In January, the Air Force and the Department of Defense formally announced that the 104th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard, operating out of Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport in Massachusetts, will receive 21 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II stealth jet fighters to replace its older F-15Cs, the Shoestring reports.
The decision comes after almost three years of environmental review. That review turned up serious issues with noise from the jets — but officials moved forward with the change anyway.
What's happening?
According to the Shoestring, the area can expect to hear the takeoff or landing of a fighter jet every hour and 15 minutes on average, day and night, for the next five decades. The F-35s are significantly louder than the F-15s they're replacing, so the noise will be audible — and disruptive — from farther away.
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Heck yes! 💯 According to the Federal Aviation Administration, when the "day-night average sound level" in an area is higher than 65 decibels, that's "highly annoying" — in other words, too loud for a residential community. There is already an area of Westfield that is affected by noise above this level, but adding F-35s will triple that area.
According to officials, residents were given the chance to comment on the change during a public comment period last year. However, that would require finding the relevant facts in an environmental impact report that is over 800 pages long. Only 42 comments were submitted during the open period, in contrast to thousands on a similar project just a few hours away from the site in 2013.
Why is the switch to F-35s important?
The noise pollution from this project is going to cause major disruption and discomfort for area residents for 50 years or more. Not only that, but there are actual public health impacts from excessive noise, like hearing loss, heart disease, and lower school scores for children. Many of the affected people in Westfield are low-income residents who have few alternatives.
Meanwhile, the planes are also expected to emit more nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides, and particulate matter than the old ones, poisoning the local air — though they will decrease the previous amount of volatile organic compounds and carbon monoxide, per the Shoestring.
What's being done about the noise?
The Shoestring noted the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Noise Compatibility Program, also called Part 150, makes federal funding available for the city to either purchase property that's officially in the affected zone, or provide soundproofing for homes. It hasn't been determined yet which homes will actually be eligible, however, and the city will need to apply for the funding, meaning it's still uncertain.
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