Riga International airport has developed a strategic noise map consolidating the data on the territories exposed to aircraft noise, number of population, various public institutions and noise thresholds in those territories as well as other information. The map will serve as the basis for drafting an action plan for noise abatement in the territory surrounding the airport.
„The noise map of this kind has been elaborated at Riga Airport for the first time,” said Arnis Luhse, Chairman of the Board of Riga International Airport, „at the next stage an action plan for noise abatement will be developed jointly with the Ministry of Transport, Latvijas Gaisa satiksme (the Latvian air traffic authority), airlines and other stakeholders, at the same time maintaining efficient airport operation. We will be able to monitor the compliance of the airlines with the noise level requirements.”
The noise map is created in order to raise the public awareness about the noise level from the operations of aircraft handled at the airport, to collect data for drafting of the action plan for noise abatement and to provide information to the European Commission on the environmental noise pollution in the territory of Latvia.
It should be mentioned that the airport must update its noise map once every five years in order to comply with EU directives and Latvian laws and regulations.
The Strategic Noise Map is publicly accessible on Riga Airport’s website www.riga-airport.com, section „About company” – „Strategic airport noise map”: http://www.riga-airport.com/lv/main/par-lidostu/troksna-karte
Noise pollution is an indirect impact of the airport on the environment. Although the airport operations, viewed separately, do not create significant direct noise pollution, it is generated by aircraft flying to and from Riga International Airport.