Congress Passes Waters' Bill to Reduce Aircraft Noise in Inglewood Schools

Press Release

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) announced the successful passage today of legislation that she and Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-CA) introduced to provide funding for noise mitigation projects at schools in Inglewood and Lennox where students and teachers have complained of disruptive noise from airplanes arriving at and departing from nearby Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The legislation passed by the House of Representatives today permits Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) to use airport passenger facility fees to fund $118.5 million for noise mitigation projects in the Inglewood School District over 10 years and $111 million for the Lennox School District.

Congresswoman Waters whose district includes Inglewood and Congresswoman Harman who represents Lennox introduced H.R. 1708 and worked to gain support in the House to pass the legislation. The Senate had passed S. 996, a companion bill championed by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), earlier this year.

"The passage of this legislation is an important victory for our schoolchildren in Inglewood and Lennox," said Congresswoman Waters. "The school districts are ready to begin construction on new facilities and now they will have the funding they need to build permanent, soundproof facilities as well as help soundproof existing schools. Inglewood students will benefit from studying in a quiet and calm environment instead of classrooms with deafening noise and rattling windows."

The legislation was drafted with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration and had the support of LAWA, the Inglewood and Lennox School Districts and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

"I commend Senators Feinstein and Boxer for their work on this legislation, and I thank Congresswoman Harman for her tireless efforts to improve California communities," Congresswoman Waters added.

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