Aviation and the Environment
Impact of Aviation Noise on Communities Presents Challenges for Airport Operations and Future Growth of the National Airspace System Gao ID: GAO-08-216T October 24, 2007To 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.
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.
GAO-08-216T, Aviation and the Environment: Impact of Aviation Noise on Communities Presents Challenges for Airport Operations and Future Growth of the National Airspace System
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Testimony:
Before the Subcommittee on Aviation, Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, House of Representatives:
United States Government Accountability Office:
GAO:
For Release on Delivery Expected at 11:00 a.m. EDT:
Wednesday, October 24, 2007:
Aviation And The Environment:
Impact of Aviation Noise on Communities Presents Challenges for Airport
Operations and Future Growth of the National Airspace System:
Statement of Gerald L. Dillingham, Ph.D.
Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues:
National Airspace System:
GAO-08-216T:
GAO 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.
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.
Figure: Concept Design for the Silent Aircraft:
This figure is a combination of two illustrations showing the concept
design for silent aircraft.
[See PDF for image]
Source: Cambridge-MIT Institute.
[End of figure]
To view the full product, including the scope and methodology, click on
[hyperlink, http://www.GAO-08-216T]. For more information, contact
Gerald L. Dillingham at (202) 512-2834 or dillinghamg@gao.gov.
[End of section]
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:
I appreciate the opportunity to testify before you today on the issue
of aviation noise. As you know, air traffic has grown steadily over the
past 5 years and is expected to continue growing, from 740 million air
passengers in fiscal year 2006 to nearly 1 billion in 2015. With this
growth has come a host of benefits and costs, from greater productivity
and mobility for the nation as a whole to increased air traffic
congestion, flight delays, and environmental issues, including aviation
noise. To handle the forecasted growth, the Joint Planning and
Development Office (JPDO), an interagency organization within the
Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),
is working to plan and implement a new air traffic management system,
the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). Critical
objectives for NextGen are to improve the overall safety and increase
the efficiency of the National Airpspace System. Achieving these
objectives for airports will involve the implementation of new
technologies and air traffic control procedures, airspace redesigns,
and infrastructure developments, including new or expanded runways and
airports. Community opposition to these developments is, however, a
major challenge, largely because of concerns about aviation noise.
According to JPDO's 2007 Concept of Operations document, "current
operational trends show that environmental impacts . . . will be the
primary constraint on the capacity and flexibility of the NextGen
unless these impacts are managed and mitigated." JDPO further states
that noise has been and will continue to be a primary area of concern.
Legislative proposals to reauthorize FAA[Footnote 1] include a number
of provisions designed to address aviation noise issues.
My testimony today addresses the following questions: (1) What are the
key factors that affect the level of aviation noise exposure for
communities? (2) What is the status of efforts to address the impact of
aviation noise on communities? (3) What are the major challenges and
next steps for reducing and mitigating the effects of aviation noise?
My statement is based on our previous reports on aviation and the
environment, one of which included a survey of the nation's 50 largest
airports;[Footnote 2] a synthesis of recent empirical literature;
current FAA data and forecasts; published reports of selected airports'
noise abatement initiatives and community-based aviation noise groups'
efforts; and interviews with officials from FAA and the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), representatives of
aviation industry groups and aircraft manufacturers, and selected
aviation noise experts. We conducted our work from September to October
2007 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing
standards.
Summary:
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. Jet aircraft operations are the primary
source of aviation noise, particularly during takeoffs and landings,
and people's perceptions of aviation noise, which vary from one
individual to another, can also influence communities' views on
aviation noise. As a result, even comparatively low levels of noise
exposure can create concerns in communities surrounding airports. More
stringent standards for aviation noise--imposed through legislation and
regulation and enabled by advances in technology--have, together with
the airlines' response to the economic downturn following the terrorist
attacks of September 11, 2001, led to the retirement or modification of
older, noisier jet aircraft and their replacement with new, quieter jet
aircraft. According to FAA, this change in the composition of the U.S.
commercial fleet has been the most important factor in decreasing noise
around airports. Local government decisions that allow communities to
expand near airports may, however, erode the reductions in noise
achieved through the introduction of quieter aircraft. FAA has issued
guidance that discourages incompatible land uses, such as residences,
schools, and hospitals, in areas with significant aviation noise, but
communities face strong development pressures, and research suggests
that federal land-use guidelines have had mixed results in deterring
residential development in these areas. Finally, aircraft flight paths
expose communities to aviation noise near airports, and changes in
those flight paths may reduce or eliminate noise exposure in some
communities and introduce or increase it in others. To date, FAA's
airspace redesign projects, which are intended to improve safety and
efficiency while reducing congestion and delays, have generally
involved changes in flight paths above 10,000 feet and have not greatly
affected community noise levels. A planned project in the New York/New
Jersey/Philadelphia area would, however, involve changes to flight
paths at lower levels and has led to expressions of concern from
communities that could experience higher noise levels.
A number of efforts are underway or planned to address the impact of
aviation noise on communities. First, more stringent noise standards,
which are significantly lower than the prior standards, are being
implemented as new aircraft are being designed, built, and integrated
into the U.S. commercial fleet. However, the implementation of these
new standards may not have a significant impact on aviation noise
levels because many aircraft in the current fleet met the new standards
before they were required, the new aircraft will be integrated into the
fleet over time, and increases in air traffic are likely to offset the
reductions in noise levels attributable to quieter aircraft. Second,
noise mitigation measures can reduce the impact of aviation noise on
communities. These measures, which are typically carried out by
airports and funded primarily through FAA's voluntary Part 150 Noise
Compatibility program, include soundproofing buildings, acquiring noise-
sensitive properties, and relocating people. Nearly 300 airports have
participated in the Part 150 program and have both received and raised
billions of dollars for mitigation measures. New FAA guidance, which is
scheduled for release at the end of 2007, and the proposed FAA
reauthorization legislation would respectively facilitate and expand
airports' noise mitigation options. Third, research has led to the
development of technologies that have reduced aviation noise, and this
research is continuing, although declines in federal funding may have
slowed the pace of government efforts. Both the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) and FAA have sponsored aviation noise
research, often in collaboration with industry or academia. Such
collaboration, for example, has contributed to the development of a
Boeing aircraft that is expected to produce 60 percent less noise than
its predecessor. Fourth, the planning for NextGen includes an
environmental focus because concerns about aviation noise and
emissions, which will grow with the expected increase in air traffic,
will constrain efforts to expand system capacity. New technologies are
being designed to control aircraft more precisely during approach and
descent, thereby enabling the use of procedures that will reduce
communities' exposure to aviation noise and emissions. Fifth, at an
airport's request, FAA can impose restrictions on the operation of
certain types of aircraft to reduce the impact of noise in surrounding
communities. Generally, however, airports and airlines negotiate such
restrictions without involving FAA. Finally, airports are using
additional studies of aviation activity, supplemental measures of the
effects of exposure to aviation noise, and community outreach and
education to respond to community concerns about aviation noise and
gain support for projects to increase airports' safety and efficiency.
