The Politics of Noise

By Jorge Casuso

The neighbors of Santa Monica Airport who listened patiently to a detailed presentation didn't need all the charts and graphs and technical jargon to know that jet noise around their homes has become unbearable.

And they also didn't need to be told that there was little they could do to fight federal regulations that favor the convenience of pilots over their quality of life.

But all the evidence failed to dissuade the three dozen neighbors from, yet again, airing their frustrations at the Airport Commission meeting Monday night and calling for more frequent fines of pilots who exceed the noise threshold.

"You people have no idea of the amount of noise that occurs," said Tom Vinetz, a Venice resident. "If these people know there is zero tolerance for noise violations at this airport, then there would be a change."

"You're taking flexibility and making it look like lace flying in the wind," said Catherine Greenebaum. "I can't talk to someone when I'm walking my dog. There's no excuse for that."

The Annual Noise Report released at the meeting showed that jet activity had increased by 2,049 operations since 1998, in part due to a robust economy and new technology that enables jets to operate within the Airport's Noise Ordinance. The 9,608 jet operations in 1999 accounted for 4.17 percent of the 230,230 total operations.

During 1999, there were 449 noise violations, down from 493 recorded the previous year, according to the report. Jet aircraft comprised the majority of the violations.

Neighbors, however, argued that the violations - recorded when aircraft exceed 95.0 dBA -- only accounted for those incidents captured on the Remote Monitoring Stations 1,500 feet from each end of the runway. Violations closer to their homes, they argued, went unrecorded.

"These reports are meaningless," said Todd Jaquith. "All these people have been telling you with their state of the art monitors (their ears) it's too loud, it's too loud. I understand the restrictions you're under, but it's at the breaking point."

Airport officials told the neighbors that the city is currently working on an Airport Master Plan Update that will address some of the noise issues, but they added that the commission needs to base its decisions on studies and evidence.

The Master Plan Update, said Jeff Mathieu, who is in charge of the airport for the city, "is part of a longer, more comprehensive, more holistic approach" to the problem.

"No other airport does this," Mathieu said. "The magnitude of the problem has grown by leaps and bounds."

City officials and their consultant, Vince Mestre, reiterated that federal regulations make it difficult, if not impossible, to control jet traffic at the airport. A 1990 law that sets guidelines for airport use was meant for large airports, Mestre said.

"This is legislation that that the aviation industry fought for," said Mestre, of Mestre Greve Associates. "They saw it as preempting more stringent rules, but they were looking at larger airports. You're in a minority."

But Mestre added that other communities around the nation's smaller airports are mounting campaigns to change the federal regulations.

"What we're seeing now is that community groups are setting the initiative," Mestre said. "We're seeing tremendous pressure."

Before the meeting, the neighbors met with a representative of U.S. Congressman Henry Waxman, who represents much of the area around the airport.

"We don't know what to do," said Sandra Schieldje, who lives in West Los Angeles near the airport. "We're here squawking every month and feeling helpless. The quality of life is gone. We have to do something. Is there hope?"

Lisa Ellman of the congressman's office assured neighbors that they had an ear in the nation's capitol.

"We've been involved, but it hadn't really come to the head that it's coming to now," Ellman said. "We're in it for the long run because this is a long run situation."