Quigley, Schakowsky Announce Noise Mitigation Funding for Residences Near O'Hare

Statement

Today, U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05), a leader of the Quiet Skies Caucus, and Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) announced a Department of Transportation (DOT) grant for $6.5 million for noise mitigation measures for residences within the 65 DNL in the Park Ridge and Norwood Park areas.

"We applaud today's announcement by the Department of Transportation for increased funds for our residents around O'Hare Airport," said the members. "We have been calling for increased noise mitigation and are pleased that the federal government is taking steps to provide some relief. We will continue working with the CDA and FAA to help mitigate and distribute the noise while maintaining O'Hare as an economic engine in Chicago and Illinois."

O'Hare International Airport became a part of Illinois' Fifth Congressional District in January 2013. Since then, Rep. Quigley has met continuously with neighborhood organizations and aviation officials to discuss solutions to increased noise pollution resulting from the O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP). Most recently, Rep. Quigley joined other members of the Quiet Skies Caucus in a letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with recommendations for the FAA 2015 Reauthorization Act that would help address the harmful impacts of aircraft noise on communities across the country. In May, he secured language in the FY16 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) funding bill mandating the FAA develop short and long-term measures to mitigate excessive airplane noise experienced by local communities around O'Hare International Airport. In a March hearing of Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Subcommittee, Rep. Quigley pressed FAA Administrator Huerta on the need to lower the 65 DNL metric in the long term but insisted that the FAA work with the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) to provide immediate short term solutions for the communities affected by the O'Hare Modernization Program. In November, Rep. Quigley, along with Reps. Duckworth and Schakowsky, urged CDA to improve the O'Hare noise complaint process by creating a dedicated O'Hare noise complaint line, manned by personnel versed on the noise issue to begin to get a truly accurate count of constituent complaints. He also pushed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct new public hearings and issue a new environmental impact study (EIS) of the OMP in response to questions raised over the hearing process and noise levels that exceeded expectations. He also repeatedly called on the FAA to change the outdated noise metric that could allow more homeowners and businesses to qualify for soundproofing programs. In Congress, Rep. Quigley helped create the Quiet Skies Caucus and introduced the Silent Skies Act to help combat aircraft noise on a national level.

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