Agency Refutes The Charge The Political Pressure Was Brought To Bear

Charges and accusations were flying in New York earlier this week, as one U.S. Congressman accused the FAA of extending the north shore helicopter route in Long Island without proper public input.

Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY-1) (pictured), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was joined by Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, Riverhead Town Councilman Tim Hubbard, and local elected officials at Riverhead Town Hall Monday to provide an update following a meeting with the FAA regarding North Fork aircraft noise and the North Shore Route. The meeting between Congressman Zeldin, Supervisor Walter, Supervisor Russell, Councilman Hubbard, and FAA officials also took place Monday at Long Island Macarthur Airport in Islip.

“On July 23, after repeated follow up from myself, my office, the House Subcommittee on Aviation, other elected officials, and countless concerned citizens on the East End, the FAA quietly announced a four year extension of the North Shore Route against the will of the people and without a transparent process or public comment period; an unacceptable example of incompetence and arrogance on the part of faceless, unelected and unaccountable federal bureaucrats," Congressman Zeldin said in a news release. "Summer after summer, North Fork residents have had their quality of life greatly reduced by the persistent issue of helicopter noise on the East End. At the meeting, we urged the FAA to mandate that the North Shore Route extend past and around Orient Point and for the hold to be lifted on creating a mandatory South Shore Route.

"The FAA and Department of Transportation have sole jurisdiction over the aircraft routes and it is incumbent upon these federal agencies to handle this power with responsibility and responsiveness to the public. In addition, the FAA must enforce the local level strict flight standards and offshore requirements for aircraft bound for the East End to help mitigate disruptive noise. The punishment of violators will also show the community that the agency tasked with aviation safety is doing its job.

"In October of last year, I clearly stated to FAA Administrator Huerta that the North Shore route should be extended for no longer than one year, with an extensive strengthening of altitude requirements and enforcement of flight standards, and a true all water route over the Atlantic Ocean as the permanent solution. Calls of the public and their representatives have been flatly ignored. The FAA is treating the American public as if it is the enemy. This conduct is absurd and unacceptable, and it must be reformed.

"All options remain on the table to stop this destructive ruling, including possible litigation from the Town of Southold and legislation that would cut off any FAA funding to implement it. In 2015, the FAA was threatening to take negative action against the Town of East Hampton for the enactment of aircraft noise restrictions. I then got a legislative proposal passed in the House to protect East Hampton against retaliation by the FAA. I am willing to pursue any option necessary to get this resolved.

"North fork residents cannot afford to have yet another season ruined by disruptive noise. This is an important quality of life concern that must be resolved immediately.”

But the FAA refuted Zeldin's charge that there had been some kind of collusion with Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) to extend the authorization for the corridor by four years, and that Sen. Schumer knew about it a month before it was published in the Federal Register, according to the East Beacon newspaper.

"There was no secret deal with Senator Schumer or anyone else. Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Congressman Zeldin have been unequivocal in their strong support for all over-water helicopter routes on Long Island,” said FAA Deputy Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs Laura J. Brown in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

“Both Senator Schumer and Congressman Zeldin have articulated the same concerns to the FAA regarding impacts to their constituents and have been equally forceful in expressing their shared position to extend the helicopter route around Orient Point, Shelter Island, and Plum Island as soon as possible,” she added. “Ultimately the FAA independently made the decision to extend the rule based on the timeline for research efforts to determine appropriate future actions on the rule, without causing a disruption to the current operating environment. The purpose of the research is to gather data on helicopter noise to inform a final route that works for the residents of Long Island and is responsive to the concerns the FAA has heard from the public.”

However, Riverheadlocal.com reports that Southold Supervisor Scott Russell wondered aloud whether Schumer had written that statement himself. "Obviously, the FAA has generally been an agency that is there to advance the agenda of the senator to the exclusion of all others. Apparently, they are his mouthpiece, too," Russell said. He added that the FAA's position had been "very clear" in the meeting and local officials "absolutely did not misrepresent" what they were told by the FAA.

FMI: www.faa.gov, http://zeldin.house.gov