"Coleman wants 'plan of action' on Minneapolis airport noise, economics issues"

Thursday, August 21, 2003

Coleman wants 'plan of action' on airport noise, economics issues
By Dan Wascoe Jr.
The Minneapolis (MN) Star Tribune


Jet noise and aviation economics in the Twin Cities continued to draw close
congressional attention Wednesday.

U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., in a letter addressing the interests of
both Northwest Airlines and anti-noise activists, asked Twin Cities airport
officials to send him "a comprehensive plan of action" covering noise
insulation and passenger and airline safety.

"Clearly, the commitment made to residents in the area of noise abatement
must be kept to the extent possible within the economic and security
realities that exist today," Coleman said in a letter to Jeff Hamiel,
executive director of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC).

The commission's first priority "should be passenger safety and preserving
the economic health of the airline industry in our region," he said. His
words echoed recent calls by Northwest Airlines to use available airport
funds for security and safety, especially during tough economic times for
airlines.

But Coleman also said that a recent effort to restrict federal funds for
noise mitigation was "not only troubling but does little to build trust and
cooperation among residents, the MAC and Northwest Airlines." Northwest had
lobbied for those restrictions.

He repeated his previous assurances that the commission can continue using
passenger-ticket surcharges to help pay for noise insulation near
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

". . . I have the full assurance of the Senate Commerce, Science and
Transportation Committee and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that
the language will not preclude the MAC from using its [surcharge] revenue"
to insulate houses exposed to an average of 60 to 64 decibels, Coleman said.
The commission's and the federal government's current insulation threshold
is an average of 65 decibels.

Vicki Grunseth, MAC chairwoman, said the agency agrees that safety "is our
top priority," although "We would like it better if [federal] mandates were
fully funded." She referred to requests that the federal Transportation
Security Administration pay not only for the machines that screen baggage
but also for terminal remodeling to accommodate those machines.

She said the commission needs to balance security concerns with "capacity
issues" so the airport can handle air and passenger traffic when air travel
rebounds. She also has noted that the commission has longstanding
commitments to provide noise insulation.

She said the commission would respond to Coleman's request, which she
considers an effort to bring him "up to speed."

"It's an admirable request," she said. "He's engaged."

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