Suozzi Urges FAA and DOT to Address Airplane Noise and Health Impacts in Communities Near JFK and LaGuardia

Washington, DC- Congressman Tom Suozzi (NY-03) has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration leadership calling for immediate action to reduce airplane noise affecting communities near John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport.

In the letter, Suozzi highlighted the ongoing burden of near-constant aircraft noise in Long Island and Queens neighborhoods, raising concerns about its impact on residents' quality of life and long-term health, including increased stress and elevated risks of heart disease.

"Airplane noise isn't just an annoyance, it's a real quality-of-life and public health issue," said Suozzi. "We need a coordinated, system-wide approach that protects residents while maintaining the safety and efficiency of one of the most complex airspaces in the country."

Suozzi's number one suggestion is for the FAA to monitor and enforce an altitude agreement to keep JFK arrivals into runway 22L/R at or above 3,000 feet until they are within 15 miles of the airport. Congressman Suozzi was responsible for brokering this deal with the FAA Eastern Regional Office in 2019, which resulted in decreased airplane noise impacts after air traffic controllers implemented it. However, the FAA has not meaningfully enforced the agreement in recent years.

Suozzi outlined several other practical steps for the FAA to take in coordination with airlines and the Port Authority, including expanding the use of alternative flight paths to reduce concentrated noise and limiting use of the TNNIS departure route from LaGuardia whenever possible.

The Congressman also called on the FAA to move forward with long-overdue initiatives, including establishing the Airplane Noise Advisory Committee and ensuring that new technologies, such as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, are deployed with noise reduction as a priority.

Since coming to Congress in 2017, Suozzi has made reducing airplane noise a priority, working with federal officials, airlines, and local stakeholders to deliver meaningful relief for affected communities in Queens and Nassau Counties.

Read Suozzi's full letter here and attached.

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