Measuring Airport Noise

Katana Consulting | 1

Measuring Airport Noise

March 2014

Kevin TerrellKatana Consulting


Agenda

1. Background and FAA outreach

2. The noise metric Day-Night-Level

3. Understanding alternative noise metrics

4. Applying alternative metrics at MSP

5. Summary and action plan


1 | Under RNAV, SW Minneapolis and Edina would have had a 5x increase in noise and number of departures, with 23% of ~580 daily departures.

27

Xerxes Ave

Penn Ave

2012 Departure2012 Landing

SOURCE:• www.macnoise.com/fl

ightracker for Tuesday, July 10th 2012 6am + 8 hours

• Runway 30L/R RNAV departure tracks

• Katana analysis

Key road

Proposed departure track

RMT

50th Street

13523%

17330%

41%

31%

7012% 98

17%

9817%

# daily RNAV flights% of daily total

10017%

30R30L

http://www.macnoise.com/flightracker

http://www.macnoise.com/flightracker


1 | For RNAV, FAA’s outreach will advise you that there is a Finding of No Significant Impact or “FONSI” relative to a noise limit of 65 dB DNL.

SOURCE: FAA Airports Desk Reference, Chapter 17


1 | The 65 dB line the FAA uses for a FONSI extends at most about 1.5 miles from the end of runways 30L and 30R.

Xerxes Ave

Penn Ave

50th Street

France Ave

30R30L


1 | Locally we use the 60 dB line to decide if the MAC must provide noise mitigation. The FAA does not heed that community guideline for a FONSI.

Xerxes Ave

Penn Ave

50th Street

France Ave

30R30L


Agenda







2 | DNL is the modeled logarithmic average of noise exposure over the course of a year, adjusted for our extra sensitivity to nighttime noise.

SOURCE: Overview of Noise Metrics at www.hmmh.com

Daytime Nighttime+ 10 dB


2 | However, noise experts recognize that DNL as a measurement is flawed.

SOURCE: What’s In Your DNL?, Wyle Laboratories, 2006

Limited explanation

“Reducing noise exposure to a single value of DNL does not convey to the

public the extent of the impact upon

them”

Missing factors Not representative

“A DNL contour map does not tell

residents how many times airplanes fly over them, at what time of day, what

type of airplanes, or how those flights may interfere with activities, such as

sleep and watching television”

“If the number of aircraft noise events above the minimum

threshold that an individual finds

annoying increases, then the noise

environment for that person has increased”


2 | DNL does not account for real world perceptions of noise.

SOURCE: Harris Miller Miller & Hanson “Basic Aircraft Terminology”


2 | The application of DNL is based on 40 year old research showing 13% of the population is highly annoyed by 65 decibels of average noise.

SOURCE: EC Position Paper on Dose Response 2002, Katana analysis

1972 Highly Annoyed

% of People Annoyed by Aircraft Noise

%

Average Noise Exposure (dB)


2 | Current research on plane noise indicates that a 55 dB contour line is a more appropriate place to draw that “FONSI” line.

SOURCE: EC Position Paper on Dose Response 2002, Katana analysis

2002 Highly Annoyed

% of People Annoyed by Aircraft Noise

%

Average Noise Exposure (dB)

1972 Highly Annoyed


2 | Additional research indicates that average noise levels over 55 dB can have a noticeable impact on the reading skills of schoolchildren.

SOURCE: European Environment Agency report No 11/2010


Agenda







3 | California uses a more nuanced logarithmic measurement called CNEL that accounts for evening noise. Lden is similar and is used in Europe.

Daytime Evening+ 5 dB

Nighttime+ 10 dB

CNEL @ MSP = ~ DNL + 1.5 decibels


3 | Many countries use the 55 dB CNEL contour to restrict uses due to health concerns, and all of Europe is required to show the 55 dB contour.