Major challenges and next steps for reducing or mitigating the effects
of aviation noise include technological advances, substantial funding
from government and the aviation industry, and cooperation on land-use
issues. In the future, as in the past, technological advances through
research and development will be the key to reducing aviation noise,
but the timing of future advances is uncertain. Furthermore, additional
federal funding for noise reduction research and development programs
may be difficult to obtain without shifting funds from other federal
noise reduction efforts, such as the Part 150 program. For the
airlines, equipping new and existing aircraft with the NextGen
technologies that will reduce communities' exposure to aviation noise
will also be challenging. FAA estimates that the costs of equipping the
fleet to take full advantage of NextGen will be about $14 billion. Yet
even with quieter aircraft and quieter and more efficient NextGen
procedures, aviation noise will persist around airports, and
incompatible land uses will pose challenges for airports and FAA. State
and local officials can help to address these challenges through land-
use planning and regulations that limit incompatible development, and
FAA can complete and issue proposed guidance that will clarify the
options available for airports to dispose of adjacent land previously
purchased with federal grants to buffer surrounding communities from
aviation noise. The options, which would require passage of the pending
FAA reauthorization legislation, include selling the land and using the
sale proceeds for environmental projects. Cooperation on land-use
issues among officials at all levels of government and aviation
stakeholders will also be necessary to reduce or mitigate aviation
noise sufficiently to obtain public buy-in for the capacity enhancement
projects that are critical to a safe and efficient national air
transportation system.
We provided a draft of this testimony to FAA and NASA for review and
comment. The agencies generally agreed with the information presented
and provided technical clarifications that we incorporated as
appropriate.
Jet Aircraft Operations, Land Uses, and Aircraft Flight Paths Are Key
Factors That Affect Communities' Level of Noise Exposure:
Noise is one of the most significant environmental impacts of aviation.
Although noise is present around virtually every airport in the
country, the problem is greatest near busy commercial airports served
by large jet aircraft. According to FAA, the retirement of older,
louder aircraft and ground-based noise-mitigation efforts over the past
35 years have reduced by over 90 percent the number of people affected
by significant aviation noise levels--defined as a 65-decibel[Footnote
3] day night level (DNL 65 dB) or greater[Footnote 4]--despite
nationwide increases in population and air traffic. FAA's estimates
indicate that from 2000 to 2006 alone, the number of people affected by
these noise levels dropped by more than a third, from about 780,000 to
about 500,000. [Footnote 5] Nevertheless, these half million people are
still exposed to significant aviation noise levels, and as communities
expand near airports just outside the highly exposed areas and as air
traffic increases, millions more are affected by lower levels of
aviation noise. Changes in aircraft flight paths can also affect
communities' exposure to aviation noise, redirecting air traffic over
some communities that were not previously exposed and diverting it from
others.
Aircraft Operations Are the Major Source of Aviation Noise:
Both jet aircraft engines and jet airframes produce aviation noise
during aircraft operations, particularly during takeoffs and landings.
Moreover, certain types of aircraft contribute disproportionately to
the level of noise around airports. In our 2000 report on environmental
concerns and challenges for airports, we reported that the primary
issue of concern identified by officials of the nation's 50 busiest
airports was the noise generated by older jet aircraft. With the
implementation of technologies to reduce aircraft engine noise, efforts
to reduce noise from airframes will become more important.
As technologies for reducing aviation noise have advanced (see our
discussion of some of these advances in the next section of this
testimony), regulatory standards for jet aircraft noise have become
more stringent. The Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 authorized
the Secretary of Transportation to reduce aviation noise through a
program to phase out older, noisier aircraft - known as Stage 2
aircraft--by December 31, 1999. Aircraft owners could either retire
Stage 2 aircraft weighing over 75,000 pounds or modify them with
hushkits to sufficiently muffle the noise they generated to meet Stage
3 standards. FAA had adopted the Stage 3 standards in 1977, the year
they were established by the International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO), and all aircraft designed after that time were required to meet
the Stage 3 standards, but previously certified aircraft designs were
grandfathered until the 1990 act required that they be retired or
modified.[Footnote 6] However, the act exempted aircraft weighing less
than 75,000 pounds, a category that includes older business class jets.
Stage 2 aircraft that weigh less than 75,000 pounds and Stage 3
aircraft that have been recertified as such after being modified with
hushkits are in compliance with current standards, although these
aircraft tend to be louder than new aircraft in the same weight
range.[Footnote 7] Bills pending in both the House and the
Senate[Footnote 8] would require, with certain exceptions, that all
existing aircraft meet Stage 3 standards, including those aircraft
under 75,000 pounds that are currently exempted. In addition, in July
2005, FAA issued a Federal Aviation Regulation[Footnote 9] requiring
that all new jet aircraft designs be subject to the current, more
stringent ICAO noise standards, known as Stage 4. Specifically, any new
aircraft whose design was submitted to FAA for approval on or after
January 1, 2006, must meet these standards, which are based on the
Chapter 4 standards adopted by ICAO in 2001. The Stage 4 standards are
10 decibels lower on a cumulative basis[Footnote 10] than the Stage 3
standards and represent a significant reduction in noise.
Since 2001, substantial progress has been made in retiring older,
noisier aircraft. According to FAA, there has been a reduction of about
70 percent in the number of registered aircraft that have been modified
with hushkits--mainly Boeing 727s and DC-9s. Today, there are 498
registered hushkitted aircraft, which make up about 8 percent of the
U.S. commercial aircraft fleet. The replacement of these older aircraft
with new, quieter aircraft has been the most important factor in
decreasing noise around airports since the significant noise reductions
achieved through the phaseout of Stage 2 commercial aircraft, according
to FAA. Figure 1 indicates that the number of people exposed to
significant noise levels has decreased even as the number of people
flying has increased.
Figure 1: Trends in Aviation Noise Exposure and Enplanements:
This is a chart showing trends in aviation noise exposure and
enplanements. The number of people (in millions) is on the X axis, and
the Y axis is the year.
[See PDF for image]
Source: FAA.
[End of figure]
Incompatible Land Use Exposes Communities to Aviation Noise and Erodes
Gains in Noise Control Achieved through More Stringent Standards and
Advances in Technology:
Decisions that allow communities to expand near airports may expose
residences, schools, hospitals, and other uses to aviation noise. Such
decisions are made primarily by local governments, but airports, which
cannot control development in the communities that surround them, may
nevertheless be held accountable by these communities for the effects
of aviation noise. Although the areas around airports exposed to
significant noise levels (DNL 65 dB or greater), known as noise
contours (see fig. 2), have shrunk with the retirement of older
aircraft, the incompatible use of land around airports remains a
problem in dealing with the effects of aviation noise. Some
stakeholders have said that the gains that have been made in noise
attenuation through regulation and technology are being eroded or
threatened by incompatible land use.
Figure 2: Aerial Photo Overlaid with Color-shaded DNL Contours:
This is figure is an an aerial photo with color-shaded contours,
showing the level of volume emitted from aircraft.
[See PDF for image]
Source: Wyle Aviation Services.
[End of figure]
FAA set the DNL 65 dB standard that is used to measure noise contours.
This standard reflects the level of noise exposure over time that FAA
has determined annoys people by interfering with normal activities such
as sleep, relaxation, school, and business operations. FAA has also
issued guidelines that identify land uses that would not be compatible
with the noise generated by a nearby airport's operations, as well as
land uses that could successfully be located close to an airport
without interfering with their activity. Despite this guidance,
however, strong pressure exists to develop residential areas around
heavily used airports, and despite the steady decline in the number of
people exposed to significant noise levels (DNL 65 dB and above), large
numbers of people are still exposed to at least some noise around
airports. And for FAA, population increases in areas around airports
that are exposed to even moderate amounts of aviation noise pose a
challenge because, given individuals' varying sensitivity to noise,
even comparatively low levels of exposure can generate community
concerns. Population growth near airports also creates challenges for
airports when planning expansion projects to meet the growing demand
for air travel.
