Aviation Conspiracy Newsletter #23------------------------------------------August 8, 1999
How The Noise Control Act Of 1972 Was Stopped
The History Behind The
Elimination Of The EPA's Noise Control Function:In 1981 an office in the EPA that dealt
with noise pollution had its funding removed. The purpose of this
was to destroy the enforcement of the Noise Control Act of 1972
by removing the funding for the EPA's Office of Noise Abatement
and Control (ONAC) that was supposed to implement it. Is this
legal? Strangely, according to a Noise Pollution Clearinghouse
(NPC) website, (read below or to website: http://www.nonoise.org/library/shapiro/shapiro.htm#IC1 ) it was the EPA which told Congress to remove the
funding!!! Talk about conspiracy! Editors Note: I have
problems with NPC's conclusions and sometimes NPC itself, but I
think this website is very informative.
Van Nuys Airport Offers To
Soundproof Homes-But Neighbors Must Sign Waiver Not To Sue: As airports do not have to worry about the EPA
enforcing any noise level standards under the Noise Control Act,
the only thing they have to worry about are lawsuits from
outraged local communities. One tactic for eliminating this is by
offering "soundproofing" waviers. Read story below or
go to website:
The
Government's Committee On Aircraft Noise: Isn't it strange that the government has stopped
funding for the EPA's noise office yet creates a
"committee" of different agencies to study aircraft
noise? See this strange "government" organization's
website at: http://www.fican.org/ . I did a search for "noise" on The
Center for Disease Control's (a FICON member) website and found
661 references, none on aircraft noise.
Chinese
Sit-In Protests New, Giant Chek Lap Kok Airport: A flight path should be rerouted and a law
drafted against aircraft noise to end the "nightmare"
of more than one million people, a group of protesters urged last
night. See story below.
***********************************************************************************
News Stories
Van Nuys
Airport Offers To Soundproof Homes-But Neighbors Must Sign Waiver
Not To Sue:
VAN NUYS, Calif.
Posted 5:15 p.m.
August 1, 1999 -- If you live near Van Nuys Airport and can't stand the noise, instead of moving to a different area, the airport has a new solution for you - free soundproofing.
The soundproofing, including double-paned windows and attic insulation, will be paid for by the Los Angeles World Airports.
But those who accept these funds will have to sign an agreement not to sue the airport over noise unless the noise increases, reported The Daily News.
"Our effort is to reduce the noise to about 45 decibels, which is very quiet for listening to TV and conversations, and we will do whatever is required in the home to achieve that," Nancy Niles, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles World Airports Residential Soundproofing Bureau, told the newspaper.
Los Angeles World Airports has allocated $15 million for the project, which is expected to cost $20,000 to $25,000 for each of about 150 houses and $15,000 each for about 900 apartments.
But not everyone thinks this is the ideal solution. Don Schultz, president of the Van Nuys Homeowners Association, told the newspaper that residents should think twice before giving up their legal rights.
"People should look and see what they're trading off and if it's worthwhile," Schultz said.
Letters to residents eligible for the modifications will be mailed in early September, but improvements may not begin until next summer.
http://www.scmp.com/News/HongKong/Article/FullText_asp_ArticleID-19990802011025633.asp
Monday, August 2, 1999
Aircraft noise law urged in
China
ANTOINE SO
A flight path should be rerouted and a law drafted against
aircraft noise to end the "nightmare" of more than one
million people, a group of protesters urged last night.
More than 20 residents from Tsuen Wan held a silent sit-in at Sea Crest Villa in Sham Tseng as Chek Lap Kok's second runway prepares for full operation.
The runway opened for restricted use on May 26.
Protest organiser Albert Chan Wai-yip said that although the Civil Aviation Department had restricted aircraft from flying near the Tsuen Wan coastline after midnight, this measure lacked long-term guarantees.
The restriction forces flights to fly in and out through the Ma Wan Channel.
"The administrative measure may have to be dropped and the old course [along the Tsuen Wan coast] be adopted again because this is not a permanent system," Mr Chan said.
He said one million residents in Sha Tin, Kwai Chung, Tsing Yi and Tsuen Wan had been "living in a nightmare" since the opening of the new airport and the second runway would only increase noise.
He proposed that a law against aircraft noise pollution be introduced as a long-term solution.
Mr Chan cited overseas examples such as in California, where a law regulating acceptable flight noise in different districts had been in place for more than 10 years.
"Why can't we have the same initiative?" he asked.
The Civil Aviation Department has said environmental impact studies showed that the flight noise was acceptable.
last update 24 Oct 1999
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