Huntington Beach workshop will address aircraft noise

Community members are invited to attend a workshop at the Senior Center in Huntington Beach Wednesday to learn about efforts to provide some relief for residents who say jet noise has damaged their quality of life.

The 12-member Air Traffic Noise Working Group, which includes council members Patrick Brenden and Barbara Delgleize, will share potential political, legislative and legal paths to address increased airplane noise in the community.

Huntington Beach residents have complained about noise since the Federal Aviation Administration implemented flight path alterations in 2017.

The changes are part of the FAA’s Southern California Metroplex project covering the region’s airports, including Long Beach and John Wayne. The agency said the changes would shore up inefficiencies, save fuel and reduce carbon emissions and flight delays.

Group members have held meetings with residents and city officials to discuss potential solutions to air traffic noise since the panel’s creation in January. The group is also tasked with establishing a working relationship with federal aviation and local airport officials and assessing opportunities for lawsuits.

The group has made some progress.

In April Mayor Mike Posey asked county and federal representatives to address aviation noise related to the FAA’s regional air traffic system, describing Huntington as an “epicenter” for “heavily concentrated new landing and flyover patterns.”

That same month Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) asked JetBlue to retrofit some of its planes to help minimize noise.

JetBlue spokesman Philip Stewart confirmed the airline received and is reviewing the letter.

Rohrabacher also proposed four amendments to the FAA’s annual reauthorization bill that he said would ease aircraft noise in Orange County. The amendments failed on a 375-37 vote in the House of Representatives.

Other House amendments calling on the federal government to take steps to reduce the noise and health effects of commercial air traffic passed.

Wednesday’s meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Parkside Room at 18041 Goldenwest St. For information, call (714) 536-5202 or email antonia.graham@surfcity-hb.org.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella