Rep. Joseph Crowley on airplane noise

New York City’s two airports are vital economic hubs, but their boon means more booming overhead for several Queens neighborhoods.

The borough’s congressional caucus has spent years pushing for changes to federal guidelines for the airports, and U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley said their efforts to mitigate airplane noise are gaining steam.

For example, Delta independently decided to stop using its loudest airplanes – MD-88s – at LaGuardia Airport. But Crowley said he will still reintroduce his Silent Skies legislation, which would direct the Federal Aviation Administration to issue regulations requiring airline carriers to begin using planes that would meet the stage 5 noise limit by using engines that are quieter than ones commonly used today.

“A number of Congress members are building bipartisan support,” said Crowley, who co-founded the Quiet Skies Caucus in 2014. “ It’s something that’s happening all around the country with the democratization of the sky, so to speak. … But my work with (Rep.) Bill Shuster, the Republican chair of the Transportation Committee, he’s been very open to including some of our provisions in a future transportation bill, if it gets to that point.”

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Other members of the Quiet Skies Caucus have been making similar legislative efforts. Rep. Grace Meng, a co-founder of the caucus, has been pushing a bill that would have the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assume the lead in combating aircraft noise, as opposed to the FAA.

Meanwhile, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey commissioned a study of aircraft noise near LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports. Crowley said once the results are finalized, he believes the authority will be compelled to pay for soundproofing at some schools, houses of worship and homes.

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