METROPLEX FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
LIWMD has provided this website page as a courtesy to the Lauderdale Isles Civic Improvement Association in order to help quickly get the word out about Metroplex
By the LICIA Airport Noise Committee
What is the South/Central Florida Metroplex?
The Metroplex is simply a modernization of the air traffic control system in Florida. Aircraft will use satellite based technology so that the airspace will be used more efficiently. Metroplex is sometimes called the new “highway in the sky.”
What is the “Draft Metroplex Environmental Assessment?”
Before the FAA can put the Metroplex plan in place, it is required to produce a study about the affects it will have on the environment. For us, the most important part of this Environmental Assessment is aircraft noise.
Is Metroplex related to the “Part 150 Study” that has been going on for the past three years?
Metroplex and the Part 150 Study are totally separate projects. The Part 150 Study was conducted to determine if we have worse airport noise since the opening of the South Runway. Although we definitely do have worse noise, the Part 150 used “averaging” to determine our noise levels and incorrectly concluded we do not have objectionable noise here. The Metroplex project is an upgrade to the air traffic system, and includes this Environmental Assessment to determine the effects it will have on the environment, including noise.
I haven’t heard about this Metroplex Environmental Assessment until this week. Why such short notice?
The public notices for the Assessment and the virtual public workshops were not prominently advertised by the FAA. For instance, the only notice given in the Sun Sentinel was a 3 column, small-type ad in the classified section of the Sunday, May 10 issue. Do you read the classified section of the paper every day? Other notices were on the FAA’s website, and the FAA’s social media platforms. Do you ever look at those? They also notified local governments about it; public notices by local government have been few and far between. There was only one post on Nextdoor by the City about it last week.
So why do I care about Metroplex?
Aircraft will be guided to “waypoints.” When they take off to the west on the north runway, the first waypoint is very near us and as a result the planes will be closer to -- or even right over -- our neighborhoods. The way it’s planned now will result in significantly more noise for Lauderdale Isles and nearby neighborhoods.
The Assessment is over 400 pages and is highly technical. Am I expected to read all that stuff?
That’s how the FAA does it. You almost need a PhD in aerospace engineering to understand this study. It is NOT written for a layperson to understand. Maybe it’s done like this purposely?
So how can I easily understand how Metroplex will affect me?
The LICIA Airport Noise Committee has waded through this document and come up with a simplified briefing of what will happen for our area. If you are truly concerned about the airport noise issue, you need to take a look. Here is the link to it:
http://liwmd.org/metroplex.html
What about the Metroplex Public Workshop that took place last April?
Many neighbors attended this public workshop at the Signature Grand last year. Most found it was difficult to get answers from the FAA staff there about how Metroplex would affect us. Many neighbors filed “comment” forms at that workshop requesting that the FAA locate the waypoints so we would not be affected by aircraft noise. Those comments were ignored by the FAA and the first waypoint is still located nearby.
What are the “virtual public workshops” scheduled for next week?
The FAA is holding three “virtual” workshops for FLL next Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday. These workshops will be on-line. The purpose of these “virtual” workshops is to inform the public about the Metroplex and allow the public to ask questions about it. You can participate in them using your PC, tablet, smartphone, or regular telephone.
How do these “virtual workshops” work?
We observed one of these “virtual” workshops conducted for another airport this week. Rather being able to converse directly with the FAA staff, you email or text a question to them during the workshop and they answer it live on video. We cannot tell if they answer each and every question they receive. You cannot ask a follow-up question to an answer you receive.
How does the Metroplex Assessment address the airport noise issue?
The FAA determines what the noise levels will be with the new flight patterns versus the noise levels if the patterns are not changed. They claim that takeoff patterns will be the same as they are now (not exactly true). So they conclude that noise levels will not change. But think about this for a minute. If the existing noise levels are horrible, then the new noise levels will be horrible too, but there’s “no change." In actuality, the nearby waypoint they are choosing to use WILL result in more noise for us. It’s common sense. Again, to see a simple explanation of how this will all work, look at our briefing at http://liwmd.org/metroplex.html.
So we are going to have worse noise than now when Metroplex starts?
If the plan is put into place as it is written now, we will have worse noise. HOWEVER, if the FAA moves the waypoint to one that’s slightly farther west, Metroplex could vastly improve our noise situation and make it like it was before the south runway opened. In other words, Metroplex COULD make the airspace more efficient AND solve our airport noise problem once and for all.
What can I do to help prevent the Metroplex causing more aircraft noise for our area?
There are three things that you can do to help:
- Become educated on the effects Metroplex will have on our area by going to: http://liwmd.org/metroplex.html
- Form your questions for the virtual public workshops now and then participate in the workshops next week
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: File a “comment” with the FAA telling them that you object to the Metroplex as it is now planned and that you want the waypoint changed to alleviate the airport noise for us. These comments are extremely important and the FAA has to consider them. The more comments they get the better. Comments can be filed through July 10th. They tell you how to file comments on the virtual workshop page.
What about noise complaints that I file?
Southwest Fort Lauderdale & Southeast Plantation filed over 47,000 airport noise complaints with BCAD in 2019. That is more than all the other complaints filed in the county combined. You need to make sure the FAA knows that number in your “Comment” – and let them know they can solve our noise problem with Metroplex.
What are our local officials doing about Metroplex?
There was a conference call this week that included Commissioner Ben Sorensen, the City Manager, attorneys from the City’s Airport Noise law firm, LICIA Board members, and a staff member from Congressman Ted Deutch’s office. They are working on approaching the FAA in Washington about the problem. HOWEVER, the consensus right now is that neighbors must participate in the virtual workshops and must submit “Comment” forms to the FAA opposing the present Metroplex plan.
To file a "COMMENT" with the FAA, objecting to their Metroplex plan, go to:
www.ourlicia.com
Thank you
The Lauderdale Isles Civic Improvement Association’s Airport Noise Committee
By the LICIA Airport Noise Committee
What is the South/Central Florida Metroplex?
The Metroplex is simply a modernization of the air traffic control system in Florida. Aircraft will use satellite based technology so that the airspace will be used more efficiently. Metroplex is sometimes called the new “highway in the sky.”
What is the “Draft Metroplex Environmental Assessment?”
Before the FAA can put the Metroplex plan in place, it is required to produce a study about the affects it will have on the environment. For us, the most important part of this Environmental Assessment is aircraft noise.
Is Metroplex related to the “Part 150 Study” that has been going on for the past three years?
Metroplex and the Part 150 Study are totally separate projects. The Part 150 Study was conducted to determine if we have worse airport noise since the opening of the South Runway. Although we definitely do have worse noise, the Part 150 used “averaging” to determine our noise levels and incorrectly concluded we do not have objectionable noise here. The Metroplex project is an upgrade to the air traffic system, and includes this Environmental Assessment to determine the effects it will have on the environment, including noise.
I haven’t heard about this Metroplex Environmental Assessment until this week. Why such short notice?
The public notices for the Assessment and the virtual public workshops were not prominently advertised by the FAA. For instance, the only notice given in the Sun Sentinel was a 3 column, small-type ad in the classified section of the Sunday, May 10 issue. Do you read the classified section of the paper every day? Other notices were on the FAA’s website, and the FAA’s social media platforms. Do you ever look at those? They also notified local governments about it; public notices by local government have been few and far between. There was only one post on Nextdoor by the City about it last week.
So why do I care about Metroplex?
Aircraft will be guided to “waypoints.” When they take off to the west on the north runway, the first waypoint is very near us and as a result the planes will be closer to -- or even right over -- our neighborhoods. The way it’s planned now will result in significantly more noise for Lauderdale Isles and nearby neighborhoods.
The Assessment is over 400 pages and is highly technical. Am I expected to read all that stuff?
