White Plains CitizeNetReporter - Aircraft Noise Levels Reduced at HPN

WPCNR WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From County Department of Communications. September 23, 2002: Noise levels in the communities of Harrison, Rye Brook and North Castle, surrounding the Westchester County Airport, have gone down significantly, according to a study commissioned by the county that was released today.

The study, by TAMS Consultants Inc., of New York City and Harris Miller Miller & Hanson Inc. of Burlington, Mass., looked at existing sources of noise at the airport and helped identify future sources based on aircraft operations at the 700-acre airport in Harrison, Rye Brook and North Castle. The $78,000 study was commissioned in early 2000. The last such study was done in the mid 1980s.

“It’s good to see that our hard work is paying off,’’ said County Executive Andy Spano. “In 1999, this administration instituted a “Good Neighbor Policy” to reduce noise and other pollution affecting communities surrounding the airport. We have worked with commercial carriers and charter fliers to educate them on the importance of abiding by our voluntary curfew, and we are making progress.’’

Transportation Commissioner Larry Salley said, “This study clearly demonstrates that noise impacts generated by aircraft operations at the County Airport have been significantly reduced since 1988, and will continue to decline through 2005. This is another example of the County Executive’s initiatives to implement his Airport “Good Neighbor Policy.”

The report said quieter aircraft, reduction in the use of certain runways and changes in aircraft approaches have helped to reduce noise levels significantly since 1988, when the last study was done. According to the study, Day/Night Noise Levels were lower in areas surrounding the airport. The Day/Night Noise level is a formula which takes into consideration that noise is more disturbing at night than during the day.

This is the measurement that is recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration as the most accurate way to quantify how aircraft noise affects surrounding communities.

The study looked at Day Night Sound Levels in 1988, 1999 and gave projections for 2005. What it found was that noise did not travel as far outside the airport in 1999 as it did in 1988.

The Numbers

A breakdown of the Day Night Sound levels showed that: • In 1988, the area around the airport in which airport sounds reached 60 decibels was about 9.39 square miles. That shrunk to 4.16 sq mi by 1999 and is expected to shrink to 3.62 square miles by 2005. As of 1999, about 477 households with 1,431 people were within the 60-decibel range.

• 65-decibel sounds reached 3.44 sq mi. outside the airport in 1988, but only 1.78 sq mi in 1999 and are expected to reach only 1.50 sq mi by 2005. As of 1999, about 268 households with 804 people were within the 65-decibel range.

• The 70-decibel range shrunk from 1.58 sq mi. in 1988 to 0.74 sq mi in 1999. It is estimated to shrink to 0.66 sq mi. by 2005. About 262 households with 786 individuals were within that range.

• The 75-decibel range shrunk from 0.71 sq mi in 1988 to 0.34 sq mi in 1999 and is expected to shrink again to 0.32 sq mi by 2005. There are no homes within that area.


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