The new year has brought what Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell has called “a baby step” toward a solution regarding egregious helicopter noise that has had local residents crying out for relief.
On December 31, the town of East Hampton let expire four Federal Aviation Administration grant assurances, taking back the reins in terms of overseeing its airport. For years, East Hampton had its hands tied and could not regulate hours of operation and number of flights after accepting funding from the FAA.
“The expiration of four important FAA grant assurances puts the town in a much better position to locally control the East Hampton Airport,” East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell told SoutholdLOCAL Tuesday.
“We have maintained that East Hampton should take control of its own airport and refusing FAA dollars is the first step in that process,” Russell said.
The supervisor said he has been working to address the issue, which has plagued scores of North Fork residents, for years; he has worked with the East End Noise Abatement Committee.
Russell said that he had dedicated “several years of work, to only be told by the East Hampton representative, at the time, that there was nothing that town could do because of FAA commitments. I am cautiously optimistic because this is the first board there that seems to understand the impacts on other towns. There is a long way to go and we have no reason to celebrate. But, if East Hampton does not take FAA money then at least the first step is taken, albeit, a baby step.”
Local residents, incensed with the noise that they said has compromised their quality of life, galvanized in previous months to persuade the East Hampton Town board not to accept any future funding from the FAA — 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. “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 .
Before December 31, East Hampton Town was unable 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 expired December 31. After that time, the town board will be able to dictate helicopter flight times and other restrictions.
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 Quiet Skies Coalition of East Hampton, 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, members of the QSC 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.
McClaskie and 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.
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.
Bob Mellafonte, chair of the Sag Harbor Citizen Advisory Committee, attended the kick-off meeting, as did other elected officials.
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.
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.
Russell said at the meeting that 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.”
And, if no relief is realized, “We’ll shut that airport down if we have to,” Skabry said. 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 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. She also asked why helicopters are not mandated to fly over open space or water and are, instead, flying over populated residential communities.
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.
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.”
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.”
