Maryland Delegation Supports Community Group’s Resolution of NextGen Flight Issues at BWI, Urges FAA to Act

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin joined Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Elijah Cummings, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, John Delaney, Anthony Brown, and Jamie Raskin in support of the DC Metroplex BWI Community Roundtable's proposed resolution of the NextGen flight path issue at BWI Airport and urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to act.

"This Resolution satisfies the FAA's request that a Community Roundtable reach a consensus position before the FAA will consider returning to previous flight paths," the lawmakers wrote. "Now that the Roundtable has acted, we call upon you to accept the Roundtable's Resolution and take swift action to revert to pre-NextGen flight paths. It is essential to provide relief to the affected residents until an acceptable solution can be devised."

Full text of the letter is below, and the Roundtable's resolution can be found here:

Dear Administrator Huerta:

We are writing to you in support of the DC Metroplex BWI Community Roundtable's "Resolution to Revert to Pre-DC Metroplex/NextGen Procedures" that the Roundtable sent to you on March 31, 2017, a copy of which is attached.

As you know, the implementation of NextGen flights in 2015 has created an intolerable situation for those living under the flight paths. These residents cannot work or study at home, converse in a normal tone of voice, sleep well, or simply have the quiet enjoyment of their property. This is an unacceptable and unsustainable situation.

The DC Metroplex BWI Community Roundtable was formed by the Maryland Aviation Administration in response to the Federal Aviation Administration's request for a BWI community consensus before taking steps to change the NextGen flight paths. In its letter to Senator Benjamin Cardin dated December 12, 2016, the FAA stated that it is "committed to giving full and fair consideration to any formal CR [Community Roundtable] endorsed changes, which could include returning to previous flight paths if that is a consensus position after getting input from affected communities."

The Roundtable is comprised of representatives from each of the affected communities around BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, as well as representatives from the aviation industry. Two appointed representatives from each legislative district in Anne Arundel and Howard Counties are included, as well as representatives from the offices of the Anne Arundel County Council President and the County Executives of Anne Arundel, Howard, and Baltimore Counties.

At its meeting on March 21, 2017, the members of the Roundtable voted unanimously to adopt the following Resolution:

The DC Metroplex BWI Community Roundtable requests and recommends that the FAA immediately revert to flight paths and procedures that were in place prior to implementation of NextGen and the DC Metroplex plan (i.e., the status quo ante) in order to provide urgent relief to residents adversely affected by these new flight paths and procedures, while a more deliberate and public-facing process to develop and implement NextGen and a

DC Metroplex plan is undertaken.

This Resolution satisfies the FAA's request that a Community Roundtable reach a consensus position before the FAA will consider returning to previous flight paths. Now that the Roundtable has acted, we call upon you to accept the Roundtable's Resolution and take swift action to revert to pre-NextGen flight paths. It is essential to provide relief to the affected residents until an acceptable solution can be devised.

We look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,