QUIET SKIES MID PENINSULA
Update: In June 2022, the FAA announced it has abandoned its ill-conceived plan to shift the current SERFR route over LAH without implementing the noise fixes recommended by local officials and our Congressional Representatives. Though noise has been reduced since the original NextGen launch in 2015 through multiple changes (increased altitudes due to Class B fixes, deconfliction in the vicinity of the MENLO waypoint and the introduction of HIGHR, preference for "over the bay" approach when available), we are disappointed that the FAA didn't go further to address all recommendations from community advocates and elected officials. This site is being preserved for historical reasons but is no longer being updated. For more up-to-date news, please visit Sky Posse Palo Alto.
About Us
We are a coalition of citizen groups representing ten cities in the SF Mid-Peninsula region (Belmont, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Ladera, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Redwood City, Woodside) who are concerned about the dramatic increase in aircraft noise over our cities and towns since March 2015.
More commercial aircraft are flying lower and making more noise than in the past, as a result of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) implementation of the "NextGen" air traffic control system.
We object to the FAA's unilateral decision to funnel more aircraft over our community. We accept that aircraft must fly somewhere to reach Bay Area airports. We simply do not accept that the FAA has increased the noise and pollution above historical levels.
See the letter sent from the Mid-Peninsula group to U.S. Reps. Eshoo (CA-18) and Farr (CA-20) outlining our principles, why we declined to endorse the Quiet Skies NorCal letter and why we think proposing solutions to the FAA is a bad strategy for cities in the NorCal Metroplex.
FAA's NextGen air traffic control system. Video explaining increased air traffic over Los Altos and Los Altos Hills due to FAA's NextGen.
Upcoming Events
Final Select Committee Meeting on Thursday, Nov 17, 1-4pm, at Palo Alto City Hall, Council Chambers, 250 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto
How To Complain
Individual complaints about aircraft noise pollution matter because SFO publishes complaint numbers monthly. One complaint from 100 people carries much more weight than 100 complaints from one person.
Visit stop.jetnoise.net to complain to SFO about loud aircraft. The site is very easy to use. It reports the commercial aircraft's model, flight number, and altitude at your location. A Google or Facebook account is required.
Sign the Change.org Petition started by our friends at SkyPosse Palo Alto to demand that our elected officials take action to reduce aircraft noise.
Visit our pages on How To Take Action and contact our elected officials, including City, County, State, and Federal representatives.
Recent News
LAH Vice Mayor Gary Waldeck presents Noise and Population Impact study in Los Altos on October 25, 2016, comparing the proposed DAVYJ route to SERFR (current) and BSR (2014) routes. Compare the 3 routes
"Total Persons Highly Annoyed" Analysis of DAVYJ released on October 11, 2016. The analysis is based on FAA noise estimates and population data from the Census Bureau. Cities most impacted will be Menlo Park, Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, and Redwood City. See the report in PDF.
FAA Predicts Significant Noise Increase to LAH at meeting on September 1, 2016. See the new SFO arrival route, "DAVYJ", under consideration by the FAA and learn more about its impact.
FAA Select Committee Meeting in Mountain View on June 29, 2016. Quiet Skies Mid-Peninsula, Quiet Skies Woodside, and Sky Posse Palo Alto all presented.
Coalition of 13 Advocacy Groups Across 3 Counties Urge Select Committee to Find True Regional Solution to Airplane Noise Problem. Read the letter.
FAA Select Committee Meeting in Redwood City on June 15, 2016. Four more community advocacy groups presented at this public meeting. See the agenda and presentations here.
LAH public forum on aircraft noise on June 4, 2016. Moderated by LAH vice-mayor, Gary Waldeck. See the agenda and the presentations.
FAA Select Committee Meeting in Santa Cruz on May 25, 2016. See our summary of the meeting, and presentations made by Quiet Skies Los Altos Hills and the San Lorenzo advocacy group from the Santa Cruz Mountains that review the FAA Proposal of May 16.
Analysis of FAA proposal of May 16, 2016. No relief for Mid-Pen. See our letter summarizing our analysis of FAA proposal. See the FAA documents and read the full QSLAH analysis.
Los Altos Community meeting of May 11. Quiet Skies LAH presented, along with Los Altos and Palo Alto noise organizations. Get presentations here.