Update: August 9, 2020
RESPONSES TO TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS
The South San Fernando Valley Noise Task Force sent final recommendations on May 14 to the FAA after convening for 7 months, with presentations by SOEQS and other major groups in support of immediate relief from day and night flight procedures at VNY and BUR airports. The Task Force had passed nearly every recommendation that we had advocated for, most unanimously or within one vote. Read the Recommendations here.
The Task Force also requested responses from various entities regarding specific recommendations within their purview. These are the responses thus far:
FAA Response
Read the FAA’s first interim letter here.
On June 11, in a first interim response, Regional Administrator of the FAA, sent a letter to the Task Force stating that the FAA will not be able to complete the feasibility determinations for all recommendations within the 60 days requested by the Task Force but will provide periodic, written updates about its progress and "which recommendations can be potentially implemented in the short and long terms, as well as those not feasible to implement." SOEQS sent a joint letter with Home Owners of Encino (HOME) to reiterate the importance of the recommendations concerning immediate relief for our communities in the spirit of the Task Force recommendations, stressing the double-standard of not immediately returning to historical flight paths when it was done in 2017 for a lesser safety issue than our communities have now, with hundreds of flights traversing the high elevations and fire hazard zone of the foothills and Santa Monica Mountains.
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Response
Read LAWA’s letter here.
On July 21, the CEO of LAWA (operators of VNY) responded to the Task Force recommendations, stating that it will "press the FAA on matters pertaining to the recommendations affecting VNY and the PPRRY waypoint...and continue to communicate with the FAA on the importance of developing and implementing a solution as quickly as possible." We appreciate that LAWA went on to say that "PPRRY waypoint issue is the number one priority for addressing noise concerns." SOEQS sent a joint letter with Studio City for Quiet Skies and Uproar LA to reiterate the prioritization of immediate and long-term recommendations for both VNY and BUR airports, along with our positions on other referenced recommendations concerning noise studies and mitigation.
Congressional Reps Response
Read Congressional Reps’ letter here.
On July 27, U.S. Representatives Brad Sherman, Adam Schiff and Ted Lieu, who were non-voting members of the Task Force, responded to the recommendations, stating that residents "continue to face highly disruptive noise from flights" and that they would continue to work to help "achieve meaningful relief for residents of the San Fernando Valley who have experienced excessive airplane noise for too long." A few of the actions they are taking or have taken include:
Legislation for MANDATORY nighttime curfews at both VNY and BUR airports.
Requested an independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) review of whether the FAA's criteria for determining "significant" changes in noise levels sufficiently capture potential negative impacts, since the FAA initially had found that new routes over the foothills and Santa Monica Mountains "would not result in significant noise impacts" contradicting what we have been subject to.
Support request for documents from the FAA related to NextGen, Southern California Metroplex, and other documents.