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Nov 6,7,8 & 18 – Comment on updated Noise Compatibility Plan for Dane County Airport

Updated on

Please note that the new 2025 version of the Noise Compatibility Plan (NCP) for the county airport now includes appendices. These have airport responses to public comments on the draft 2024 plan.

If you took time to submit comments on the draft 2024 airport, thank you. Please review their responses to your comments so you can update your comments on the new 2025 version of the plan during the upcoming open houses on November 6,7 and 8 and public hearing on November 18th, or by email through Nov 24.

  • Thursday, November 6, 2025 – 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Airport Terminal Lobby between Doors 1 and 2.
  • Friday, November 7, 2025 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Airport Terminal Lobby between Doors 1 and 2.
  • Saturday, November 8, 2025 – 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Madison College (1701 Wright Street) in the Welcome Center / Atrium. Use the Wright Street entrance.
  • Public Hearing – Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 5:30pm
    Airport Conference Room 1
    Near Baggage Claim 3 and Terminal Door 6
  • Any questions or comments may be submitted by email to part150study@msnairport.com or in writing at any of the open houses through Nov. 24.

Here is a link to the appendices. Note they are 449 pages long. There is a nice table summarizing comments and the airport response. I see the mayor’s comments are included. Her primary concern is not reducing the noise impact on Madison residents but limits on future development due to airport restrictions.

It’s important to note that the majority of the comments from Safe Skies on the 2024 noise abatement plan were rejected by the county airport and not included in the pending 2025 noise abatement plan. They did thankfully recognize our suggestion to move the mobile home park next to the main runway, and actually spend money on noise insulation for homes, businesses and schools. For your information, the Burlington, Vermont airport anticipates spending over $200 million for home relocation and adding insulation to homes impacted by their F-35 fighter jets.

Noteworthy, the 2025 NCP does not change the proposed Airport Affected Area which is an enormous 34 square miles. The size of this area consumes much of the north and east sides of Madison. It is far larger than the area defined by the outdated 65 decibel threshold used by the airport to determine who qualifies for noise abatement. Most of residents, businesses and schools in this Airport Affected Area will receive no noise abatement.

white and blue passenger plane flying during daytime

Here is a summary of the Safe Skies comments on the 2024 noise abatement plan submitted on March 6, 2024. Most of these have not been addressed by the proposed 2025 plan to be discussed in the upcoming open houses and public hearing.

Summary of Comments and Recommendations

1.    The draft NCP should be updated to include a disclaimer which summarizes all the shortcomings of the enclosed noise analysis. These include the use of an outdated noise standard, predictions of noise exposure based on unverifiable flight patterns, no confirmation that noise measures will actually be followed, and avoidance of county airport expenditures for actual noise abatement measures such as relocation or noise insulation.

2.    The draft NCP was prepared by advocates for the airport and development. It is based on an outdated FAA noise standard, relies on voluntary cooperation of airport users, provides no means to verify plan effectiveness, and offers no actual relief to those most impacted by airport noise. If the protection of Madison residents is the goal, the draft NCP report should be rejected and we should re-start its preparation.

3.    The open house hosted by the airport on February 20th, does not meet the requirements for a public hearing as stated in the draft NCP. The public comment period on the draft NCP should be extended to allow the airport to host an actual public hearing and meet with impacted environmental justice communities.

4.    Many of the noise abatement measures in the current 1991 NCP were not implemented and many of the new measures in the draft NCP are voluntary. The draft NCP should be updated to include an evaluation of compliance every six months. Since airport management does not have the skills or commitment, these evaluations should be conducted by an independent contractor. A public report should be released with each new evaluation and reviewed with the Noise Advisory Committee, if it is reactivated.

5.    The draft NCP proposes a new Airport Affected Area to avoid the construction of incompatible land uses. The current Area adopted in 1991 was never accepted and implemented by the City of Madison. It appears nowhere in the City’s Comprehensive Plan. As a result, incompatible land uses have already been constructed. The new Area is shown in Figure 3-2 of the draft report, and is a positive step since this new Area extends much further that the current area. However, it is also sad that we must sacrifice so much land to accommodate the presence of the 100-year old airport. The draft NCP should be updated to require the airport to verify that Dane County and the City of Madison actually adopt and implement the new Airport Affected Area. This new area should be incorporated into the City’s Comprehensive Plan.

6.    The draft NCP should be updated to require the airport to review all future developments within the Airport Affected Area and verify the development is compatible with the goal to reduce noise exposure.

