Airport Impact
Noise Impact:
Constant exposure to high decibels of noise created by planes make it hard to enjoy our own backyards, rivers, parks, and national forests.
Here's an excerpt from the FAA Advisory Circular 91-36d: "Excessive aircraft noise can result in annoyance, inconvenience, or interference with the uses and enjoyment of property, and can adversely affect wildlife. It is particularly undesirable in areas where it interferes with normal activities associated with the area’s use, including residential, educational, health, and religious structures and sites, and parks, recreational areas (including areas with wilderness characteristics), wildlife refuges, and cultural and historical sites where a quiet setting is a generally recognized feature or attribute."
Aircraft noise has been shown to have significant detrimental effects on human health and well-being. Numerous studies have linked chronic exposure to aircraft noise with a range of adverse outcomes, impacting both physical and mental health.
Studies have shown increased rates of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress among those living in areas with high aircraft noise exposure. Children appear to be particularly vulnerable, with research indicating that chronic exposure to aircraft noise can negatively affect cognitive development and academic performance.
See references below
In 2021 the FAA conducted a Neighborhood Environmental Survey (NES) to assess community annoyance related to aircraft noise. This survey represented the largest of its kind, aimed to provide updated data on how communities perceive and respond to aircraft noise in the modern aviation environment.
The findings indicated that community tolerance for aircraft noise has decreased over time, with more people reporting high levels of annoyance at lower noise exposure levels than in previous decades.
Environmental Impact
"...Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final determination that emissions of lead from aircraft that operate on leaded fuel cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health and welfare under the Clean Air Act.
'The science is clear: exposure to lead can cause irreversible and life-long health effects in children,' said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. 'Aircraft that use leaded fuel are the dominant source of lead emissions in our air."
Dead Horse Ranch state park is a recognized Bald Eagle nesting habitat and breeding area. "Low flying...planes and helicopters are the most common human activities in bald eagle breeding areas of Arizona." "Repeated disturbances can cause disruption of normal bald eagle courtship and breeding behavior...can flush adult bald eagles from the nest causing the eggs to break, or flush nestlings from the nest before being able to fly."
Click here to read the Cottonwood Airport Pilots Brochure for Bald Eagles.
Dead Horse Ranch State Park
Economic Impact
Airport noise can have significant negative economic impacts on residential property values and neighborhood desirability. Multiple studies have consistently demonstrated that proximity to airports and exposure to aircraft noise can reduce home prices and overall community appeal.
REFERENCES:
The Impact of Airport Noise on House Prices: https://academic.oup.com/qopen/article/1/2/qoab012/6307527?login=false
The Impact of Airport Noise on Residential Real Estate: http://www.nqsc.org/downloads/REALESTATE.pdf
From the US Government National Library of Medicine:
Aircraft Noise and Psychological Ill-Health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6121613/
Aviation Noise Impacts: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5437751/
Impact of Aeroplane Noise on Mental and Physical Health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9062823/
Research indicates that home values may decrease by 0.5% to 2% per decibel increase in airport noise above certain thresholds In some cases, homes in very high noise areas have seen price reductions of 20% or more compared to similar properties in quieter locations.
Beyond direct price impacts, airport noise can decrease overall neighborhood desirability, leading to lower housing demand, longer sale times, and difficulty attracting new residents or businesses.
