Final arguments for cities' airport noise case set for March 21;
MAC bailout bill in Legislature

Several weeks ago, it was announced that the court ruled in favor of the cities' case (Minneapolis, Eagan and Richfield) that the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) had, in fact, promised to expand the noise insulation program out to the boundaries that cities said MAC had promised. So, the lawsuit brought by the cities is now through the testimony stage. On March 21, final arguments for the City trial are scheduled at Hennepin County Court in the Hennepin County Government Center at 12:30 p.m., Room 1357-C. At issue is exactly where the boundary lines should be drawn and how the insulation program should be administered.

The City is expected to argue that the eligibility areas for soundproofing should be much larger than what the MAC wants.

In the late February ruling, the court said that MAC promised to expand the noise insulation program out to the Ldn 60 contours, and, that the promised insulation package is the same "full" 5-decibel reduction the airport has used in the 65, 70 and 75 contours, according to Star Tribune reports.

A class action lawsuit against the MAC by Minneapolis residents is scheduled for May 7.

Southside Pride has learned that several bills are floating around the Legislature regarding the MAC issue. Senate File (SF) 580 is a bill that would require the MAC to obtain legislative approval for any bailout package of greater than $100 million. This bill passed the Senate Airways, Waterways and Railways subcommittee and was referred to the full Senate Transportation Committee.
House File (HF) 673 is a companion bill to SF 580. This bill was heardin the House Local Government committee, recommended to pass and was referred to the Transportation Finance division, in the Finance Committee, as of press time. At the same hearing, the committee was to hear two different bills (HF 557 and HF 359), which would restructure the MAC, both in different ways. Another bill, HF 1437, would require the MAC to hold at least one Commission meeting per year in noise impacted areas, passed out of committee and is now waiting to be heard on the House floor.