As the clock ticks toward a December 31 deadline that could signal signficant changes in the North Fork’s helicopter noise situation, local residents are galvanizing and urging the East Hampton Town board not to accept any future funding from the Federal Aviation Administration — a move that would give East Hampton Town the jurisdiction to ban helicopter traffic altogether.
“Our goal is to ban choppers at the East Hampton airport,” Teresa McClaskie said in an email Monday. “Thousands of residents from Riverhead, Southampton, Shelter Island and Southold wish to enjoy their backyards, beaches and parks without the disruption of helicopters buzzing overhead.”
For months, McClaskie, who lives in Mattituck, and other North Fork residents have raised their voices against an escalating helicopter noise issue on the North Fork that they say has shattered their bucolic quality of life .
And as the deadline looms for East Hampton’s contractual obligations with the FAA to expire on December 31, residents are keeping up the push, and plan to turn out in force on Tuesday at 10 a.m. for an East Hampton town board work session, where they will continue to advocate for quiet skies on the North Fork.
The meeting will be held at East Hampton Town Hall, located at 159 Pantigo Road, off Montauk Highway. At the work session, representatives from Kaplan Kirsch, the town’s aviation attorneys, are slated to make a presentation on ways the town board could protect the public from “disturbing aircraft noise this season,” according to an email sent out by Barry Holden, who has also cried out against helicopter noise in recent months.
East Hampton Town is currently not able to regulate its rights as proprietor and impose limitations on the times helicopters can fly and the number of flights allowed, because the town accepted Federal Aviation grant funding years ago, with a 20-year window, Russell said at a town board meeting in 2013.
A noise abatement group sued the FAA nine years ago, based on the fact that the town improvements funded with the FAA funding was based on a master plan that had not yet been formally adopted. The group won, and the statute of limitations for the time when East Hampton has had to give up its rights of proprietorship is set to expire on December 31. After that time, the town board will be able to dictate helicopter flight times and other restrictions, speakers at that former town board meeting said.
Residents, said Kathleen Cunningham, chairperson of the Quiet Skies Coalition of East Hampton, are urged to attend the meeting to read comments into the record. And, if they are unable to attend, Holden said they should send them in writing to members of the East Hampton Town Board, 159 Pantigo Road, East Hampton, NY, 11937, or by email at HTOcomments@EHamptonNY.gov.
Those speaking out against the helicopter noise have said it disturbs residents’ right to peacefully enjoy their homes and property, with an ever-increasing frequency of aircraft operations, especially during heavily trafficked times. According to the QSC, helicopter noise can also disrupt sleep patterns and cause other health impacts, and cause windows to rattle and china to vibrate in cupboards.
The noise, QSC advocates say, can impact children’s ability to learn, and cause “unbearable situations” for those who live under certain helicopter routes.
The group has suggested potential alternatives, including banning all helicopter and seaplane landings at East Hampton airport; applying a community compatible noise emissions standard on all aircraft utilizing the airport; and ensuring East Hampton Town retains its rights as proprietor of the airport — maintaining financial sustainability independent of FAA funding.
Other ideas include limiting hours of operation at the airport, limiting the number and concentration of flights, and possibly creating a slot system for landing aircraft that could be sold by auction, to help bolster financial sustainability of the airport without FAA funding.
“The town board has before it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to return the peaceful enjoyment of home and property to East End residents after 31 December, 2014. The town must exercise its political will to protect the public, both East Hampton residents and those of other communities, from debilitating and disturbing aircraft noise,” Holden wrote in an email to residents.
McClaskie, along with Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, have long maintained that for North Fork residents, the problem lies in that pilots, at point of entry on the North Shore routes, have permission to drop altitude based on their own discretion.
McClaskie has also long questioned the safety of helicopters flying over residential neighborhoods, school and fire departments.
In addition, McClaskie believes that helicopter companies with wealthy clientele headed to the Hamptons will fly lower to provide a more scenic ride for their customers.
That’s why she is urging residents to either turn out in person or write to the East Hampton town board to make their voices heard before the December 31 deadline. “It is really critical for everyone to please take a few moments out of their day and send a message to the East Hampton Town Board,” she said. “We want our yards back. Our privacy back. We want to sleep, and we want to enjoy our time living on the North Fork.”
Helicopter noise, she said, is also damaging to local real estate values. “I work hard for what I own,” she said, adding that the problem has grown tremendously over the past 30 years since she bought her home.
“I live in Mattituck. Who would have thought I’d have helicopters whipping by overhead on their way to East Hampton? Some people say you can’t change anything. I’m going to prove them wrong. I’m in this to win it.”
Other efforts in recent months to put the brakes on helicopte noise include a new Southold helicopter committee formed in October with an eye toward urging Southold residents to get involved and make their voices heard.
The next meeting of that group will be held on Thursday, December 11 at 7:00 p.m.
Earlier in October, a group of concerned neighbors attended the first-ever helicopter noise organizational meeting at Town Hall, where the goal was to create the civic group, which would coordinate with those on the South Fork to help advocate for change.
Bob Mellafonte, chair of the Sag Harbor Citizen Advisory Committee, attended the meeting, as did Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski, New York State Assemblyman Anthony Palumbo, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, Councilwoman Jill Doherty and Councilman Bob Ghosio.
The supervisor said he’s been getting scores of calls about helicopter noise and would like to tap into that to form a large group, with many members and a plan of action.
“I want hundreds of people to join, sort of like the helicopter version of the North Fork Environmental Council,” Russell said.
Russell expressed frustration in June, when the federal rule requiring Hamptons-bound helicopters to fly over the L.I. Sound along the north shore was extended for two years. But, while the FAA and the federal transportation department agreed to extend the rule, according Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Tim Bishop, federal authorities did not agree to make the rule permanent or to require helicopters to stay off-shore and fly around Orient Point and Shelter Island on their way to South Fork airports, which Schumer and Bishop had requested. The lawmakers said in a press release they will continue to push for those changes.
The rule adopted by authorities actually “hurt the North Fork,” Southold Supervisor Scott Russell said. “So unless they really go around Orient, it’s just going to get worse.”
Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter sought the “total water route” in 2010, when the FAA was first soliciting comments on a proposed north shore route.
Meanwhile, in August, over 100 incensed Southold Town residents showed up at a helicopter forum held at the recreation center on Peconic Lane Monday, armed with questions and ready to fight.
One by one, residents spoke passionately at the two podiums, describing years of failed attempts to be heard on the federal level and imploring elected officials for help.
All town issues, Russell said, must undergo a cost benefit analysis. But, while traffic and congestion on county roads bring a boost to the economy, “There is no such benefit to air traffic invading our open spaces. It’s just cost, to our peace and quiet and to our way of life. It’s a problem created by others for the benefit of others. Southold has become a doormat to East Hampton. The problem with doormats is they are meant to be walked on — and it needs to stop.”
Palumbo, who lives in New Suffolk, said the helicopters had really been “pounding away” that morning at 7 a.m., and had woken his kids, ages 10 and 7.
An attorney, Palumbo suggested the way to control the issue was not legislative action, an “exhaustive process,” but controlling the number of flights and other measures.
Joseph Fischetti, a Southold airline pilot and engineer, said he became involved in 2008 as chairman of the noise abatement committee at Gabreski, when the five East End towns first got together to try and find solutions.
There are three heliports in New York City, where 90 percent of the flights originate from; 10 percent come from Westchester and Morristown, Fischetti said. On the East End, those flights land at Gabreski, a Southampton heliport, and at the East Hampton airport, with 60 to 70 percent of the flights heading to East Hampton and approximately 7000 helicopter flights per year in total.
The problem did not exist prior to 2008, Fischetti said; before that time, helicopters flew across the center of Long Island, following the Long Island expressway route. Communities in Port Jefferson and Stony Brook complained and Schumer got involved, with the end result an agreement by the Eastern Region Helicopter Council to move all flights to the north shore.
Fischetti said he agreed with Palumbo that legislation was not the answer and suggested mitigating the issue by controlling the number of flights, with the South Shore route, across the Atlantic Ocean, being utilized, as well.
Russell said one of the keys to mitigating the noise concerns is to demand the helicopters fly higher. Currently, he said, helicopters must fly at 2500 feet when in flight, but when on the transitional route, readying to land, pilots fly at their own judgment, with no regulation, based on what they determine is a safe altitude. “That’s a problem,” Russell said. Russell pointed out that the town has no legal right to regulate altitudes, with only the feds able to make that change. “We’ve been running up against a brick wall,” he said.
Peconic resident John Skabry said he has lived in his home for 44 years. “I can’t enjoy my backyard. We should be able to worship on Sunday in a quiet church.”
The FAA, Skabry said, is “terrible” on the issue of noise abatement. He suggested no further funding be given to the three airports until noise abatement is addressed. “Noise is pollution,” he said.
And, with the funding from the FAA for the East Hampton airport set to expire in December of this year, if no relief is realized, “We’ll shut that airport down if we have to.”
Skabry also suggested that an airport in Montauk be utilized, instead of the East Hampton facility.
