An amendment to the House reauthorization bill for the Federal Aviation Administration will require the FAA to hold a public hearing on the North Shore Helicopter Route in communities impacted by helicopter traffic to address noise impacts. The agency will also be required to open a public comment period.
The FAA has refused to hold a public hearing or accept public comment on the subject, said Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), who introduced the amendment.
The FAA adopted the original north shore route in 2012 and extended it for two years in 2014. Two weeks before it was set to expire in August 2016, the FAA extended the route for another four years, dispensing with the 30-day notice required by federal law for rulemaking by federal agencies.
The move provoked outrage in the community and among elected officials. Zeldin called for the resignation or removal of the FAA administrator. Southold Town petitioned the FAA to reconsider its decision, but the FAA dismissed the town’s petition.
The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the reauthorization bill, which funds the FAA though 2023, by a vote of 393-13.
Zeldin’s amendment was cosponsored by Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) and Thomas Suozzi (D—Glen Cove).
“Summer after summer, North Fork residents’ quality of life has suffered due to the persistent issue of helicopter noise on the East End,” Zeldin said. “The FAA and Department of Transportation have sole jurisdiction over the aircraft routes that have impacted these communities, but from the route’s planning to its continued use, they have continued to flat-out ignore the residents directly affected.”
Zeldin said Congress must hold the FAA’s “feet to the fire” and require the FAA to assess an all water route and alternatives to mitigate the impact on residents.
Riverhead Town Laura Jens-Smith, who has said her own home life has been disrupted by helicopter noise, welcomed the measure.
While the helicopters are supposed fly over water, “in practice this is not what takes place,” Jens-Smith said.
“In addition these helicopters tend to fly the same routes when traversing over land, resulting in helicopters passing overhead every five to 10 minutes,” she said.
“The noise level created by these helicopters passing is so loud and disturbing that it can drown out TV sound at a moderate volume if you are inside. And outside is even worse — requiring you to stop your conversations until after the helicopters pass overhead,” Jens-Smith said.
Southold Supervisor Scott Russell said helicopter traffic “over Southold has “devastated” residents’ quality of life.
“Southold has become a doormat to the helicopter operators as they head to and from the Hamptons,” Russell said.
“Rep. Zeldin’s amendment is a common sense approach that will provide immediate relief to our community. I urge the FAA to follow the congressman’s lead and help him restore the quality of life of the people of Southold.”
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