By Philip Newman
A Queens congressman said an additional $6.4 million in federal funding has been made available for soundproofing of schools that sit beneath thousands of takeoffs and landings each year at LaGuardia airport.
“Soundproofing continues to be a priority for me — a priority that I identified in my five-point action plan for making LaGuardia Airport a better neighbor last year,” said U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights). “I am pleased that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is responding to my requests. Since then, we have delivered $17.5 million to soundproof schools in Queens and the Bronx.”
Queens schools scheduled to undergo soundproofing under the latest appropriation are Monsignor Clancy School and Lexington School in Jackson Heights, the College of Aeronautics in East Elmhurst and St. Michael’s School in Flushing.
Crowley said the $6.4 million will help ease aircraft noise pollution that “invades our schools and disrupts our children's learning process.
“While this sound abatement project will bring welcome assistance for schools, we need to do more to assist the entire community.”
Crowley called on the Port Authority to extend federal funding to include soundproofing of homes, places of worship and community centers.
In January, Crowley announced that he had obtained $100,000 in federal money for an Environmental Protection Agency study of air quality and noise in and around homes situated beneath takeoff and landing paths at LaGuardia.
