Last Sunday was my breaking point. Having diligently written down the days the planes have taken off over us since last October, I decided to write to the Port Authority's Community Relations person. You may recall we had a local meeting on airplane noise in October 2015, which is where I met him. Below is his response to my email, which follows his.... We will see if anything changes. Thought you all should be aware of the PA's response.
Daniel
It is good to hear from you. Thank you for contacting me regarding Runway 22 Departures at LGA. With respect to the referenced flight activity over Jackson Heights, please know that LGA Operations works closely with the FAA Tower to minimize utilization of Runway 22 for departures to the extent possible, taking into consideration quality of life concerns of the local community. However, certain wind conditions occasionally necessitate the FAA’s determination to use this Runway for departing flights (even when we are not implementing construction).
Last October, I did have the opportunity to brief you and members of the Jackson Heights community on 2 key projects that we were completing in 2015. As advised, both the Federally mandated safety areas and paving and milling of Runway 13-31, were successfully completed in 2015.
However, there have been additional closures of Runway 13-31 due to the rehabilitation and construction of the high speed taxiways connected to Runway 13-31. Please note that while construction crews work diligently to complete the taxiway work in a timely manner, weather conditions which dictate the construction schedule, have sometimes been an impediment to this goal. Currently, weather permitting, the completion of the taxiway work is scheduled to be completed by Sunday afternoon.
Please know that construction work is critical in order for us to meet and surpass all FAA regulations. Although, additional weekend closures will occur down the road, I do not anticipate any further closures of Runway 13-31 for the remainder of the Summer. If this changes, I will alert you.
I understand your frustration and encourage you to file noise complaints either via the Port Authority’s toll-free phone number, 1-800-225-1071, or at the following link on our website:
http://www.planenoise.com/panynj/daPRAbr9/qs114wbt.php.
Please also feel free to contact me if I may be of any further assistance on this matter.
Thanks,
Ian
Ian R. Van Praagh
Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
Acting Director
Government & Community Relations – New York
4 WTC, 24th floor
New York, New York 10007
p) 212-435-6938
c) 917-284-3536
email:
ivanpraa@panynj.govFrom: Daniel Karatzas
Sent: Sunday, August 7, 2016 3:51 PM
To: '
ivanpraa@panynj.gov' <
ivanpraa@panynj.gov>
Cc: 'Dromm, Daniel' <
DDromm@council.nyc.gov>; '
jperalta@nysenate.gov' <
jperalta@nysenate.gov>
Subject: Airplane Noise in Jackson Heights, Queens
TO: Ian Van Praagh – The Port Authority of NY & NY
We met last October when a meeting was held at PS 69 to discuss the persistent and quality-of-life reducing airplane noise that has been plaguing Jackson Heights (and other communities south of LaGuardia Airport) for years. At the meeting it was explained that two projects causing many of the Saturday and Sunday takeoffs over Jackson Heights would be completed before the end of 2015. Well, since that meeting was held, the following weekends had flyovers:
December 12
December 19
February 6 & 7
February 27
April 30
May 14
June 4
June 11
June 18
July 9
July 16
July 23
August 6
I know, since I have been diligently writing down the dates on those Saturday mornings, about 6:10am, when the roaring starts.
Well, the two projects supposedly ended and we have been PLAGUED by these a dozen times since November. Not too many years ago it was 4-6 times a year for, I imagine, regular maintenance. Now we have two major projects completed and 12 weekends ruined in eight months. This is not acceptable. How many weekends will we have with “scheduled” maintenance, and why is it double or triple the number of times earlier this century?
Can someone explain to me, the community, and our elected officials, what is going on? I am sending this email to Congressman Joseph Crowley and Assemblyman Michael DenDekker through their own online system. I figure I may as well bring in the media as well, since nothing else seems to have worked.
If you are no longer the Acting Director, Government & Community Relations, New York, can you let me know who is, and also forward this email to that lucky individual. Thanks much.
