LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS REPORTS APPROVAL OF FUNDING FOR SOUND-INSULATION PROJECTS IN INGLEWOOD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

(Los Angeles, California – January 28, 2015)   Officials at Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved $44,378,659 to fund sound insulation projects in the Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD) with Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) funds.

 The funds will pay for the sound insulation of five school campuses, which include Woodworth, Payne and Oak elementary schools; Monroe Middle School; Morningside High School; and a Child Development Center at Woodworth.  

 IUSD Chief Deputy Superintendent Joe Dominguez said, “This funding will provide an improved learning environment for our kids by upgrading the acoustic performance of our classrooms.”

Sound-insulation construction will include: replacing standard doors with thicker, solid doors; installing interior acoustic ceiling tiles and other insulation as needed; framing and insulating top floors; replacing standard windows with sound-rated windows; and replacing/installing heating and air-conditioning systems, and other elements to achieve a targeted interior noise level of 45 decibels or less.

The FAA’s approval follows an application by LAWA filed last year with the FAA seeking approval to use PFC funds to sound insulate classroom buildings and a learning center at IUSD. PFCs are fees of up to $4.50 collected for every enplaned passenger at commercial airports controlled by public agencies.  PFCs can only be collected for an FAA-approved program for an established amount and time period.

The District will receive its first funding installment of $10 million from LAWA after the first work plan for the sound–insulation construction is submitted and approved.  The sound-insulation program is part of a 2005 settlement agreement between LAWA and IUSD.