San Diego International Airport Receives $18 Million in Federal Grant for Noise Mitigation Measures

    Sept. 3, 2020
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    On September 1, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced the Trump Administration will award San Diego International Airport (SAN) a total of $18,023,885 in two airport safety and infrastructure grants through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for noise mitigation measures. The $18 million in grants marks the largest annual amount given to SAN by the FAA for its Quieter Home Program (QHP).

    The funds are administered by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority (Airport Authority) through the Quieter Home Program, the airport’s residential sound insulation program. The FAA has determined that residences within the 65 to 69 decibel level contour map around SAN may be eligible for sound insulation treatments to mitigate aircraft noise. The FAA has set a goal of reducing interior noise levels for eligible residents by at least five decibels inside the home, providing a noticeable reduction in noise. The Airport Authority’s Quieter Home Program is the means to obtain that goal.

    Primarily, the $18 million will go towards sound insulating approximately 200 to 400 homes per year, depending on the size of the home, in the areas most impacted by aircraft noise. For the first time since implementing the Quieter Home Program, the Airport Authority will also start a non-residential program to sound insulate noise-sensitive properties such as schools and churches. It is estimated that once the program is initiated, one non-residential noise-sensitive property can be sound insulated in one year.

    “This is wonderful news for San Diego and the Quieter Home Program,” said Kimberly Becker, Airport Authority President and CEO. “These funds provide us with the ability to help residents in the areas most impacted by aircraft noise. We thank the Federal Aviation Administration for granting the funds which will be used to sound insulate homes.”

    Through the Quieter Home Program, homes may receive retrofitted exterior doors and windows,installation of a ventilation system, and other items such as weather stripping and caulking around openings. Since its inception, the Quieter Home Program has retrofitted more than 4,300 single-family and multi-family residences immediately east and west of the airport. For more information on the Quieter Home Program, please visitsan.org/airportnoise