Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner is leading the opposition to a measure that would move more flights through Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Warner has cited additional noise as a reason to reject the proposal but has failed to mention that he lives in a $5.1 million mansion not far from the airport.
Warner has also cited longer airport lines and delays as reasons for opposing the expansion, but the impact of increase noise on the surrounding community continues to feature prominently in his argument. The Virginia Democrat appears to have never mentioned that he is personally affected by the noise due to his 7,582-square-foot mansion in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, being located along Reagan National’s flight paths.
Dealing with flight noise from the airport has long been a priority for the Alexandria resident. In 2021, Warner joined a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration claiming that the flight noise had created “unbearable living conditions.” The letter included no mention of Warner’s personal interest in reducing airport noise.
In March, Warner and other Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Senate Commerce Committee opposing any further changes at airports that “serve residents of the National Capital Area.”
In June, Warner released a joint statement sharing his strong opposition to additional flights from Reagan National.
“No one wants to move backward, and I for one have been saying for years that we need to act quicker in implementing NextGen modernization,” Warner told the Washington Post in 2017. The article in which Warner was quoted focuses on noise complaints from the Reagan National and Dulles airports.
“However, the FAA cannot operate in a vacuum,” Warner told the Post. “They need to start listening to impacted communities before they make these route changes, and I have urged the FAA and the Airports Authority to work on some modest changes that would take into account these noise concerns.” He did not mention his own home’s proximity to the airport.
According to records, Warner lives less than four miles from Reagan National.
Real Estate Assessment Search – City of Alexandria, VA
Dinner for Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee – Political Party Time
“Any such interference by Congress would disrupt the balance among the region’s airports, generate longer lines and more delays at DCA, create more noise for nearby residents, and hurt local economies in both of our states,” Warner said in a June joint statement with Senate Democrats opposed to legislation that would reauthorize Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) programs.
Warner’s office did not respond to multiple requests for comment by the deadline provided.