SPECIAL REPORT: SUSTAINABILITY
Making some noise
Chicago O’Hare’s relationship with its neighbouring communities has been enhanced by the formation of the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission, writes Arlene Mulder.
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hen Jim and Mary Anne Fiasche purchased a six-room raised ranch in a rural, quiet suburb of Chicago 45 years ago, it was surrounded by farms and forest preserves and aircraft noise simply wasn’t an issue.
“Sure, we lived next to O’Hare and planes fl ew over our house, but
fl ights were infrequent and jumbo jets nonexistent,” recalls Jim Fiasche. However, over time, jetliners replaced turboprops and O’Hare grew
into a primary aviation crossroads for most air travel, meaning that by the 1980s the Fiasches and their three children had to stop their conversations every few minutes as jets fl ew overhead. Urban sprawl and aircraft noise from one of the world’s busiest
airports overtook the couple’s rural retreat. While thrilled with O’Hare’s successful expansion that generated
high employment and economic prosperity, Chicago’s Mayor Richard M Daley recognised the airport’s effects on nearby residents – specifi cally, aircraft noise. So much so in fact that in 1982 he introduced sound insulation
in Chicago area schools. In 1995, he directed the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) to sound insulate 10 homes as a demonstration project. A year later, he invited suburban mayors, Chicago neighbourhood leaders and school district superintendents
AIRPORT WORLD/AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2010
near O’Hare to use their consensus-building skills to address aircraft noise issues. The group promptly formed the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission
(ONCC), a policy-making, inter-governmental agency dedicated to reducing aircraft noise. Its three standing committees address residential and school sound insulation and technology. And today the ONCC’s 45-member communities and school
districts actively work with the CDA and the FAA to oversee the nation’s leading residential sound insulation programme. Thus far, more than 6,950 homes have been sound insulated at a cost close to $180 million – including new attic insulation, windows, exterior and storm doors for the Fiasches. The FAA authorised another $247 million in 2009 to complete sound
insulation for the remaining 5,000 homes identifi ed in the $6 billion O’Hare Modernization Program’s 2014 Build Out noise contour. ONCC also oversees the largest school sound insulation program in the world and has spent close to $282 million to sound insulate 116 elementary, middle and high schools. Originally funded by the city of Chicago, today’s sound insulation
programmes are fi nanced by Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) approved by the FAA and reimbursed by FAA grants.
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