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Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said that his city is "left with no choice but to sue" the Federal Aviation Administration over altered flight paths that have resulted in disruptive noise in several of the city's historic neighborhoods, according to the Associated Press.
A Phoenix spokeswoman told the AP on Monday that the city planned to file the suit within 24 hours.
The FAA implemented the controversial changes as part of its nationwide NextGen program back in September of last year, and since then, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has received thousands of noise complaints.
In a statement via CNN, the city of Phoenix said that "the FAA's actions have caused the community extreme discomfort, with many unable to sleep at night or pursue normal daily activities," adding that the agency acted "without proper due process, notification and consideration."
Stanton said that the city made multiple attempts to solve the problem, and criticized the FAA for its inability to propose a worthwhile solution.
Phoenix city councilman Michael Nowakowski told the AP that he plans to reach out to other U.S. cities currently battling noise complaints in an effort to get them to join the lawsuit against the FAA.
Boston, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles are among other American cities dealing with noise complaints related to the FAA's new flight paths.
Although the new patterns have frustrated many, the routes were designed to improve safety and boost efficiency by cutting emissions and allowing flights to use less fuel.
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