Gillen Requests Meeting with New FAA Administrator to Discuss Harms of Aviation Noise on Long Island
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Laura Gillen (NY-04), a Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, sent a letter to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford requesting a meeting to address the serious impact of aviation noise on residents of New York’s Fourth Congressional District. Communities across Nassau County’s South Shore face persistent levels of noise pollution affecting families in neighborhoods directly under major flight paths in and out of John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, two of the nation's busiest airports.
As a Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Rep. Gillen has been vocal about the need for the FAA to implement new technologies and procedures to improve its efforts to reduce aviation noise.
The full letter can be found HERE and below:
Dear Administrator Bedford:
Congratulations on your confirmation as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As a member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, I look forward to working with you to improve our airspace. I respectfully request a meeting with you to discuss the impact of aviation noise on residents in the Fourth Congressional District of New York, and specific actions that the FAA can take to reduce noise and address these concerns.
The Fourth Congressional district is located near two of the busiest airports in the world: John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport. Residents in several communities in the flight paths of these airports are exposed to unacceptable noise pollution. According to local officials, flights over these communities are sometimes as frequent as every 90 seconds. In fact, complaints about airplane noise have nearly doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels. Exposure to significant levels of noise pollution not only harms residents’ quality of life, but it can also have a significant impact on their health and wellbeing, including disrupting their sleep, harming children’s focus and outcomes, and can even be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Congress recently passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which directed the FAA to take several actions to mitigate the effects of aviation noise, including the implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System Initiative (NextGen) programs. Unfortunately, the FAA has so far failed to meet the statutory deadlines for NextGen programs, leaving my constituents and other Americans who live in communities near airports vulnerable.
The FAA must outline immediate steps to improve its efforts to reduce aviation noise, including bringing NextGen back on track and continuing to work with Congress to develop a comprehensive aviation noise strategy. I would be glad to work with you to ensure that Congress provides the necessary resources to crack down on this nuisance and keep our skies quiet. Thank you for your attention to this matter and I look forward to your prompt reply.
Regards,
Laura A. Gillen
Member of Congress
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