Sherman Releases Comment to FAA Opposing Proposed Route Changes

Sherman Oaks, CA - Today, Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) released a letter he sent to Dan Elwell, the Acting Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stating his opposition to aviation noise and the FAA's proposed route changes.

You can read Congressman Sherman's letter here or below.

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Dan Elwell

Acting Administrator

Federal Aviation Administration 800 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20591

Re: Comment on Proposed Amendments to the OROSZ and SLAPP Departure Procedures at Hollywood Burbank Airport

Dear Acting Administrator Elwell,

I join many of my constituents in expressing concern about the proposed amendments to the OROSZ and SLAPP Departure Procedures.

Thank you for making available multiple FAA staff to meet with me in my office, for having additional experts available when I attended the FAA Workshop on November 6th, and for responding to the numerous queries from my office.

The FAA must engage in a full Environmental Review Process that evaluates several alternatives for possible departure routes from Burbank Airport. In addition to the departure route currently under consideration, the FAA must examine departure routes that follow a south, southeastern, and eastern heading after departure, rather than direct all takeoffs to the southwest. It does not appear that such alternatives have yet been considered. Furthermore, this review of alternative flight patterns out of the Burbank Airport should include an evaluation of potential changes to the flight paths departing and arriving at all local airports that share airspace with the San Fernando Valley, including departures from the Van Nuys Airport and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Possible changes to the departure routes from Burbank should not be dismissed merely because it would interfere with the current flight patterns of neighboring airports. Instead, the environmental review should consider changes to flight paths of both Burbank and nearby airports so as to reduce the intolerable burden now focused on the southern San Fernando Valley.

I remain firmly opposed to any changes that will increase aviation noise and frequency of exposure over schools and residential neighborhoods in the southern San Fernando Valley. The FAA must pursue additional measures to safeguard the quality of life for residents living in the San Fernando Valley, including a mandatory curfew and mandatory and enforceable noise abatement procedures, with fines for noncompliance.

The FAA should fully consider the comments from the impacted communities in the San Fernando Valley. The Flight Path Analysis published by the Hollywood Burbank Airport on October 2018 has found that, "the most frequently used path or concentrated path has shifted south over time... " Large numbers of residents from these communities have already reported experiencing a significant, negative impact on their quality of life.

The FAA must provide for a more extensive public comment period to allow the affected communities to express the severe impact of these changes before even considering implementing the proposed departure procedures for several reasons. First, residents and Los Angeles City officials have requested more information, including more precise descriptions of the proposed procedures, higher quality maps and files, detailed information regarding FAA's noise analysis, more technical information, and a copy of the FAA's settlement agreement with the Benedict Hills Homeowners Association. Second, I have been informed that residents of the San Fernando Valley have reported technical failures from the FAA's on-line submission portal, which hindered the public's ability to comment. Third, multiple residents have expressed a concern that even the extended formal comment period was too short, given the impact of these proposed amendments. Finally, the public was assured that two public workshops would be held, and the FAA chose to end one of those events early, directing community residents to leave the premises.

In summary, more time is needed to comment on the proposed changes, and more technical information should be available to those wishing to comment. The FAA needs to provide a full Environmental Review Process. Finally, the FAA must consider alternative routes and additional measures to safeguard the quality of life for residents of the southern San Fernando Valley.

Sincerely,

BRAD SHERMAN

Member of Congress

Cc: Clark Desing, Director, Western Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration Beth White, Federal Aviation Administration