CHS VAN HOLLEN 1707 Loman House Ores Burnes ‘COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET Congress of the United States mesa House of Representatives fecal ‘Wiashington, BE 20515 M ma a May 5, 2016 Saar Hon. Michael Huerta Administrator Federal Aviation Administration 800 Independence Avenue SW Washington, DC 20591-0004 Dear Mr, Huerta: Jam writing to you regarding the devastating impact on many of my constituents of the change in flight paths arriving and departing from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (“DCA”), I understand that these changes, resulting from the implementation of NextGen, were designed to improve the efficiency of flight operations. However, their effect on nearby communities has been dramatic and has created an unacceptable and untenable situation for constituents whose homes lie below the flight path. Over the last few months, [ have heard from many of my constituents regarding the frequent planes flying over their homes. FAA staff has advised that all departures now follow cone specific, tightly constrained route at a low altitude. As a result, while only a handful of communities experience the effects of hundreds of flights daily, the effects on these neighborhoods is simply unbearable. The reports from my constituents include numerous accounts similar to the following: “Lhave counted some days with 8-10 hours of 28 planes an hour. We are 13 miles from the airport. Our life now is as if we are living directly below a runway above our home.” “Trecently bought my home in May of 2015 and chose this area because it was quiet, in nature and near the park. Now, we have constant noise from 5:45 am until 11:15 pm. The noise is oppressive.” “Several times a day, planes fly every 20 seconds for hours at a time. They prevent me from going to sleep, they wake me up. They interrupt conversation in the yard, and sometimes even in the house. They fly low: I'can see the paint, landing gear, and sometimes read the airline with my naked eye. Our house is solidly built, but the planes make it shake.”Hon, Michael Huerta May 5, 2016 Page 2 “The planes wake us in the morning and they interrupt our sleep at night. They disturb us all day, especially when we are outdoors but also when we are inside with the windows closed. The noise is constant and very disturbing. As soon as one plane completes its flyover, another plane approaches. Ofien, there is more than one plane over the neighborhood at the same time, flying in different directions and at different altitudes. The noise seriously affects our well-being and is adversely affecting our health and the enjoyment of our home.” Although I understand that many elected officials and stakeholders were notified that such changes were under consideration, not only was I not so notified (the notice was mailed to an office that I had closed the previous year), but, to my knowledge, neither were any of my affected constituents. As a result, my constituents had no opportunity to weigh in on the complete change in lifestyle that they would experience due to the narrowing of flight paths. | request that the FAA take swift action to review the impact of these changes on all residents of the affected communities, including those in Bethesda and Potomac, Maryland. I urge the FAA to promptly identify and implement the necessary changes to mitigate the impact of Mlight path changes on my constituents. Took forward to your prompt response. Chris Van Hollen Member of Congress