San Diego County Regional Airport Authority (Airport Authority) will receive a total of $25,978,156 in two airport safety and infrastructure grants through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for noise mitigation measures. The $25.9 million in grants marks the largest annual amount given to the Airport Authority by the FAA for its Quieter Home Program (QHP) and one of the largest annual amounts given to any airport nationwide.
The Quieter Home Program is San Diego International Airport’s residential sound insulation program. The FAA has determined that certain residences around SAN may be eligible for sound insulation treatments to mitigate aircraft noise. The FAA has set a goal of reducing interior noise levels for eligible residents by at least five decibels inside the home, providing a noticeable noise reduction. The Airport Authority’s Quieter Home Program is the means to obtain that goal.
Primarily, the $25.9 million will go towards sound-insulating approximately 400 to 500 homes per year, depending on the size of the home. QHP recently expanded to sound insulating non-residential facilities, a portion of this grant will treat two church and preschool facilities in the areas most impacted by aircraft noise. It is estimated that once the program is initiated, one non-residential noise-sensitive property can be sound insulated in one year.
“The Airport Authority would like to thank the FAA,” said Kimberly Becker, Airport Authority President and CEO. “Given the location of our airport and its proximity to homes and businesses, there are many opportunities for this money to be utilized. We appreciate the FAA’s acknowledgment of our efforts to combat aircraft noise through the Quieter Home Program.”
“The amount provided to the Airport Authority to conduct the Quieter Home Program is well above what we received last year and acknowledges the continuous hard work we’ve conducted during the pandemic,” said Sjohnna Knack, Program Manager, Planning & Environmental Affairs (Aircraft Noise). “I encourage area residents to reach out for more information and see if they are eligible to benefit from the Quieter Home Program. Most of the funds support the local vendors, contractors, and staff which benefits our region. My sincere thanks to the FAA for the funds.”
Through the Quieter Home Program, homes may receive retrofitted exterior doors and windows, installation of a ventilation system, and other items such as weather stripping and caulking around openings. Since its inception, the Quieter Home Program has retrofitted more than 4,500 single-family and multi-family residences immediately east and west of the airport. For more information on the Quieter Home Program, please visit san.org/airportnoise.
ABOUT SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SAN)
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is the busiest single-runway commercial service airport in the U.S. and the third busiest airport in California. In 2019, SAN welcomed 25-million passengers and offered nonstop flights to destinations worldwide. The airport is an economic driver for the region, contributing nearly $12 billion in economic activity in 2019 and supports nearly 116,600 jobs. With anticipated passenger growth in the future, the Airport Authority is continuing progress with the New T1 program that will replace Terminal 1 with a larger, more efficient facility and other improvements that enhance the airport experience. The airport is managed and operated by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. For more information, please visit san.org.
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