Citizens get relief from recreational noise: The case in the skies from Hawaii

Due to the exponential growth of large-scale, commercial, fixed-wing aircra ft and helicopter tourism in the state of Hawaii since the late 1980s, nati ve wildlife habitat has been degraded, and hikers and others seeking tranqu ility in wilderness areas throughout the state have been greatly disturbed. Aviation activity results in an unacceptable degree of noise pollution ove r or near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawaii, and Halea kala National Park on the island of Maul, The same is true of state lands w ith wilderness character such as the Na Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon, and Koke 'e State parks on the island of Kauai and Kula, and Kahikinui State forests on the island of Maul, In all these locations, noise intrusions occur cont inuously throughout the day, often for sustained periods of over one hour. The problem is particularly acute at Haleakala, where sound is amplified du e to the park's unique geologic configuration (a small erosional depression , high above the clouds) that concentrates and amplifies aviation noise. Th e: bulk of Haleakala and Hawaii Volcanoes National Parks are part of the fe deral wilderness system, Both parks are International Biosphere Reserves de signated by the United Nations; aviation noise is inconsistent with such de signation. (C) 1999 Institute of Noise Control Engineering. [S0736-2501(99) 00404-X] Primary subject classification: 66.1; Secondary subject classifica tion: 13.1.