By Rep. Joseph Crowley

Every day, starting at 6 a.m. in the morning and every half hour until 10 p.m. at night, a regional shuttle thunders down Runway 13-31 of LaGuardia airport and takes off less than 1,000 feet above the small, tree-lined residential streets in Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst and Astoria in northern Queens. In total, 71 takeoffs and landings occur on the runways of LaGuardia Airport every hour, or one flight every 50 seconds. With each flight, the windows of neighborhood homes rattle and the engine noise overpowers kitchens and living rooms across Queens.

For too long, Queens residents have physically and mentally shouldered the burden of the constant din of jets at one of the busiest airports in the country. I should know—I grew up directly beneath one of the flight paths. This high-decibel noise is far more than a nuisance. What many people don’t know is that continued and constant noise pollution increases a person’s cardiovascular risk, causes long term sleep deprivation and negatively impacts children’s ability to concentrate. Noise pollution has a real impact on the health and well-being of our neighbors, friends and family in Queens, and it needs to be taken as seriously as any other type of pollution.

While LGA will never be a perfect neighbor, we can all work together to make it a better member of the Queens community. That is why one of my highest priorities in Congress has been to bring attention to this critical issue and help soundproof houses, schools and places of worship in the LaGuardia Airport region. New Yorkers have the same rights as people living near Reagan National Airport or Chicago O’Hare—two hightraffic airports that have successfully soundproofed homes, schools and places of worship in their communities.

Just a few months back, I had the honor of hosting the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, James L. Oberstar, for a tour of LaGuardia that included meetings with airport officials and a visit with local community leaders. The visit underscored for the Chairman the profound impact airport noise has on those living in the shadows of LaGuardia. We need even more federal officials to visit our neighborhoods to see and hear first-hand the noise and air pollution. It is the only way we will ensure that policymakers truly understand what is at stake and support our efforts to bolster federal airport regulation, safety and sound proofing initiatives.

I am proud that by working with Chairman Oberstar so closely, I was able to include language in the 2009 Federal Aviation Administration Authorization bill to open up funds allocated to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for soundproofing in Queens. When this bill passes the Senate and is signed into law by President Obama, it is my hope that the Port Authority will move swiftly to implement the installation of appropriate soundproofing. Only through the soundproofing of residential buildings will we be able to alleviate the effects of LaGuardia noise pollution and help to improve the health and everyday lives of hundreds of thousands of my constituents.

Rep. Joseph Crowley is a Democrat representing parts of the Bronx and sections of Queens near LaGuardia Airport.