Grant to fund JFK airplane noise study airplane noise study

The federal Department of Transportation will provide $3.1 million for a study that is intended to better evaluate noise impacts to the communities surrounding John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced the funding on Aug. 12, and voiced their support for the airport’s “noise compatibility plan study,” also known as the Part 150 study.

“The Part 150 study will finally evaluate the best ways to address noise impacts in communities surrounding JFK airport in both Queens and Nassau,” said a statement from Schumer. “I am pleased that the Department of Transportation has invested millions in this study, and I am urging the Port Authority to expedite its completion so that our long-sought relief of airplane noise is provided as soon as possible.”

The study is part of a program that provides a structured approach to facilitate cooperation between airport operators, airlines, pilots, neighboring communities and the FAA to reduce the impact of airplane noise on residents, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

“The Department of Transportation funding would not only assist the Port Authority’s evaluation of the problem,” Gillibrand said in a statement, “but actively involve the community through public hearings and addressing public concerns.”

The Part 150 study has two phases: the mapping of areas around the airport based on noise exposure that would identify compatible and non-compatible land uses, and the identification of mitigation efforts that would form a noise compatibility program. Those could include changing operational procedures like take-offs and landings, routing flight paths over less noise-sensitive areas or providing sound insulation for homes, schools and other buildings near the airport.

Airports that conduct Part 150 studies and develop noise compatibility programs are eligible for federal funds for noise mitigation.