CAANSC Suggested Key Actions

WEBSITE FOR: Community Action Airplane Noise Sonoma County (CAANSC)

THIS PAGE: CAANSC SUGGESTED KEY ACTIONS

ARE YOU BEING NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY RECENT
INCREASED LOW-FLYING COMMERCIAL JET NOISE
IN WEST SONOMA COUNTY?
So are we! And we’ve been learning what was changed
and what we can do to push back.

We are not powerless! AND this is a critical time to act!

AND we need more people speaking up now to have the most impact!

YES WE CAN!

The changes made in January or February moved planes significantly lower, and re-routed them from rural areas to new rural residential areas. Resident complaints notably increased! Homes that are nowhere near the airport, and were not on a flight path, are now experiencing many roaring loud commercial jet planes close overhead every day!
This is harming our peace and quiet, quality of life, relaxation and concentration, air quality, health — and property values!
Residents and others weren’t notified in advance of this drastic change to our lives, so we couldn’t object then! Even the airport was surprised by the change.
There are other route options. The planes could fly higher again. The FAA apparently failed to consider these options — or the impact of these changes of people living on the ground.

• ACTION #1: GET ON OUR EMAIL ALERT LIST.
ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME.
Signup on this page: www.healthyworld.org/CAANSC-EList.html

• ACTION #2:

STATE YOUR OBJECTIONS TO THIS CHANGE TO THESE OFFICIALS
This is key to show how many people are impacted. That it matters to YOU and your neighbors. And to preserve our rights to object.
You can create one letter and send copies to the others. The content on this webpage can help you develop your key points. And maybe end all the letters with a general action line, such as, “I ask that you please use your authority and persuasion to help us get back our quality of life from this intrusion.”

A) COUNTY SUPERVISOR LYNDA HOPKINS (District 5). To show that this is an important local issue, so she can help speak up for us to the appropriate authorities. lynda.hopkins@sonoma-county.org • www.lyndaforsupervisor.com/contact.php

B) FEDERAL ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES. To help speak for us with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration).
* House. Find your representative and contact information here: www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
* Senate. See both California Senators and their contact links here: www.senate.gov/states/CA/intro.htm

C) FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA)
* FAA Noise complaints. This page includes how and what information to submit. We suggest that you don’t need to list all the flights; just discuss the patterns and impacts. If you submit specific complaints locally, mention that.

www.faa.gov/noise/inquiries. You can also email these FAA ombudsman -- REGIONAL: 9-awp-noise@faa.gov • FEDERAL: 9-AWA-NoiseOmbudsman@faa.gov.
* U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. secretarybuttigieg@dot.gov • https://transportation.libanswers.com/faq/164211

>> See this webpage for our general suggested talking points:
www.healthyworld.org/CAANSC-SuggestedTalkingPoints.html

• ACTION #3: REPORT OVERFLIGHTS.
* Report each event online at www.stsgoodneighbor.com/noise-complaints. This is key to showing how many people are being impacted and thus the need for action. These complaints are summarized in monthly and annual reports.
* Even submitting one complaint is useful! So that you are included in the ongoing count of impacted residences.
Once a month is better, so it shows in the monthly count.
And the more reported flights, the better.
* You can also email noise events to them individually or on a monthly spreadsheet. Ask me for more info!

• ACTION #4/TIMELY: CONTACT PRESS DEMOCRAT REPORTER WORKING ON A STORY
* A Press Democrat reporter wants to talk with people who've experienced increased airplane noise! This is a key opportunity for us to visibly speak up for ourselves, reach other impacted people, and call on public officials to fix this!

A) CONTACT HER to say you're impacted by increased airplane noise and would be glad to talk with her for her story. anna.armstrong@pressdemocrat.com

B) COMMENT ON HER THREAD IN SEBASTOPOL FACEBOOK GROUP. People who are not under the new flight path are commenting that the planes are fine. This might lead her and others to feel that it's not a big deal. I think it's powerful to have those of us under the new routes to speak visibly on that thread, so our viewpoint is also seen there, by both here and the community.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/whatsupsebastopol/permalink/3538987713069447/?mibextid=S66gvF

C) MAYBE REFER HER TO MY WEBPAGE, as a helpful resource. Encourage her to share it with readers. This gives readers an action to do, not just be passive or unsure what to do. And this helps us build our numbers, which adds to our ability to reach our goals. (It's helpful to have folks other than me refer her to this webpage.)
www.healthyworld.org/CAANSC.html
CAANSC=Community Action Airplane Noise Sonoma County

D) GET INPUT ON TALKING POINTS from this new page
www.healthyworld.org/CAANSC-SuggestedTalkingPoints.html

>> ADDED INFORMATION: REPORTER'S QUERY, POSTED ON 10/23/24 IN FACEBOOK SEBASTOPOL GROUP
Anna Victoria Armstrong
Hi all! My name is Anna Armstrong and I am a reporter at the Press Democrat. I’m looking for people who have experienced louder airport, plane noise in recent months to chat with me for a story.
In March, the Federal Aviation Administration changed the departure procedure for flights at the county airport. The county has reported hearing more complaints of airport noise in Sebastopol. To remedy this, the airport has contracted a firm to look at changing flight procedures to reduce noise.
If you feel like you have heard an increase in noise from the airport and want to share your story/specific experiences, please send me a message.
My email is: anna.armstrong@pressdemocrat.com
Thanks so much!

* KEY LINK - MAIN PAGE FOR CAANSC, to bookmark and share

www.healthyworld.org/CAANSC.html

And please feel free to let me know if you have any questions or suggestions on this process! (My email is: INFO [at] healthyworld.org.)

Best - Patricia