less than ❑ Place window air conditioners where their hum •he brain, the whole body in metal ones. can help mask objectionable noises. However, .notion. In Appendix A you will find ❑ Use a foam pad under blenders and mixers. try to avoid locating them facing your a detailed list of musical recordings ❑ Use insulation and vibration mounts when neighbor's bedrooms. and chants which you may want to installing dishwashers. ❑ Use caution in buying children's toys that can ❑Compare, if possible, the noise outputs of make intensive or explosive sounds. Some investigate. different makes of an appliance before making can cause permanent ear mlury. your selection. Source EPA 1 . . • Wh All Th Noise P for heavy machinery, and earplugs ar other personal hearing - protection d vices, the industrial -noise problem is f, Is Doing to Our Lives better controlled. Money is the reaso health experts say. "Industrial noise being addressed because hearing loss compensable," says California nois � More than a nuisance, the drowned out the visiting leader's re- control coordinator Jerome Lukas. blare of modern life can marks during a welcoming ceremony New trouble areas. Complaints abo damage hearing and reduce o n the White House lawn. intrusive noises are rising in once plac Although noise is usually considered regions where the quiet is broken 1 learning ability. a mere nuisance, medical researchers new industries and the din of snowm find that prolonged exposure may biles, off -road motorcycles and oth The banging, screeching, crashing cause health and learning disorders. recreational vehicles. and pounding in the nation's workplaces California Department of Health Ser- Asked to list their top concerns in are being muffled today —but com- vices investigators determined last year recent poll, Oregon residents put not ,. a plaints about noise pollution in residen- that students in Los Angeles schools pollution fourth after crime, proper tial communities are growing louder. located alongside freeways scored well taxes and quality of education. Says C '' "Fifty percent of the U.S. population below their social and economic coun- egon noise - control director John H€ is exposed every day to noise that in- terparts in quieter neighborhoods on tor: "We get more complaints abo terferes with speech or sleep," reports standardized reading and math tests. noise than any other form of pollution - „,- Rutgers University's Noise Technical After 20 years of study, David Lips- Some local governments are fighti: 'y'- Assistance Center. comb of the University of Tennessee back with strict antinoise ordinances `'" _ ?k �. Jill Lipoti, chief of the center, con- concluded that today's 19- year -olds, es- Since 1975, Colorado Springs noi> tends that "noise affects more people pecially those who grew up with loud control unit has had police powers than any other pollutant." enforce rules limiting street soun There is mounting evi- ^fi' c (ei Index that are audible indoc dence that nerve jarring to 55 decibels between sounds —from such things a.m. and 7 p.m. and as aircraft, f aulty mufflers, Im 1 r els Noise decibels after 7 p.m. vacuum cleaners and suit In April alone, Colo Threshold of pain ii' °' do Springs issued 5 case -size portable radios — , ; irt trigger what experts term •, ' OLilillinl 'Jet plane taking off tickets, carrying fin "fight or flight" reactions. ranging from $25 to $1: In Collinston, La., a 74- "• ; 1UIIIIIllial 'Music in a loud disco for loud parties, unm year -old man, tired of the " 1 ~ "111111111:411 ii i i Loud shout at 1 foot fled car exhausts, barki roar from low -flying crop- L 10 1110i. 1161 'Jackhammer dogs and other violatioi dusters, is facing charges 11 901111111 nil' 'Lawnmower In New York City, p' of shooting and wounding Hearing loss ple who insist on playi a pilot who was spraying from prolonged n n I I ( I 18019111' 1P' Electric hedge trimmer oversized radios — call fields near his home two exposure - ;;,.45"III , Electric razor "boom boxes " —on t years ago. `' streets risk confiscation • In Miami, Fla., a 61- - r 111 16 1 IF I1 'Normal conversation the equipment by city 1 r - lice and a $25 fine. Simi year -old man was Seri ) . ,. Note: sound s measured M doabe'a which Threshold of ; increase logeflhm,ce "y A change of3d.ciba. get -tough laws are be tenced to life in prison for hearing "ii1ttwino the 1982 shooting deat for a young adult represenua doubling o' sound insnc'y. enforced in San Diego a j usww '"a- 8"E"".,,,,,�,,,e,o,,,"nr - of his 27- year -old neigh- \ Salt Lake Cit . bor after a long dispute eder. aides are taki over the high volume of a stereo and music from earphone- equipped porta- steps to reduce airplane noise. By Jai the rumble of a motorcycle. ble stereos, don't hear as well as youths ary 1, all planes using U.S. airports m Examples of the disruptive effects of that age did two decades ago. meet strict standards designed to cut: are cited by citizens across the country. Rutgers's Lipoti reports: "Constant exhaust volume— measured at 2 m• In Aurora, Colo., the pealing of noise is linked to