Pols want Queens residents in aircraft noise discussion
BY JENNA BAGCAL
As the struggle for quieter
skies in Queens continues,
lawmakers are calling
on the Federal Aviation
Administration to increase
its transparency.
Queens Congresswoman
Grace Meng, U.S. Senate
Minority Leader Charles E.
Schumer and U.S. Senator
Kirsten Gillibrand recently
addressed a letter to the head
of the FAA, calling on the
agency to keep the public
abreast of what goes on during
NextGen Advisory Committee
public meetings.
The lawmakers requested
that the FAA give residents
more advance notice and
accessible information
regarding meetings.
According to the agency,
the committee advises
and recommends ways to
enhance and maximize
the Next Generation Air
Transportation System
(NextGen). The FAA
conceived NextGen to
modernize the country’s air
transportation system by
improving its safety efficiency,
capacity, predictability
and resiliency.
But new flight routes
set by NextGen have
caused many northeast
Queens communities to
experience increased levels of
aircraft noise.
“Many of my constituents
who continue to be impacted
by excessive aircraft noise
related to NextGen want to
be heard about how this new
technology impacts their
lives,” said Meng. “The public
deserves to be engaged on
NextGen and this engagement
must be a two-way street
complete with dialogue
and input from members of
the community and other
stakeholders. Increasing
access and transparency to
these meetings would help
ensure this happens, and that
committee members listen to
their concerns. There should
be no barriers that prevent this
from happening. It is critical
for Acting Administrator
Elwell to make the changes
we’re requesting and I eagerly
await his reply to our letter.”
In the letter, the lawmakers
said that the FAA is only
Photo via Wikimedia Commons/xlibber
required to give the public a 15-
day notice prior to upcoming
meetings. The committee
held its last meeting on July
30 in McLean, Virginia,
giving New York residents
little time to plan for travel
and accommodations.
They also complained that
the FAA did not videotape
or livestream the meetings
for individuals unable to
attend meetings.
“For the FAA to
modernize air-infrastructure
in a meaningful and
comprehensive way, they
must hear from affected
community members,” said
Schumer. “That is why we
are demanding that the FAA
increase the transparency
and accessibility of public
meetings held by the NextGen
Advisory Committee, which
is responsible for advising
the FAA on air transportation
modernization, including new
flight routes, so those who
have suffered from excessive
aircraft noise have a seat at
the table and their voices can
be heard.”
Lawmakers called on the
agency to (1.) Ensure that
when announcements are
made in the Federal Register
of the meeting time, they are
simultaneously published in
a more user-friendly location,
such as FAA’s website (2.)
Extend the current 15 days
of advanced Notice of Public
Meetings with a longer lead
time (3.) Make the NAC
meetings viewable and
accessible via livestream.
“With the FAA planning
to convene public meetings
on NextGen implementation,
which would make changes
to air traffic routes and
could increase the impacts
of aircraft noise in some
communities, I am calling on
the FAA to make sure that
these meetings are made more
accessible and transparent for
New Yorkers,” said Gillibrand.
“The federal officials
determining aircraft route
changes have a responsibility
to listen directly to New
Yorkers to ensure that any
new routes carefully consider
the potential effects on their
quality of life. I’m proud to
join with my colleagues in
this push to ensure that New
Yorkers can participate in the
NextGen process.”
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