Robert Belzer, who runs New Jersey Coalition Against Aircraft Noise (NJCAAN), a citizens group focused on reducing noise from New York and New Jersey metro area airports, sent me this article about the health risks of airport noise.  This article is by Tristana Moore for Time in Partnership with CNN.

Living under a flight path can seriously damage your health. German researchers have discovered that people who are exposed to jet noise have a substantially increased risk of stroke, high blood pressure and heart disease. The findings are bound to provide further ammunition to anti-airport campaigners and make uncomfortable reading for world leaders at this week’s climate summit in Copenhagen .

According to the unpublished study, commissioned by Germany ‘s Federal Environment Agency, men who are exposed to jet noise have a 69% higher risk of being hospitalized for cardiovascular disease. Women living under flight paths fare even worse, logging a 93% higher rate of hospitalization with cardiovascular problems, compared with their counterparts in quiet residential areas. The study found that women who are exposed to jet noise (of about 60 decibels) during the day are 172% more likely to suffer a stroke. (See the top 10 science stories of 2009.)

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1929071_1929070_1947782,00.html