AeroBlue, a 'Grassroots Network' dedicated to improving aviation's contributions to the economy and quality of life is protesting attempts to use Eminent Domain to limit improvements to a New Jersey Airport. The organization is criticizing Readington Township as it begins its third Eminent Domain attempt to prevent transportation improvements.

'Their destructive plan to take control of Solberg Airport is based on unfounded accusations and will permanently damage the New Jersey economy and harm quality of life for generations. AeroBlue.Org is organizing local residents and business leaders to call their state legislators to oppose this abuse of Eminent Domain and damage to our economic infrastructure,' says the organization in a statement released this weekend to ANN.
 
AeroBlue has launched a nationwide grassroots organization in an attempt to unite Air Travelers and the aviation industry to 'improve both the economy and our quality of life.' While national in scope, AeroBlue is launching with a series of local fundraising dinners across New Jersey to discuss these issues and build broad public support for local airports, and promote legislation to save airports at risk like Solberg and Atlantic City’s historic Bader Field, slated to close in September.

AeroBlue claims that, "Readington’s concern about quality of life was proven false when they intentionally and knowingly built an elementary school at the end of an active runway. Readington claims concern for flights over nearby recreation fields, but their stated objective is to build new fields closer to runways! They claim Eminent Domain is necessary to prevent commercial development, yet allowed construction of Merck and Chubb world headquarters and numerous other commercial lots currently for sale indicate taking over the airport will not stop this development."
 
Aeroblue also states that Eminent Domain is 'not the last resort as Readington Mayor Gerald Shamey claims, but the last step after a long series of carefully orchestrated planning decisions intended to put quality of life and life-safety at risk to rationalize their take-over scheme. Readington’s Solberg Airport planning documents indicate continuing this destructive track record to further reduce quality of life and put lives of travelers and neighbors at risk by failing to maintain the runways and eliminating essential services.'

“Why would anyone seriously consider building an elementary school at the end of a runway? And yet, Readington is the third municipality to just that. This needs to change.” said Sim Hitzel, President of AeroBlue.Org.
 
While Readington may claim this is only a local issue, it is AeroBlue's intention to highlight Readington’s impact on the state-wide airport system, associated economic growth, and the local quality of life. AeroBlue says that these examples are intended to 'show common-sense solutions are available to solve ‘perennial’ airport controversies and deliver a better future for our children.'

FMI: www.AeroBlue.Org, www.solbergairport.com