Dear Chairman McKay:
The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce remains committed to the economic growth and recovery of our region. A central tenet of economic growth is the support of economic drivers like our region’s airports. Both Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport have been facing economic headwinds since 2020 as a result of the steep decline in passenger service during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but both are continuing to recover. I am writing today to ask you to support the adoption of the 2019 noise contours for Dulles, which will aid in its economic recovery and provide a solid foundation for future growth.
As you know very well from your time on the Board of Supervisors, being responsive to constituent concerns often puts local leaders in the position of opposing growth and development that negatively impacts existing residential areas. In many cases, this an unavoidable consequence of otherwise positive growth especially in a region like Northern Virginia which does not have an excess of undeveloped land. However, in many cases it is the actions or inactions of past leaders that create these situations for future residents.
In the case of the growth of Dulles, your board has the opportunity now to take action to limit the noise impacts on future Fairfax County residents by adopting the 2019 contour maps. These maps are forward looking and show the potential paths that future air service will follow. This allows for future development to avoid the areas that would create the most nuisance for those living beneath the paths. It also allows for your Board and future Boards to be able to support the growth of Dulles’ passenger and freight service without unduly burdening residents with aircraft noise.
Dulles is poised to grow in the coming years. Phase II of the Silver Line is set to open in 2022, bringing rail service from the airport to DC for the first time. It is also the only airport on the east coast with room to grow. Opposition to growth from nearby residents hampers countless airports’ ability to continue to expand employment opportunities by adding jobs and growing its passenger and freight service. Adopting the updated 2019 contour maps and mitigating the placement of new residential development within those contours by providing notice to homeowners, requiring interior insulation and an avigation easement within the contours area described in the County’s staff report would help avoid future conflict and provide a good foundation for the continued growth of Dulles.