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Sound Insulation Treatment Repair and Replacement Program Act
12/15/2023, 4:07 PM
Summary of Bill S 1167
The bill outlines the eligibility criteria for homeowners to participate in the program, which includes living in a property that has received sound insulation treatments through a federally funded airport noise mitigation program. The program would be administered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and would prioritize properties that are experiencing issues with the effectiveness of their sound insulation treatments.
The funding for the program would come from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which is supported by taxes on airline tickets and aviation fuel. The bill specifies that the program would be funded at $50 million per year for five years, totaling $250 million. Overall, the Sound Insulation Treatment Repair and Replacement Program Act aims to address the ongoing maintenance and repair needs of sound insulation treatments in residential properties affected by airport noise. By providing funding for these repairs and replacements, the bill seeks to improve the quality of life for residents living near airports and mitigate the impact of noise pollution on their homes.
Congressional Summary of S 1167
Sound Insulation Treatment Repair and Replacement Program Act
This bill provides airports with the option to use funds provided under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) to repair and replace sound insulation in residential buildings. Under current policy, airports may use AIP funds for one-time sound insulation projects for residential buildings.
This bill provides airports a one-time waiver to use AIP funds to carry out repair and replacement of sound insulation for residential buildings if the airport previously received federal assistance or federally authorized airport assistance for the insulation and (1) it is justified due to increased aircraft noise, or (2) the previously installed sound insulation has resulted in structural deterioration.
To qualify, the building or structure must currently fall within the Day Night Level (DNL) 65 noise standard. If not, it must have fallen within this standard at the time of the initial noise mitigation, and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) compliant noise auditor must determine that
- such sound insulation treatment caused physical damage to the residence; or
- the materials used were of low quality and have deteriorated, broken, or otherwise no longer function as intended.
Additionally, an airport and the property owner must exhaust funding available through warranties, insurance coverage, and legal remedies for the previously installed insulation. An FAA compliant noise auditor must also inspect the residence and determine that the previously installed insulation resulted in structural deterioration that was not caused by the property owner's or airport's negligence, or due to the homeowner's actions.
