Noises off: Elk Grove High gets federal money to reduce jet roar
Northwest Suburban High School District 214 will begin work this fall to soundproof Elk Grove High School against aircraft noise after the Federal Aviation Administration finally approved an $11.6 million construction grant, officials said Monday.
The announcement was made during a meeting of the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission, which has fought hard to secure funding for Elk Grove High and other schools affected by aircraft noise from the expanding O’Hare International Airport.
No local taxpayer dollars are being used for the roughly $15.5 million soundproofing project at Elk Grove High, as 80 percent of the cost is covered by the federal grant and the remainder funded by the city of Chicago’s airport funds, said Deb Parenti, District 214 associate superintendent for finance and operations.
“It’s been a long, arduous road,” said Parenti, who has been trying to get funding for the project since 2005. “It is so exciting. We’re going to start (work) as soon as we can. I’m so glad that I’m going to be able to see this through to fruition because I’m going to retire soon.”
District 214 found out in June 2009 it was no longer eligible for sound insulation funding because the FAA expects the airport to produce less noise around Elk Grove High due to its modernization plan.
At the urging of area legislators, ONCC representatives, school district and village officials, the FAA and the Chicago Department of Aviation re-evaluated aircraft noise levels last summer at three suburban schools, including Elk Grove.
Elk Grove and Ridgewood High School in Norridge met the FAA’s current noise threshold eligibility, based on sound levels inside classrooms during an eight-hour period with windows open. Carpenter Elementary School in Park Ridge didn’t make the cut.
By fall 2010, Elk Grove and Ridgewood were back on the eligibility list for funding.
Ridgewood received its $28 million grant award in April.
“These are the largest school grants that were ever issued,” said Lindsay Guttilla, FAA regional environmental specialist.
The FAA has funded 116 schools through the ONCC’s school sound insulation program. Elk Grove Township Elementary District 59 spent $100 million on soundproofing 11 of its 14 schools over the past 20 years, and the FAA contributed $25 million toward the projects, a district spokeswoman said.
“I think (the schools) are thrilled that all the hard work is paying off,” said Brendan McLaughlin, ONCC executive director.
The District 214 school board approved construction bids for the soundproofing project in August. The work at Elk Grove High will involve insulating the roof, windows, doors, and heating and ventilation systems. Some noninvasive work such as insulating the roof piping and boiler room will begin late this fall.
“We’re going to do it in phases since school is in session,” said Brian Lichtenberger, District 214’s interim director of operations.
A majority of the work, which includes some asbestos abatement, will be done over the winter break and next summer. The project should be substantially complete by Aug. 17, Lichtenberger said.