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Navigating The Conflict Between FAA Reauthorization Act Of 2024 And MBTA Communities Act Amid Increasing Air Traffic
In recent years, two major policy initiatives—the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (Public Law 118-63, SEC. 787) and the MBTA Communities Act—have emerged with seemingly conflicting goals. One aims to reduce aircraft noise exposure, while the other mandates increased housing density near transit hubs, some of which are located in high-noise flight paths. These policies are coming to a head in communities like Millbury, Massachusetts, where the increasing air traffic from Worcester Regional Airport (ORH) is exacerbating noise pollution concerns.
Revised Site Plan v4
For the November 22, 2021 Millbury Planning Board Meeting, the project engineer for the proposed Rice Pond Village project located at 17 Rice Road in Millbury, Massachusetts, James Tetreault of Azimuth Land Design, LLC, has submitted revised proposed Rice Pond Village Site Plan of Land (v4).
General Health Effects of Transportation Noise
The Federal Railroad Administration sponsored the preparation of the “General Health Effects of Transportation Noise” to support a rulemaking process about the use of locomotive horns and the accompanying environmental impact statement. “General Health Effects of Transportation Noise” reviews select current and past research on the effect of transportation noise on the physiological and psychological health for both people and wildlife.
Noise Impacts
At nearly every Millbury Planning Board public hearing for the proposed Rice Pond Village project, increased noise concerns have been raised by the neighborhood due to the proposed development plans to basically clearcut the natural undeveloped property containing mature trees and vegetation and then manipulating the existing grade to accommodate the proposed plans to build 52 condominiums at 17 Rice Road in Millbury, Massachusetts, which directly abuts an active Providence & Worcester Railroad and traffic noise from Providence Street (Route 122A).