Schiff sends letter to appropriations subcommittee about helicopter noise
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), along with Reps. Brad Sherman, Henry Waxman, Tony Cardenas and Alan Lowenthal, wrote to the chairman and ranking member of the Transportation Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee on Thursday, urging them to include a provision on helicopter noise in any final appropriations bill.
That provision would direct the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration to address helicopter noise issues in the skies over Los Angeles County.
“While we are continuing to work with the FAA on voluntary measures, we have to take an ‘all of the above’ approach to solving the very real issues caused by helicopter noise for homeowners and residents,” Schiff said. “It’s my hope that this provision will be included in any final appropriations bill, and give the federal agencies a sense of the urgency residents feel to bring about meaningful relief from the scourge of unbridled helicopter noise.”
The proposed provision states that, in part, the secretary would “evaluate and adjust existing helicopter routes above Los Angeles, and make adjustments to such routes if the adjustments would lessen impacts on residential areas and noise-sensitive landmarks.”
The secretary would also analyze whether helicopters could safely fly at higher altitudes in certain areas above Los Angeles County, according to the proposed provision.
Also, the secretary would work with local “stakeholders” to develop a more comprehensive noise complaint system.
-- Mark Kellam, mark.kellam@latimes.com
Follow on Twitter: @LAMarkKellam
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