Commentary: Newport Beach should drop Metroplex lawsuit and find new solutions to airport noise

As I sat on my patio on a recent summer morning at 6:45, I thought about how lucky I am to live in Newport Beach.

Then at 7 a.m., the morning quiet was interrupted by a roar that 7,000 residents directly under the flight path of John Wayne Airport hear each day. It came from the first 10 airplanes passing over less than one minute apart. Several years ago the planes stopped using the power reduction procedure over the residential areas. This has caused more noise for everyone.

The most significant change is that all planes seem to be in one lane in the sky with little variance. In the past planes were scattered as far as a mile apart. The new Federal Aviation Administration’s Metroplex project narrows the departure pattern to essentially one lane in the sky, guided by new GPS navigation technology. This is great for air traffic safety but bad for people suffering from noise and pollution under the planes.

What I realized is that our elected officials have failed to recognize one of the most important quality of life issues that impacts some 10% of Newport residents — noise and pollution stemming from being directly under the JWA flight pattern.

We have all worked hard to minimize the impact of noise and pollution on Dover Shores and Eastbluff by having planes fly over the Back Bay. We have placed noise monitors, created and extended the JWA agreement and curfew, and held the airlines to flight restrictions. For that I am grateful to the FAA and our community groups, residents and elected officials.

But after reading a recent study on the impact of airplane noise on humans, my concerns are amplified as I plan to live out my life here. Some community groups directly under the departure pattern have been working to deal with this elephant in the room that all have missed for the last 20-plus years. The Metroplex project is now a permanent reminder that without focus on the thousands of Newport residents impacted, we will never get any relief from the health effects of airplane noise and pollution.

Last year, the city of Newport Beach entered into litigation with the FAA over the environmental study for Metroplex. At the same time community groups were working with the FAA to address the concerns of those residents who live directly under the flight pattern after the planes pass over the Back Bay.

The FAA, in a meeting, stated that it could split the departure pattern after the Back Bay pass for relief. Though because of litigation initiated by the city of Newport Beach, consideration of this option will not be possible.

We have a great City Council which has the best interest of the city as its primary concern. Some of the members were elected after the city filed the litigation against the FAA. I am writing this letter to inform the community and to ask the Newport Beach City Council to end its litigation against the FAA and work with all parties toward the best possible solution for the residents of Newport Beach. All productive dialogue with the FAA came to a halt as a result of the litigation.

The best plan would be for the flights to take off from JWA and go over the Back Bay as they currently depart, then split into a north and south pattern. This option reduces environment impact on residents by 50% without moving the planes into neighborhoods currently with no noise, pollution impacts or danger of crash. Those of us with the almost 200 flights passing over us would only experience the direct impact of 100 flights, which is a significant improvement.

I was in a meeting with community leaders and the FAA told us that a split departure is a possible option. The existing target point in the ocean would be moved and a new point established at a minimal cost to the FAA. Without this, we have no chance to improve the current unendurable situation.

Our city leaders need to end the expensive litigation and enter into a dialogue with the FAA. All of our community leaders need to recognize there is a problem and a solution.

LEE PEARL lives in Newport Beach.