Any efforts to limit development have implications for the tax base of
local communities. As a result, as FAA noted in a 2004 report to
Congress on aviation and the environment,[Footnote 11] there is a
disconnect between federal aviation policy and local land-use decision-
making. Until recently, evidence about trends in land use incompatible
with airport activity was mostly anecdotal, but some empirical research
is now available. For example research sponsored by FAA and NASA shows
that for 92 commercial airports, between 1990 and 2000, "the
effectiveness of existing federal land-use guidelines on reducing total
noise exposure and deterring residential development inside the DNL 65
dB contours is mixed." Moreover, according to the research, "land-use
planning has done little to address the increasing population
aggregation on lands near existing noise footprints."[Footnote 12]
Furthermore, according to FAA, incompatible land use is emerging as a
problem around reliever airports, which predominantly service general
aviation traffic that would otherwise go to nearby busy airports. These
airports are located in quieter suburban and rural areas where aviation
noise is more noticeable. Local governments with jurisdiction over land-
use planning and development continue to permit building near airports,
where developable land is comparatively plentiful. As a result,
communities that did not exist when some airports were built are now
opposing increases in aircraft operations and expansion at these
airports.
Airspace Redesign Initiatives May Change Some Communities' Exposure to
Aviation Noise:
The air traffic environment for the nation's airspace was designed and
implemented in the 1960s and has undergone only minor changes over the
years. However, the use of the airspace has changed significantly, with
higher overall air traffic volumes and greater use of smaller and
regional jet aircraft. As discussed later in this statement, FAA's
airspace redesign initiatives have the potential to improve safety and
efficiency by allowing the use of new arrival and departure procedures
that can reduce the impact of noise and emissions on nearby
communities. At the same time, though, they have led to concerns about
aviation noise in some communities that were not previously exposed to
it.
Airspace redesign projects usually involve changes in aircraft arrival
and departure routes from airports. These changes may result in
exposing some communities to less noise and others to more noise. FAA
has completed over 30 airspace redesign projects, including projects
around major airports such as those serving Las Vegas, Dallas-Fort
Worth, Minneapolis, and Boston. According to FAA, between 2002 and
2007, airspace redesign projects have produced almost $700 million in
customer benefits from reduced delays, more efficient routing, and
reduced restrictions attributable to a more balanced air traffic
control workload.
Until recently, most airspace redesign projects have involved changes
in flight paths above 10,000 feet and have therefore not had a
significant impact on noise levels in communities near airports.
However, FAA has approved the most ambitious airspace redesign project
to date, which involves flight path changes in the New York/New Jersey/
Philadelphia airspace, including changes at levels below 10,000 feet.
According to FAA, this airspace is some of the most complex and
congested anywhere in the world, with about one third of the nation's
commercial air traffic passing through it. Delays and congestion in
this airspace or at area airports tend to ripple throughout the system.
Airspace redesign projects have the potential to alleviate some of
these problems at this critical chokepoint in the national airspace
system.
Because the airspace redesign for the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia
area will make changes to arrival and departure routes, the noise
contours in the area will also change, exposing some communities to
less noise and others to more. According to FAA's analysis of the
effect of the redesign, fewer people would be exposed to moderate to
significant noise levels than is currently the case, but some people
who live under the new flight paths would be exposed to higher though
moderate levels of noise. On the basis of this analysis, the
environmental impact statement prepared for the redesign project
concludes that the project will not have a significant environmental
impact with respect to noise. However, the possible shift in noise
contours has led to significant expressions of concern, including
litigation in many of the communities that could experience higher
though moderate levels of aviation noise. One of these communities,
which has a large minority population, contends that the redesign would
disproportionately affect minority neighborhoods. This contention could
raise concerns about environmental justice.[Footnote 13] We are
currently reviewing the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia airspace
redesign at the request of this Subcommittee.
A Number of Efforts Are Underway or Planned to Reduce the Impact of
Aviation Noise:
To reduce the impact of aviation noise, FAA, in conjunction with NASA,
aircraft and aircraft engine manufacturers, airlines, airports, and
communities, follows what the International Civil Aviation Organization
refers to as its "balanced approach." This approach recognizes that
short-term opportunities to mitigate the impact of aviation noise on
communities should be combined with longer-term efforts to reduce
aviation noise. Efforts include reducing noise at the source through
more stringent standards; implementing noise abatement programs in
communities near airports; supporting research and development programs
for new technologies to make aircraft quieter, developing and
implementing NextGen technologies and procedures, and restricting
aircraft operations . In addition, many airports address aviation noise
issues through studies, supplemental analyses, and community outreach.
Implementation of More Stringent Noise Standards May Not Noticeably
Reduce Current Noise Levels:
As aircraft whose design was approved on or after January 1, 2006, are
integrated into the fleet, the new Stage 4 noise standards will be
implemented. While these standards are more stringent than the prior
Stage 3 standards and have been adopted internationally as well as
domestically, their implementation may not have a significant impact on
aviation noise levels. According to the Airports Council International-
North America, which represents many of the nation's airports and other
stakeholders, the Stage 4 standards were already being met by a
significant proportion of the aircraft in production when ICAO adopted
its identical Chapter 4 standards in 2001. Additionally, aircraft
manufacturers' sales forecasts indicate that most of the new aircraft
coming into service in the near future will be for the international
market rather than for the U.S. market.
During the discussions leading up to the adoption of the ICAO Chapter 4
standards, the European Union argued that more stringent noise limits
would push technology toward quieter aircraft. However, under the
current ICAO system, a key criterion for the adoption of new standards
is that they must be found to be "technologically feasible"--that is,
demonstrably capable of being introduced across a sufficient range of
the fleet, as shown by the commercial deployment or deployability of
technologies that can meet the specified noise reductions.[Footnote 14]
Aviation industry representatives indicated that they considered the
ICAO process rational for several reasons, including "not pushing the
technology envelope," which could lead to a potential trade-off with
aircraft performance. Additionally, industry representatives have
stated that new product development programs are already complex and
pose many business and schedule risks. As a result, they believe it is
inadvisable to force more aggressive standards because they could lead
to delays in new programs. More recently, ICAO has formed independent
review committees under its Long Term Technology Goals initiatives to
begin discussions with stakeholders on technologies that might be
available 10 to 20 years from now. These committees are not charged
with developing standards, but rather with involving stakeholders in
these early discussions and preparing a report based on these efforts
that is designed to stimulate further development of the most promising
technologies and better inform ICAO when new standards may need to be
considered.
Noise Mitigation Programs Have Reduced Adverse Noise Effects, and
Proposed Guidance and Proposed Legislation Would Support Further Noise
Mitigation Efforts:
Most airports are owned and operated by state governments and local
municipalities. Therefore, the primary responsibility for addressing
community concerns about noise resides with these entities.
Nevertheless, airports can reduce the impact of noise on surrounding
communities by undertaking measures to mitigate incompatible land use,
such as acquiring noise-sensitive properties, relocating people,
modifying structures to reduce noise, encouraging compatible zoning,
and assisting in the sale of affected properties.
