Rep. Carbajal, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Aviation, secured new federal funding and research to improve noise mitigation at Central Coast airports.
Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif., 24th District), a member of the House Subcommittee on Aviation, highlighted the renewed federal interest in airport noise and investments in noise abatement projects through the aviation policy bill he helped write and signed into law a few weeks ago.
“The Central Coast’s airport is the economic, commercial and tourist hub of our local area, and our gateway to the world – but it cannot perform these vital functions at the expense of the well-being of our neighbours – the hard-working families of this region.” Councillor Carbajal said: “As a member of the House Subcommittee on Aviation, I worked diligently this year to secure these provisions to renew the FAA’s attention and investment in airport noise mitigation so Central Coast residents can live in harmony with these hubs. I will continue to work collaboratively with the FAA, regional airport managers and community advocates to ensure these provisions deliver real results across the region.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization, signed into law by President Joe Biden a few weeks ago, included the following provisions advocated by Rep. Carbajal to address airport noise:
· Requires the FAA to take steps to reduce undesirable aircraft noise, evaluates ways for the FAA and local airports to reduce noise exposure to nearby communities, and encourages collaboration between airports and affected communities to establish routes and procedures that reduce disruption.
· The FAA must update the noise standards based on input from both local airports and individuals living in nearby communities. This revised standard will determine the operating standards for all Central Coast airports and must be updated multiple times a year for the next five years through reports to Congress.
· A five-year reauthorization of the Airport Environmental Mitigation Pilot Program, which provides grant funding for airport projects that mitigate airport noise and air and water quality.
· A minimum of $150 million per year will be allocated from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) for projects related to airport noise mitigation or environmental protection.
The aviation bill approved by the Legislature this month authorized $4 billion per year in AIP grants for the next five years. Over the past two years, AIP has invested more than $30 million in Central Coast airports, including $9 million in Santa Maria, $7 million in Lompoc and $6 million in Santa Barbara.
The aviation policy package approved by President Biden also included Senator Carbajal’s “Clean Airports Plan,” aimed at addressing PFAS chemical contamination at Central Coast airports.
Find out more about the Clean Airports Agenda here.
Congressman Salud Carbajal represents California’s 24th Congressional District, which includes parts of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties. He serves on the Agriculture and Armed Services Committees, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and is the ranking Democrat on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee.