high blood pressure, away from runways —by half. Then, c church bells was blamed for disturbing heart disease and ulcers. Exposure 24 cials say, the intensity of jet roar we patients in a hospital across the street. hours a day to even the normal noises exceed that of a loud motor - On Long Island, N.Y., the roar of jets of everyday life can increase blood ti , noise - contro experts worry t taking off and landing at John F. Ken- pressure up to 40 percent. And it they are fighting a losing battle. S nedy Airport interrupts classes at doesn't return to normal until long af- Edward DiPolvere of the National A ' Hempstead schools so frequently that ter you leave the noise." ciation of Noise Control Officials: "Nt students lose a total of 1 hour of learn- Such findings are emerging two years is the only pollutant that some pee ing time each day. after the Environmental Protection actually want. Truckdrivers want - Reagan, too. Even President Rea- Agency's 14- million - dollar program to meanest - sounding rig. A company tr „ill, , gan has been troubled by airplane curb noise pollution was swept away by to sell a quiet vacuum cleaner years noise. In April, the President apolo- budget cuts. In place of federal grants to but few wanted them. They would r - - gized to Dominican Republic Presi- aid local noise - control efforts, EPA now er sell because they were too quiet. dent Salvador Jorge Blanco when jet- only offers advice over the telephone. 1 • liners from nearby National Airport With improved shielding and baffles By RONALD A. TAILOR .v-o 1 50 U.S.NEWS & WORLD REPORT, July 16, 1 \ \ MEMO TO: CITY ADMINISTRATOR HEDGES FROM: ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT HOHENSTEIN DATE: JUNE 12, 1986 SUBJECT: FAA REPORT TO CONGRESS ON AIRCRAFT FLEET MODERNIZATION In December, Mayor Blomquist, representatives of other noise - affected cities and the MAC attended hearings on noise abatement held by the FAA in Washington, D.C. The results of these hearings is a report entitled "Alternatives Available to Accelerate Commercial Aircraft Fleet Modernization ". the full text of this report is avai'able at City Hall for review. That which follows is a summary of the pertinent aspects of the report. The report suggests the need for a comprehensive national strategy which combines: 1. Fleet modernization, 2. Operational means of noise reduction, 3. Sensible land use planning and control, and 4. Existing use of retrofits such as soundproofing. Of these, the report concentrates on fleet modernization which is the industry buzz word for the replacement of older, noisier aircraft with quieter Stage III aircraft. The FAA expects this conversion to be the principal means of noise reduction in the next twenty years. This is probably true since the Stage III aircraft can generate as little as one -sixth the apparent noise of Stage II aircraft under similar operating conditions. By FAA projections, 1,862 of the nation's current 2,367 plane Stage II fleet will be retired by 2005. Retirement in this case means ceasing operations in the United States. In the same time period, the Stage III component will increase from 608 aircraft to 3,979. Despite the projected overall increase in the fleet size, its domination by Stage III aircraft is expected to reduce by half the noise-affected areas in the U.S. in the next twenty years. In a system near capacity, like Minneapolis -St. Paul, this reduction could be more significant as there is less capacity to be absorbed by growth. The above projections anticipate no external impetus for early conversion. If a complete ban of all but Stage III were effected on or before that date, the reduction in affected area could be as much as 65 percent. The thrust of the report is that fleet modernization may be brought about by financial incentives, regulatory controls or a combination of the two. Page 2 Economic Incentives One of the reasons that fleet modernization will occur slowly is the staggering cost of the new capital. Airport officials place the cost of a single Boeing 757 at $55 million or about the same cost as the Metrodome. In addition to being quieter, Stage III aircraft are much more fuel efficient. This is the principal impetus for the natural replacement activity currently under way. It is obvious, however, that an airline will likely use older aircraft for much of their expected or depreciable life before the efficiency differential justifies such a large investment. The alternatives the FAA suggests here would alter the economic realities in which the airline makes its replacement choices. The incentives would allow the airline a choice, but would focus the alternatives available. The incentives covered were: 1. Investment Tax Credit - A direct reduction of tax liability as a percentage of major capital purchase costs. 2. Accelerated Depreciation - A reduction of taxable income taking into account wear and tear on an investment to be recovered at less than its reasonable useful life. 3. Loan Guarantees - A public guarantee of a debt obligation w:iich enhances the borrowers ability to secure financing in the private sector. 