FAA supports airports' efforts to mitigate aviation noise through its
voluntary noise compatibility program, known as the Part 150 Noise
Compatibility Program, which provides guidance to airports on the types
of land uses that are incompatible with certain levels of airport noise
and encourages them to develop a noise compatibility program to reduce
and prevent such uses. As part of the process, airports map the area
affected by the noise and estimate the affected population. According
to FAA, mitigation measures, such as soundproofing homes, have brought
relief to tens of thousands of people in neighborhoods near long-
established airports since the early 1980s.
Airports that participate in the Part 150 program can receive noise set-
aside funds from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP),[Footnote 15]
which they must match to varying degrees, depending on their
size.[Footnote 16] According to FAA, nearly 300 airports have
participated in the program. These funds can be used to, among other
things, soundproof buildings and support relocation by acquiring homes
in areas with significant noise. Thirty five percent of AIP
discretionary funds are reserved for planning and implementing noise
compatibility programs. In fiscal year 2006, FAA issued 90 noise-
related AIP grants totaling $305 million.
Since the early 1980s, the federal government has issued grants or
allowed airports to impose charges to mitigate noise around many
airports. According to FAA, it has provided about $5 billion in AIP
grants and airports have used about $2.8 billion in passenger
facilities charges (PFC)[Footnote 17] for Part 150 noise mitigation
studies and projects. In total, this funding amounts to nearly $8
billion (see table 1). FAA officials further noted that while the vast
majority of airport noise mitigation projects use some AIP or PFC
funding, airports may undertake projects with other financing.[Footnote
18]
Table 1: AIP and PFC Investments for Noise-Related Purposes through
Fiscal Year 2007:
Dollars in millions.
AIP funds, fiscal years 1982-2007: Mitigation measures for residences;
Funding: $1,903.
AIP funds, fiscal years 1982-2007: Land acquisition;
Funding: $2,170.
AIP funds, fiscal years 1982-2007: Noise monitoring system;
Funding: $170.
AIP funds, fiscal years 1982-2007: Mitigation measures for public
buildings;
Funding: $703.
AIP funds, fiscal years 1982-2007: Noise compatibility plan;
Funding: $87.
Total AIP funds;
Funding: $5,033.
PFC funds, fiscal years 1992-2007: Multiphase;
Funding: $1,283.
PFC funds, fiscal years 1992-2007: Land acquisition;
Funding: $481.
PFC funds, fiscal years 1992-2007: Soundproofing;
Funding: $1,018.
PFC funds, fiscal years 1992-2007: Monitoring;
Funding: $31.
PFC funds, fiscal years 1992-2007: Planning;
Funding: $15.
Total PFC funds;
Funding: $2,828.
Grand total;
Funding: $7,861.
Source: FAA.
[End of table]
Although all airports are eligible to participate in the Part 150
program, some of the busiest commercial airports do not. Among these
are New York's JFK International and La Guardia, Newark International,
Houston's George Bush Intercontinental, Dallas-Fort Worth
International, Boston-Logan International, Dulles International, O'Hare
International, and Miami International (see app. I for a list of those
airports among the 50 busiest that do not participate in the Part 150
program). According to FAA, some airports have chosen not to
participate in the Part 150 program for a variety of reasons. Some
airport operators view the program as too complicated, costly, and
difficult to implement. FAA officials note that some larger airports
that have chosen not to participate in the program may have such a
significant number of incompatible land uses that it would be
financially prohibitive to implement mitigation measures in all areas
significantly affected by noise and that the projects that were
undertaken could take decades to complete. In addition, in some cases,
neighborhoods are so clustered together that mitigation measures would
have to be applied to a substantial number of homes outside significant
noise contours in order to establish equitable neighborhood boundaries.
FAA officials further note that an airport's nonparticipation in the
Part 150 program does not mean that the airport does not have an
airport noise mitigation program. For example, Boston Logan Airport has
a noise program that predates the Part 150 program and qualifies for
federal noise mitigation funding under the program through a
grandfathering provision. Airports can also use AIP discretionary grant
and PFC funds for noise mitigation without joining the Part 150
program. In addition, some soundproofing of schools and healthcare
facilities is eligible for federal funding even if an airport does not
participate in the Part 150 program.[Footnote 19]
Besides providing funding for airports' noise mitigation efforts
through the Part 150 program, FAA published draft guidance in June 2007
on the acquisition, management and disposal under AIP of noise land--
that is, land that is exposed to significant noise levels. The guidance
initiative was in part a response to the findings of an audit by the
Department of Transportation Inspector General of 11 airports that
disposed of land acquired for noise mitigation purposes.[Footnote 20]
The audit found that each of the 11 airports had noise land acquired
with AIP funds, ranging from nominal acreage at several airports to
hundreds of acres at others, that either was no longer required for
noise compatibility purposes or did not have a documented need for
airport development. The Inspector General concluded that with improved
oversight of noise land and its disposal, FAA could recover an
estimated $242 million for the Airport and Airways Trust Fund, which
provides most of the funding for aviation programs, or for other
airport noise mitigation projects.[Footnote 21] This finding was
particularly important in light of the constrained resources that are
available for all aviation programs. The final FAA guidance, which is
scheduled for issuance by the end of calendar year 2007, explains the
current options for reinvesting or transferring the proceeds from the
sale of noise land acquired under AIP, giving preference to investment
in airport noise compatibility projects. Provisions in the
House[Footnote 22] and Senate[Footnote 23] reauthorization proposals
would authorize these options. These provisions have the potential to
help airports further mitigate the adverse effects of the incompatible
land uses around airports and could provide additional resources for
noise mitigation and other AIP-eligible investments.
The House reauthorization bill (H.R. 2881) also contains other
provisions that, if enacted, could enhance FAA's and airports' efforts
to mitigate the impact of noise on communities. Section 503 would allow
FAA to accept funds from airport sponsors[Footnote 24] to conduct
special environmental studies to support approved noise compatibility
measures for federally funded airport projects. In addition, Section
504 would allow FAA to accept funds, including AIP grants and PFC
funds, from a sponsor in order to hire staff or obtain services to
provide environmental reviews for new flight procedures that have been
approved for airport noise compatibility purposes. Finally, Section 507
would authorize a new pilot program to allow FAA to fund six
environmental mitigation demonstration projects at public-use airports
to take previously laboratory-tested environmental research concepts
into the airport environment in order to determine if they can
measurably reduce or mitigate the environmental impacts of aviation
noise or emissions.
Past Research Has Significantly Advanced Noise Reduction Technologies,
and Efforts Are Continuing, though Federal Funding Has Declined:
Research and development of technologies for reducing aviation noise
has led to advancements that have significantly reduced the amount of
noise produced by aircraft, and this research continues, although
further advancements will be challenging. NASA, FAA, academic
institutions, and the aircraft and manufacturing industry are all
involved in research and development projects aimed at reducing
aviation noise and its impacts.
Collaboration with Industry and Others Has Advanced Research on
Aviation Noise:
NASA, in partnership with the aircraft and aircraft engine
manufacturing industry, has contributed to a number of advancements in
aircraft engine and airframe technology that have substantially reduced
the amount of noise produced by aircraft and may lead to further
reductions in the future, depending on the extent to which current
research leads to noise-reducing aircraft engine and airframe designs.
For example, through partnerships with industry, NASA has conducted
research on engine noise reduction technologies that have significantly
reduced aviation noise. Research on the use of composites has also
enabled reductions in the weight of aircraft, which affects the amount
of noise the airframe produces. As a result of these and other
advancements, the newest aircraft currently in production will produce
substantially less noise than the models they will replace. For
example, Boeing estimates that the 787 aircraft will produce 60 percent
less noise than the 767 and the noise from the 747-800 will be 30
percent less than the 747-400 it is replacing. Similarly, Airbus says
that its new A-380 jumbo jet will produce 46 percent less noise than
the 747-400. However, industry representatives have indicated that
returns are diminishing from these types of improvements.
