SJR 7, as amended, Lieu. Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2013.
This measure would urge the Congress to enact and the President to sign the Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2013.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, Residents across the County of Los Angeles suffer
2intrusive and disruptive low-flying helicopter traffic above their
3neighborhoods; and
4WHEREAS, The County of Los Angeles is home to a unique
5and very large concentration of scenic, historic, entertainment, and
6transportation venues, including movie studios, movie stars’ homes,
7outdoor entertainment facilities, the coastline, Griffith Park, the
8Hollywood sign, and many others, that generate extensive
9helicopter tours engaged in sightseeing activity; and
10WHEREAS, The County of Los Angeles has a high
11concentration of media helicopters engaged in monitoring traffic
12conditions, following car chases, and filming celebrity events,
13which often involve hovering for extended periods of time; and
P2 1WHEREAS, The County of Los Angeles is home to the world’s
2leading civil helicopter manufacturer, which conducts extensive
3helicopter flight testing in the region; and
4WHEREAS, The unique terrain of canyons and valleys in the
5County of Los Angeles often amplifies noise from helicopters in
6otherwise quiet residential areas; and
7WHEREAS, Helicopter noise in the County of Los Angeles
8interrupts daily life for many residents by interfering with the
9ability to hear conversations, the television, the radio, or the
10telephone, and disrupting sleep cycles; and
11WHEREAS, Despite multiple efforts from several community
12and homeowner organizations in the County of Los Angeles to
13address these disturbances, helicopter traffic in the County of Los
14Angeles is not currently regulated by the Federal Aviation
15Administration (FAA) or any other agency; and
16WHEREAS, The FAA requires a specific minimum flying
17altitude for fixed-wing aircraft, but it does not require a specific
18minimum flying altitude for helicopters; and
19WHEREAS, Thebegin delete absenceend deletebegin insert lackend insert of effective regulations for
20commercial helicopter operations in the County of Los Angeles
21negatively impacts the safety and quality of life of the county’s
22residents; and
23WHEREAS, The State of California is preempted by federal
24law from adopting altitude, flight path, and other necessary
25regulations to mitigate the impacts of commercial helicopters; and
26WHEREAS, There is a lack of clarity as to the rulemaking
27authority of the FAA; and
28WHEREAS, Two companion measures in Congress, Senate Bill
29No. 208 and Housebegin delete of Representativesend delete Bill No. 456, known as the
30Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2013,
31would require the Administrator of the FAA to prescribe
32regulations for helicopter operations in the County of Los Angeles
33that are needed to address residents’ concerns over safety, noise,
34and other associated impacts; and
35WHEREAS, The following local government entities in the
36County of Los Angeles have recently voted to support the proposed
37federal legislation or its predecessor, the Los Angeles Residential
38Helicopter Noise Relief Act ofbegin delete 2012end deletebegin insert 2011end insert: the County of Los
39Angeles, the City of Los Angeles, the City of Hermosa Beach, the
40City of Lomita, the City of Palos Verdes Estates, the City of
P3 1Rancho Palos Verdes, the City of Redondo Beach, the City of
2Rolling Hills Estates, and the City of West Hollywood; now,
3therefore, be it
4Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of
5California, jointly, That the Legislature supports the Los Angeles
6Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2013 (S. 208 and H.R.
7456) and respectfully memorializes the Congress of the United
8States to promptly pass and President Barack Obama to sign that
9legislation; and be it further
10Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
11this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
12States, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, to the Speaker of the
13House of Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative
14from California in the Congress of the United States.
O
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