4. Federal Funding of Stage II Retrofit Development - A program to support research and development of economical technology to make Stage II aircraft into Stage III compliant ones, such technology being non- existent for 91% of the current Stage II fleet. The drawback to all such incentive programs is their inconsistency with the current federal administration's policies of non - intervention in the private sector. As all proposals discussed can be seen as subsidies to a particular industry, their potential for implementation is slim. Of the alternatives mentioned, however, Stage II Retrofit Development combined with regulations for its use seems to be the one which would provide the most short -term benefit to sound - impacted areas, with the least investment by the industry. Regulatory Approaches The regulatory alternatives which are discussed fall into four basis categories: 1. Stage II Limitations - Bans on the production and /or use of all but quiet Stage III aircraft through local or federal mandate either by a fixed date or based upon the age of the aircraft. r Page 3 2. Operational Procedures - Preferential slotting or routing for Stage III aircraft to reduce delays and operational costs, thereby increasing the marginal benefit of their use. 3. Noise Budgets and Fees - Systems by which noise is internalized as an operational cost by airlines by either limiting the amount a single airline may produce, thus encouraging them to fly more quiet aircraft to maintain or increase a level of operations, or increasing the cost of doing business with noisy aircraft through differential fees. 4. Noise Standard Modification - The development of a Stage 2.5 and Stage 3.5 criteria to supplement the current standards, such criteria to reduce the investment differential between stages and allow more phased compliance with the standards. At no time was reregulation of the industry considered among the regulatory alternatives. Of those which were considered, the following observations may be made. Stage II limitations are widely viewed as effective regulatory means of accelerating Stage III replacement. Since a Stage I ban has recently been accomplished, it is a viable alternative to implement. It is essential, however, that a rational cut -off date be established since early retirement costs will go from $9 billion for a 1995 ban to $1 billion fo a 2005 ban. These costs also indicate why the industry is slow to retire such aircraft on their own. A ban is essential in the long run, however, because the current deregulated market would result in retired Stage II planes entering discount carrier fleets and remaining in operation unless somehow prohibited. Preferential treatement of Stage III aircraft is currently being proposed by the MAC as a part of its report to the Governor. The plan would exempt Stage III planes from all noise abatement procedures including the Eagan - Mendota Heights corridor. While Stage III aircraft are one -sixth as loud as Stage II, the City would be best served by insisting that such a procedure be tested by an objective third party before its implementation. Until such a test can be assured, the City should oppose its implementation. The ultimate effect of such a procedure would be phased elimination of the corridor as Stage III aircraft come to dominate the fleet. Noise budgets and differential landing fees are currently under consideration by the MAC. It is a rational approach to the problem, because it makes the pollutor accountable for the negative by- product of the business. Aircraft noise is a detrimental impact on the surrounding environment which should be treated like the physical pollution of other industries. The only restriction is that the budgets or fees must not be unreasonable so as to amount to a restraint of trade. The FAA Page 4 has been emphatic in its assertion that litigation will acoompany the institution of such programs. Northwest Orient and Republic have indicated that such programs may hurt hubbing operations if implemented locally. Noise standard modification may have some value, but on its face it is illogical. If the industry cannot meet a standard of performance without a substantial investment, it does not seem reasonable to lower the standards. The apparent benefit of reaching a standard may actually slow absolute benefits if a proliferation of standards occurs. Summary The FAA report suggests that a natural shift to Stage III aircraft dominance in the national fleet mix will occur over the next twenty years. This shift will reduce by half the noise impacted area surrounding the nation's airports. This shift does little to impact the noise situation in the short term, however, and may need to be combined with incentives or regulations to have a positive effect in the near future. The City of Eagan will benefit by this shift and may wish to take a position on it. Staff is available to respond to questions about the report, the full text of which is available at the Municipal Center. Aiinistrative Assistant JH /jh