FAA legislation with Zeldin helicopter amendment passes Senate

Both chambers of Congress have now passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, which contains a provision requiring the Federal Aviation Administration to reassess the North Shore Helicopter Route to address noise impacts on affected communities, improve altitude enforcement and consider alternative routes — including an all-water route over the Atlantic Ocean.

The bill is now headed to the president’s desk to be signed into law, said Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), who authored the provisions regarding the helicopter route.

“I applaud my Senate colleagues for passing my proposal that requires the FAA to reassess the North Shore Route and pursue an all-water route over the Atlantic Ocean,” Zeldin said.

“For years, the FAA has ignored the concerns of residents, from the North Shore Route’s planning to its continued use, while day-to-day quality of life has suffered due to the persistent issue of helicopter noise on the East End,” Zeldin said. “Finally, the FAA is forced to listen. I urge the president to sign this important proposal into law,” he said.

“Helicopter noise during the busy summer months has exponentially increased over Riverhead in the past several years,” Riverhead Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith said. The noise is very disruptive to residents whose homes lie below the well-traveled routes over land, she said.

“I applaud this bipartisan effort to finally bring relief to Riverhead residents,” Jens-Smith said.

Southold Supervisor Scott Russell agreed. “The ever-increasing number of helicopters over Southold has devastated the quality of life for our residents,” he said.

“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.”