Greenwich Post
Tesei joins town leaders to lobby Assembly to join FAA fight

Feb 27, 2008

Area towns took their cry for help in fighting the Federal Aviation Administration’s proposed flight path redesign to Hartford Monday.

Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei submitted written testimony as Wilton First Selectman William Brennan, Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi and Darien Selectman Callie Sullivan, speaking for First Selectman Evonne Klein, testified at the hearing.

Norwalk and New Canaan did not send representatives to Monday’s hearing, which centered on Resolution No. 18, “Memorializing Congress to Protect the Public Health and Safety of Connecticut Residents in the Airspace Redesign over Southwest Connecticut by the Federal Aviation Administration.” The measure was introduced by 25th District state Sen. Robert Duff, a Norwalk Democrat.

“This is a state issue, not a regional one,” Redding First Selectman Natalie Ketchum wrote. “Fairfield County is the economic engine that drives the state of Connecticut’s economy. A threat to this region will reverberate throughout the state, with potentially disastrous consequences. Legal defense of our quality of life and future economic development in the state requires swift action by Connecticut’s governmental leaders.”

“This is more than a case of ‘NIMBY,’ or ‘Not in My Airspace,” Ms. Sullivan told legislators. “It is important for the General Assembly to understand that the FAA has changed Darien’s land use by rerouting planes over us. This will have impacts which have not been properly assessed by the FAA. Flight paths have not changed in 50 years for a good reason. People who purchased homes under flight paths knew what they were getting into. Now all of our residents who paid a premium for their homes will be hit in their pocketbooks. Their home’s value will be affected. Their quality of life will change. This has economic impacts — and tax implications — which have not been addressed.”

Officials who testified expressed fears of increased pollution and noise.
“This plan will further exacerbate the poor air quality facing our region and particularly impact our children and citizens with compromised respiratory and immune systems,” Mr. Tesei wrote, urging the FAA to solicit input from local officials regarding a redesign.

“We are living in an era when protecting our environment is of utmost concern to residents,” Mr. Tesei added. “Our bipartisan Board of Selectmen recently established an Environmental Action Task Force to study and address a wide range of issues focused on improving our environment. The FAA’s airspace redesign proposal represents a major step in the opposite direction.”

A major request from the Airspace Alliance was for money.

“Gov. [M. Jodi] Rell and Attorney General [Richard] Blumenthal have both opposed this ill-conceived project and the AG has filed suit to stop it,” Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi said. “Our organization, the alliance, has taken the lead and has allocated in excess of $1 million of local taxpayer monies to fight this battle, and we now must ask for not only your administrative support but also your financial support. Legal bills are substantial and if we are to be successful in protecting the great state of Connecticut from the many negative consequences from this poorly researched plan stated here today, then we need your full support. Please consider a financial participation.”

In a press release issued after the hearing, Mr. Brennan said, “It is essential that the FAA revisit its so-called Record of Decision and be required to develop a comprehensive plan that would provide for greater public and community involvement and a full environmental assessment, including the impact of increased noise and air pollution on area residents. We represent the legitimate concerns of the many communities affected in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.”


© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers