The noise from takeoffs and landings at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport should be fairly distributed, according to Elk Grove Village officials, who are suing the Federal Aviation Administration over proposed options for the nighttime Fly Quiet program.

Elk Grove Village’s top official says the village’s lawsuit against a federal agency is simply a matter of fairness when it comes to O’Hare jet noise.

“We all get the benefits of the airport,” Elk Grove Mayor Craig Johnson said. “We all should share in the impact.”

Elk Grove has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration seeking to compel the federal agency to analyze reasonable alternatives to the proposed permanent Fly Quiet program at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

On paper, the proposed Fly Quiet program – known as Alternative B – distributes takeoffs and landings between the north and south parallel runways and the crosswind runways, Elk Grove officials note. However, they contend, that the crosswind runways won’t be used nearly as much, meaning Elk Grove will bear more of the jet noise that other airport neighbors, such as Park Ridge and Niles.

Aviation expert Antonio Trani of JDA Aviation supports Elk Grove’s argument.

“The schedule for Alternative B shows equal participation by each set of runways, but the real-world impact is an unequal burden on the north and south parallel runways,” Trani said “The low usage of crosswind runways by heavy and some large aircraft will result in a higher number of runway operations on the parallel runways, even when the crosswind runways are designated for use.

“Alternative H (the option Elk Grove Village is pushing for consideration) is fairer because it accounts for the real-world fleet mix and runway usages during Fly Quiet.”

“Alternative B that Chicago presented does not fairly distribute the noise,” Mayor Johnson said. “They did not want to submit Alternative H. Suburbs northeast of the airport like Park Ridge and Niles and suburbs southwest of the airport like Elmhurst would get more noise under Alternative H than Alternative B.”

Johnson pointed out that the village is not seeking preferential treatment or trying to unfairly shift nighttime noise to its neighbors. The purpose of the lawsuit, he said, is simply to ensure that the FAA reviews all reasonable alternatives as it is statutorily required to do.

The Elk Grove Village mayor said he is optimistic that federal authorities will do the right thing and include Alternative H in its review of Fly Quiet options.

“Chicago is playing games. We have been pushing for months to submit both alternatives,” Johnson said. “We are just saying submit both alternatives.

“The FAA has to accept the other plan. They have to stand by that and be willing to do that. The law is clear. The FAA has to accept all reasonable alternatives it is given. I bet I am 100 percent right on that.”

For several years, the village, through its efforts with the Suburban O’Hare Commission, has been trying to work with the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission to create a plan for a reasonable distribution of nighttime air traffic around the airport.

“We’re here to make sure the FAA does its job,” Johnson said. “If the FAA properly completes the environmental review process, it will lead to a permanent Fly Quiet program that provides the relief needed based on not what seems fair, but what actually is fair.”