Delegation Urges FAA to Study Impact of Expanding Philadelphia Airport

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 3, 2003) – Responding to complaints about the potential noise generated by a proposed expansion of Philadelphia International Airport, the Delaware congressional delegation last week urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to study the project’s impact on Delaware residents. Philadelphia has proposed two major improvements to the airport to increase airfield capacity and reduce delays, but the FAA currently has no plans to take into consideration the impact of noise pollution in Delaware should the airport be expanded. In the August 27th letter to FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, the delegation said it had become apparent after meeting with agency officials last month that Delaware was not within the area to be studied under the agency’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The delegation urged the FAA to redraft the EIS study area to include northern Delaware. Thousands of residents in our state routinely endure disruptive noise over their neighborhoods from airplanes flying in and out of Philadelphia, the letter states. We believe that potential impacts to these residents quality of life must be taken into consideration as the FAA seeks to determine the overall impact of the proposed changes to [the airport’s] infrastructure and operations.