More Planes Won’t Mean More ‘Significant’ Noise

* Contrary to “Airport’s Neighbors Blast Expansion Plan” (July 28), the supplement to the Burbank Airport Replacement Terminal Environmental Impact Report did not state that the terminal project would have no adverse effects.

The supplement, like the 1992 EIR, identified several areas of significant environmental impact as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act. Mitigation measures for these impacts were also identified.

The primary area of public debate is whether aircraft noise will increase because of a new terminal and whether such an increase will be “significant” as defined by state government.

Yes, there will be more planes and indeed more noise. But even if it is assumed all increases in air carrier and commuter flights after a new terminal is built are due solely to the new terminal the analysis shows residential areas around the airport would not experience a “significant” increase in noise exposure, as defined by federal and state standards.

The potential impact that could result if some or all of the increases in flights could be attributed to the new terminal are what the Superior Court ordered the Airport Authority to look at when it sent the report back to us for further analysis. We have tried our best to perform that task, and it will be up to the court to tell us whether we succeeded.

BRIAN B. BOWMAN

Bowman is president of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority.