BILL NUMBER: S966

SPONSOR: GAUGHRAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to direct the department of health and other state departments
and agencies to conduct a study on the quality of life and human health
impacts of John F. Kennedy international airport and LaGuardia airport

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To require the Departments of Health and other departments deemed appro-
priate by the governor, to conduct a study describing the environmental,
noise, and human health impacts caused by runways, including new
runways, and air traffic at John F. Kennedy International Airport and
LaGuardia Airport.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill directs the Department of Health, with the assist-
ance of the Departments of Environmental Conservation and Transportation
              

and other agencies if appropriate, to conduct a study describing the
environmental, noise, and human health impacts caused by runways,
including new runways, and air traffic at John F. Kennedy International
Airport and LaGuardia Airport.

The bill mandates the monitoring of noise levels experienced in 2022 and
2023 and that particular attention be paid to the impact of pollution
and emissions on the life and health of residents living adjacent to
flight paths at such airports. The Department of Health is required to
report its findings to the Governor and Legislature by March 31, 2024.

Section 2 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Communities in Nassau and Suffolk counties and parts of New York City
are experiencing a declining quality of life due to noise pollution,
environmental impacts, and other possible ill effects from air traffic
patterns around JFK and LaGuardia airports. Noise complaints in affected
neighborhoods have skyrocketed as a result of changing air traffic
patterns and too many planes flying on low approaches to these airports.
This has led to a near-constant and deafening noise level that studies
have shown is frequently above the day-night average noise level (DNL)
of 65 decibels (dB), which is considered a significant aviation noise
threshold. Additionally, decibel levels are being averaged per day and
that does not truly characterize the excessive noise that the many
planes exceeding those threshold levels are making on a daily basis.
The averaging is deceptive and these measurement distortions should be
addressed in the study.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2020: S7305/A10121
2019: S5855/A7710 (Veto No. 228 - Similar bill)

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:


There could be some financial cost to the agencies tasked with conduct-
ing these studies.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S966A

SPONSOR: GAUGHRAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to direct the department of health and other state departments
and agencies to conduct a study on the quality of life and human health
impacts at John F. Kennedy international airport and LaGuardia airport

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To require the Departments of Health, in consultation with the Depart-
ment of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Transportation,
to conduct a study describing the environmental, noise, and human health
impacts caused by runways, including new runways, and air traffic at
John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill directs the Department of Health, with the assist-
ance of the Departments of Environmental Conservation and Transportation
              

and other agencies if appropriate, to conduct a study describing the
environmental, noise, and human health impacts caused by runways,
including new runways, and air traffic in and around John F. Kennedy
International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.

The bill mandates the monitoring of noise levels experienced in 2022 and
2023 and that particular attention be paid to the impact of pollution
and emissions on the life and health of residents living adjacent to
flight paths at such airports. The Department of Health is required to
report its findings to the Governor and Legislature by March 31, 2024.

Section 2 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Communities in Nassau and Suffolk counties and parts of New York City
are experiencing a declining quality of life due to noise pollution,
environmental impacts, and other possible ill effects from air traffic
patterns around JFK and LaGuardia airports. Noise complaints in affected
neighborhoods have skyrocketed as a result of changing air traffic
patterns and too many planes flying on low approaches to these airports.
This has led to a near-constant and deafening noise level that studies
have shown is frequently above the day-night average noise level (DNL)
of 65 decibels (dB), which is considered a significant aviation noise
threshold. Additionally, decibel levels are being averaged per day and
that does not truly characterize the excessive noise that the many
planes exceeding those threshold levels are making on a daily basis.
The averaging is deceptive and these measurement distortions should be
addressed in the study.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2020: S7305/A10121
2019: S5855/A7710 (Veto No. 228 - Similar bill)

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:


There could be some financial cost to the agencies tasked with conduct-
ing these studies.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.