OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2020

Floor Speech

Date: June 24, 2019
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Transportation

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Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to share the frustrations of many of my constituents who are suffering from severe noise pollution caused by the FAA's NextGen program which has altered flight paths to Reagan National Airport. Montgomery County, Maryland, residents who live as much as 20 miles away from the airport have experienced a 300 to 500 percent increase in air traffic over their homes. These flight path changes have significantly disrupted life below with relentless noise pollution.

As 400 flights per day cross over Bethesda at low altitudes, many of my constituents are woken up in the middle of the night, others are interrupted and distracted at work by the onslaught of noise, and there are children complaining that they cannot hear their teachers speak over the noise occasionally caused by commercial jets flying over their schools.

After more than 3 years of incessant disturbance of their peace and quiet, my constituents were stunned last month when the FAA announced that it would implement yet another change to flight paths at Reagan National Airport that would lead to even more air traffic over our communities. The FAA casually announced the change slated for an August 2019 implementation date at a meeting with the Community Noise Working Group that works with FAA to address the problem of noise pollution at Reagan National Airport. Given the substantial consequences of this change and the complete lack of public input in its development, I urge the FAA to delay the implementation date and to engage seriously with our Community Noise Working Group, which is eager to evaluate the proposed changes and work towards alternative proposals or strategies to avert or at least mitigate the impact.

It is my hope, Mr. Chairman, that with the $17.7 billion that this bill appropriates to the FAA, the agency will take serious steps toward dramatically reducing the noise pollution in residential areas in my district, in Montgomery, and throughout the Nation.

Thank you, Chairman Price, for your indulgence.

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