Miriam Applebaum describes seaplane noise impacts on health and schools
A Waterside resident says noise disrupts homes and schools; she recorded 97 decibels and notes WHO/EPA recommend 55 outside schools; there is no evidence noise abatement is enforced.
My name is Miriam Applebaum.
I live in Waterside Plaza overlooking the East River.
And although I love my apartment from early April to the end of October, I often dread being there.
The constant onslaught of seaplane landies taking off and docking is extremely noisy and stressful, disrupting my family's quiet enjoyment of our home.
The noise has a serious impact on the physical and mental health of the residents of Waterside, adjacent Stuyvesant Town, and Peter Cooper, our surrounding community, and across the river in Brooklyn and Queens.
The British International School and the UN International School have reported that the noise from these seaplanes disrupts classroom instruction.
The WHO and EPA recommend that the level of noise outside schools should be no more than 55 decibels.
However, I and other tenants more than 350 feet from the site of Waterside on the higher floors have recorded decibels as high as 97.
Using NYC Noise, a free app from the New York Department of Environmental Protection.
We can only imagine what the noise levels are at the actual schools, which are right next to the seaplane dock.
Constant exposure to loud noise is a health and learning problem for these children.
The problem has recently intensified, especially since
Planes frequently fly closer than 1,000 feet from shore, making the noise level even worse.
We have no evidence that the noise abatement at the seaplane seaport dock is being monitored or enforced.
Why not at least do that, or better yet, stop the planes from flying at this location altogether?
Thank you.