Airspace Redesign--More Aircraft Noise For NJ?
On December 20, 2005 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Metro Airspace Redesign Project, proposing a restructuring of flight patterns throughout the metropolitan area. We have preliminarily reviewed the DEIS and have significant concerns about the proposals and the FAA development process.
1) The FAA excluded environmental considerations (both noise and emissions mitigation) from the project “Purpose and Need” statement of goals, despite clear public direction that these are the number one concerns.
2) The FAA developed the route changes with extensive aviation industry, but not public or environmental regulatory agency participation, resulting in aviation industry bias.
The FAA is proposing increasing (fanning) departure patterns for Newark Airport and revamping and increasing the departure and arrival configurations throughout the area. The FAA’s proposals could affect the following New Jersey counties and residents with an INCREASE IN AIRCRAFT NOISE as follows: Bergen, 98,714 people; Gloucester, 30,500; Morris and Sussex, 40,596; Union, 65,570*. Only the Ocean routing proposal reduces aircraft noise resulting in a net reduction in noise for 112,264 residents. Please note that the FAA stated that this alternative is not consistent with the Redesign’s “Purpose and Need”.
Further information is posted in the DEIS section on our Internet site at
www.njcaan.org. Please consult this site for our analysis of the DEIS, plus the preliminary schedule of FAA public meetings. WE URGE YOU TO EVALUATE HOW THE ROUTE CHANGES WILL AFFECT YOUR COMMUNITY AND ATTEND AT LEAST ONE OF THE FAA PUBLIC MEETINGS.
Robert Belzer
President, NJCAAN
*Aircraft noise impacts represent the Integrated Airspace proposal with the Integrated Control Complex. (See section 4 of the DEIS.)
The DEIS is available at:
http://www.faa.gov/nynjphl_airspace_redesign/