FAA conducts a significant amount of its research on aviation noise
issues, much of it through the Partnership for Air Transportation Noise
and Emission Reduction (PARTNER), the Department of Transportation's
Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, and other entities.
PARTNER is a Center of Excellence that brings together experts from
government, academia, and industry.[Footnote 25] Sponsored by FAA, NASA
and Transport Canada,[Footnote 26] PARTNER includes 11 collaborating
universities and approximately 50 advisory board members who represent
aerospace manufacturers, airlines, airports, state and local
governments, and professional and community groups. The collaborating
universities and organizations represented on the advisory board
provide equal matches for federal funds for research and other
activities. PARTNER projects related to aviation noise involve testing
alternative descent patterns; identifying a means to reduce aircraft
landing noise, fuel consumption, and emissions; assessing the human
health and welfare risks of aviation noise; and developing online
resources to better inform the public about aviation noise issues.
According to FAA, in the last 10 years, it has spent about $42 million
on research to characterize noise and improve prediction methods,
including developing a capability to determine the trade-offs between
noise and emissions and quantifying the costs and benefits of various
mitigation strategies.
Federal Funding for Aviation Noise Research Has Declined:
Federal funding for aviation noise research has declined over the past
decade, particularly for NASA, which provides most of the federal
funding for aeronautics research. NASA's budget for aeronautics
research has dropped by about half over the past decade and is about
$717 million for fiscal year 2007.[Footnote 27] Partly to address this
overall funding reduction, NASA has reorganized its aeronautical
research portfolio to focus on what it calls "fundamental" research--a
relatively early stage in the research and development process that is
less costly than the later stages.[Footnote 28] According to FAA, the
combination of a dramatic decrease in NASA's funding and the
reorganization of its aeronautical research portfolio to focus on
fundamental research has left a gap in the near-and mid-term applied
research and development that could produce technological solutions
within the NextGen time frame.
According to FAA, most of the federal funding available for mitigating
aviation noise is targeted to sound insulation projects for buildings
around airports and relocation or acquisition programs. In a 2002
report on reducing the environmental impacts of aviation, the National
Research Council's Committee on Aeronautics Research and Technology for
Environmental Compatibility noted that the vast majority of federal
expenditures on aviation noise are allocated to noise abatement at
individual airports rather than to research on quieter aircraft and
engines, which would ultimately reduce aviation noise nationally and
internationally. The report concluded that the funding for federal
research programs was too low to remove noise as an impediment to the
growth of aviation--a conclusion that FAA reiterated in its 2004 report
to Congress on aviation and the environment. An analysis prepared by
the Aerospace Industries Association[Footnote 29] indicates that NASA's
aeronautics budget, which includes funding for noise reduction
research, has been declining in constant dollars since the mid-1990s
(see fig. 3).
Figure 3: NASA Aeronautics Funding, Fiscal Years 1994-2007:
This is a line graph showing NASA aeronautics funding between the
fiscal years of 1994 and 2007.
[See PDF for image]
Source: Aerospace Industries Association.
[End of figure]
Legislative Proposals Would Increase Funding for Noise Reduction
Technologies, and More Efficient Targeting Can Maximize Research
Resources:
FAA officials told us that both the Senate and the House
reauthorization proposals for FAA include several provisions for
funding programs that the authorizers believe will be critical to
address the research gap. For example, the CLEEN[Footnote 30] Engine
and Airframe Technology Partnership would create a program for the
development, maturation, and certification of engine and airframe
technologies for aircraft over the next 10 years to reduce aviation
noise and emissions. FAA said that the program is intended to provide
some short-term advancement while NASA focuses on longer-term research
on noise and emissions.
NASA officials told us the agency has become more effective in
targeting its research resources to areas that have the most potential
for success. In particular, these officials cited work on significant
noise-reducing technologies that could be implemented in aircraft and
engine designs as early as 2015, depending on whether manufacturers
take over responsibility for integrating the new technologies into
production-ready aircraft. NASA has set goals for developing
technologies that could reduce what is known as effective perceived
noise (EPN) by 42 EPN dB[Footnote 31] below Stage 3 standards and that
could be implemented in the next generation of aircraft,[Footnote 32]
which NASA refers to as N+1, by 2015 (N is the current generation of
advanced twin-engine aircraft). For the longer term (2020), NASA is
focusing on the development of tools and technologies that can be used
in the design of advanced hybrid wing body aircraft (N+2) and that
would achieve even greater noise reductions, in the range of 52 EPN dB
below Stage 3 standards.[Footnote 33] According to NASA, both of these
research efforts are also aimed at reducing emissions and fuel burn,
which in combination with noise reductions would help mitigate the
environmental effects of future increases in air traffic. NASA
officials stress that because NASA's research ends at a relatively
early stage of development, aircraft and engine manufacturers would
need to take over responsibility for integrating the noise reduction
improvements into aircraft and engine designs, and their assumption of
this responsibility is not guaranteed. NASA and others in the
aeronautics research community are working on similar advanced designs,
such as the "silent aircraft" concept that involves researchers from
Cambridge University in Great Britain and the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (see fig. 4).
Figure 4: Concept Design for the Silent Aircraft:
This figure is a combination of two illustrations showing the concept
design for silent aircraft.
[See PDF for image]
Source: Cambridge-MIT Institute.
[End of figure]
Planning for NextGen Includes an Environmental Focus, and Technologies
and Procedures Are Being Developed to Reduce Noise as well as Improve
Efficiency:
Part of the planning for NextGen includes reducing the environmental
impact of aviation because concerns about aviation noise and emissions,
which will increase with the expected growth in air traffic, are strong
constraints on system capacity. A preliminary JPDO[Footnote 34]
analysis shows that noise and emissions could increase between 140 and
200 percent over the next 20 years as a result of increased flights,
which would become a significant constraint on planned capacity
improvements.
Technologies and procedures that are being developed as part of NextGen
to improve the efficiency of flight operations are also expected to
help reduce the impact of noise. One such technology, considered a
centerpiece of the NextGen system, is the Automatic Dependent
Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) satellite aircraft navigational system.
ADS-B is designed, along with other navigation technologies, to provide
for more precise control of aircraft during approach and descent. This
improved control will facilitate the use of various air traffic control
procedures that will reduce communities' exposure to aviation noise and
emissions. For example, the Continuous Descent Arrivals (CDA) procedure
(see fig. 5) is expected to allow aircraft to remain at cruise
altitudes longer as they approach destination airports, use lower power
levels, and thereby lower noise and emissions during landings. Under
current landing procedures, aircraft make step-down approaches that
alternate short descents and forward thrusts, which produce more noise
than a continuous descent. The PARTNER Center of Excellence has
designed and flight-tested a nighttime CDA procedure for the Louisville
International Airport, which United Parcel Service plans to begin using
for its hub operations in the near future. [Footnote 35]
Figure 5: Comparison of CDA and Current Step-Down Approach:
This is a line chart with illustration to show the comparison of the
CDA and current step-down approach.
[See PDF for image]
Source: Naverus and AVTECH; and Art Explosion (clip art).
Note: Continuous Descent Arrivals keep aircraft higher longer and then
have them descend at near-idle power to touchdown. Optimal profiles are
not always possible, especially at busy airports.
