Navy Growler noise is harmful to residents, study says

Leader staff
Posted 1/29/25

 

 

Navy Growler noise is affecting the health of Northwest communities, according to a recent study.

Terra Huey, program director of the Sound Defense Alliance, cited a …

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Navy Growler noise is harmful to residents, study says

Posted

 

 

Navy Growler noise is affecting the health of Northwest communities, according to a recent study.

Terra Huey, program director of the Sound Defense Alliance, cited a University of Washington Public Health Study that indicates more than 72,000 people in Northwest Washington are impacted by Navy Growler EA-18G jet noise.

The study, “Community Impacts of Aviation Noise: A Pilot Survey,” by Jamie Banks and Becky Petrou O’Rourke, was published Jan. 7 in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology.

“We are excited that others are calling for policy change at the national level,” Huey said.

Banks and O’Rourke’s study concludes that current regulations fail to account for the health impacts experienced by communities living under frequent aircraft flight paths.

The study’s findings show that loud, repetitive, low-altitude aircraft noise causes significant mental and physical health concerns in impacted communities, with military aircraft cited as a particularly harmful source of exposure. As a result, aviation noise policy must be reformed, to reflect the health risks posed by aviation noise exposure, according to the study.

The survey was conducted through a 10-question online community pilot distributed to aviation-impacted residents in May 2022, which gathered 1,452 responses over a two-week period.

Respondents reported loud, repetitive, low-altitude aircraft noise throughout the day and night, causing them stress and negative effects on their mental and physical health.

Seven survey questions focused on the type and magnitude of health impacts, perceptions and concerns, and the results showed the likelihood of adverse impacts, with the most heightened perceptions and concerns among respondents exposed mainly to military aircraft noise.

Key findings of the survey include:

• High levels of exposure to frequent, low-altitude flights, both day and night, are linked to significant health concerns.

• “Annoyance” does not capture the full scope of the problem, as affected residents face serious, long-term health consequences beyond simple irritation.

• Military aircraft exposure is particularly damaging, amplifying both physical and mental health effects.

• The frequency of flights is a critical factor, with respondents experiencing greater negative effects in areas exposed to more than 1,000 flights per week.