By Bob Harris
After years of pressuring for the formation of community roundtables to discuss airplane noise over residential neighborhoods, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has authorized the formation of such groups. Meetings were recently held in a large hanger at the Vaughn College of Aeronautics adjacent to LaGuardia Airport.
The Queens roundtable consisted of representatives from the Port Authority, the Federal Aviation Administration, Queens Quiet Skies and the Eastern Queens Alliance. For years members of Queens Quiet Skies have been visiting civic associations and other groups to pressure for the creation of roundtables.
The PA has created a Noise Office and has been hiring staff. Noise monitors are being purchased and are being placed around the metropolitan area to monitor airplane noise.
The PA is starting the Part 150 Study authorized by Cuomo. It will assess noise, create noise contour maps and the land uses within them and look at strategies to reduce airplane noise. While all this is happening, the FAA is continuing a massive airspace design to streamline the nation’s flight patterns that began in the late 1990s.
The Part 150 Study may come up with flight changes, residential soundproofing, voluntary land purchases and land-use planning. The study could take three to five years with the roundtable acting as a technical advisory committee. There will be meetings so local residents can comment.
There are competing suggestions for one roundtable of all the metropolitan area airports as opposed to one roundtable for each airport. To prepare bylaws for the roundtable, the members will use July to communicate via e-mail and then meet again in August.
I remember that about 30 years ago, when Ben Rosenthal was our U.S. representative, meetings on airplane noise were held at hotels near LaGuardia Airport. There were discussions about Stage 2 and 3 airplanes, which would be quieter. We are still at it!
While roundtables are being formed, the Eastern Queens Alliance, a federation of civic associations, is suing the FAA to stop the extension of a runway. The expansion would widen it from 150 to 200 feet and bring it 730 feet closer to the 160-acre Idlewild Park. The FAA says new safety rules require the runway expansion.
The residents want a full environmental impact study prior to the expansion. People say studies have shown that living within 6 miles of an airport can cause diseases due to the chemicals released by the airplanes in various ways. There is also unhappiness that trees are being cut down, especially hundreds of taller trees.
GOOD NEWS OF THE WEEK: The U.S. Navy has just appointed Admiral Michelle Howard the first four-star admiral in the history of the Navy.
Howard was born in the country of Jamaica and is now the vice chief of naval operations. One of her pioneering actions was when, as commander of Task Force 151, she led the rescue fleet that saved Merchant Marine Capt. Richard Phillips from Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.
Ironically, Howard was not mentioned in the movie about the event which stared actor Tom Hanks. The 54-year-old leader has served 32 years in the Navy.
BAD NEWS OF THE WEEK: A recent newspaper article said that the postal system wants to cut service at the Whitestone processing center, perhaps even close it.
It had attempted to do this two years ago, but public outcry scuttled the proposal. Civic associations and businesses send out their bulk newsletters and fliers at this facility.
Going to Brooklyn would be a hardship for the volunteers of the civic associations in Queens. Regular mail would have to go to Brooklyn and then come back to Queens.
Aren’t there reforms which could be implemented which could save money yet protect our postal facilities?