[End of figure]
Similarly, Area Navigation/Required Navigation Performance (RNP)
procedures[Footnote 36] will permit aircraft to descend on a precise
route that will allow them to avoid populated areas. FAA notes,
however, that the new procedures will not always be usable when traffic
is heavy at busy airports (see fig. 6).
Figure 6: Comparison of RNP and Current Step-down Approach:
This is a line chart with illustration to show the comparison of the
RNP and current step-down approach.
[See PDF for image]
Source: Naverus and AVTECH; Art Explosion (clip art).
Note: An RNP approach path allows for idle-thrust, continuous descent
instead of today's step-down approaches with vectors. RNP precision and
curved-approach flexibility can shift flight paths to avoid populated
areas.
[End of figure]
Airport Restrictions on Aircraft Operations Offer Limited Relief from
Aviation Noise:
Airports can seek restrictions on the operations of certain types of
aircraft to reduce the impact of noise on surrounding communities. FAA
implements a national program for reviewing airport noise and access
restrictions, known as Part 161. Through this program, FAA reviews
airports' requests to limit the operations of louder aircraft.
According to FAA, the Part 161 process has rarely been used since 2000.
Only a few airports have drafted Part 161 studies to support requests
for restrictions, and only one--Naples Airport in Florida--has fully
completed the Part 161 process. Los Angeles International Airport and
Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California, have indicated to FAA that
they will be submitting Part 161 studies to FAA to restrict the
operations of certain aircraft that meet the Stage 3 noise standards.
FAA's approval will be required for the restrictions these airports are
seeking. Because the Part 161 process demands that airports submit
studies showing, among other things, the benefits of restricting
aircraft operations, airport operators generally choose to negotiate
informal agreements with airlines rather than seek mandatory
restrictions. Airports have also imposed curfews on aircraft operations
in order to reduce the impact of noise in the early morning and late
evening. For example, at Reagan National Airport and San Diego
International Airport, louder aircraft are not allowed to land or take
off in the late evening and early morning.
Airports Are Using Additional Studies, Supplemental Noise Metrics, and
Community Outreach to Address Community Concerns about Aviation Noise:
According to FAA, communities are increasingly aware of efforts to plan
for and mitigate aviation noise, and complaints about noise are coming
increasingly from outside the DNL contours, along with demands for
action to address noise in areas outside significant noise contours.
Some community groups and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
have questioned whether the DNL standard adequately captures the impact
of noise on people. FAA officials note that the Federal Interagency
Committee on Aviation Noise[Footnote 37] supports the use of the DNL
measure and that the use of the metric to measure noise near airports
has been upheld in court decisions. However, a number of airports have
undertaken additional measures, such as special noise studies, to
respond to community concerns about aviation noise.
According to some noise experts, the typical airport noise study
presents results only in terms of DNL contours on a background map, but
very rarely quantifies noise exposure with DNL or any other metric at
specified geographic locations in the study area. While DNL contours
are used effectively to establish land-use guidelines and define noise
mitigation program boundaries, they do not provide residents with
practical information about the aviation noise they will experience in
their homes. By contrast, the special noise studies not only enable
residents to locate their homes on a map that is overlaid with DNL
contours, but they also indicate how often airplanes fly overhead, at
what time of day flights occur, or how those flights may interfere with
activities such as sleeping, speaking, or watching television.
According to the experts we spoke with, the public has responded very
positively to receiving this detailed information about noise exposure.
With growing complaints about noise from outside the DNL contours,
airports are also contracting for analyses based on alternative noise
metrics to supplement the DNL noise analysis. Although the Federal
Interagency Committee on Noise[Footnote 38] in 1992 recommended
continuing the use of the DNL noise metric as the principal means of
describing airport noise exposure, it also recommended supplementing
this description with noise analyses based on alternative metrics.
According to a leading engineering firm that specializes in performing
noise analyses, two supplemental metrics are thought to define exposure
in ways that the general public can understand more readily than the
DNL metric. One of these metrics, the Number Above--which counts how
many times noise exceeds a selected threshold level in a given time
period--has emerged as the most useful supplemental metric, while
another metric, Time Above--the total time that noise exceeds the
threshold during the time period--is also being used with increasing
frequency. According to FAA officials, FAA supports the use of
supplemental metrics, noting that they may be useful in evaluating some
specific noise impacts, such as interference with speech, sleep, and
learning (see fig. 7).
Figure 7: Levels of Noise Associated with Various Activities:
This figure is a chart with illustrations showing levels of noise
associated with various activities.
[See PDF for image]
Source: FAA, Art Explosion, and Corel Draw.
[End of figure]
Besides additional studies and supplemental noise metrics, airports are
using community outreach and education to address some of the impacts
of aviation noise. Representatives of airports and local governments we
spoke with emphasized that effective community outreach programs are
essential for addressing noise issues that arise when airports are
planning to expand or change their operations. One of these
representatives noted that early and continuous open communication
between the airport, local governments, and the affected communities is
a key to gaining support for projects to increase airport capacity.
They pointed out that airports should have ongoing efforts to seek
stakeholder involvement on airport-related issues and not wait until
potential noise problems arise, such as when airport expansion projects
are being planned. For example, the San Francisco International Airport
has been bringing community representatives and aviation officials
together since 1981 to discuss and attempt to resolve airport-related
issues through the San Francisco Roundtable--a voluntary body created
by the airport that includes representatives from 45 Bay Area
jurisdictions, FAA officials, airline advisers, air traffic managers,
and the airport director. In addition, according to a San Francisco
International Airport official, the airport reaches out to the
community through its Managed Noise Mitigation program, which
encourages communities affected by airport noise to determine their
noise mitigation priorities and manage their distribution of noise
mitigation funds in accordance with their priorities. Other airports
have also made community outreach an important component of their
efforts to deal with the impacts of aviation noise. For instance,
Chicago established the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission in 1996
to begin constructive dialogue on aircraft noise issues with the 40
communities surrounding O'Hare International Airport. The commission's
community outreach efforts include a Web site on aircraft noise issues;
a community outreach vehicle that travels to schools, libraries, and
community events and provides aircraft noise and noise-monitoring
demonstrations; and a quarterly newsletter that highlights the work of
the commission and its work to reduce noise at O'Hare.
To support airports' community outreach efforts, the Transportation
Research Board (TRB) is undertaking a project that is intended to
result in guidance for airports on best practices in community
outreach. According to TRB, the project will identify the jurisdictions
with authority over various aspects of aviation noise and the obstacles
to airport operations and development that can occur because of
surrounding communities' negative perceptions about local aviation
noise. The study will result in a guidebook about local aviation noise
that will allow airport decision makers to manage expectations related
to aviation noise within the community. The study also includes
alternative ways to communicate noise issues and suggests other
improvements that can help ease concerns about aviation noise issues.
Reducing the Impact of Aviation Noise Poses Challenges Involving
Technology, Funding, and Cooperation on Land-use Issues:
Reducing aviation noise requires technological advances, substantial
funding from government and the aviation industry, and cooperation
among stakeholders and communities on land-use issues. Fulfilling these
requirements will be challenging because the pace of improvement in
existing technologies may have slowed, government and industry
resources are constrained, and land use involves strong competing
interests. While most of these challenges will take years to fully
address, steps can be taken now to help mitigate the impact of noise on
communities and reduce the constraints that noise can have on
transforming the air traffic system.
