QUESTION
What are the current protocols and capabilities for monitoring and responding to helicopter noise complaints in NYC?
1:12:21
·
72 sec
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) does not currently receive or respond to 311 noise complaints related to helicopters. DEP also lacks the technology and resources to monitor and track helicopter noise levels throughout the city.
- DEP does not have a process for responding to helicopter noise complaints received through 311
- Current technology to monitor and track helicopter noise levels does not exist, according to DEP officials
- Implementing a helicopter noise monitoring system as proposed in a council bill would be very expensive, potentially costing millions for installation, maintenance, and data storage
- DEP has an existing decibel meter program to respond to muffler noise on certain roadways, but it is not designed for monitoring helicopter noise
Amanda Farías
1:12:21
What's the city's current protocol for responding to and investigating a helicopter noise.
Carleen McLaughlin
1:12:32
Good morning.
1:12:33
Thank you for the question.
1:12:34
DEP does not receive the 311 noise complaints for helicopters, so we did not respond to this.
Amanda Farías
1:12:40
Does DEP currently have the capability to monitor and report on helicopter noise levels in the city?
Carleen McLaughlin
1:12:48
No.
1:12:48
As far as we know, the technology to do so does not really exist.
1:12:53
And so we do not have that capability to track a monitoring helicopter noise.
Amanda Farías
1:12:57
And do you folks have an idea of what resources will be needed implement the requirements of my bill intro 27?
Carleen McLaughlin
1:13:04
We don't because, like I said, as far as we know, the technology required by the bill does not exist.
1:13:10
But if it were to be developed in the future, it would certainly be very expensive in the millions to install, maintain, and then store all the data.
1:13:19
Required by the bill.
Amanda Farías
1:13:20
Do you folks monitor any other decibel meters throughout the city?
Carleen McLaughlin
1:13:25
We have a decibel meter program to respond to muffler noise on a few rotaries, roadways throughout the city.
