LB HUSH2 Mission Statement
To educate the citizens on environmental, social, and health impacts of policies and actions proposed by public officials or private entities on land use, transportation, and redevelopment efforts impacting our neighborhoods.
To educate the citizens on environmental, social, and health impacts of policies and actions proposed by public officials or private entities on land use, transportation, and redevelopment efforts impacting our neighborhoods.
Long Beach Airport Fact Sheet
- All municipal airports in the US operate under the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (ANCA) which effectively prohibits airports from restricting the noise their flights generate or the number of flights they allow to less than the maximum of what they are rated to accommodate.
- The FAA has identified the capacity of Long Beach Airport at 48 to 105 operations per hour. Click here then select Long Beach-Daugherty Field (PDF). It is currently operating at a fraction of this capacity per hour.
- Long Beach has been granted an exemption from ANCA in the form of the 1995 Airport Noise Compatibility Ordinance, which is grandfathered under the ANCA and is the basis for managing noise generated by aircraft operations at the Long Beach Airport. Click here then select LGB Noise Compatibility Ordinance (PDF).
- The Long Beach noise ordinance can only be changed by an act of the US Congress or by a vote of the Long Beach City Council. The ordinance can be challenged in court by any party that contends that the ordinance discriminates against them.
- According to the Long Beach Airport Noise Abatement FAQs (see link below), "No grandfathered airports have been able to change their noise ordinance and remain protected by their grandfathered status".
- Long Beach Airport is open for flight operations 24 hours a day but commercial carriers cannot schedule flights between 10:00 pm and 7:00 am and noise restrictions are more stringent during that time span for any flights that do occur. This is called a "soft curfew".
- The Noise Ordinance identifies separate "noise buckets" for each type of flight operating out of the airport. A noise budget or "bucket" is based on a cumulative measurement of individual aircraft operations over a one-year period. Noise buckets are identified for: Commercial Air Carriers, Commuter Carriers, General Aviation (includes corporate and private jets), Charter Operators, and Industrial Operators.
- The general aviation noise bucket for the last reporting year is 41% utilized per the Noise Ordinance 3Q14 report.
- Military aircraft operations are exempt from noise monitoring and curfews.
- A single 10,000 ft. diagonal runway is used to monitor noise bucket related noise.
- Commercial and commuter airlines are limited to an assigned number of "flight slots" they can use per day, currently totaling 41 & 25 respectively. General Aviation, Charter and Industrial aircraft do not have a limit on flights per day as long as they conform to their assigned Noise Ordinance noise limits. A flight slot is considered in use and retained by the air carrier as long as it is used at least 50% of the time during each month.
- Penalties for violating Noise Ordinance: - 1st time -- Information letter outlining Noise Ordinance requirements - 2nd time -- Warning letter - 3rd time -- $100 fine - 4th time "and every subsequent fine" -- $300 fine - 5th time -- Alternative enforcement, (refer to City Prosecutor, could lead to criminal prosecution or, as in the case of Jet Blue, a standing agreement with the City Prosecutor to pay their cumulative fines as an expense at the end of the year. The FAA has discouraged any increase to fines like this on the grounds it could restrict traffic, violating the ANCA.
- Role of the Airport Advisory Commission: Works closely with the community, aviation groups, businesses, pilot groups and airport staff in order that they may effectively advise the Mayor and City Council on policy matters regarding the Long Beach Airport development. http://longbeach.gov/mayor/commissions/. Members are nominated by the Mayor and approved by the City Council.
- If the Long Beach Airport is given an international designation, as currently requested by Jet Blue, it will operate as a US Customs and Boarder Protection (CPB) User Fee Airport (UFA) and will serve all international flights meeting the guidelines of our Noise Compatibility Ordinance and Customs requirements. A UFA is obligated to pay annual fees for each customs inspector in the amount of $140,874 the first year and $123,480 in subsequent years for salary, $17,042 - $21,062 first year and $13,620 - $17,640 subsequent years for Automatic Data Process (ADP) expenses plus any other associated costs such as overtime. http://www.cbp.gov/trade/trade-community/programs-outreach/ports.
- The number of flight slots assigned to an air carrier is determined by the airport manager who judges if increased flights can be added without exceeding the noise bucket for that particular carrier.
- 41 Commercial Flight slots have been assigned Jet Blue: 32 slots US Airways: 5 slots Delta: 2 slots FedEx: 1 slot UPS: 1 slot 25 Commuter Flight slots have been assigned or are available Delta: 3 slots Alaska: 3 slots (since Dec. 2014 Alaska has given up their 3 commuter slots) 19 Commuter Carrier flight slots remain available for allocation
- Additional facts can be found here Long Beach Airport Noise Abatement FAQs
Acronyms and Definitions: AAC: Airport Advisory Commission AEF: Airport Enterprise Fund (funds a city enterprise zone dedicated to airport expenses) Aircraft Operation: A takeoff or landing ANCA: Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 CPB: Customs and Boarder Protection CNEL: Community Noise Equivalent Flight Slot: One slot equals an arrival and departure. The LB noise ordinance allows for 41 commercial slots and 25 commuter slots per day. UFA: User Fee Airport