Technological Advances through Research and Development Are Key to
Future Aviation Noise Reduction:
The first challenge will be to continue reducing the amount of noise
from aircraft engines and airframes. NASA's, FAA's, and manufacturers'
past research and development efforts have led to advances that have
significantly lowered aviation noise, but the timing of the next leaps
in technologies is uncertain. While NASA is conducting work on
technologies that it believes could, with industry support, lead to
significant noise reductions by 2015, FAA and aircraft industry
representatives maintain that, for some time, reductions in aircraft
noise are likely to be incremental. In addition, it may be
technologically challenging to improve the environment by reducing
aviation noise without adversely affecting the environment in other
ways. As we reported in 2003,[Footnote 39] designing aircraft engines
to minimize noise could increase fuel burn, which would release more
carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Providing Funding for Research and Development and for Equipping the
Fleet with NextGen Technologies Poses Challenges for Government and
Industry:
Funding noise reduction research and development programs poses a
challenge for federal agencies. Given the federal government's long-
term structural fiscal imbalance, additional funding for such programs
may not be available without shifting funds from other aviation noise
reduction efforts, such as programs to mitigate the impact of noise on
communities. Currently, most of the federal funding for reducing
aviation noise goes to soundproofing programs. Although funding for
noise mitigation programs may not generate the highest return on
investments, reducing such funding could make it more difficult to
obtain community approval of airport expansion projects necessary to
increase system safety and efficiency. Provisions in the Senate and
House reauthorizations bills such as the CLEEN proposal could help to
address the challenges in this area, and industry funding will continue
to play an important role.
Implementing new noise reduction technologies, whether by integrating
new, quieter aircraft into the fleet or by retrofitting aircraft, poses
financial challenges for the aviation industry. Aircraft have an
average lifespan of about 30 years, and it can take almost that entire
period for airlines to pay for an aircraft. The current fleet is, on
average, about half as many years old--11 years for wide-body aircraft
and 14 years for narrow-body aircraft--and is therefore expected to be
in operation for many years to come. Additionally, the financial
pressures facing many airlines make it difficult for them to upgrade
their fleets with new, quieter aircraft. Currently, for example, U.S.
carriers have placed a small proportion of the over 700 orders (40, or
less than 6 percent) that Boeing officials say the company has received
for its new state-of-the-art 787. These financial pressures also have
implications for airlines' ability to equip new and existing aircraft
with NextGen technologies such as ADS-B that can enable more efficient,
quieter approaches and descents. FAA estimates that it will cost the
industry about $14 billion to equip aircraft to take full advantage of
NextGen. Congress and FAA may want to consider how to incentivize the
airlines to train their pilots and to equip and retrofit the fleet with
the technologies necessary to operate in NextGen as soon as possible.
Managing Land Use for Compatibility with the Airport Environment
Requires Cooperation among Stakeholders and Communities:
Even with the introduction of quieter aircraft and the implementation
of NextGen technologies and procedures that will enable quieter
aircraft approaches and landings, there will still be some noise around
airports. Additionally, these reductions in aviation noise are likely
to be eroded by the public's increasing awareness of and sensitivity to
even moderate amounts of aviation noise and to predicted increases in
the number of aircraft flying overhead. Hence, incompatible land use
will continue to present obstacles to airport expansion projects.
However, since most airports are owned and managed by state or local
authorities, it is incumbent upon those authorities to work in good
faith with FAA to minimize incompatible land use in their jurisdictions
(see fig. 8).
Figure 8: Residential Exposure to Aviation Noise:
This figure is a combination of two photos showing residences with
aircraft flying overhead.
[See PDF for image]
Source: Nova Development (clip art).
[End of figure]
State and local authorities can take action, through land-use planning
and development, zoning, and housing regulation, to limit the use of
land near airports to purposes compatible with airport operations.
State and local governments could require, for example, that
appropriate notice of airport noise exposure be provided to purchasers
of real estate and to prospective residents near airports to ensure
awareness of aviation noise issues. In addition, FAA can make it easier
for airports to dispose of AIP noise land by completing and issuing its
draft guidance on this process. Passing the related provisions in the
Senate and House FAA reauthorization bills will also be important
steps.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, this concludes
my prepared statement. I will be glad to answer any questions that you
may have at this time.
Contact and Acknowledgments:
For further information on this testimony, please contact Dr. Gerald L.
Dillingham at (202) 512-2834 or dillinghamg@gao.gov. Individuals making
key contributions to this testimony include Ed Laughlin, Lauren
Calhoun, Bess Eisenstadt, Jim Geibel, David Hooper, Rosa Leung, Maureen
Luna-Long, Josh Ormond, Jena Sinkfield, and Larry Thomas.
[End of section]
Appendix I: U.S. Airports That Are among the Nation's 50 Busiest and Do
Not Have a Part 150 Noise Mitigation Program:
Table: U.S. Airports That Are among the Nation's 50 Busiest and Do Not
Have a Part 150 Noise Mitigation Program:
Airport: Boston-Logan International.
Airport: Chicago-O'Hare International.
Airport: Dallas-Fort Worth International.
Airport: Dallas Love Field.
Airport: Denver International.
Airport: Gillespie Field (San Diego, CA).
Airport: Houston-David Wayne Hooks.
Airport: Houston-George Bush Intercontinental.
Airport: John F. Kennedy International (New York, NY).
Airport: John Wayne-Orange County.
Airport: Miami International.
Airport: Newark International.
Airport: New York La Guardia.
Airport: Phoenix Deer Valley.
Airport: Phoenix Mesa Gateway.
Airport: Van Nuys (Van Nuys, CA).
Airport: Washington Dulles International.
Source: FAA.
[End of table]
[End of section]
Related GAO Products:
Airport Finance: Observations on Planned Airport Development Costs and
Funding Levels and the Administration's Proposed Changes in the Airport
Improvement Program. GAO-07-885. Washington, D.C.: June 29, 2007.
Reagan National Airport: Update on Capacity to Handle Additional
Flights and Impact on Other Area Airports. GAO-07-352. Washington,
D.C.: February 28, 2007.
Aviation and the Environment: Strategic Framework Needed to Address
Challenges Posed by Aircraft Emissions. GAO-03-252. Washington, D.C.:
February, 28, 2003.
Aviation Infrastructure: Challenges Related to Building Runways and
Actions to Address Them. GAO-03-164. Washington, D.C.: January 30,
2003.
Aviation and the Environment: Airport Operations and Future Growth
Present Environmental Challenges. GAO/RCED-00-153, Washington, D.C.:
August 30, 2000.
Aviation and the Environment: Results from a Survey of the Nation's 50
Busiest Commercial Service Airports. GAO/RCED-00-222. Washington, D.C.:
August 30, 2000.
Aviation and the Environment: FAA's Role in Major Airport Noise
Programs. GAO/RCED-00-98. Washington, D.C.: April 28, 2000.
Reagan National Airport: Limited Opportunities to Improve Airlines'
Compliance with Noise Abatement Procedures. GAO/RCED-00-74. Washington,
D.C.: June 29, 2000.
[End of section]
Footnotes:
[1] H.R. 2881 and S. 1300.
[2] See GAO, Aviation and the Environment: Airport Operations and
Future Growth Present Environmental Challenges, GAO/RCED-00-153
(Washington, D.C; Aug. 30, 2000). For this report GAO surveyed
officials from the nation's 50 busiest commercial service airports to
obtain their views on the key environmental concerns and challenges
affecting airports' operations and future growth and to identify the
efforts under way to address these concerns.
