"Baton Rouge Airport's noise plan almost done"

Thursday, September 4, 2003

Airport's noise plan almost done 
By BRETT BARROUQUERE
The Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate


An effort to buy some homes and soundproof others near Metro Airport in
north Baton Rouge is about two thirds complete, said Airport Director
Anthony Marino.

Marino, speaking Tuesday at the Metro Airport's commission meeting, said the
$67 million program is within three to four years of completion. The program
began about eight years ago.

"There's some light at the end of the tunnel," Marino said.

The airport recently has been soundproofing homes or giving homeowners a
one-time payment of $3,000 because of jet noise. More than 1,200 homeowners
have received something or are in the process of receiving something.

The airport also has received a $7.8 million grant to hasten the completion
of the project.

Airport commissioners Tuesday approved paying some of the money -- up to
$1.1 million -- to W.D. Schock Co., which is doing much of the noise
mitigation work.

That money will cover the work done this year and in 2004, Marino said.

The next major project will be soundproofing the parish's Juvenile Services
Department, which sits across Veterans Boulevard from the airport, Marino
said.

The grant money, $7 million from the federal government and the rest from
the state, is tabbed to pay for ongoing soundproofing work on 230 houses
near Metro Airport at a price of about $40,000 per home, Marino said.

Grants such as the one received in July are helping to finish the
long-running project, Marino said.

"We're lucky that we're now getting grants in the $8 million-to-$9 million
range," Marino said.

The new money also will be used for the 600 or so homes still on the
priority list that Metro Airport and Federal Aviation Authority officials
drew up in the mid-1990s.

At the start, Metro Airport bought out 400 homes with the most noise.

Now homeowners within the "noise zone" can either have their homes
soundproofed -- with triple-paned windows, central air conditioning, better
insulation, among other things -- or opt for a $3,000 check, Marino said.

The airport isn't buying any more homes, he noted.


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