Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Rauner Signs Bill Designed To Reduce Jet Noise at O'Hare

By Heather Cherone | July 30, 2015 2:32pm | Updated on July 31, 2015 8:26am
 An advocacy group acknowledged little action has been taken on local jet noise complaints.
An advocacy group acknowledged little action has been taken on local jet noise complaints.
View Full Caption
Flickr/ Jim Wissemes

O'HARE — Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a bill Thursday that would allow O'Hare Airport to operate 10 runways — instead of eight — and impose stricter noise monitoring measures in an effort to reduce the roar of planes over the Northwest Side.

Rauner's decision to sign the bill is a victory for the Fair Allocation in Runways Coalition, which has been pressing federal, state and local officials to reverse plans to dismantle two diagonal runways at O'Hare and spread out the racket caused by planes traveling to and from O'Hare Airport via new east-west runways.

Jac Charlier, one of the founders of the coalition, said members were thrilled with Rauner's decision to sign the bill.

"Gov. Rauner gets that keeping the diagonals offer solutions to make the lives of all of O'Hare's neighbors better," Charlier said.

Owen Kilmer, a spokesman for the Chicago Department of Aviation, said officials were conducting a full review of the legislation's impact in consultation with the Federal Aviation Administration.

However, the new law will have "no short-term impact" on airport operations, Kilmer said.

Before Rauner's action Thursday, O'Hare officials said they had no choice but to close the diagonal runway on the east side of the airport on Aug. 20 because state law limited the number of runways in operation at the airport to eight. A new east-west runway on the south side of the airport is scheduled to open Oct. 15.

The diagonal runway on the west side of the runway is scheduled to close in 2019.

Another bill that would have prevented city officials from dismantling the runway failed to pass the General Assembly.

Instead, state Sen. John Mulroe (D-Jefferson Park) and state Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Jefferson Park) brokered an agreement between city officials and the coalition to meet three times to discuss ways to reduce the jet noise that the group contends has lowered property values and made it impossible for Northwest Side residents to watch television, sleep or enjoy their yards.

City officials agreed to ask the Federal Aviation Administration to hold off on taking irreversible steps to take the diagonal runways out of service while the meetings took place.

The final meeting — closed to both the press and members of the public — is set to take place at 5 p.m. Friday, and Aviation Commission Ginger Evans has promiserallel d to present a range of options to reduce jet noise. It is unclear, however, if any of those will satisfy coalition members — in interviews, Evans has staunchly defended the expansion of the airport and the parunway configuration.

"We hope [Mayor Rahm Emanuel] and Evans understand what it is clear that Gov. Rauner understands," Charlier said.

City officials began dismantling the diagonal runway in May, removing equipment that helps pilots touch down safely during bad weather, despite the debate.

The new law goes into effect Jan. 1.

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: