An environmental impact assessment (milieueffectrapportage – MER) must investigate how noise pollution from Eindhoven Airport can be reduced. Adjusting flight routes, departure times and landing procedures are to be considered.
The Ministers of Defense and Infrastructure and Water Management want to reduce noise pollution at Eindhoven airport. Compared to the 2019 standard, this nuisance must be reduced by 30 percent by 2030.
Adjusted standards will be laid down for the interim period. This means changes must be included in the Airport Decree. Before that can happen, the environmental consequences must be investigated in a MER.
Measures under scrutiny
The MER commission has issued an advisory report about what should be investigated.
“The possibilities for reducing noise pollution by adjusting flight routes and departure and landing procedures must be investigated. Also, the financial incentives to encourage fleet renewal with quieter aircraft should be considered. In addition, measures such as limiting flights during night time, incorporating ‘rest’ periods, and insulating homes should be investigated,” writes the commission.
“The MER should also show how effective the measures are and what the effect is on air quality, nature, CO2 emissions, and health and safety.”
In addition, the MER must pay attention to the reference situation with regard to noise and nature. It must also be clearly stated which standard will be used for the 30 percent reduction in 2030.
This comment will be received with pleasure by the interest group BVM2. The association that is committed to combating noise pollution at the airport previously expressed its concern about the standard being applied. After all, the official standard in 2019 was exceeded by 25 percent. Therefore, BVM2 feared a scenario where the actual nuisance was used as the standard in 2019, instead of the legally determined standard.
Now that the MER commission has also made a clear statement about using the legal standard as the norm, such a scenario seems to be off the table.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Shanthi Ramani
