The Tyranny of Noise

Robert Alex Baron

Part IV — Chapter 10 — It's Up To All Of Us

A center-city V/STOLport should not be created without a thorough investigation by all parties at interest, not only government agencies working for the vested interests. The burden of proof of environmental compatibility must be on the promoter. It should not be necessary for the public to scrounge for evidence of a potential hazard. Potential polluters should be required to post a performance bond guaranteeing that noise levels in homes, schools, and hospitals will not be exceeded, and that should the ambient noise level be reduced and his aircraft noise emissions stick out like a sore thumb, they too will be reduced.

The public hearings for heliports and other major innovations are usually like lynch law, the decision made in advance and the victim hanged promptly after the "due process." Provision must be made for expert input from a noise abatement agency, and for cross-examination by all parties of interest. There is nothing more frustrating, and nothing that worse serves a democracy, than to listen to publicly made misstatements without being in a position to refute them publicly.