From the standpoint of a New Yorker, this is an interesting debate, and we have (a little of) the same here at JFK with the very vocal Howard Beach residents constantly complaining about airport noise. Just like in Chicago, the ones who moved there before or just after WWII may have a legitimate issue, but far more moved there in the 50's and 60's after the significance of the airport in the region's economy was already clear. Although complaints about Newark are sometimes heard, the flight paths for the (main) parallel runways are largely over industrial and wetland areas.

It's been my observation for years that oil tanks, airports, radio towers, racetracks, and stadiums tend to be grouped together in a lot of cities because nobody wants to live near any of them.

I'm normally all for Federalism, and clearly, like all frequent travellers, I would benefit from an expanded ORD, but I fail to appreciate why the Federal Government should get to dictate the answer to the O'Hare problem. Shouldn't the people of Chicago and the suburbs be entitled to decide this, in some manner?