That’s how the FAA does it. You almost need a PhD in aerospace engineering to understand this study. It is NOT written for a layperson to understand. Maybe it’s done like this purposely?
So how can I easily understand how Metroplex will affect me?
The LICIA Airport Noise Committee has waded through this document and come up with a simplified briefing of what will happen for our area. If you are truly concerned about the airport noise issue, you need to take a look. Here is the link to it:
http://liwmd.org/metroplex.html
What about the Metroplex Public Workshop that took place last April?
Many neighbors attended this public workshop at the Signature Grand last year. Most found it was difficult to get answers from the FAA staff there about how Metroplex would affect us. Many neighbors filed “comment” forms at that workshop requesting that the FAA locate the waypoints so we would not be affected by aircraft noise. Those comments were ignored by the FAA and the first waypoint is still located nearby.
What are the “virtual public workshops” scheduled for next week?
The FAA is holding three “virtual” workshops for FLL next Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday. These workshops will be on-line. The purpose of these “virtual” workshops is to inform the public about the Metroplex and allow the public to ask questions about it. You can participate in them using your PC, tablet, smartphone, or regular telephone.
How do these “virtual workshops” work?
We observed one of these “virtual” workshops conducted for another airport this week. Rather being able to converse directly with the FAA staff, you email or text a question to them during the workshop and they answer it live on video. We cannot tell if they answer each and every question they receive. You cannot ask a follow-up question to an answer you receive.
How does the Metroplex Assessment address the airport noise issue?
The FAA determines what the noise levels will be with the new flight patterns versus the noise levels if the patterns are not changed. They claim that takeoff patterns will be the same as they are now (not exactly true). So they conclude that noise levels will not change. But think about this for a minute. If the existing noise levels are horrible, then the new noise levels will be horrible too, but there’s “no change." In actuality, the nearby waypoint they are choosing to use WILL result in more noise for us. It’s common sense. Again, to see a simple explanation of how this will all work, look at our briefing at http://liwmd.org/metroplex.html.
So we are going to have worse noise than now when Metroplex starts?
If the plan is put into place as it is written now, we will have worse noise. HOWEVER, if the FAA moves the waypoint to one that’s slightly farther west, Metroplex could vastly improve our noise situation and make it like it was before the south runway opened. In other words, Metroplex COULD make the airspace more efficient AND solve our airport noise problem once and for all.
What can I do to help prevent the Metroplex causing more aircraft noise for our area?
There are three things that you can do to help:
- Become educated on the effects Metroplex will have on our area by going to: http://liwmd.org/metroplex.html
- Form your questions for the virtual public workshops now and then participate in the workshops next week
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: File a “comment” with the FAA telling them that you object to the Metroplex as it is now planned and that you want the waypoint changed to alleviate the airport noise for us. These comments are extremely important and the FAA has to consider them. The more comments they get the better. Comments can be filed through July 10th. They tell you how to file comments on the virtual workshop page.
What about noise complaints that I file?
Southwest Fort Lauderdale & Southeast Plantation filed over 47,000 airport noise complaints with BCAD in 2019. That is more than all the other complaints filed in the county combined. You need to make sure the FAA knows that number in your “Comment” – and let them know they can solve our noise problem with Metroplex.
What are our local officials doing about Metroplex?
There was a conference call this week that included Commissioner Ben Sorensen, the City Manager, attorneys from the City’s Airport Noise law firm, LICIA Board members, and a staff member from Congressman Ted Deutch’s office. They are working on approaching the FAA in Washington about the problem. HOWEVER, the consensus right now is that neighbors must participate in the virtual workshops and must submit “Comment” forms to the FAA opposing the present Metroplex plan.
To file a "COMMENT" with the FAA, objecting to their Metroplex plan, go to:
www.ourlicia.com
Thank you
The Lauderdale Isles Civic Improvement Association’s Airport Noise Committee