Dane County Secures Grant Funding for Sound Insulation Program Planning from FAA

September 22, 2026
Carrie Springer
Airport

Madison, WI – Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) today announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved a Sound Insulation Program (SIP) planning grant to establish a multi-year sound insulation program for qualified homes and businesses near the Airport. The funding announcement comes just two months after approval of the Airport’s amended Noise Compatibility Program (NCP) in July. The $4.7 million in federal funds will be used to complete the FAA’s required Phase 1 of the program to develop MSN’s SIP processes, documentation, and pre-construction activities. 

“I heard from our community that getting federal assistance with noise mitigation is a priority. Receiving funds from the FAA so soon after the approval of the updated Noise Compatibility Program is a much-needed victory and an important step toward improving interior noise levels for qualified homes,” said Dane County Executive Melissa Agard. “The quick response from our federal partners is thanks to the tireless efforts of Senator Tammy Baldwin and Representative Mark Pocan to ensure the needs of our community are a priority for federal funds.” 

MSN inquired about funding to establish an SIP as soon as the NCP was approved and received Record of Approval (ROA) on July 10, 2026. This allowed the Airport to apply for and secure remaining FY 2026 funds from the FAA instead of waiting for the FY 2027 application period. Starting the process this year will establish the program sooner and put MSN on the path toward securing multiple rounds of sound insulation funding for qualified homeowners over multiple federal fiscal years. 

The NCP provides recommended and potential best practices for mitigating noise in and around the Airport community. Last year, the Airport rescinded the NCP submitted to the FAA in November 2024 to better align the program with stakeholder and public interests. The amended NCP included updates to several noise abatement and land use measures, such as enhanced coordination on local land use policies, a contingency for potential land acquisition, and the addition of a sound insulation program for eligible homes. 

“We appreciate the leap of faith the community put in the new airport team when we announced we were pulling back the NCP. Securing federal funds was the goal and today's announcement shows it was worth the effort,” said Executive Director Mark Papko. “Our team is charting new territory on how to establish an expedited first step for sound insulation programs and we are excited to get to work on setting up a sustainable program that can secure multiple rounds of federal funds.” 

"We could not have gotten this done so quickly without help from Senator Baldwin and Rep. Pocan, and we appreciate all of the work they put into securing this funding.”

The Airport team is already working with the FAA to finalize the process to select a qualified consultant to manage the sound insulation program for MSN in order to issue a Request for Qualifications solicitation later this year. This foundational first phase will establish the framework for subsequent years, enabling MSN to secure additional rounds of funding to address eligible homes within the 65 Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) contour. 

The work completed by the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) under its sound insulation program helped expedite approval of MSN’s planning grant by developing an inventory of potentially eligible units for treatment. MSN’s SIP will use the data collected by DMA and make any needed updates to ensure the DMA program complies with FAA standards. 

This initial planning phase for the MSN SIP will complete all required FAA documentation and include: 

  • Development of an acoustic test plan 
  • Final eligibility confirmation for FAA concurrence 
  • Outreach to homeowners who may be eligible 
  • Testing of properties for interior noise levels 
  • Design and bid of an estimated 10 eligible units to establish baseline costs per household needed to secure additional federal funds for implementing noise insulation measures in qualified homes 


Once a consulting partner is on board, MSN will reach out to homeowners to outline the steps required to participate in MSN’s SIP.  

The Amended NCP and additional background materials are available online through the Airport’s Part 150 Noise Study web page at msnairport.com/about/noise-abatement/part-150-study. 

Last year, MSN welcomed nearly 2.5 million passengers, setting an all-time passenger record. An economic impact report released earlier this year found the Airport generates nearly $2.6 billion in total economic impact while supporting 10,176 total jobs across the region in 2024. MSN offers nonstop service to 19 destinations, one-stop access to nearly every major city worldwide, and continues investing in terminal improvements and passenger amenities. Learn more at msnairport.com. 

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