Peconic resident Paula Daniel said helicopters also posed a safety concern; according to research, she said they crash 35 percent more often than airplanes. “We’re endangering our lives at a greater rate than anywhere else on Long Island and I don’t think that’s fair for a federal safety agency to accept.”
McCaskie, who has been fighting for change for years, attending eastern region helicopter meetings and crying out against the noise.
She read a list of demands, including that all helicopters, private jets and sea planes should fly one mile out around Orient, following the coastline. Private jets should not use Mattituck as a turning point, and all should be required to have flotation devices onboard, she said. In addition, she said, helicopters should fly at a minimum of 3000 feet and decrease altitude as close as possible to the airport, not 13 miles away in Mattituck.
McCaskie also questioned if the registration numbers could be painted on the bottom of helicopters and sea planes in a bold font.
FAA aviation safety inspector Jim Ciccone responded that the registration numbers are mandated to be two inches wide by 12 inches high and placed on the sides of aircraft. They were once put on the bottom of aircraft but that hasn’t been done in years, he said. To alter that procedure, an amendment would be needed. He added that despite claims to the contrary, the numbers have no gotten smaller.
McCaskie said no aircraft should be allowed to fly over Mattituck High School. “As a parent I have every right to demand that my child’s safety is the top priority,” she said.
She also asked why helicopters are not mandated to fly over open space or water and are, instead, flying over populated residential communities.
McCaskie also said the East Hampton town board “cannot accept another penny from the FAA. The board needs to take control of the airport. I support the push to have the airport shut down completely, if they can’t comply.”
The supervisor said he’s become “far more cynical” and noted the Eastern Region Helicopter Council represents pilots who have “an interest in making East Hampton happy because they need access to that airport.”
The southerly route is rarely used, with an eye toward least inconveniencing East Hampton residents and those on the golf course there. “It comes at our sacrifice because flights come in over Mattituck Inlet,” Russell said.
Krupski asked the FAA representatives what it would take, to get the all-water route extended around Orient Point.
“A miracle,” someone called out from the audience. “Someone dying,” another said.
Again, the FAA reps said they were not part of the rule-making process and could not comment.
“Then why are you here?” one audience member asked.
Mallafonte, of the Sag Harbor civic association, has been working for years on the issue.
“We are being abused,” he said. “It has to stop. The only way is to ban them completely from this area.”
Mallafonte said residents needed to reach out to the new East Hampton town board. “We would like to see a complete ban of helicopters,” he said.
By taking the FAA funding, Mallafonte said the East Hampton town board, in concert with the FAA, gave up its rights in exchange for “lots of money. It is not easy to stop children who are out of control. They need to be stopped.”
Cunningham, chair of the QSC in East Hampton, added when, 15 years ago, the East Hampton town board got the grant by “illegal means,” the grant assurances meant East Hamptons rights were abandoned; the town and FAA were found at fault.
Mallafonte said those in attendance should bombard the East Hampton town board, the FAA, and elected officials.
“They’re terrorizing us, our children, our wildlife,” he said. “Our goal is to have you unite with us on the South Fork and get after East Hampton and the FAA. They’re the ones that caused this and they will be the ones to fix this.”
Cunningham said she’s been fighting the battle for over 20 years. “I beg you, implore you to come to East Hampton Town Hall. If you were all there shaking your fingers, we’d bring this ball down the field. We need you there.”
Riverhead resident Janice Lorusso said her home near Iron Pier beach is right near the transition spot for helicopters. “They’re over my house before 6 a.m.,” she said.
Southold realtor Joe McCarthy said the issue concerned rights. “Our rights are being trampled on. When you buy a home, you get a bundle of rights, the right to quiet enjoyment.” Residents need to work together to find a solution, he said.
Showing photos of a helicopter over her backyard, Peconic resident Margaret Skabry added, “It’s indefensible. I am not trash, and I do not like being treated like trash by my elected officials and my government.”
South Jamesport resident Georgette Keller said her brother-in-law owns a home on Skunk Lane in Cutchogue and added, while things were better in Riverhead, “It’s shifted east. The shell game is happening now. You guys are under siege.”
Reading a letter from her brother, she suggested the southern, ocean-route be used, with a 5000-foot minimum flight requirement and no flights on Sundays. “And if they don’t have the apparatus, they shouldn’t be allowed to come to East Hampton.”
Some have recorded over 30 helicopter flights in one morning, Keller, the founder of the Save Main Road group in Riverhead, said, adding that the noise was destroying the area’s culture and tranquility.
“We are being exploited. They think they can walk all over us. We do have to go to those East Hampton town meetings,” she said.