[3] A decibel is a unit for expressing the relative intensity of sounds
on a scale from zero for the average least perceptible sound to 130 for
the average pain level.
[4] The impact of aviation noise is usually analyzed in terms of the
extent to which this noise annoys people by interfering with their
normal activities, such as sleep, relaxation, speech, television
viewing, and school and business operations. The generally accepted
model for assessing the effects of long-term noise exposure assigns
additional weight to sounds occurring at night (between 10:00 p.m. and
7:00 a.m.), and when those sound levels exceed 65 decibels, individuals
report a noticeable increase in annoyance.
[5] These estimates reflect a revision in FAA's method of estimating
the number of people exposed to significant aircraft noise. FAA
previously estimated that the number of people exposed to significant
noise in 2000 was about 500,000.
[6] ICAO is an advisory organization affiliated with the United Nations
that aims to promote the establishment of international civil aviation
standards and recommended practices and procedures. FAA is the U.S.
representative to ICAO.
[7] Some older business class jets that do not meet Stage 3 standards
are still in service. According to the Airports Council International-
North America, these louder business jets pose a noise problem at some
smaller airports.
[8] H.R. 2881 and S. 1300.
[9] 14 CFR Parts 36 and 91.
[10] Under the Stage 4 standards, none of an aircraft's maximum noise
levels at takeoff, flyover, and approach can exceed Stage 3 noise
levels. Compliance with the standards is determined by subtracting an
aircraft's maximum takeoff, flyover, and approach levels from the
maximum permitted noise levels. The differences obtained are the noise
limit margins, which are added together to determine what is termed the
effective perceived noise (EPN). When the three margins are added
together, the total must be 10 EPN dB or greater; and when any two of
the margins are added together, the sum must be 2 EPN dB or greater.
[11] FAA, Aviation and the Environment: A National Vision Statement,
Framework for Goals and Recommended Actions (Washington, D.C.: December
2004).
[12] Timothy F. LeDoux, Airports and Their Cities: The Effectiveness of
Mitigating Noise Exposure through Land Use Planning, 1990-2000, Wyle
Research Report WR 07-23, October 2007.
[13] Environmental justice generally refers to efforts to identify and
address the disproportionately high and adverse human health and
environmental impacts on minority and low income populations. In 1994,
President Clinton issued an executive order requiring all federal
agencies to make environmental justice a priority. In accordance with
the executive order, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued an
Order on Environmental Justice upholding principles laid out in the
National Environmental Policy Act and other federal statutes that
ensure the social, economic and environmental welfare of low-income and
minority communities, as well as their involvement in the environmental
and transportation decision-making processes.
[14] The other criteria for adopting new standards are that they must
provide environmental benefits, be economically reasonable, and take
the potential interrelationships between noise and emissions into
account.
[15] The AIP program provides federal funds for development projects at
the entire range of the nation's 3,400 airports - from small general
aviation airports to the very largest airports that handle several
million passengers per year.
[16] According to FAA, noise projects are eligible for 80 percent
funding under AIP for large-and medium-hub airports and 95 percent
funding at small, nonhub, general aviation, and reliever airports.
[17] Passenger facility charges are fees airports can charge passengers
to fund FAA-approved projects. Not all airports charge these fees.
[18] According to FAA, noise projects are 100 percent eligible under
PFC and airports can use PFC funds for the required match for AIP
funding.
[19] 49 U.S.C. 47504 c (2) (D).
[20] U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the Inspector
General, Audit of the Management of Land under Airport Noise
Compatibility Programs (Washington, D.C.: Sept. 30, 2005).
[21] Under current law, an airport that disposes of noise land acquired
with AIP grant funds is required either to return a proportional amount
of the sale proceeds to the Trust Fund or to reinvest that amount in a
noise compatibility project at the airport.
[22] FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007, House of Representatives Report
110-331, 110th Congress 1st Session, Section 132, pg. 9, September 17,
2007.
[23] Aviation Investment and Modernization Act of 2007, U.S. Senate,
110th Congress 1st Session, Section 203, pg. 30, May, 2007.
[24] An airport sponsor is the entity that owns the airport. For
example, the City of Los Angeles is the sponsor for Los Angeles
International Airport.
[25] FAA Centers of Excellence are FAA partnerships with universities
and affiliated industry associations and businesses throughout the
country that conduct aviation research in a number of areas including
advanced materials, aircraft noise and emissions, and airworthiness.
[26] Transport Canada is the department within the government of Canada
that is responsible for developing policies, regulations and services
for the Canadian transportation system.
[27] According to NASA, about $58 million this budget goes toward
noise- related research for subsonic fixed-wing aircraft.
[28] According to NASA. fundamental research includes(1) foundational
research, which is the lowest level of the research pyramid on which
advanced noise reduction technologies can be built; (2) discipline-
level fundamental research, which includes the development of noise
prediction methods that can be used to understand the potential for
noise reduction of various concepts; (3) multidiscipline-level
fundamental research, which includes studying the trade-offs between
noise, emissions, and performance that must be understood in order the
determine the performance characteristics of a new aircraft; and (4)
system-level fundamental research, which includes explaining research
issues when noise reduction technologies are integrated into a new
aircraft and can include major wind tunnel tests.
[29] The Aerospace Industries Association represents the nation's
leading manufacturers and suppliers of civil, military, and business
aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, space systems,
aircraft engines, missiles, material, and related components,
equipment, services, and information technology.
[30] CLEEN stands for continuous lower energy, emissions and noise.
[31] See footnote 10.
[32] The reductions would occur in aircraft that would replace such
current aircraft as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. Reductions would be
different for larger aircraft and regional jets.
[33] The noise reductions NASA predicts would be achieved through the
technologies it is researching would be achieved if noise reduction is
the only goal. However, when other factors are considered, such as the
need to reduce pollutants like nitrogen oxides, the noise reductions
may be lower.
[34] As noted, JPDO is the interagency office housed within FAA that is
responsible for planning NextGen and coordinating the transition to
this new system. A JPDO task team is responsible for researching,
developing, implementing, and maintaining an environmental protection
strategy for NextGen.
[35] See John-Paul Clarke, et al., Partnership for Air Transportation
and Emissions Reduction Development, Design, and Flight Test Evaluation
of a Continuous Descent Approach Procedure for Nighttime Operation at
Louisville International Airport (Cambridge, MA: Jan. 9, 2006).
[36] Area Navigation/Required Navigation Performance procedures provide
enhanced navigational capability to the pilot. Area Navigation
equipment can compute the airplane's position, actual track, and ground
speed, and then provide meaningful information relative to the route of
flight selected by the pilot. A critical component of Required
Navigation Performance is the ability of the navigation system to
monitor the aircraft navigation system to monitor its achieved
navigation performance and to identify for the pilot if an operational
requirement is or is not being met during an operation.
[37] The Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise serves as a
forum for debate over future research needs to better understand,
predict, and control the effects of aviation noise, and to encourage
new technical developments in these areas. Federal agencies represented
on the committee include the Departments of Defense, Housing and Urban
Development, the Interior, and Transportation; the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency; and NASA.
[38] The Federal Interagency Committee on Noise was the predecessor of
the Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise.
[39] See GAO, Aviation and the Environment: Strategic Framework Needed
to Address Challenges Posed by Aircraft Emissions, GAO-03-252
(Washington, D.C.: Feb. 28, 2003)
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