The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows Americans to be exposed to unsafe levels of aviation noise

Abstract

The American Public Health Association states, "Noise is unwanted and/or harmful sound." The FAA considers noise an annoyance (cf. Schultz Curve), and adopted 65 dBA Day-Night Level (DNL) as the threshold for significant aviation noise, below which residenial land uses are compatible. This is not safe for humans. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, safe noise levels are 45 dB for indoor noise, 55 dB for outdoor noise, and DNL 55 dB. The World Health Organization recommends nighttime noise levesl of only 45 dB. Recent research has established conclusively that noise is a stressor, causing a cascade of physiological events involving the autonomic nervous system, stress hormones, and inflammatory pathways, in turn causing cardiovascular disease, including hypertension and heart attacks, and other adverse health effects. Epidemiological studies demonstrating these effects have been confirmed by human and animal research. The biological mechanisms are now understood at the cellular, subcellar, molecular, and genetic levels. Additionally, aviation noise disproportionately affects poor and minority communities and vulnerable populations. A summary of this research will be presented. No more research is needed to know that aviation noise is hazardous to health. The FAA must establish lower noise standards to protect Americans exposed to aviation noise.