7.    Avigation easements as promoted in the current NCP, provide a one-time payment to land owners with no protection from noise exposure. The draft NCP should be updated to replace these easements with the offer to purchase properties and pay for relocation of residents.

8.    Since the current FAA standard of 65 dB DNL is outdated and inadequate to protect surrounding residents from excessive noise exposure, the sales assistance program in the NCP should be extended to single family homes within the 60 dB DNL noise contour similar to the threshold used by the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

9.    Since the adoption of the current NCP, we have learned that exposure to aircraft noise reduces the educational performance of students at noise levels well below the 65 dB DNL noise contour used by the airport. The draft NCP should be updated to provide sound insulation, air conditioning and air conditioning operating costs to all schools located within the new boundaries of the Airport Affected Area.

10.    The draft NCP rejects the operation of a noise monitoring system due to cost. The airport has no shortage of funds. It should install a noise monitoring system as other airports have done to measure actual noise exposure and determine the effectiveness of any noise abatement measures. Since the F-35 fighter jets generate noise which vibrates buildings and the bodies of people, the monitors should measure both the standard A-Scale based on our hearing range but also the C-Scale which measures the vibration frequencies.

11.    The draft NCP does not include any actual noise monitoring conducted by the airport. In our December 7, 2023 email to you, we summarized two years of actual noise measurements collected by the neighborhood monitoring network. The measurements suggest the airport has under-estimated the peak noise levels of the F-35 fighter jets and the noise contours in the draft NCP are placed too close to the airport. Prior to finalizing the NCP, the airport should review our measurements, and make necessary changes to the noise predictions.

12.    The draft NCP provides no relief for the residents of the Oak Park Terrace mobile home park adjacent to the main runway of the airport. This is a prime example of the airport’s unwillingness to protect surrounding residents and the airport’s continued promotion of environmental racism and injustice. The draft NCP should be updated to propose finding new homes for the residents of the mobile home park and purchase this property for a more suitable land use.

13.    The draft NCP should be updated to establish a regular schedule to update the noise contours and the NCP itself. Since airport management has ignored these requirements in the current NCP, an independent consultant should be hired to verify compliance.

14.    The draft NCP should be updated to require that a summary of noise complaints including the response to each complaint. This summary should be published on a regular basis both on the county airport web site but also in a report to local media.

15.    The draft NCP should be updated to require outreach to the community to solicit suggestions for improving the complaint submission and response procedures.

16.    It is good the Noise Advisory Committee may be reactivated after a five-year absence. To be more productive, this committee should include representatives with knowledge of noise impacts on public health and education, and an independent contractor familiar with the NCP who can report on the continued compliance and effectiveness of the NCP with recommendations for improvements.

17.    Due to the wealth of information and community feedback that will be obtained from the current WANG Madison F35 Connection Project, we hope the county airport will delay the completion of the draft NCP and postpone its submission to FAA for approval. There may be concerns and noise abatement options discussed during the Connection Project that have not yet been considered by the airport. Any shortcomings in the new NCP will adversely affect the health and well-being of current and future Madison residents.

18.    Our community would avoid the costs and impacts of increased aircraft noise if a new mission were found for the 115th Fighter Wing similar to the Air National Guard units in other states like Iowa and Ohio. There are over 40 missions available to the 115th Fighter Wing that do not require the use of the F-35 fighter jets. This noise abatement option was not evaluated by the draft NCP. It should be updated to evaluate the benefits and procedures for requesting a new mission for the 115th Fighter Wing.

19.    The county airport has been located in Madison for nearly 100 years. The current NCP was prepared in 1991. Rather than once again attempt to reduce the noise impacts of the county airport, the draft NCP should include an evaluation of the feasibility of relocating the county airport. Examples like Austin and Denver can be evaluated to show how the former airport site can be developed to provide urban infill. New locations can be identified that don’t expose thousands of people to unhealthy noise, consume valuable urban land, or continue to contaminate our drinking water and Yahara Chain of Lakes with PFAS.

20.    Appendix F: Public Comments of the draft NCP states: “Public comments will be included in this appendix after the public review period.”  Besides comments on the draft NCP, this appendix should provide copies of comments submitted earlier in the Part 150 process including the noise exposure map. Many of these comments relate to the content of the NCP. This will assure a complete record of public comments is provided.

21.    The draft NCP should be updated to explain FAA procedures for the public to challenge the legality and effectiveness of the final NCP. This would include procedures such as filing a complaint or a petition for administrative review.

Further discussion and explanation are provided in the attached memorandum:

Safe Skies Comments on Draft Noise Compatibility Program – FINAL – 6march24