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QUEENS WEEKLY, AUGUST 25, 2019
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
(FAA) to increase
its transparency.
C o n g r e s s w o m a n
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 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 airinfrastructure
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.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons/xlibber