Helicopter Noise In DC Region To Be Focus Of New Study

WASHINGTON—The federal government will conduct a study on helicopter noise in the DC region, members of Congress announced.

Six members of Congress from the DC region requested a study in a letter earlier this year. The letter acknowledged the importance of helicopters for military, law enforcement and medical purposes but called for strategies to reduce the negative impacts of the noise.

"Many of our constituents live with the impacts of regular helicopter noise that interrupts sleep patterns, causes their homes to shake and negatively impacts their quality of life," the letter reads. "While disturbances from helicopter noise have been a longstanding problem for some, others have noted recent increases in the frequency and severity of helicopter noise in their neighborhoods."

Rep. Don Beyer, a Democrat who represents Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and part of Fairfax County, heard numerous complaints from residents at his town hall last January.

"Two hundred people came to my helicopter noise town hall last year specifically to voice frustration with frequent, increasing noise from helicopters in the area," said Beyer in a statement. "Many of those helicopters are military, but to date the Pentagon’s responses to my requests that they identify affected neighborhoods and work to mitigate noise problems have been disappointing. The [Government Accountability Office] study should, I hope, give us much better information with which to address this issue."

The members of Congress want the study to address these specific points:

• The types of helicopters making the most noises and the makes of helicopters flown over the region
• Helicopter flight paths in the DC region and analysis of neighborhoods most impacted by helicopter noise
• Frequency of flights over neighborhoods with information on the agencies, flight times and flight altitudes
• Number of flights during the day and night
• Altitude of helicopters flying in the DC region
• Potential causes of the increase and frequency of helicopter noise
• How government and non-government entities operating helicopters coordinate on flight paths, altitude and other considerations