Total of $21.6 Million in New Funding Committed to O'Hare Residential Sound Insulation Program

A total of $21.6 million in funding for fiscal 2007 will be committed to the O’Hare Residential Sound Insulation Program, the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission (ONCC) announced.

[ClickPress, Wed May 16 2007] The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will commit $18 million in FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding for fiscal year 2007. An additional $3.6 million will be matched by City of Chicago Passenger Facility Charges (PFC).

The Program is now funded 80% by FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) monies, with a 20% match from the City of Chicago.

“We’re extremely grateful to officials at the Federal Aviation Administration, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Chicago Airport System Commissioner Nuria Fernandez, and the airlines for continuing their significant financial commitments to help us reduce aircraft noise at O’Hare International Airport”, said Commission Chair, Arlington Heights Mayor Arlene J. Mulder.

The O’Hare Residential Sound Insulation Program is now focused on the future and relies on a noise contour based on the new runway layout under the O’Hare Modernization Program (OMP).

Beginning with the 2006 Residential Program, with construction slated to start this summer in Des Plaines, eligible single-family and multi-family residential buildings will be sound-insulated in areas the FAA projects will be affected by aircraft noise upon completion of the OMP. Therefore, the Residential Program will be addressing noise issues in advance, as the OMP progresses.

The Commission’s Residential Sound Insulation Committee will determine exact numbers of homes to receive insulation at a later time.

The FAA assigned the ONCC specific responsibilities in its Record of Decision for the OMP, as O’Hare Airport is reshaped. ONCC’s responsibilities include continued oversight of those areas around the airport where aircraft noise is likely to occur as new runways are constructed.

With the completion of the 2006 Residential Sound Insulation Program, more than 6,179 homes will have been sound-insulated at a total cost of over $189 million.

The O’Hare Residential Sound Insulation Program, operated by the City of Chicago, funded by the FAA and City of Chicago and overseen by the ONCC, began as a ten-home demonstration project in 1995.

“We continue to make important progress with this very aggressive program,” said ONCC Chair Arlington Heights Mayor Arlene J. Mulder. “All of the stakeholders involved in this program should be commended for their participation in making this one of the best run sound insulation programs of its kind in the country.”

The O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission began working in 1996 to bring together the parties that are most able to reduce aircraft noise with representatives of communities affected by aircraft noise in a
partnership to address jet noise at its impact and sources.

The Commission's current membership includes the villages of Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Bellwood, Elmwood Park, Franklin Park, Harwood Heights, Hoffman Estates, Maywood, Melrose Park, Mount Prospect, Niles, Norridge, Palatine, River Grove, River Forest, Rosemont, Schaumburg and Stone Park; and the cities of Des Plaines, Northlake, Oak Park, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows and Chicago; Cook County; and school districts 59 (Elk Grove Village, Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect), 63 (Des Plaines, Niles, Morton Grove and Glenview), 80 (Norridge), 81 (Schiller Park), 84 (Franklin Park), 84½ (River Grove), 85½ (River Grove), 86 (Harwood Heights), 87 (Berkeley, Northlake, Bellwood), 88 (Bellwood, Melrose Park, Stone Park) 89 (Maywood, Melrose Park and Broadview ), 214 (Elk Grove Village, Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Rolling Meadows, Prospect Heights, Wheeling, Buffalo Grove), 234 (Norridge, Harwood Heights), 299 (Chicago Public Schools) and 401 (Elmwood Park).

More information about the Commission, including its meeting schedule, can be found at www.oharenoise.org.

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