Noise mitigation in Phase 1 completed; mitigation underway in Phases 2A & 2B

Noise mitigation efforts are underway as part of the final settlement agreement between the cities of Minneapolis, Richfield and Eagan and the Metropolitan airports Commission (MAC).

As of Dec. 17, 2009, 400 homes within the 63 and 64 DNL contours have received a 5dB noise reduction package 248 of those homes are in Minneapolis). Eighteen homeowners declined participation in the program. All homeowners in this area have been contacted, and this phase of the noise mitigation program is now completed.

The MAC is also working on the second phase (2A and 2B) of the sound insulation program, which involves homes in the 60, 61 and 62 DNL contours of 2007. Phase 2A provides for air conditioning plus $4,000 of additional noise attenuation. Phase 2B provides for $14,000 of noise attenuation, but no air conditioning.

Phase 2A mitigation progress

As of Dec. 17, 2009, the MAC has completed sound insulation modifications on a total of 478 homes listed on the 2007 Noise Exposure Map (389 are in Minneapolis). An additional 497 homes are currently involved in either construction or pre-construction (487 of these homes are in Minneapolis). Seven homeowners have declined to participate.

Phase 2B mitigation progress

As of Aug. 20, 2009, the MAC has begun working on sound insulation modifications on a total of 32 homes listed on the 2007 Noise Exposure Map. Another 100 homes are in the pre-construction phase.

Notification process

Rather than notifying everyone at once, homeowners in Phase 2A and Phase 2B are being notified about orientation sessions based upon block priority. Invitations to an orientation meeting are being sent to a manageable of number of households; after one group completes its orientation, the notification process proceeds to the next group until all qualifying households in a contour are notified.

When you receive a letter from the MAC inviting you to a noise mitigation orientation meeting, please make every effort to attend. This meeting starts your home down the path toward noise mitigation.

Orientation meeting agenda

During the initial orientation meeting, attendees are presented information about the history of the noise mitigation program, its acoustic reduction goals, noise reduction elements, the process leading up to and through construction, and the work agreement contract with MAC. The meeting lasts approximately 1 1/2 hours.

Future phases

Homeowners within the 60, 61 and 62 DNL contours whose homes have central air conditioning or who decide they don’t want central air installed will begin to enter the noise mitigation program in January 2010. Homeowners in these contours may select up to $14,000 in noise treatments from an approved noise mitigation menu. All 5,348 homes within the 60-62 contours are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012.

MAC has also notified homeowners in the 2005 60-64 DNL contours (which are not included in the above phases) that approved noise mitigation menu work that they have undertaken since October 20, 2007 or which they undertake now will be eligible for reimbursement beginning in March 2010. While the total reimbursement per home will not be known until after 2009, the MAC estimates that between $2,500 to $2,750 will be available for each home.

It is important that homeowners return the postcards that they receive from MAC indicating that they will be participating in the program. Homeowners will have through July 31, 2014 to request reimbursement. There are specific procedures that homeowners must follow. To view the program elements and procedures, go to MACs website at http://www.macavsat.org/sip/sip_reimbursement. Homeowners are encouraged to stop by the Center for Energy and Environment’s general offices, 6517 Nicollet Ave. S., Richfield, to look at approved products and discuss their plans with staff prior to initiating work.

MAC has also begun a pilot program addressing multi-family units. More than 100 multi-family buildings with more than 300 units will be addressed in the multi-family program.

This noise mitigation program is the result of a final settlement of an airport noise lawsuit reached in 2008 between the cities of Minneapolis, Richfield and Eagan and the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC). The $127.6 million settlement means some form of noise mitigation for more than 9,560 homes in Minneapolis, Richfield and Eagan.

To view the noise contours, click on Noise Contour Maps.

To view the terms of the settlement agreement click on:

Updated Jan. 11, 2009

Last updated Sep. 27, 2011