The following is a news release issued by Mayor Sayles Belton's Office today
(October 10). I thought it would be of interest to the mpls-issues list.
Ann Freeman
Mayor Sayles Belton to Speak at
International Transportation Symposium
Presentation will focus on airport environmental issues and community
partnerships
October 10, 2000 (Minneapolis) - On Wednesday, October 11,
Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton will lead a presentation at the
International Transportation Symposium: Moving to the 21st Century - Best
Practices of Today and Lessons for Tomorrow.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater will be among
transport ministers and heads of state from around the world, as well as
representatives from all modes of the international transportation community
that will attend the three-day conference on October 9-12 in Washington,
D.C. The symposium will provide an international forum to promote a global
transportation system and to exchange ideas, best practices, strategies and
information. More than 100 countries will be represented at the symposium.
Keynote speakers include U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence H. Summers,
U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, and U.S. Secretary of State Madeline
Albright.
Mayor Sayles Belton will be presenting information about the role of
community partnerships in addressing airport environmental issues.
"Airports such as the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport that are
located in close proximity to urban centers face inherent conflicts of
interest," said the Mayor. "We understand the need for airports to be
competitive both regionally and internationally, but they must also be good
neighbors to the communities in which they are located. Urban airports
enhance the economic strength of local and regional economies, yet the high
levels of airplane noise over densely populated areas compromise the quality
of life for residents.
"During my presentation, I will discuss the need for airports to
create community partnerships to address these concerns and conflicts of
interest," said the Mayor. "Airports must engage citizens, local units of
government and the business community in noise abatement strategies. We
must take the complaints of citizens seriously. Proactive solutions that
reduce airplane noise at its source, expand noise insulation programs, and
restrict night flights must be pursued. The development of high-speed rail
lines as viable alternatives to commuter flights between cities within 500
miles of each other should also be considered."
Following the Mayor's presentation, she will also participate in an
aviation panel about environmental success stories.
"I invited Mayor Sayles Belton to lead the presentation on
environmental issues and community partnerships and to join the panel on
environmental success stories because of her local and national leadership
on noise abatement concerns," said Transportation Secretary Slater.
During the symposium, Mayor Sayles Belton will also deliver a draft
of a City of Minneapolis resolution to Secretary Slater regarding the
Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) update of its Aviation Noise
Abatement Policy. This is the first update of FAA policy on noise abatement
in over a quarter of a century. The resolution, which is expected to be
approved by the Minneapolis City Council this Friday, will detail
Minneapolis' comments to further strengthen the FAA's noise abatement
policy. For more information about the symposium, visit the US Department of
Transportation Public Affairs Web Site at:
http://www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm. The media contact for the
symposium is Madeline Rodriguez Ortega, U.S. Department of Transportation at
(202) 366-4570.
Ann Freeman
Communications Director
Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton
(612) 673-2156
