Story ID: 5021913alerts
Los Angeles Helicopter Noise Bill Reintroduced
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: 
Word Count: 209
The reintroduced Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act has little chance of being enacted, according to government information website GovTrack.us. S.208 seeks to force the FAA to impose regulations governing helicopter operations in the Los Angeles area. GovTrack.us estimates that the bill has a 4-percent chance of getting out of committee and a 1-percent chance of being enacted.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) introduced the bill. If the bill is enacted, one year later the FAA would be required to “prescribe regulations for helicopter operations in Los Angeles County…relating to the flight paths and altitudes associated with such operations to reduce helicopter noise pollution in residential areas, increase safety and minimize scheduled commercial aircraft delays.”

The bill exempts a segment of the helicopter community that is also part of the noise problem–helicopters being flown for emergency, law enforcement or military activities.

“Legislation is absolutely the wrong solution to such a diverse and complex issue and usually results in unintended consequences, [including] degradation of safety and inefficient use of the airspace,” said HAI president Matt Zuccaro. “This legislation is being introduced absent any data or study…of the issue.”