RICHFIELD COUNCIL APPROVES
AIRPORT NOISE SETTLEMENT

hOMEOWNERS IN rICHFIELD, mINNEAPOLIS, AND eAGAN
TO GET  $127 MILLION IN nOISE rELIEF

 The Richfield City Council unanimously approved a settlement with the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), providing long-awaited noise relief to approximately 1200 homeowners in the community. That decision came during a Special Council Meeting Tuesday night at Richfield City Hall.

 The estimated $127 million settlement was approved by the MAC on Monday. The cities of Richfield, Minneapolis, and Eagan each agreed to the terms of the settlement Tuesday. The settlement is the culmination of a hard-fought effort by the three cities, initiated in 2005, to ensure that its residents receive the mitigation they were promised more than 10 years ago.  That’s when the State decided to expand the airport at its existing site.

 "Our residents have waited long enough for some significant relief from airport noise. We joined the lawsuit because we knew they deserved better. This settlement is substantial, it's going to make a big difference in the lives of homeowners who experience the brunt of airport noise," said Mayor Debbie Goettel. “The City believes the settlement signals a positive change at the MAC, acknowledging responsibility and accountability to residents neighboring the airport,” she added.

 Under the terms of the proposed settlement agreement MAC will provide varying degrees of noise mitigation measures to homes and multi family units located in the 60-64 DNL contours (with a Day/Night level of 60-64 decibels).  In Richfield, approximately 105 homes will receive the full 5dB reduction package, valued at roughly $45,000 per home.  The package may include elements such as air conditioning, wall insulation, new windows and doors, roof baffles, furnace and duct work.  Approximately 740 more homes will be eligible to choose from the options of receiving air conditioning and $4,000 worth of additional mitigation measures, or $14,000 in mitigation measures if central air conditioning already exists or the homeowner does not want central air.  An estimated additional 400 homes located between the 2007 and 2005 60 DNL noise contours will be eligible to receive up to $2500 to cover costs of noise mitigation work. Multi-family units in the eligible contours will receive through-the wall air conditioning units and acoustical air conditioning covers.

 The settlement must still be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration and Hennepin County District Court.  Judge Stephen Aldrich is expected to consider the matter no later than Friday.  Under the settlement the cities would receive money toward legal costs incurred in the lawsuit.

 Additional information regarding the settlement will be posted on the City of Richfield Web site (www.cityofrichfield.org) as it becomes available.  Citizens with additional questions are urged to call the Metropolitan Airports Commission at (612) 726-8100 or Pam Dmytrenko, Richfield’s Assistant to the City Manager, at (612) 861-9708 or pdmytrenko@cityofrichfield.org.