Loudoun County has scheduled a public meeting for community members to learn more about the county’s “Runway 30 Aviation Noise Mitigation” project that will begin next month. The meeting will be held virtually on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. The project will examine aircraft noise associated with Washington Dulles International Airport’s (Dulles Airport) use of its Runway 30.
How to Participate
The meeting will include information about the project and provide an opportunity for residents to submit questions. Information about how to join the virtual meeting is posted on the county government’s public calendar at loudoun.gov/calendar.
Questions and comments may be submitted in advance of the meeting at any time through an online form. Residents who do not have internet access may submit feedback by phone Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., at 703-777-0246.
Project Overview
The purpose of the Runway 30 Project is to identify aircraft noise impacts west of Dulles Airport and recommend strategies to reduce those impacts through a prescribed process. Loudoun County is working with contracted aviation consultant Vianair to establish a 10-member Design Group comprised of community representatives from within a specific Runway 30 Area of Impact (AOI) that the Board of Supervisors has already identified. A map of the AOI is posted on the project’s website.
The Design Group will pursue a shared understanding of noise impacts and identify potential solutions intended to reduce aircraft noise impacts for the most heavily affected communities within the study area. The proposed solution from the Design Group will then go to a Regional Project Group that will be comprised of representatives from municipalities within 10 nautical miles of Dulles Airport. The Regional Project Group will review any recommended changes impacting the airport’s use of Runway 30. Once the Regional Project Group has responded, the proposed solution will be submitted to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) to forward to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its consideration.
Background
In January 2023, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors adopted (PDF) amendments to the county’s Airport Impact Overlay District (AIOD). The AIOD is a set of zoning regulations intended to mitigate exposure of people to high noise levels near airports. Based on public comments received during that process, the Board and county staff became more aware of concerns about noise levels, primarily with departures from Runway 30, which is the only existing east/west aligned runway at Dulles Airport. While voting to adopt amendments to the zoning regulations, the Board also asked staff to open a dialogue with the FAA to better understand the range of options available to address community concerns. The current project is one step in addressing the community’s concerns.
More Information
More information about the Runway 30 Project is posted on the project website, LoudounRunway30Project.com.
For more information about the Runway 30 Project and Loudoun’s Airport Impact Overlay District, including how to subscribe to email/text updates on these topics, visit Loudoun County’s website, loudoun.gov/AirportNoise.
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