Hempstead Sues NY Port Authority Over Excessive Airplane Noise

A town in Long Island, New York, is suing the state’s Port Authority for what it calls “a daily barrage of noise and vibrations” from John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The filing surrounds the increased use of Runway 22L, routing more flights over crowded neighborhoods and sparking a dramatic jump in noise complaints.

Local officials claim that the number of landings using JFK’s Runway 22L has seen significant growth over the past decade or so, increasing from around 68,000 in 2010 to 83,000 in 2024. What makes this pattern significant is that it routes landing traffic over more densely populated areas, including Floral Park, Valley Stream, and Elmont neighborhoods.

The suit also cites the somewhat drastic increase in noise complaints. From December 2017 and 2018, the region filed approximately 142,000 reports of excess noise. The same area had a count of more than 372,000 complaints from April 2023 to April 2024. The Port Authority’s alleged failure to properly address this impressive jump has brought many residents to their boiling point.

“You can’t hear the television,” expressed Floral Park resident Kristina Dupps. “You can’t really have a conversation because you have to stop until the noise is gone."

Other locals, however, realize what it means to buy a house near a busy airport knowingly.

“It doesn’t bother us,” stated another Floral Park resident, Carl Labriola. “They come by in the backyard and what are you going to do? Life goes on.”

The lawsuit was filed by the Town of Hempstead and three of its residents in Nassau County’s New York Supreme Court. The plaintiff hopes to force the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to update noise exposure maps and, eventually, mitigate the issue through property and flight path alterations.

“We will continue to explore every avenue in the fight against this unlawful burden on the health and well-being of Town of Hempstead residents,” Town Attorney John Maccarone said.

FMI: https://hempsteadny.gov