Washington, D.C. Washington, DC – Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-Venice) announced today that the Federal Aviation Administration has determined that eight schools in the Lennox School District are adversely affected by aircraft noise from the nearby Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).  The ruling clears the final hurdle standing between the school district and as much as $100 million in funds to help with soundproofing projects.

“I was delighted to learn of the FAA’s ruling,” said Harman. “This is great news for Lennox school children and their community. It’s been a long time coming, but the end is now in sight.”

In 1980, Lennox School District and the City of Los Angeles settled a lawsuit regarding flight paths over Lennox schools.  The agreement gave the City an easement allowing planes carrying up to 40 million passengers per year to fly overhead, in exchange for approximately $2.5 million.  As air traffic increased, many schools in Lennox were forced to build bunker-like facilities, half underground with no windows.  Others had to board up their windows. 

In 2005, Lennox and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) – the city agency that oversees LAX – negotiated a second settlement, to which Inglewood School District was also a party.  LAWA agreed to provide Lennox and Inglewood each with more than $110 million over 10 years to pay for vital noise attenuation projects. 

However, interplay between the 1980 agreement and federal law prevented release of the funds, and a legislative solution was required.  The fix came last year, when Congress passed legislation removing federal barriers.  The legislation was first introduced by Rep. Harman in 2006.

The FAA ruling that the schools are noise-affected clears one of the final hurdles standing between the schools and the funding.  The school districts can now submit their building plans to LAWA for final approval and funding.

“Congresswoman Harman’s role has been enormously important,” said Bruce McDaniel, superintendent of the Lennox School District.  “It’s been a very long process, but we would not be where we are today without her continued assistance.”