SOURCE: Methods of Assessment of Airport Noise, NJS Burton, London South Bank University

55 dB contour lines required 55 dB limit on noise


3 | N70 is an easy to understand measurement developed in Australia. It is calculated using the same noise model that the FAA uses for DNL.

SOURCE: Expanding Ways to Describe and Assess Aircraft Noise, Department of Transport and Regional Services, Australia


3 | These additional noise measures are already approved by FAA.

SOURCE: FAA Airports Desk Reference, Chapter 17


3 | Summary of noise measures

DNL

Flawed, logarithmic

measurement

+

65 dB DNL line for noise studies is

based on 40 year old research

CNEL, etc N70

Updated & slightly better logarithmic

measurement

+

55 dB contour line is required in EU and used by some to

limit impact

A simple, linear measurement

=

How many times a day can I not hear you because of a

plane?


Agenda







4 | Recall that the FAA uses the 65 dB contour as the area to analyze for a FONSI.

Xerxes Ave

Penn Ave

50th Street

France Ave

SOURCE: www.macnoise.com


4 | Other countries use the 55 dB contour. Here, that extends to Penn Ave, beyond Lake Harriet and encompasses thousands of additional people.

Xerxes Ave

Penn Ave

50th Street

France Ave

SOURCE: MAC PBN Overview map, www.macnoise.com; Katana analysis


4 | Beyond Lake Harriet, departing flights from medium aircraft typically exceed 70 decibels, and would be counted as part of the N70 metric.

SOURCE: www.macnoise.com

Altitude


4 | With RNAV the N70 map to the northwest of MSP would likely blanket Minneapolis, Richfield & Edina with 100+ count tracks & the contour extends.

Xerxes Ave

Penn Ave

France Ave

27

50th Street

21

N70 100+

N70 50+

Key road

Number of daily flights greater than 70 dB (N70)

SOURCE: www.macnoise.com; Katana analysis; 55 dB line is estimated based on current RMT data

55 dB DNL


4 | Arrivals would continue over the lakes, as is the case today.

Xerxes Ave

Penn Ave

France Ave

27

50th Street

21

Number of daily flights greater than 70 dB (N70)

SOURCE: www.macnoise.com; Katana analysis, 55 dB line is estimated based on current RMT data

N70 100+

N70 50+

Key road

55 dB DNL

Arrival path


E

GI

JKL

N

P

Q

V

4 | The 55 dB CNEL contour and N70 would affect 19 more schools than the FAA addresses today, including 1/3 of Minneapolis’ total public enrollment

U

F

M

BC

H

D

ST

O

1

29

27

7

R2 Local schools

A. Lake NokomisB. Our Lady of PeaceC. Hale CommunityD. Roosevelt HighE. WindomF. AnnunciationG. RamseyH. Field CommunityI. Washburn HighJ. KennyK. AnthonyL. ArmatageM. CarondeletN. Lake Harriet UpperO. Southwest HighP. CarondeletQ. Lake Harriet LowerR. Barton OpenS. Pilgrim LutheranT. Lake CountryU. BurroughsV. Academy of Holy Angels

55 dB CNEL, est.65 dB DNL

29 RMT

N70, 100+

SOURCE: MAC PBN Overview, www.macnoise.com; Katana + community analysis; 55 dB CNEL based on 2011 RMT data

8

A


Agenda







5 | Summary

Outdated metrics

The FAA’s FONSI is

based on an outdated

metric and a 40 year

old understanding of

the impact of noise

New metrics available We just need to ask

There are more current,

more accurate and

easier to understand

ways to express

the impact of noise on

our community

This is OUR community – not the FAA’s

Those new metrics are

available to us – we just

need to demand action

from our

representatives


Contact: Kevin [email protected]

Board Member, Lynnhurst Neighborhood Association (Minneapolis)Co-Founder, MSP FairSkies

For further information

Visit www.mspFairSkies.org for a more complete and narrated version of this and other presentations

Measuring Airport Noise

Documents

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action plan katana consulting

noise environment

noise limit

nighttime noise

plane noise

noise experts

noise mitigation