UPDATE: ONCC Board Chair turns down Mayor’s request to join Ad Hoc Committee for various reasons

November 14, 2017 Elmhurst, IL – In response to Mayor Morley’s request for Elmhurst to be added to the Ad Hoc Fly Quiet Committee, ONCC Board Chair Arlene A. Juracek commended Elmhurst for all their involvement on Fly Quiet, but has turned down the request for various reasons.

In a letter to Morley, Juracek addressed the Mayor’s concerns about lack of representation on the Ad Hoc Committee from any communities on the diagonals of 4/22S.

Juracek stated, “Committee Chair Annunzio represents Niles and lives in Park Ridge. In addition, Des Plaines is represented on the committee. These communities are all directly impacted by operations on the diagonal in both east and west flow and have been active in the discussion. Communities on the diagonal runways do have a vote at the committee level. I understand your concerns with use of the 4/22's, but as an analysis that was shared at the last meeting shows, it is only effectively 26% of the overnight traffic not that 50% that some originally feared.”

Juracek noted that as chair she appointed members of the committee with “dual goals of ensuring a committee size conducive to productive and inclusive discussion and with an equitable geographic dispersion around the airport.”

The Ad Hoc Committee will vote on a recommend plan that will be presented to all members of the ONCC for final vote. Members of the ONCC include representation from Elmhurst.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mayor requests seat on ONCC Ad Hoc Committee

November, 10  2017 Elmhurst, IL - On November 6, 2017 the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission (ONCC) Ad Hoc Fly Quiet Committee met to review the draft report on Fly Quiet Runway Rotation Test #3 along with potential scenarios for the 2.5 year Interim Fly Quiet Plan. Survey results showed that Elmhurst residents strongly opposed Fly Quiet Test #3.

The Ad Hoc Fly Quiet Committee was formed after the ONCC approved the City of Elmhurst membership. Due to this timing, Elmhurst was not afforded the opportunity to be appointed to the Ad Hoc Committee. Mayor Steve Morley has formally requested that Elmhurst have “a seat at the table” for the discussions and decisions on the Interim Fly Quiet Plan.  If ONCC decides not to appoint an Elmhurst representative to the Ad Hoc Committee, Morley has requested that the vote on RRP be halted until the Ad Hoc By-Laws Committee can make Fly Quiet a standing committee. This would allow fair representation for communities on the diagonal runways to have a vote in the recommendation to the full ONCC Board.

The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) conducted several Runway Rotation Plan (RRP) tests to analyze the shared impact of aircraft noise in neighborhoods surrounding O’Hare Airport. These tests encourage pilots and traffic controllers to use designated nighttime runways. Based on these results tests, a proposed Interim Fly Quiet plan will be voted on by the ONCC Ad Hoc Committee, which is presented to ONCC for final approval.

Test #3 directly impacted specific areas in Elmhurst, with a 100% increase in nighttime airplane traffic compared to Test #1 and Test #2. Every other week during the evening hours of 11 p.m. – 5 a.m. during this test period, aircraft traffic and its related noise from low flying planes caused distress to many Elmhurst residents. The City of Elmhurst encouraged residents to voice concern by filling out a survey on the RRP Test #3, conveying its impact on Elmhurst to the ONCC.

The next Ad Hoc Fly Quiet Committee meeting is scheduled for Friday, November 17 at 10 a.m. At that time, CDA is expected to present 2-3 options for an Interim Fly Quiet Plan. The Committee could potentially vote on an option at that meeting, which will then go to the full ONCC for approval. It is anticipated that the earliest an Interim Fly Quiet plan would start would be 2018.

The City of Elmhurst is waiting for a response from the ONCC on this request.

For the latest updates on this issue, please visit www.elmhurst.org/voiceconcern.