FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM AUGUST 22, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
Lawmakers press FAA to include Queens on noise discussion
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com
@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.
Th e 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). Th e
FAA conceived NextGen to modernize
the country’s air transportation system by
improving its safety effi ciency, capacity,
predictability and resiliency.
But new fl ight 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,” Meng said. “Th e 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.
Th ere 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 required to give the public a
15-day notice prior to upcoming meetings.
Th e committee held its last meeting
on July 30 in McLean, Virginia, giving
New York residents little time to plan for
travel and accommodations.
Th ey 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 aff ected
community members,” said Schumer.
“Th at 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 fl ight routes, so those who have
suff ered from excessive aircraft noise have
a seat at the table and their voices can be
heard.”
Lawmakers called on the agency to do
the following:
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
Extend the current 15 days of advanced
Notice of Public Meetings with a longer
lead time
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 traffi c 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. “Th e federal
offi cials determining aircraft route changes
have a responsibility to listen directly
to New Yorkers to ensure that any new
routes carefully consider the potential
eff ects 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.”
Flushing man who allegedly kidnapped & killed ex could get plea deal
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com
@jenna_bagcal
Attorneys are working on a possible
plea deal for a Flushing man who
allegedly kidnapped and murdered his
ex-girlfriend back in February.
Th e Greenwich Time fi rst reported that
Javier Da Silva, who allegedly kidnapped
White Plains resident Valerie Reyes by
placing her in a suitcase, has not yet
entered a plea in the U.S. District Court
(SDNY). Court fi lings said that a lead
prosecutor is involved in “preliminary discussions”
to settle the case without a trial.
Last month, a judge approved a request
for more time to reach a plea deal according
to court fi lings. Greenwich Time
reported that this is the sixth continuance
of the case since cops arrested Da
Silva in February.
Earlier this year, a Greenwich,
Connecticut highway worker found
Reyes’ body in a suitcase on the
side of Glenville Road. Police
said that the worker found the
24-year-old bound at the
hands and feet.
Th e SDNY charged Da Silva
with kidnapping the
24-year-old bookstore
worker days
later, which led
to her death
by suffocation.
White
Plains federal
court
also charged
him with unlawfully
transporting Reyes via suitcase to
Greenwich.
On Feb. 11, New Rochelle police
arrested Da Silva for withdrawing $1,000
using Reyes’ ATM card. His arrest came
nearly two weeks aft er Reyes’ mother,
father and boyfriend reported
her missing.
Following his arrest, Da
Silva claimed that he and
Reyes had sex at her New
Rochelle apartment,
during which she
“fell to the fl oor and
hit her head.” Th e
criminal complaint
stated that he bound
her mouth and
limbs with packing
tape before putting
her in a suitcase
and leaving
her body in “a forest.”
Th e pair had previously dated but broke
up about a year before Reyes’ death. Da
Silva is a Venezuelan immigrant and had
overstayed his visa, according to multiple
reports.
Valerie Reyes
Photo via Wikimedia Commons/xlibber
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