Greenwich Post
Reports are in; airspace redesign impact still uncertain
Aug 16, 2007

New holding patterns created by a proposed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airspace redesign might keep Greenwich in the clear of airport noise, town officials said this week.

“The good news is that it looks like the holding pattern for Westchester [County Airport] is moving east,” said Selectman Peter Crumbine after reading the FAA’s finalized Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which was released last week. “To the extent that planes use holding patterns, that’s good for us.”

The new patterns could lead to increased aircraft noise for communities to the east, however.

Commercial planes could be in holding patterns just 4,000 to 5,000 feet above New Canaan and Wilton, New Canaan First Selectwoman Judy Neville said last week.

“It’s basically nothing different than the draft EIS,” she said, adding that the FAA is still not revealing the number of flights to LaGuardia International Airport that will pass over New Canaan, nor is it listing a total number of flights affected.

In the event of delays due to crowding or adverse weather, outgoing flights would pass below holding patterns in a 50-mile-wide departure radius.

“That means more and more planes and (2,000) to 3,000 feet rather than vertically correcting up to (9,000) or 10,000, which is where they told us flights would be on departure,” Ms. Neville said.

That’s in addition to the still unknown number of additional flights to LaGuardia flying over the area.

Bruce Dixon, chairman of Greenwich’s Selectmen’s Advisory Committee on Aircraft Noise, said he’s most concerned with flights leaving Westchester County Airport, since it looks like shifted LaGuardia arrivals and departures won’t have much impact on Greenwich.

He said that while he’s glanced at the EIS, he’s still not sure what to make of the report.

“It’s still rather difficult to be able to understand what impact it will have on both Westchester County Airport and the surrounding environs,” he said. “Frankly, it’s very hard to tell what’s going to happen.”

Mr. Dixon said his committee plans to meet next month, at which time members hope to speak directly with an FAA representative.

“We’re at a wait-and-see attitude to see what happens next,” he said.

Mr. Crumbine said the town essentially has three ways it can fight the airspace redesign, which the FAA chose as its preferred option this spring.

First, he said, there’s the technological solution, and to this end, the town hired a noise consultant earlier this year to study the possible impacts of the redesign.

“I’m not sure that gets us very far,” Mr. Crumbine said. “The FAA pretty much is going to do what they want to do.”

Another option, he said, is to take legal action. He said Greenwich has been approached by several New Jersey communities interested in suing the FAA.

“We’re thinking about that,” Mr. Crumbine said, adding that a decision likely won’t come until September.

Third, Mr. Crumbine said, there’s the political option, adding that Greenwich has continued to work closely with U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays.

Mr. Shays’ recent amendment to block funding for the plan failed to gain approval in the House of Representatives and awaits a Senate vote.

Meanwhile, a petition drive aimed at stopping the plan remains short of 1,500 signatures. Ms. Neville said 5,000 are needed.

Petitions may be signed online at Ncadvertiser.com or at the Selectmen’s Office in Town Hall.

The FAA administrator could implement the plan at any time, then it would be up to the Senate to reverse the decision.


© Copyright 2007 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers