Southsiders to MAC: Keep your promises

Those words of Southsiders Amy and Sheldon Libman, protesting the latest Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) plan to cut the home noise insulation program, encapsulated the message 200 residents gave to airport officials Tuesday evening April 22.

John Nelson, director of the airport’s noise insulation program, told homeowners that MAC commissioners have ordered staff to find ways to save money. A current proposal has got impacted homeowners angry and upset. Since 1992 (when the noise insulation program was initiated), all homes on a block that was intersected by contour lines indicating eligibility for soundproofing have been insulated. Now, MAC planners are contemplating breaking from past practices and only insulating homes that fall within noise contour lines.

This policy change will create a new situation in Southside neighborhoods: Homes side by side to those fully soundproofed, and experiencing virtually identical noise impacts, will now be denied relief from airport noise. Previously, streets and natural neighborhood boundaries were used as buffer areas between insulated and non-insulated homes. That policy caused neighbors to wonder how airport planners could believe noise impacts magically disappeared at the asphalt in front of their homes. Now, neighbors can wonder what kind of noise differences airport officials can detect between two homes sitting less than 20 feet from each other.

Nelson described the financial jam befalling airport staff, triggered by the “dire” economic conditions facing Northwest airlines, who he said is plunging in a “downward spiral.” “When people don’t fly,” Nelson explained, “we don’t have money.”

But airline opposition to noise insulation, and complaints about impacted neighbors, sounded like nothing more than business as usual for residents, with the economic troubles dogging NWA and other major airlines amounting to nothing more than the latest excuse du jour against airport noise mitigation.

Southside resident Lyle Schwartzkoph drew knowing chuckles when he related how he was told—40 years ago—that NWA would leave town if he didn’t stop complaining about noise. State representative Paul Thissen disputed Nelson’s contention that passenger surcharges, which provide insulation funding, are not significantly down.

Thissen charged the MAC with committing a “breach of public trust” as he defended his constituents who have already endured too many noise insulation delays and obstacles.

Senator Wes Skoglund, a longtime veteran in the airport noise battles, slammed the MAC, exhorting it to “Live up to the commitment everybody expected you to live up to.” “If you don’t do that” Skoglund added, “we should re-open the ‘Dual Track’ study (which was prematurely ended in 1996, spawning the present noise mitigation commitments) and start looking for a new airport site.”

Skoglund described airport noise as having “devastating impacts on families trying to sleep” and reminded MAC staff that noise is creeping eastward as new flight patterns put planes into sharper turns over Minneapolis.

Senator Scott Dibble echoed Skoglund’s opposition to tossing neighbors out of the insulation program to help bail the airport out of its financial troubles. “You have to keep the faith with the community that hosts this airport on behalf of the entire state,” Dibble admonished. “Insulating is not an option,” Dibble added. “It is part of doing business with the airport in this location.”

RESIDENTS PLEAD THEIR CASE

Thirty residents who asked to give their opinions about insulation budget cutting voiced tales of frustration, irritation and betrayal. “We’ve kept our neighborhoods nice, and done everything we’ve been asked to do. Followed the rules and made updates the MAC has required to make our homes eligible” for insulation, Janet Allen testified. “It’s unconscionable for the MAC to renege on its promise to keep airport neighborhoods livable.”

One resident described not being able to use upstairs bedrooms for 16 years: about how they were told every six months for the past seven years that “it should be about six months until your home is noise proofed” and postponing home improvement plans to accommodate sound proofing contractors—then learning that noise proofing has been postponed and possibly canceled.

A neighbor told of an elderly couple struggling with the consequences of Alheizmer’s disease who caregivers fear would be traumatized by disruption and disorientation associated with the noise proofing process. Under a NWA proposal, the couple’s home would be declared permanently ineligible for noise insulation retrofitting.

Amy and Sheldon Libman told of a typical southside experience in purchasing a home in 1987, being stunned at noise levels, promised in 1992 that the home would be insulated, waiting patiently for relief and now learning that airport bean counters may balance their books at the expense of their peace and quiet.

Sarah Strzok, chairperson of Residents Opposed to Airport Racket, warned MAC staff that caving in to NWA on noise mitigation now may pave the way for a permanent, subservient role for airport planners in the future. Strzok characterized the proposed insulation cuts as “a litmus test for NWA. If they get their way now, they will expect total compliance from the MAC in the future.” Strzok, in referring to a coming (May 19) MAC board of commissioners meeting when noise cutbacks will be discussed, chastened airport decision makers for holding that meeting at a time and location that is prohibitive for most residents to attend.

DECISION MAKING TIMETABLE

Airport noise officer Chad Lequvie assured residents that the evening’s comments and official responses will be posted on the MAC Web site (www.mspairport.com/MAC/) and presented to airport commissioners. Lequvie sketched the tentative decision-making process, which includes MAC subcommittee meetings on air traffic forecast beginning in early May and continuing through the summer, and meetings for public comment in mid-May and mid to late September.

The May 19th MAC meeting which will include proposed insulation cutbacks on the discussion agenda is open to the public, and residents are encouraged to attend and voice their concerns.

Post 9/11 security policy has made attending commission meetings a more complicated affair for residents. MAC staff has provided information to assist those unfamiliar with new security measures though the new maze of airport procedures:

“How to Attend the Metropolitan Airports Commission Meeting, Main Terminal, May 19th 2003, 1 p.m.”

SECURITY CHECKPOINT INFORMATION:

Stop by the information booth near the tram station on the Tram Level. At the information booth, you will be asked to complete a security checkpoint access form and show valid, government-issued photo identification, such as a driver’s license. Take your completed access form with you up two floors, to the Ticketing Level security checkpoints. Show your approved access form to security checkpoint personnel. You will then be screened just as if you were traveling. Access forms are only valid for the purpose of attending a public MAC meeting at a particular date and time.

Commission Chambers are located on the Mezzanine Level overlooking the airport’s central shopping area (above Chili’s Restaurant), past the main security checkpoints.

Allow yourself at least 30 minutes to park, complete the access form and get through the security checkpoint prior to the meeting.

PARKING WILL BE VALIDATED; PLEASE BRING YOUR PARKING TICKET TO THE MEETING

Directions to the Tram Level Information Booth:

>From short-term parking: At the Lindbergh Terminal entrance, take the escalator or elevator down to the Tram Level. The information booth is straight ahead, in the center of the room.

>From general parking: If you park in the BLUE or RED ramps, take the elevator down to the tram which will transport you directly to the Lindbergh Terminal’s Tram Level. When you exit the tram, the information booth is straight ahead, in the center of the room. If you park in the GREEN or GOLD ramps, take the skyway to the Lindbergh Terminal’s Mezzanine Level. From there, take an elevator or escalator to the Tram Level. The information booth is straight ahead, in the center of the room.

DIRECTIONS TO AIRPORT CONFERENCE CENTER:

Go to the Ticketing Level of the Lindbergh Terminal Building. The Conference Center is located directly above Chili’s Restaurant on the Mezzanine (near the entrance of the F Concourse). Chili’s is located in the main part of the airport shop area (Northstar Crossing). Stairs and elevator are located at the entry of the F Concourse.

AIRPORT DIRECTOR’S OFFICE 612-725-6464. AIRPORT CONFERENCE CENTER 612-794-4500