By Bruce McPherson
Saving our Skies
New flight paths implemented by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last March have dramatically – and negatively – affected the quality of life for thousands of Santa Cruz County residents, shattering the mountain quiet and turning the skies into a highway of noise.
Called “Next Gen,” the new flight paths are part of a nationwide restructuring of airspace with a goal of improving the efficiency of a “metroplex” of airports by optimizing aircraft arrival and departure procedures at a number of airports, including San Francisco International, Oakland International, Sacramento International, and San Jose Mineta International Airports.
An environmental assessment of the project indicated that there would be no noise issues associated with the new paths. Wow, was that wrong.
Given the thousands of complaints that I and other Supervisors and elected officials have received, the Board of Supervisors requested to meet with FAA officials. With the assistance of Congressman Sam Farr and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, a meeting was held last Friday. Supervisor John Leopold, Mayor Dennis Norton of Capitola, and Mayor Dene Bustichi of Scotts Valley, along with members of the Save Our Skies advocacy group, were present.
I chose not to attend the meeting for several reasons. First, I disagreed with the FAA requirement that the meeting be closed to the public. Also, I was well represented by my staff who attended the meeting.
The FAA was represented by four officials, including the two who are the key influencers in addressing how the impacts may be mitigated: Glen Martin, the Western Regional Director, and Elizabeth Ray, Vice President, Mission Support Services, Air Traffic Organization, from Washington D.C.
Thanks to the very well organized advocacy group Save Our Skies, the FAA officials received detailed technical information regarding the negative impacts being experienced by residents and heard suggestions regarding possible solutions.
The simplified, non-technical request we made to the FAA is basically this: that they spread the flight path and raise the altitude that jets are flying.
The FAA representatives made it clear that they would not consider returning to the previous path that worked for more than 40 years. Given that, we asked that they consider raising the altitudes of the flight paths, reducing air braking, and fanning the paths over a wider range. We also asked that they work with local government agencies and community groups to fully understand and mitigate the noise impacts of the new flight path routes and that they commit to one or more public meetings within the next few months.
The FAA representatives graciously acknowledged the severity of the impacts and said that intend to investigate feasible mitigations. They also said that any adjustments to the new flight paths must be technically tested before implementation, which takes a minimum of six months.
In the near term, they agreed to investigate violations regarding flight altitudes, noise associated with jet braking, and other so-called Class B airspace regulations that could be addressed in a much shorter timeframe. Most importantly, they indicated their full support for conducting one or more public meetings in the near future.
My office will continue to work closely with Congressman Farr, Congresswoman Eshoo, and Senator Feinstein to ensure that the FAA responds to the requests made by our coalition of local officials. We will also stay in contact with Save Our Skies and the Santa Cruz County constituents who are affected daily by the new flight paths.
I am very hopeful that these steps, and our next steps, will help resolve the noisy issue that has impacted the quality of life for many in our community.