JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — After years of complaints over noise that eventually led to lawsuits from hundreds of neighbors and even surrounding communities, federal dollars will be used to study just how bad the noise is at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (RMMA).
RMMA was one of several airports that received a total of $100 million in grants for various airport improvements. RMMA will receive $1,400,633 for an FAA-defined Part 150 Airport Noise Compatibility Study.
U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper announced the projects that will receive the funding earlier this week.
"Colorado's regional and municipal airports help connect communities across our state and support local economic development," Bennet said in the media release.
Hickenlooper was also quoted, "Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is still delivering improvements to make air travel safe and accessible for all Coloradans."
Their release said the funding was made available through the Federal Airport Improvement Program and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as well as discretionary supplemental grant funding.
"A few years ago, I would have thought this might have helped us, but I've learned since then that's extremely unlikely," said Charlene Willey, who has lived near RMMA for 30 years and has worked with neighbors fighting against the increased noise as the airport has continued to expand in the last 10.
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Jefferson County officials explained how the study would work. The FAA prescribes the methodology which includes modeling noise exposure from aircrafts, conducting a land use survey, developing noise exposure maps and finally developing a noise compatibility program. The final program could include alternate concepts for the airport and airspace and compatible land use alternatives as well.
"This study will assist airport stakeholders in quantifying aircraft noise impacts, as well as identifying potential noise mitigation opportunities," the county said in a statement.
The study is expected to start later in 2024 and could take up to two years to complete. The county said the study will survey the vicinity of the airport, but at this point a total distance from the airport has not yet been determined.
"It's a waste of public funds to pretend, to delay, to add somewhere between two and five years to all of this, while they continue to expand [airport] operations," said Willey.
Also listed in the projects to receive FAA funding, is a $5,498,829 grant for a new paved taxiway at RMMA. The project description said it will "construct a new 1,300-foot paved Taxiway O to bring the airport into conformity with current standards and reconstructs 970 feet of the existing paved Taxiway D pavement that has reached the end of its useful life."
The potential of growth with an added new taxiway is concerning to those hoping to address the long growing noise concerns.
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"Unfortunately, it's not a surprise. It's extremely disappointing and frustrating, almost beyond description," said Willey, "to see our senators, after all this time, bragging about how this additional funding is going to help Colorado airports when, for all this time, the community, the rest of us who live with it, almost none of whom benefit from it, are victimized by it."
Denver7 reached out to the offices of Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper as well as the FAA.
Bennet's office responded saying the Senator has met with these groups and he's aware of their concerns.
The FAA released a statement that read:
"One of the FAA Airport Improvement Program [faa.gov] grants that Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport received this year is for a noise [faa.gov] study. Another pays for construction of a new taxiway to access a future hangar development. The FAA conducts environmental reviews [faa.gov] for airfield projects such as this per the National Environmental Policy Act. The agency also encourages and helps airports enact developments that minimize noise in surrounding communities."
A response has not yet been received by Hickenlooper.
Jefferson County said there will be upcoming community involvement opportunities.
"It would be great if they would explore the people are are complaining as far away as Berthoud and Centennial," said Willey, "I think it's the least they could do."
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