Letter from Robert O’Neil, 175 Holworthy Street, relating to City Manager’s Agenda Item #8 regarding noise issues associated with flights in and out of Logan Airport

Cambridge, MA City Council Meeting - April 8, 2019 Robert O'Neil - 175 Holworthy St., Cambridge I am here to speak on Awaiting Report Item #19-17, Airplane Noise Study Update I appreciate the efforts of the City Council to highlight and help address the significant negative impacts on cambridge residents, and surrounding communities, that result from the airplane noise disturbances from the concentrated flight paths of Logan Airport's runway 33L. The airplane noise disturbances also negatively impact large numbers of people that enjoy the Fresh Pond Reservation, a vital wooded, open space resource for the densely populated City and surrounding communities. I think including a noise consultant in the City budget to help understand the impacts of future changes to Logan's operation on City residents is a positive step. I encourage the City, and its consultant, to make note of a recent study conducted by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health entitled "Optimizing Airport Flight Patterns Take a Toll on Human Health" " published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The study concludes that increased noise associated with the concentrated RNAV flight patterns potentially pose serious health threats to nearby communities—including cardiovascular disease and other disorders as a consequence of long-term repetitive noise exposure that, as many of us have experienced, can go on for hour after hour, day after day. When winds are from the West and Northwest flight departures from 33L pass over North and West Cambridge at frequencies ranging from every 30 seconds or less, to every 1 to 2 minutes. This results in sometimes up to 400 to 500 flights passing over per day. I encourage the City Council to use their resources to alert and inform affected Cambridge Residents that they can effect beneficial change by consistently submitting complaints to Massport, thereby helping FAA and Massport understand the true magnitude and detrimental impact of the concentrated RNAV flight path approach. Respectfully, Robert O'Neil 175 Holworthy Street Cambridge, MA Page 1 of 1