From QChron.com:
Air noise monitor data finds sound levels often exceed regulatory limit
State Sens. Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Flushing) and Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach) joined Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing), quiet skies advocate Susan Carroll and others on Monday to urge the Federal Aviation Administration to lower the day-night average sound level — the amount of airplane noise — from 65 to 55 decibels.
“We all supported the Part 150 study which demonstrates the effect of airplane noise in Queens and the results are startling,” Stavisky said, referring to the Port Authority’s evaluation of airplane noise from LaGuardia and JFK airports. The average DNL on 39th Avenue in Flushing for last year, she added, was 68.5 — 3.5 points higher than the FAA’s threshold, which the agency has had since the 1970s.
“Sixty-five DNL is a 1970s kind of a level and certainly our airplane noise has changed since the 1970s,” Addabbo, whose district is affected by airplane noise from both LaGuardia and JFK, said. “So, changing it from 65 to 55 will certainly benefit many of our constituents, many of our residents, certainly here and in the southern part near JFK.” He signed a letter drafted by Stavisky to U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer (D-New York) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York), calling for the noise threshold’s lowering.
Quiet skies advocates have long been urging that the DNL be lowered to 55, which is the threshold standard of the World Health Organization, Harvard School of Medicine and Environmental Protection Agency. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing), Schumer and Gillibrand have introduced legislation in both chambers of Congress to transfer oversight of airplane noise to the EPA. Earlier this week, the environmental agency announced that it would regulate pollution from airplanes [see separate story in most editions or at qchron.com].
Stavisky also discussed data from a noise monitor installed on the building that the press conference was held in front of, 138-10 Franklin Ave. The device was installed along with others in Queens because Meng, who could not attend the event because of the Democratic National Convention, urged the Port Authority to do so. On 32 days throughout March and May, airplane noise went above 65 DNL.
“People have to close the windows or stop the conversations whenever this airplane goes by and sometimes you get scared because it looks like airplane is flying right into your window,” said Koo.
Since the FAA began regularly using the TNNIS Climb flight path — which was previously used on rare occasions such as the U.S. Open to reroute the flight paths that fly over Flushing Meadows Corona Park — in 2012, Flushing has borne large amounts of airplane noise.
“Day and night, every day, every minute, we are all being exposed to hazardous levels of both airplane noise and pollution,” Carroll, a resident of the neighborhood, said. “We are all part of a community here and it is time that the airports remember that.”
Living near airplane noise has been linked to health issues such as increased risk of cardiovascular disease and exercising less.
“The Federal Aviation Administration supports the reduction of aircraft noise where feasible in cooperation with the aviation community,” FAA spokesman Jim Peters said in an emailed statement to the Chronicle.
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