Nighttime Curfew Bill Aims to Cut Valley Jet Noise

Under Valley-Wide Noise Relief Act, Van Nuys Airport and Burbank’s Bob Hope Airport could impose flight curfew from 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

A bill re-introduced this week aims to cut down on a problem that has vexed residents living under the path of two San Fernando Valley airports for years -- jet noise.

The Valley-Wide Noise Relief Act would allow Van Nuys Airport and Burbank’s Bob Hope Airport to put into place nighttime curfews for all flights from 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

The airports have had partial and voluntary curfews in effect for years, but this bill aims to tighten those restrictions, said Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, the bill’s sponsor.

In 2011, Schiff and Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, pushed for federal money for nighttime curfews, but the measure failed to get the votes.

“Valley residents living under the flight paths and in close proximity to the terminals have had to put up with this sleep-disruptive noise for many years," said Schiff, in a press release announcing the bill on Wednesday. “It is time to provide relief.”

Said Sherman: “Valley residents living under the flight paths near Bob Hope and Van Nuys Airports should be able to enjoy a restful night without the roar of jet engines waking them up in the middle of the night.”

Burbank Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy applauded the effort.

“Support of this legislation is another piece of the city's ongoing 40-year effort to protect the nighttime noise environment,” she said in a statement.

Dan Feger, the executive director of Bob Hope Airport, said the airport board supports the city of Burbank in pursuing new laws to cut nighttime noise.

An attempt to put into place a mandatory curfew at Bob Hope failed in 2009 when the Federal Aviation Administration claimed it would "create an undue burden on commerce."

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