President Craig Johnson and the Elk Grove Village Board struck a blow against regional cooperation by voting not to join the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission. With their vote, Mr. Johnson and his board have chosen to put the interests of a vocal minority ahead of the interests of the entire Elk Grove business community.
Ample evidence was presented to the Elk Grove board that the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission and the 13 suburban mayors who sit on the commission are serious about noise mitigation.
With guidance from the full commission, the City of Chicago is spending more than $200 million to soundproof homes and schools in the region. Additionally, $3 million was spent to construct the first Ground Run-Up Enclosure (GRE) in the U.S.
Also, through cooperation with the airlines, air traffic controllers and pilots, the recently announced “Fly Quiet” program is achieving serious noise reduction during the night-time hours of 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Add in the commission’s strident stance on the phase out of the noisier Stage 2 aircraft by the end of 1999, and it becomes clear that profound noise mitigation initiatives are underway.
It also should be noted that to join the commission would not cost Elk Grove residents anything; that Elk Grove could retain its membership in other organizations, including the Suburban O’Hare Commission (SOC); and that Elk Grove could leave the commission at any time if Mr. Johnson thought that Elk Grove’s voice was not being heard.
The issue of noise from O’Hare continues to be a contentious one. Thirteen mayors, several (including one former SOC member) from communities just as noise-weary as Elk Grove, understand that meaningful progress will only come through regional cooperation. Unfortunately, Mr. Johnson and his board remain committed to isolationism.
