HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                 HB  1458

Title:  An act relating to aircraft noise abatement in school facilities.

Brief Description:  Allowing a port district to develop a remedial noise program for a school district located within the port district.

Sponsors:  Representatives Schual‑Berke, Talcott, Keiser, Mitchell, Mulliken, Quall, Cairnes, D. Schmidt, Scott, Santos, Poulsen, Kenney and Kagi.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Meeting Date:  February 8, 1999.

Bill Analysis Prepared by:  Susan Morrissey (786-7111).

Background:  Any port district that operates an airport serving more than 20 scheduled jet aircraft flights per day may undertake aircraft noise abatement programs, subject to certain statutory restrictions.  Before undertaking the programs, the port must investigate and monitor the aircraft noise to determine the nature and extent of its impact.  The port is then required to adopt a noise abatement program, and amend it periodically to conform to the needs identified by the port=s monitoring programs.  The port is not permitted to undertake noise abatement programs in areas that extend:

(1)  more than six miles beyond the end of any runway, or

(2)   more than one mile from the centerline of any runway or

(3)  from an imaginary runway centerline that extends six miles from the paved end of the runway. 

Areas that fall within these parameters are called Aimpacted areas.@

The types of permissible noise abatement programs are described in law.  They include buying property or property rights in the impacted areas, helping property owners pay real estate fees mortgages, and mortgage insurance, and other neighborhood noise abatement programs.  The ports may also soundproof structures within an impacted area.   While individual properties may be assisted through these programs, assistance in any one category may be provided only once unless the property is subjected to increased or different aircraft noise.

Summary of Bill:  Port districts may spend money to help school districts construct, improve, or repair school facilities.

A port district that operates an airport serving more than 20 scheduled jet aircraft flights a day may undertake a remedial program to help school districts to soundproof structures located within the boundaries of an impacted area.  The program may also fund air quality improvements in those soundproofed structures. 

The  remedial program must ensure that the noise abatement efforts and air quality improvements bring the structures to the same standards as similar structures operated by the school districts outside of the impacted areas.  The program will include costs associated with monitoring noise and air quality levels in the soundproofed structures.  The program will also include the costs of maintaining the soundproofing and air quality systems in the structures to the level the systems performed at the time they were installed.

(staff note: As currently drafted, section one of the bill is broader than the title.)

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 27, 1999.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.