Airport Panel OKs Noise Measures

The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority gave the go-ahead Monday to a 15-year, $139-million program to mitigate the effects of aircraft noise on areas surrounding the facility.

If approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, most of the funds--about $130 million--will help pay to insulate 3,100 homes and eight schools in Burbank, North Hollywood and Sun Valley, said Airport Authority spokesman Victor Gill.

Airport officials said the funding program was part of the so-called Part 150 process, named for a federal aviation regulation prescribing actions local airports can take to qualify for federal funding.

Typically, the federal government pays 80% of noise reduction costs while the local airport kicks in 20% for those mitigation efforts, Gill said. For years, the city of Burbank and the Burbank Airport fought over the steps that were to be taken to reduce noise as part of an effort to build a new terminal.

But last August the sides appeared to resolve many of those issues by reaching a draft deal to build the 14-gate, $300-million replacement facility.

Contained in that compromise was a provision that would link terminal expansion to a mandatory overnight curfew. Under federal rules, a curfew cannot be imposed without a series of studies, including the Part 150 review.

Burbank officials said the vote was a good step toward protecting residents from aircraft noise.

“Anything we can do to make the quality of life better is a plus,” said Charles Lombardo, one of three commissioners on the Burbank Airport Authority. “And this is a quality-of-life issue.”