Tuesday, July 30, 2013

More Lawmakers Making Noise About Airplane Noise: Schumer, Gillibrand, Meng and Israel ask Port Authority to set up forum for airplane noise complaints

Elected officials representing Port Washington at the federal level are calling on the Port Authority to set up an advisory committee to address airplane noise concerns in the five boroughs. U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer, D-NY, and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, as well as U.S. Reps. Grace Meng, D-Flushing, and Steve Israel, D-Huntington, have sent a joint letter to Port Authority Executive Director Patrick Foye, asking for the agency to set up a committee that would handle ongoing and future concerns about airplane noise for city residents. 

Currently, there is no forum through which residents can complain about flight patterns, construction, frequency of arrivals and departures and new runway configurations. 

“It is simple common sense to say that the largest metropolitan area in the country should have an airport advisory committee like the one we are proposing, a body that would help increase the quality of life for locals,” Schumer said. “With the creation of this committee, those affected by airplane noise can provide a more united front to their elected officials, the aviation community and the Federal Aviation Administration.”

Airport advisory committees currently exist in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville.

Days before the 2013 legislative session closed earlier this year, the New York State legislature passed a bill that requires the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey (PA) to conduct a noise and land use compatibility study to better address the rise in aircraft noise over Long Island.

Len Schaier of Port Washington, president of quietskies.net, said passage of the Part 150 bill is a signifcant victory for residents of the NY-NJ metro area. "Next milestones are the governor and the NJ legislature!" he said, recognizing local representatives for their efforts.

The legislation, co-sponsored by Sen. Jack Martins, who lives in the neighboring village of Mineola, is aimed at insuring that aircraft noise is given proper consideration by airport operators when they determine which runways and approach paths to use.


Source:   http://portwashington.patch.com