Airport Given A Three-Week Reprieve In Response To Request For A Temporary Restraining Order

In a positive development for operators at embattled East Hampton Airport (KHTO) on New York’s Long Island, the town of East Hampton said May 18 it would not enforce the noise and access restrictions that it adopted last month for at least three more weeks.

The town’s announcement came at a U.S. District Court hearing in response to a lawsuit requesting a temporary restraining order (TRO) filed by the local organization Friends of the East Hampton Airport and other parties, which had been joined by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).

NBAA and other aviation interests have challenged the legality of the HTO noise and access restrictions, which include a mandatory nighttime curfew, an extended curfew on so-called “noisy” aircraft and a limit on “noisy” aircraft of one trip per week during the summer. An opinion on the TRO request by U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert is expected on June 8.

“We are pleased that Judge Seybert recognizes the need to consider a temporary restraining order, and will take the time to study the situation at East Hampton Airport,” said Steve Brown, NBAA chief operating officer. “This airport is part of a national system of airports, and operational restrictions like those the town seeks would pose a threat to that national airport system.”

On behalf of the FAA, Kelly Currie, acting U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of New York, had also written to the District Court, stating that a TRO is necessary in order to give the agency adequate time to study the overall issues and respond to the implications of a separate federal lawsuit that also questions whether the restrictions comply with federal law and FAA regulations. “The FAA’s engagement at HTO underscores the importance of the situation,” said NBAA’s Brown.

“NBAA will continue to explore all regulatory and legal remedies to ensure that its Members and other general aviation operators continue to have reliable access to HTO,” said Brown.

(Images from file)

FMI: www.ntsb.org