GV Newsletter 7-2021 web

GOVERNMENT
ENHANCING OUR
community
INTERESTED IN AIR TRAFFIC
NOISE OVER YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD?
FEDERAL COURT DISMISSES
GREENWOOD VILLAGE’S LEGAL
CHALLENGE TO METROPLEX
On March 26, 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) implemented the Denver Metroplex project.
Metroplex is part of the FAA’s NextGen effort to modernize
the national air transportation system. It uses new
technologies to enable aircraft to fly shorter routes and air
traffic controllers and pilots to track aircraft more precisely.
Metroplex resulted in route changes for aircraft flying into
and out of Denver International Airport (DIA) as well as for
aircraft operating into and out of Centennial Airport, the
second busiest general aviation airport in the country.
Because these changes in flight paths could impact the
quality of life of Greenwood Village residents, last year the
Village joined with the Arapahoe County Public Airport
Authority (Centennial Airport), Gilpin, Arapahoe, and
Douglas Counties, and Mountain Aviation, Inc. in a Petition
for Review filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia Circuit. Among other issues, the
Petition argued that the FAA failed to properly consider the
impacts of Metroplex on the surrounding communities as
required by the National Environmental Policy Act, and
FRUSTRATED OVER AIRPORT NOISE?
OPTIONS FOR CITIZENS TO GET INVOLVED
Report Noise
To file a noise complaint within seven days of occurrence,
call the Centennial Airport Noise Complaint Hotline at
303-790-4709 or complete the noise complaint form accessible
on the Airport’s Website at www.centennialairport.com, click on
“Noise Abatement” and then click on “Track and Report Noise.”
Track Flights
WebTrak will allow residents around DIA and Centennial Airport
to access information about flights taking off and landing in the
Denver region. WebTrak keeps a 60-day history of air tracks,
including flight identification, aircraft type, origin, destination,
height and speed. To view Centennial Airport’s Live WebTrack
page, visit http://webtrak.bksv.com/apa.
failed to encourage or truly permit community involvement
in the Metroplex design process.
Following oral arguments before the Court earlier this year,
on June 8, 2021, the Court dismissed the Petition for
Review. The Court did not consider and decide the merits of
the arguments raised by the Village and the other petitioners
because it concluded that all petitioners lacked “standing” to
bring their claims; that is, the Court concluded that the
Village and the other petitioners had failed to show that the
FAA’s actions implementing Metroplex injured or otherwise
“threatens their concrete interest.” As a result of this
disappointing outcome, the Denver Metroplex project will
continue in effect.
Because of reduced air traffic during the COVID-19
pandemic, it has been difficult to assess the effects of
Metroplex on Greenwood Village residents as a result of
changes to air routes into and out of DIA. However, those
effects — more commercial airlines flying over Greenwood
Village and at different altitudes than prior to Metroplex —
may become more evident now as air travel is beginning to
return to pre-pandemic levels. Likewise, Metroplex has
already altered routes taken by aircraft flying into and out of
Centennial Airport resulting in some of those aircraft flying
over Greenwood Village.
The Village continues to participate in the Centennial
Airport Community Noise Roundtable (www.centennialair
portnoise.com) which provides a voluntary, collaborative
forum to address noise impacts associated with Centennial
Airport aircraft operations. Residents with question regarding
Metroplex or aircraft noise may contact Greenwood Village
Councilmember Tom Dougherty, Village liaison to
Centennial Airport at 303-804-4132 or
tdougherty@greenwoodvillage.com. GV
PG. 8 GV NEWSLETTER | JULY 2021