ARCO Flight Tracks

December, 1996
Vol. 3, Issue 5

Your Voice Is Heard

Communities Lose With Daley Noise Commission

By your community signing on with the "revised" Daley Noise Commission, they will sign away your rights and assume Chicago's liability. When your community or even school district joins this commission, your rights are signed away. It deals with air and noise pollution, health, and other environmental and quality of life issues associated with O'Hare. The proposal prohibits the use of certain key data in court to protect your rights, concerning noise, health, loss of property values or other quality of life issues. Ultimately, it gives them license to put as many aircraft over you as they want.

Chicago and FAA officials say that it is normal for Intergovernmental Agreements to write away liability. Is it normal to enter into a complicated agreement over an extremely complicated issue with an airport owner (Chicago) and the FAA who want to transfer their liability problems to you?

As a taxpayer, this should be of special concern to you because of the wake of a landslide of very serious liability problems concerning health, education, environment, property values and other quality of life issues that are coming down the pipe at them. It could conceivably cost you millions or even billions.

Also this commission addresses noise using an obsolete noise standard. Data Acquisition Systems in Denver, has studied the FAA's noise standard and, as many others including the courts, concluded, "The FAA's 24 hour averaging is just bad physiological science for aircraft noise." It does not address any of the environmental, health or human rights issues. The proposed commission would limit the use of funds for soundproofing of schools from 25 miles to about 4 or 5 miles from the airport. Clearly, this commission is not acting in our best interest. Contact your community's leaders now!

One community's attorney, when speaking of our concerns, stated ,"Those issues can be worked out with Chicago later." We believe that to be careless advice.

* To date, the following have joined: Palatine, Schaumburg, District 214, Northlake.

Protect Your Rights

You can protect your rights by urging your community leaders to join a suburban organization that has your best interests in mind.

This new organization will protect your rights, not take them away.  

It deals with air and noise pollution, health, and, other environmental and quality of life issues associated with O'Hare.

It is important for you to be represented on this important issue. You would be better represented by joining the suburb's equivalent to the proposed Daley and the airlines' commission.

 Besides O'Hare noise, it deals with other issues like our health and environment. Most importantly, there are no rights that you have to sign away in their Intergovernmental Agreement. None.

For more information about The O'Hare Commission, call President John Geils, Bensenville, 630/766-8200.

Abuse of Power: an editorial

What do you do if you are "big business" and the issue is that you want to expand your airport, "the world's busiest", to handle twice as many flights as you now have?

The problem is you have already had a massive increase within the last five years of over 120,000 flights. Airport neighbors as far as 50 miles away are affected by health, safety and environmental problems because of you. They don't want the increase.

Another problem is that the third largest airport in Illinois, Palwaukee, is located just seven miles from O'Hare. Together, they are already responsible for well over one-million flights. Aside from the pollution issue, the airspace is very dangerous.

The answer: Get your brother appointed the US Secretary of Transportation. Such is the case with Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley. O'Hare Airport is owned by Chicago. Because of political favors owed, the mayor's brother, William Daley is being strongly considered for the cabinet post. The result would not only spell disaster for the transportation industry, as a whole, but also for our environment as well.

The air transport industry is not only responsible for a third of the nation's economy, commercial aircraft are the most damaging to our environment and is regulated by the very industry that promotes it: The FAA.

What can you do? Contact your legislators, now! Tell them "We need responsible people in charge, who will represent our best interests."

Bits and Pieces...

ABSTAINING

Director Jack Saporito has taken a pledge not to fly until the aviation industry gives us permanent, meaningful relief.

ARCO asks all to abstain from using air travel whenever possible. The aviation industry has turned their backs on O'Hare Affected Residents. Let your friends and neighbors know.

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Corporate Contributor

ARCO recently received its first corporate donation. The donor requested anonymity. Their contribution will go a long way in reducing ARCO's debt.

Thank you!

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Chicago Fined for Contempt of Court

Chicago taxpayers are on the hook for $100 a day fine for not releasing documents related to O'Hare expansion.

Judge Bonnie Wheaton charged Chicago with "stonewalling" for not turning over 14,000 pages of O'Hare documents. She ordered them released several months ago.

Chicago's argument is that they are "privileged". The judge decided against Chicago, stating that the public's right to know was more important than Chicago's right to keep the documents private.

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FAA Wants More Concrete

David Hinson, the outgoing Administrator of the FAA, is quoted in USA TODAY -- 11/11/96 -- as saying, "And the government needs to aggressively work with local communities to expand their airport investment. There are going to be more of the 'not-in-my-back-yard' objections, but if we are to meet the growth that's coming, we must lay more concrete as well as look at technological ways to increase the capacity of the airway system."

This means, more runways, more flights, larger aircraft, more pollution, more noise, more, more, more... 

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League says, "Thanks ARCO"

The League of the Hard of Hearing thanked ARCO for its efforts in hosting International Noise Awareness Day, in Illinois. Internationally, it was a huge success.

This special annual event will be on April 30, 1997. Mark your calendars.

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We Want a Park Too!

A member suggested that since Mayor Daley wants Meigs Field turned into a park, we should be able to have our needs met too.

The member also suggested that the governor turn O'Hare into a park. If Daley wants an airport, let him build it at State & Madison.

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Just the Facts...

When presented with the facts, FAA bureaucrats and the airlines say, "So what should we do, close the airport?"

While the argument is ridiculous, because ARCO believes in a balance between economy & ecology, it does beg the question, "So what should we do, let you kill more of our children?"

There are three viable alternatives: First, build a southern green-grass airport. While it creates many badly needed jobs for our region, it brings environmental problems.

Another option is one that United and American Airlines presented. They have been quoted as saying that instead of building the new airport, they could send 60% of their enplanments to other airports, such as St. Louis and Cincinnati.

Finally, use High-Speed Rail as an alternative to airport expansion. Some of the details include a rail station at O'Hare. The airlines could run High-Speed Rail as a joint effort. It brings new business ventures for the business community. Residents get a guarantee of no new runway construction while reducing operations to a safe, healthy level. IDOT officials have also included this option in plans linking the new airport to the others.  

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Flight Tracks on the WEB

ARCO's newsletter can be found on the El Toro, CA Airport Info Site at http://www.eltoroairport.org

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Did You Know?

According to EPA studies, airplane engines are responsible for 10.5% of the cancers in the region.

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Got a friend?

Have a friend or neighbor who might be interested in receiving information about us? Call 630-415-3370 and leave their name and address.

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ARCO Needs You!

ARCO needs help in the following fields: Medical doctors, PhD's, environmental attorney, printer, psychologists, audiologists or researchers. 630/415-3370

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Upcoming Events

• Dec. 5, ARCO Meeting, Heritage Park 7:30 PM
• Dec. 17 IEPA Hearing, Maine East, Park Ridge 7:00 PM
•  Jan. 2, ARCO Meeting, Heritage Park 7:30 PM

 (ARCO meetings -- Heritage Park is located at Fernandez and Victoria in Arlington Heights, IL)

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24 Hour Noise Hotline

Whenever noise affects your quality of life, call this Hotline:

Governor's Office..........800/642-3112

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Note: ARCO Flight Tracks is published by the Alliance of Residents Concerning O'Hare, Inc. If you would like to become a member, or recieve our newsletter, call, or write to the address below. Annual membership is only $10.00 per household. Comments and questions should be sent to:

ARCO, Inc.
PO Box 1702
Arlington Heights, IL 60006-1702 

Phone: 630/415-3370
E-mail: jsaporito@aol.com