July 5-11, 2019 Your Neighborhood — Your News®
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Senators seek quiet skies for Queens
Schumer and Gillibrand urge new FAA chair to commit to reducing air traffic noise
many communities in Long
Island, Queens, the Bronx
and elsewhere,” said Senator
Schumer. “That is why we are
demanding that the nominee
for FAA administrator
commit to listening and
responding with specific
policy changes to the longignored
frustrations of New
Yorkers overburdened by
aircraft noise.”
In October 2018, the
FAA introduced the
six-month North Shore
Helicopter Route, which
directed air traffic away
from neighborhoods like
Whitestone and Bayside.
In April 2019, the FAA
announced that the route
would be extended until
October 2019.
“Residents of Long Island
and Queens have long suffered
through unacceptable levels
of helicopter and airplane
noise, and this problem gets
markedly worse during the
summer. Even though last
year’s FAA Reauthorization
bill included my provisions
to address this noise
pollution, the FAA has yet
to follow through and take
any substantive actions to
actually reduce aircraft
noise,” said Senator
Gillibrand. “Before the
Senate votes on the next
FAA Administrator, I am
calling on the nominee to
show leadership on this
issue and fully commit to
addressing the concerns
of New Yorkers. Excessive
airplane and helicopter
noise harm the quality of
life in our communities, and
it’s past time the FAA gives
our communities the relief
they deserve.”
BAYSIDE LIGHTS UP FOR THE FOURTH
Thousands gathered at Bayside’s Fort Totten on June 26 for a spectacular early Independence Day fireworks celebration hosted by
the Bayside Historical Society and City Councilman Paul Vallone. For more photos, see page 3. Photo by Dominick Totino Photography
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Back in March, President
Trump nominated Steve
Dickson, Delta’s former
senior vice president for
flight operations, to head
the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA).
But U.S. Senate Minority
Leader Charles E. Schumer
and U.S. Senator Kirsten
Gillibrand called on Dickson
to commit to reducing
aircraft noise for Queens
and Long Island residents
before they consider
his nomination.
Residents in certain
areas of Queens, Nassau and
Suffolk Counties deal with
incessant helicopter and
airplane noise, particularly
during the summer months
when air traffic increases. In
a letter to Dickson, Schumer
and Gillibrand highlighted
Queens and Long Island
residents’ concerns and
urged the nominee to make
the issue a priority.
“Before we will consider
any new nominee to head
the FAA, we need to hear
from the nominee about
what will be done to
address the high levels of
airplane and helicopter
noise that challenge so
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Vol. 28 No. 27 52 total pages
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