By Stephen Stirling
Ackerman has led an aggressive campaign against the proposed 11-story structure, located at 120-15 31st Ave., because of its height and close proximity to LaGuardia Airport. Once built, a 110-foot structure will be located less than half a mile from the airport's eastern approach runway, according to the FAA.In a letter to FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, Ackerman criticizes the FAA for its September determination that the structure, if properly lit, would pose no hazard to air navigation in the area. He goes a step further to say that by issuing such a determination, the agency is in violation of its own policy, which says structures like waste transfer stations that could attract large numbers of birds must be located a minimum of five miles from an airport. “I can't even imagine why the FAA would ignore its own rules, and worse, plain common sense to approve this trash tower,” Ackerman said. “I'm flabbergasted that with garbage trucks lined up, waiting to dump their trash and with refuse hoisted more than 100 feet in the air, that no one at the FAA thought that the inevitable flock of seagulls attracted to all the waste would create a major hazard to aviation.” Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Astoria), and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which administers LaGuardia Airport, have also come out against the project. However, FAA spokesman Jim Peters said the FAA's determination in September was not an approval of the plan, and the FAA does not have any jurisdiction to halt the project regardless of any position it takes. Peters also said the FAA has already started a review of its September finding after receiving a petition from the public. Several figures in Ackerman's letter to Blakey disagree with those released by the FAA and community leaders. In the letter, Ackerman says the transfer station will be located 1,900 feet from LaGuardia's eastern runway, while documents released by the FAA and forwarded by Ackerman's office list the distance at more than 2,200 feet. In the letter, Ackerman describes the structure as a tower where garbage will be hoisted more than 100 feet in the air. Marilyn Bitterman, district manager for Community Board 7, which approved the project in 2005, said the bulk of the structure would be no more than three stories in height, and a small smokestack is the only aspect of the project that reaches a height of 110 feet. Bitterman said CB 7 has recently reached out to the Port Authority to express their concern about the project. Ackerman said in an interview with TimesLedger Tuesday that he has been attempting to obtain the official plans for the project, but thus far has been unsuccessful.The Department of Sanitation, which will build and operate the facility, did not return calls for comment. Reach reporter Stephen Stirling by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
